PC wont finish counting ram

[Shaggs]

Hi,

The pc's a celeron 700. No matter how much ram is in the pc it counts down to 1 less than the amount in there at the time and then freezes. can't get into bios can't do anything. more or less everything has been disconnected except power supply and on change.

Has anyone experienced this before or have any suggestions. I can't visibly see anything wrong with the motherboard like burnouts etc.

Thanks in advance.

 

[garebo]

Ram first, but then re-set the bios via the jumpers on your mobo. Read the manual as it differs.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[Shaggs]

the pc had 2 sticks in it and whether i put them both in or either one at a time the same thing happens, just counts to a different number, one less than the amount in at the time. seems wierd that they'd both go at the same time. i might try and get my hands on some more just the same. thanx mate.

 

[garebo]

I dont think you can even use a boot disk since you cant boot so the only thing you can do is try more ram and re-set bios via jumper on mobo.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[stduc]

What happens with No RAM in? You should get some POST beeps which you can diagnose from your Mobo Manual. You may (depending on Mobo) even get a diagnostic message on the screen.

Your very unlucky if both RAM sticks are faulty. Have you tried each stick in turn in each of your RAM slots?

Check your Mobo for faulty capacitors. Check yours out against the images found here.

 

[garebo]

Good post, as it seems weird that both sticks are bad at the same time, unless something electrical happened to your system.
I hope its not a case of the power supply going bad, or even worse, a case of power brown-out or surge.
Im not saying it is or trying to scare you. Its just weird that both rams arent working and thats what worries me.

Any chance you can test your ram on another computer?
Have you re-set your bios via the mobo jumper yet?
Any chance of trying another power supply?







Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[ceh4702]

The RAM may be bad, but the motherboard may be bad also. Not enough power or a fluctuating power supply can cause problems with RAM. I have heard the RAM timings can sometimes be adjusted or the RAM voltage can sometimes be adjusted if the RAM is only slight unstable at the seed or at the voltage.

Adjusting the voltage can ruin RAM if it gets too much power. Adjusting the RAM timing lower (bigger numbers) can slow the RAM down enough to be more stable. During boot up the drives may be spinning and everything tries to come on at once. If a power supply does not supply enough power this is the time it may cause problems.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[garebo]

Thats why i listed the power supply as a suspect, especially with both ram sticks not working,its not likely they both went bad unless they got nailed by too much power.

So the power supply is a good suspect at this point.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[jimbuddy]

one thing you can try. take an eraser and rub the contact leads , then use compressed air to clean off and reinstall the ram.

oxidation, may be a factor. can't hurt

 

[garebo]

As mentioned earlier, i think the power supply is the prob. Failing which, if the memory is indeed found to be good in another computer then i would suspect a short somewhere.
In which case, i would then suggest you take the mobo out of the case as a short may have developed somehow, it does happen.

Still, power supply number one suspect.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[micker377]

Did this just "start"? There is a "joke" program that does this. Have you run anti-spyware and anti-malware programs? Has anyone else been on the computer that could have installed the program?

 

[tsurikov]

There is a "joke" program that does this.

Please tell me this is in itself a joke...? A program that somehow manages to affect the RAM checking process? Where and how would such a program install itself? Doesn't sound possible.

In any case, from Shaggs' description, it wouldn't be possible to run anti-spyware utilities... or anything, for that matter... he can't even get to the BIOS, much less boot an operating system.

Shaggs - all the suggestions in this thread are good - hope they help you solve your problem!

Cheers, Michael

 

[garebo]

I found that weird also, but micker377 knows his stuff and if he heard of that then it could very well be, i dont know one way or the other.
However, if it does exist one should be able to google it, so try that first.
And, if there were such a program out there that could do that, well, one could easily get their computer infected with it just by cruising around the net, especially if they should go to bittorrent, warez, porn sites, places like that.
I think that what micker377 meant was: was shaggs running antivirus and spyware progs before this happened to his computer, and did he use a firewall.

Still waiting to hear from shaggs as to what he has done so far.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[garebo]

So far I found one using google:

http://examnotes.net/article1044673.html

this person below had the same prob and did what i suggested, reset the bios and all was well:

http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=36323

I couldnt find anything on google about a virus or malware that causes this, but i didnt do an exhaustive search, only cursory.


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[ceh4702]

Did you try resetting the BIOS? Generally there is a jumper to do this or sometimes you have to remove the battery for about 20 Minutes.

Is this a computer that was fine up until this point or are you just now building it?

I think sometimes this is not a RAM problem but a Motherboard Problem. You could put the RAM in another computer and see if it works.

Older motherboards may have more difficulties with RAM and Compatibility. I had an AOPEN MB that would not boot with some brands of RAM simply because of compatibility issues. I also had an Asus Motherboard that would keep rechecking the RAM and finally boot.

If this is an older computer you have to decide if it is worth messing with. You can buy some basic P4 Computers from Dell for just around $300-$400. Of course you could just buy someone's used computer for a little less maybe. So you do not want to spend more than is needed to buy a new computer.

If you do not like my post feel free to point out your opinion or my errors.

 

[garebo]

I already mentioned to reset the bios, only maybe 5 times, lol.
We are all posting except shaggs.
Better wait to see what shaggs has to say rather than keep posting the same thing?

Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[bobbers64]

DONT ASSUME THAT TWO STICKS OF CANT BE BAD AT THE SAME TIME.
i BOUGHT EBUYER VALUE RAM AND IT CAUSED ALL SORTS OF BOTHER.
ALTHOUGH IT POSTED OK, WINDOWS WOULD NOT LOAD, THEN WOULD LOAD AND THEN FREEZE UP.
CHECKED MEMTEST AND IT WAS CRAP.
GOT SOME KINGSTONAND THEN NO BOTHER