Installing new RAM

[Jean-Claude]

I have any unusual question:
A client got me to upgrade his computer and brough new RAM with him, after
installation everything worked fine for one day, he brought me back the
computer in question and after trying to analyse with Kaspersky Anti-Virus
the computer would spot a virus and crash, I then procedeed to analyse again
but this time the clock indicating the amount of time it would take to
analyse kept increasing till after it got to 12 hours I stopped it and
proceeded to go to Microsoft's web site to analyse with free scan of Live
OneCare, the system would crash, I next tried Panda's site to analyse, it
crashed again. After rebooting I proceeded again to go to another site for
analysis but explorer would crash again and reboot.

The computer is a Compaq Presario SR1000.

My next move was to re-install Windows XP2 with Compaq's recovery disks,
after reformmating it then tried to install but I would get an error on every
file that it was trying to install.

Out of despair I then opened the computer and took out both Ram sticks and
low and behold the installation proceeded OK.

Has anyone ever heard of a VIRUS installed on such a stick, my question
might seem odd considering that it contains volatile memory.

The sticks in question were made By Infineon and 256MB, DDR, 400, CL3.

I've seen odd events over the years but this one sure gets me.

Thanks for any comment or suggestions.

 

[Leonard Grey]

Looks like your client brought you the wrong kind of RAM.

It's easy to choose the correct RAM for a computer. Simply go to the
websites of the major RAM manufacturers and use their RAM selection
tools. (I would have done that before installing something a client gave
me.)

 

[will_s]

I have any unusual question:
A client got me to upgrade his computer and brough new RAM with him, after
installation everything worked fine for one day, he brought me back the
computer in question and after trying to analyse with Kaspersky Anti-Virus
the computer would spot a virus and crash, I then procedeed to analyse
again
but this time the clock indicating the amount of time it would take to
analyse kept increasing till after it got to 12 hours I stopped it and
proceeded to go to Microsoft's web site to analyse with free scan of Live
OneCare, the system would crash, I next tried Panda's site to analyse, it
crashed again. After rebooting I proceeded again to go to another site for
analysis but explorer would crash again and reboot.

The computer is a Compaq Presario SR1000.

My next move was to re-install Windows XP2 with Compaq's recovery disks,
after reformmating it then tried to install but I would get an error on
every
file that it was trying to install.

Out of despair I then opened the computer and took out both Ram sticks and
low and behold the installation proceeded OK.

Has anyone ever heard of a VIRUS installed on such a stick, my question
might seem odd considering that it contains volatile memory.

The sticks in question were made By Infineon and 256MB, DDR, 400, CL3.

I've seen odd events over the years but this one sure gets me.

Thanks for any comment or suggestions.

what is scary here is that you are a consultant

 

[JS]

Since the problem started when the new memory sticks were installed
Download Memtest86+, create a Memtest boot disk or CD.
See: http://www.memtest.org/

Install the new memory back into the PC and then using the boot disk
or CD run Memtest, this should eliminate or confirm if your new
memory sticks are good or defective.

Let Memtest run for as long as you can,
2,4,6,8 or more hours, if no errors by then your ram is OK.

JS
http://www.pagestart.com

 

[Jean-Claude]

Thanks for the suggestion I will try that.
I hope that the virus doesn't come back because since posting my message I
re-installed with 7 CDs but I will try it anyway.

Thanks for the advice

 

[Twayne]

Thanks for the suggestion I will try that.

I hope that the virus doesn't come back because since posting my
message I re-installed with 7 CDs but I will try it anyway.

Thanks for the advice

It does not appear that you had a virus. It appears that you had
incompatible RAM sticks, static-blown RAM sticks, wrong voltage RAM,
wrong timing RAM, malfunctioning RAM sticks, or improperly installed
RAM sticks amongst a whole host of other possibilities.
But you do not get rid of a virus by pulling out RAM sticks.
And you did not get a virus from RAM sticks that you put in the
machine right out of their packaging.
RAM sticks would not carry a virus. The could go bad, but they
cannot carry a virus. Pulling the RAM sticks simply allowed current RAM
to begin to function properly and support the system.

One should never, ever take RAM from anyone for any machine without
first investigating to be sure it would be compatible with the machine
AND the RAM that is already present in the machine if it's additional
sticks, which it must be because you said you "pulled" them and all was
fine.

The events are not odd, but your apparent understanding of the situation
is, shall we say, less than complete? If you didn't observe proper
static procedures during the opening and installation of the RAM it's
even likely that you caused the RAM problems yourself. Static you can't
even see of feel can easily destroy RAM chips; until they are installed,
they have zero protection against external voltages from mishandling.

These points were all alluded to by other posters, but you seem to have
missed them, so I thought I'd point it out at least one more time.

What kind of consultant are you? Not for compters I assume? If you are,
you are still in serious need of some training and education in the
repair of PCs. There are many good sources on the subject and hundreds
of good books available. At least learn static management so your
clients don't go home and three weeks later have something go kablooie
due to something you caused.

Twayne

 

[Bill in Co.]

It does not appear that you had a virus. It appears that you had
incompatible RAM sticks, static-blown RAM sticks, wrong voltage RAM,
wrong timing RAM, malfunctioning RAM sticks, or improperly installed
RAM sticks amongst a whole host of other possibilities.
But you do not get rid of a virus by pulling out RAM sticks.
And you did not get a virus from RAM sticks that you put in the
machine right out of their packaging.
RAM sticks would not carry a virus. The could go bad, but they
cannot carry a virus. Pulling the RAM sticks simply allowed current RAM
to begin to function properly and support the system.

One should never, ever take RAM from anyone for any machine without
first investigating to be sure it would be compatible with the machine
AND the RAM that is already present in the machine if it's additional
sticks, which it must be because you said you "pulled" them and all was
fine.

The events are not odd, but your apparent understanding of the situation
is, shall we say, less than complete? If you didn't observe proper
static procedures during the opening and installation of the RAM it's
even likely that you caused the RAM problems yourself. Static you can't
even see of feel can easily destroy RAM chips; until they are installed,
they have zero protection against external voltages from mishandling.

These points were all alluded to by other posters, but you seem to have
missed them, so I thought I'd point it out at least one more time.

What kind of consultant are you? Not for computers I assume? If you are,
you are still in serious need of some training and education in the
repair of PCs. There are many good sources on the subject and hundreds
of good books available. At least learn static management so your
clients don't go home and three weeks later have something go kablooie
due to something you caused.

Twayne

If there was any static damage to the RAM chips, it wouldn't be seen three
weeks later. Better go finish up your own education.

 

[Swifty]

And you did not get a virus from RAM sticks that you put in the
machine right out of their packaging.

Maybe no one has so far, but boy wouldn't *that* be an excellent place
to install a virus, if you could figure out how to do it? You'd have to
manufacture your own chips, of course, but no AV software would ever get
rid of it.

 

[Bill in Co.]

Seems impossible, as explained below.

Maybe no one has so far, but boy wouldn't *that* be an excellent place
to install a virus, if you could figure out how to do it? You'd have to
manufacture your own chips, of course, but no AV software would ever get
rid of it.

RAM itself, unlike ROM, has no programmable retainable memory capability, so
it's impossible.

 

[Jim]

Seems impossible, as explained below.


RAM itself, unlike ROM, has no programmable retainable memory capability,
so it's impossible.

In other words, when the power goes off, the contents of RAM evaporate.
Jim

 

[Bill in Co.]

In other words, when the power goes off, the contents of RAM evaporate.
Jim

Pretty much. Or to put it another way, will come up in a pseudorandom
state the next time power is applied.

I say pseudorandom, because there probably is some probability of some bit
pattern/s coming up more often than not, just due to the electrical
characteristics of the memory cells themselves.

 

[Swifty]

RAM itself, unlike ROM, has no programmable retainable memory capability, so
it's impossible.

Until someone mates the capability of the USB memory stick with the RAM.
It's just electronics.

So, you buy what looks like an amazingly cheap 1Gb DIMM. Unbeknown to
you it contains some additional non-volatile memory (4Kb would probably
be enough) that contains a virus.

This is all wildly implausible, but none of it is impossible. The
trouble with using the "impossible" word is that you can never be proven
right, only wrong. I truly hope that you are not proven wrong within my
lifetime.