RAM module virus???

  • Thread starter Thread starter toa
  • Start date Start date
toa said:
I recently bought a new PC with Win XP Pro preinstalled. First time I turned
it on, it complained that "Windows did not start correctly" or something to
that effect, after which it hung. At reset, it seemed to enter an infinite
reboot sequence. I formatted the disk, and installed a new XP Home licence
instead, since that was what I was going to do anyway (I had good reason to
believe the Pro installation that came with the machine was pirated). Same
result. I sent the computer back to the guy who sold it to me, and after
some investigation, he told me that there was a virus on the RAM module or
RAM chip (not sure of the correct English term). To me, that sounded like
nonsense. The RAM module is just a series of data storage ICs on a small
printed circuit, whose entire contents goes away when you switch off the
machine, right? How can a virus reside there and survive a cold start of the
PC? Am I right, or is there something I'm overlooking?
Click to expand...

Preinstalled HOW, exactly? Does this system have a P4 Prescott processor?
The symptom it has perfectly matches the symptom of the incorrect microcode
(in the BIOS) conflicting with later versions of Windows XP on systems with
Prescott core P4 chips. I can see how this would easily happen if you
bought the system from the vendor, who ghosted the install from another
machine that had a Northwood core P4. Still, any reputable computer vendor
should have been aware of the microcode problem with certain mainboards and
the Prescott core P4 processor, if that is what is happening. Oh, and your
install of XP might have been no different than the one the vendor put on
(other than being home instead of pro). Thus, the problem is still present
after reinstall. -Dave
 
Dave C. said:
Preinstalled HOW, exactly? Does this system have a P4 Prescott processor?
The symptom it has perfectly matches the symptom of the incorrect microcode
(in the BIOS) conflicting with later versions of Windows XP on systems with
Prescott core P4 chips. I can see how this would easily happen if you
bought the system from the vendor, who ghosted the install from another
machine that had a Northwood core P4. Still, any reputable computer vendor
should have been aware of the microcode problem with certain mainboards and
the Prescott core P4 processor, if that is what is happening. Oh, and your
install of XP might have been no different than the one the vendor put on
(other than being home instead of pro). Thus, the problem is still present
after reinstall. -Dave
Click to expand...

This is interesting. As I said in another posting, the guy fixed the problem
later on. But does this mean that if I wipe the disk and reinstall XP, the
problem will resurface? Does XP do something to the BIOS on install that
causes this problem?
 
toa said:
This is interesting. As I said in another posting, the guy fixed the problem
later on. But does this mean that if I wipe the disk and reinstall XP, the
problem will resurface? Does XP do something to the BIOS on install that
causes this problem?
Click to expand...

No.

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This is interesting. As I said in another posting, the guy fixed the problem
later on. But does this mean that if I wipe the disk and reinstall XP, the
problem will resurface? Does XP do something to the BIOS on install that
causes this problem?
Click to expand...

No, it is a problem with Windows XP's service packs. Well, actually, to be
absolutely accurate, it is a problem with the BIOS of certain motherboards.
However, Microsoft has the ability to fix the problem from their end (a LOT
easier than re-programming thousands of mainboard BIOS chips and then
forcing an upgrade on users who don't want one) but Microsoft chooses not
to. Is it possible that the problem could re-surface again? Yes. It's
possible. What you should do is, BEFORE trying to reinstall XP (if you ever
need to), flash your BIOS to the latest version available, downloaded
straight from whoever made your mainboard. That won't guarantee that the
problem is fixed, but it is the best chance you've got to avoid a repeat.

However, it's possible that your BIOS is OK, already. If it was the
microcode problem that you were experiencing earlier, it's possible that
your computer vendor already upgraded the BIOS for you. -Dave
 
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