Goodcoin Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Well, I'm not entirely sure if this is a software or hardware issue, but since mingling with the hardware temporarily resolves the issue (see below how), it has to be connected with the hardware.Recently I removed a memory chip from my motherboard to test a friend's PC. When I placed it back, everything was normal at the beginning. But half an hour or so later my PC started to behave abnormally.From time to time, just out of the blue, Windows gives a Blue Screen of Death. Upon restart I see the following message:NTLDR is missingPress CTRL+ALT+DEL to restartRestarting doesn't help. But if I remove the memory stick and insert it back, the PC starts. Just removing doesn't help, the PC starts only after I place the chip back. Strange huh?Also, the BSoD mentioned above freezes when trying to dump the memory. I wanted to post its contents here, but for same reason the log is absent in the Event Viewer. I guess I'll have to take a pic with my phone next time it occurs and post it here just in case.Any ideas on what could be happening?I have 2x1GB Kingston DDR2-667 (333 MHz) and my motherboard is ASUS P5KC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 You didn't by chance remove the memory stick with the computer having power? Even though it may appear to be off, all the time the power supply unit is switched on to the mains supply (even though the computer appears to be off) providing a "trickle" current to the motherboard. It could just be that something has happened by hot wiring (or unwiring) the memory sticks - this could be to the board or the stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodcoin Posted October 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Yes, I forgot to switch off the power supply. So what should I do now? I was going to buy new DDR3 memory anyway, but what if this is motherboard?I guess there is no way to know for sure, until I replace the sticks and see if the problem persists. Thanks for your reply! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted October 2, 2008 Report Share Posted October 2, 2008 Yes, I forgot to switch off the power supply. So what should I do now? I was going to buy new DDR3 memory anyway, but what if this is motherboard?I guess there is no way to know for sure, until I replace the sticks and see if the problem persists. Thanks for your reply!Could you turn off the power and remove your RAM and then see how it runs on your friends MB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goodcoin Posted October 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 I could do that only for a limited amount of time, since my friend is taking away his PC soon. But I'm afraid it won't be enough to reproduce the issue, since it happens quite rarely. For instance, yesterday it happened only once, but this morning I had the "NTLDR is missing" right at the first startup and I had to remove/insert the chip again to start the machine.Besides, I was stupid enough to remove BOTH chips (to dust them off just in case) and place them back without marking them. So now I'm not sure which one of them is presumably faulty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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