memory problem..self-made, I think

I bought my young kids a very used computer. It's a V Squared, pentium II processor, 450 mhz processor, running Windows 2000. When I bought it, it didn't have any memory installed at all (even though the computer seller insisted that he tried everything before I picked it up, it was supposed to be guaranteed to work, etc.). I put one stick of memory in from my older Compaq Presario (that I had installed myself, not the one that came with the machine). That was working okay, but when they were opening pictures in Paint Shop Pro, the computer kept freezing. So late last night I pulled the other stick of memory out of the old Compaq and stuck in the V-Squared machine. I guess I shouldn't have done that, because now the machine is insisting that it has a virus and just keeps bringing up a blue screen. I can't remember, off the top of my head, what the message was exactly. But what I'm wondering if it was caused by the Compaq original memory stick being installed into a non-Compaq machine…and, if so, what do I need to do to fix it? When I bought the used machine, it didn't come with a restore CD, Windows CD, or anything. All of my computers came with their respective restore CDs, so I can't just reinstall windows on the kids' system. Any help would be greatly appreciated…especially from 8-year-old twin boys and a 7-year-old girl. <_<

Hi sassychick – welcome to the forum Moving RAM from one machine to another will not bring a virus with it. A question: have you tried taking that second stick of memory back out to see if the machine will then boot again? It's possible it's defective, although if it is in slot 1 I would expect the machine to boot and just not see it. See if you can capture / write down the message you get on the blue screen. Also advise if this machine has been on the internet, and what kind of virus / malware protection you have running on it.

Thanks for the welcome, nyankeec! The machine is not online, and it was working fine last night (there's not even a phone line plugged int the modem…the last thing I need is the youngsters hogging my dial-up account. hehe). It wasn't until after I tried adding the Compaq memory (and it says Compaq right on the stick) that the computer came up with that error message. I did uninstall the memory, tried to reboot, with the same result. I didn't think that the memory would give it a virus, but I wasn't sure if it would make the computer "think" there was one. Anyway, here's the message: "If this is the first time you've seen this Stop Error scree, restart your computer. If this screen appears again, follow these steps: Check for viruses on your computer. Remove any newly nstalled hard drives or hard drive controllers. Check your hard drive to make sure it is properly configured and terminated. Run CHDSK/F to check for hard drive corruption and then restart your computer. Refer to your Getting Started manual for more information on troubleshooting stop errors." There was no manual with the computer, and there isn't a website for V Squared (tried going there first, to see if there was any documentation available). And, although fairly computer illiterate, I do believe I need a Windows startup CD to run chdsk, don't I? Oh, and I also tried going in to the setup utility and set everything back to their default settings. No luck there, either. Thanks for the help! Wendy

Hmmmm…..

There was no manual with the computer, and there isn't a website for V Squared (tried going there first, to see if there was any documentation available). And, although fairly computer illiterate, I do believe I need a Windows startup CD to run chdsk, don't I?

I don't believe this is related to the computer, but rather Windows 2000, so it doesn't bother me that we can't find a manufacturer website. But, you're right, we're going to have to have some sort of bootable, removable disk/CD to make any progress.

A few more questions, if I may:
– Often, when you get a stop error, it will begin with "Stop Error 0x0000007B..", or some other hex number such as that. If you are getting such a code, please supply that, as it is important information.
– Does the system have a CD drive and / or a floppy drive?
– Along the same lines, and simply because sometimes it pays to check the obvious, you have made sure that there are no floppies / CDs in the respective drives, and it is trying to boot off of the hard drive, right?
– Do you have another system that you could use to download something and create either a bootable floppy and/or a bootable CD?
I have seen where a boot sector virus can cause a stop error, but I'm not sure where that might have been picked up given what you describe. It certainly wasn't from the memory swap.

It has a CD drive and a floppy, and there are no floppies/CDs in their drives (the first thing I checked, because the kids are notorious for shutting down the system with one of their games still in there). I have my new system, which is what I'm on now. There's no floppy drive (which I was shocked to see the newer systems aren't coming with them now), but there is a CD burner to make a bootable CD. The Stop Error was: 0x0000007B ….plus it said "unacessible boot device". (There were more numbers, if those would help, too.) I checked to make sure it was booting from the hd, and I also disabled the CDRom booting (thinking it might be a bad drive). Thanks!!

Please attempt to boot to the Last Known Good Configuration:

To start the computer by using the Last Known Good Configuration feature, follow these steps:
a. Restart the computer.
b. When you see the black-and-white Starting Windows bar at the bottom of the screen, start tapping the F8 key
c. On the Windows Advanced Option menu, use the arrow keys to select Last Known Good Configuration, and then press ENTER.
If you are not successful booting that way, please attempt to boot into Safe Mode:
*Turn the computer on
*When you see the black-and-white Starting Windows bar at the bottom of the screen, start tapping the F8 key.
*The Windows 2000 Advanced Options Menu will appear.
*Choose the Safe mode option. (it is usually the first item in the list).
*Use the arrow keys to select it if it is not selected by default.
*Press Enter.
Let me know which, if either, of these allow the system to boot.

It won't allow me to boot in safe mode, command mode, Last Known Configuration, etc. I've tried every single option, and nothing. It starts to load windows…then the blue screen pops up. The jerk that I bought the computer from was supposed to burn me a Windows 2000 Pro CD. I've been calling him, but so far he hasn't answered his phone. If he'd ever do that, then I could just wipe everything clean and start over. Otherwise, I don't think we're ever going to get that computer to boot. :-( Thanks for all your help and time! Wendy

Just wanted to let you know I haven't abandoned you – I got called out of town on business. I'll try to have some suggestions tonight. Meanwhile, you really need to find the guy that sold you that computer. Sounds to me like he ripped you off somewhat, especially selling you a computer with no RAM!

No kidding! I saw his ad in a little advertisment newspaper, called him, and went to pick up a computer (my old one got hit by a major power surge). I picked one…then he said it would take a few days to "get it ready." I couldn't figure out what was to get ready, but figured I'd just come back and pick it up. Mom also put a deposit on one. Well, it took over a month for him to finally "have it ready." And that was after going to pick it up several times, only to be told it wasn't ready. I ran into him at WalMart (of all places), and he said he just had to put a new modem in and it would be ready…we went to pick it up the next day, and it still wasn't ready. I demanded that I take the computer with me, and that I'd stick the modem in myself. When I tried booting it, I got the series of beeps, found out online what they meant, and noticed there wasn't a single stick of memory. I finally had my mom try calling him, because he never answered his phone when I did. He answered her call on the first ring (her cell phone doesn't list her name). Anyway, when she told him about the RAM, he said his son must have taken it out (he blamed him for everything), and that I'd have to take the computer back for him to install it and that it would take 20 minutes to install it. Well, Mom knew it only took a minute, because I had installed memory in her old computer. Then she told him I needed the Windows CD (which I was supposed to have received with the computer and didn't…and it would take "a few hours to burn me one"). So I sent hubby for the memory and the CD…only to find out that he didn't send along the Product ID. ARGH! I spent over an hour on the phone while he dug around, looking for the key. Anyway, after all that the computer is finally working. Oh, and this guy has super long hair, greasy, stinks, and his house reeked of cat urine. He reminds me of someone that spends all his time on his computer and not on personal hygeine. I shouldn't have bought a computer from him to begin with, but I was desperate without a computer….and I still don't have the money from the insurance company…I "borrowed" the funds for my new one from our business checking account. So, thank you for all your time and help! I've made a startup floppy for the kids' system…so my future posts will probably include things like, "Now what do I do?". <_<

Hey, that's GREAT! Glad to hear you managed to get your hands on the CD; it would have been pretty tough to get it going otherwise. Now that you're past that hurdle – to your original question about the memory: I don't have any first-hand experience, but I've gotten input from another member of this forum that Compaq memory frequently won't work on anyone else's machine. So, whereas I wouldn't expect it to bring a virus with it, it would not shock me for the Compaq memory to "not work" – i.e. not be "seen". Come back anytime.

I don't think we'd have gotten it running without the CD. I did an experiment, just to see if it was a fluke or the Compaq memory….it was definitely the memory. I don't know if it was because of the Compaq propeitery stuff, or because the machine that originally held the memory was running 98 FE or what…but I got the same error message after putting it back in. I did another restore and tossed the Compaq memory in the trash. I love my Compaq machines, but they sure don't make things easy. LOL Thanks again! Wendy