Computer Wown't boot - Memory Problem

Terminator14

Terminator14

New Member
A coworker asked me to take a look at his computer that would not boot Windows and after taking it home this is the case:

After starting, the computer seems very unstable and either shows a black screen 2 seconds after startup, or, after I try restarting it again, gets as far as displaying the following message:

Press F11 to start recovery

NTLDR is missing
Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to restart
Click to expand...

At first look I thought it was something to do with the master boot record so I tried to run a Windows XP cd and get into the repair console and run "fixmbr". That's what I tried to do but it got as far as writing a message saying something like "Press any key to boot disk" and when I press any key a black screen appears and nothing happens. I tried to run a Linux distribution that I had lying around, which got a little further - it displayed a message asking what boot options to use but would not run any further either. Then I got back to the screen that said "Press F11 to start recovery" and after pressing F11 this is what I got:

Windows NT has not found enough extended memory. 7MB of extended memory is required to run Windows NT. You may need to upgrade your

computer or run a configuration program provided by the manufacturer.


Memory Map:
0 - 9FC00
100000 - 4F639000
Click to expand...

This makes sense since a memory problem would couse the XP disk not to run, and the only reason that the linux CD ran was because the first part basically used no memory at all, it was all text.

So my question is how can I fix this or at least what can I tell the guy? That he should have the manufacturers take a look at his DDR Ram? I would take a look inside his computer and try to either jiggle the DDR Ram or insert a stick of mine to test it but he has a sticker on it so I can't open the case without voiding his warranty.

Any thoughts? Is it the RAM that is most likely causeing the problem, another kind of memory like perhaps ROM, or is there another possible problem?
 
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I think I might have heard four short beeps in a row but I can't be sure. I was watching tv at the time - but I am fairly certain it was from the computer.
 
Is there anything I can do to test this without removing the sticker and actually trying anything with the RMA? Maybe download some kind of program to test it that uses barely any RAM itself? Hopefully something on CD since there is no floppy drive - it's a 3.0 GHz computer so it's pretty new.
 
Great - I burned it and launched it on the unbootable computer - looks like it's working without a problem. I'll let it finish and if I don't understand the results I'll post them back here. Thanks a lot for all your help.
 
Ok, after starting Memtest86 v3.2, it began running a test immidiately. It's been running the test for the last 12 hours and there is no sign of it completing and I'm not even sure I need to run this test in my case. This is what it looks like:

100%5F0829.JPG


How long does this normally take and do I even need to run this test? Any problems visible from the screen above? Any other tests I can run or does it automatically run all the tests?
 
The test will run until you shut it off. If you have run it that long and there are no errors (you would see them there listed in red), then I would say that the memory is not the problem.
 
Problem solved. I found out that the sticker was previously ripped so the warranty was already voided before and I could open the case. I also found out that the owner had just bought and inserted a 1 GB stick of RAM before the computer stopped booting up. I took out the stick and it started working again. Looks the the RAM he bought was not compatible with his Gateway computer. I'll read up a little on the type of memory he can use in it and let him know to return the stick he bought. Thanks a lot for all your help guys.
 
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