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Faulty memory controller?

Last response: in CPUs


My wife's computer has stopped booting - the BIOS screen comes up but it appears to freeze on memory test. I opened it up and reseated the memory after which it booted fine. I didn't have a keyboard or mouse plugged in so I put everything back and, Sod's law, it was back to freezing on the BIOS screen.

I tried each memory module individually (there are three) and then tried some memory from another machine but no joy. This seems to indicate that it's not the memory itself but maybe the memory controller. What do you reckon?

I'm basically trying to work out what to replace - the MB or the CPU. Any advice would be gratefully received :) 



more background on the problem would be helpfull. What kind of CPU, memory, motherboard? Did it just suddenly happen, or did it occur following an upgrade or change of some sort? More detail the better.

Based on what you have provided so far, sounds more like a problem with the mouse or keyboard. Are they PS2 or USB?

Doh, thanks guys what an idiot I am. I was fixated on it being a memory problem but it wasn't, as you both suggested.

There was actually a USB hub plugged in too, with a few different things connected to it. By a process of elimination I narrowed down the culprit to a USB card reader, which is now in the bin. Just a touch easier and cheaper than replacing the MB or CPU.

Thanks hugely for your help :)