Memory Ajar
July 22nd, 2010Pulling out the video card to reseat two memory sticks, I mutter, “I wish I had a Mac” as I wouldn’t be dealing with this crap. I quickly dismiss the thought as Macs are computers with training wheels (e.g., they just work) and resume trying to fix this new problem.
I must have nudged something as I pulled out the cables from the bad hard drive, introducing another POST error.
After the computer starts up, it automatically shuts down and powers up a second time. An LED display on the Intel motherboard displays the number 21 and beeps three times. The error is memory related as I encountered the same program earlier this year after transporting the computer from Orlando. I figured that the ride might have of bumped the memory out of place.
[ Video showing the problem (23 sec) ]
The following actions corrected the problem when I first experienced it a few months ago:
- Pull up a small white latch on the PCI-Express video slot.
- Remove the video card.
- Remove the two sticks of memory, after pulling back the pair of white levers that hold each memory stick in place.
- Vacuum the inside of the computer, taking care not to suck up anything.
- Insert the two sticks of memory into the blue memory banks, closing the white levers on each stick.
- Insert the video car into the PCI-Express video slot.
- Push down the small white latch on the PCI-Express video slot.
If you omit step 1, part of the latch will break when attempting to force out the video card.
This time around, I omit step 4.
Sometime later, I shine a flashlight into the case computer case and see a small hair resting over the top side of the video card and the over-sized computer heat sink. I remove it with a pair of tweezers, and the computer starts up without a problem.
Update 1 – The problem happened again. Tried flashing the BIOS to a new version. I have a feeling that I’ll have to RMA the motherboard.