# What Is  "Checking NVRAM..." Mean??   Booting Problems



## hckyplyr000

I have been having a little trouble, which started about five days ago.  I was doing normal work, when all of a sudden a blue screen appeared, and said somethin along the lines of:

"Windows has been shut down....

If this is the first time you are seeing this screen, please restart the computer.  If this problem persists, remove any newly installed hardware or software and try again.  If it still continues, try to change the BIOS Memory Options such as disabling caching or shadowing.  Remove/disable any other components of neccessary using safe mode. 

Starting to Dump Physical Memory"

I guess this shouldnt be in proper quotes, and i apologize if it is incomplete, but this is basically what it says.  After the first time it happened I had to turn off my computer, and it only worked the next day once i removed and re-inserted the memory, and the IDE cables for the HDs.  Since then, this had happened two other times, and again, i had to disconnect the memory and HDs, then reconnect, but also had to wait a significant while before being able to turn it on and work.  When I turned it on, the computer paused before detecting any drives, and said Checking NVRAM...  near the top, and just kept checking. 
I do not know what is wrong, and i would like to know if this is a hardware issue or software issue.  My components are not even a year old, i got them last August. I have a AMD Athlon 2100+ that came with a motherboard, 512MB RAM, and I have not installed any new components in a very long time.  Please, if anyone can help me, i would truly appreciate it!
Shawn


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## Cromewell

try clearing the CMOS


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## Lax

> try clearing the CMOS


Either pull the battery out for about 10 seconds then put it back OR if there is a jumper just move the block from the 2 pins it's on to the other 2 pins for about 10 seconds also (then put it back, don't forget).

This was just incase you didn't know how to or didn't know what clear the CMOS meant


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## Praetor

> What Is "Checking NVRAM..." Mean?? Booting Problems


NVRAM = nonvolatile memory = BIOS/CMOS


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## hckyplyr000

thanks a bunch, i just cleared the CMOS, and so far, it is working properly.....what wud i do without a forum?


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## Lax

> thanks a bunch, i just cleared the CMOS, and so far, it is working properly.....what wud i do without a forum?



Go crazy?


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## Cromewell

I would guess pay someone to fix it, but much cheaper this way


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## hckyplyr000

Ok, well i thought that resetting the CMOS would do the trick, since it is what all of you recommended, however after only 6 hours with my computer on, the same blue screen showed up.  Are there any other methods i could try to prevent this?  I tried another stick of RAM, and the same thing happens.  Do you think i might need a new battery for the MB?  Is there any other options? Thanks again in advance!


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## nexgentec.com

*Not a battery problem*

Blue screens can be caused by a number of things but a CMOS battery has nothing to do with that. There could be a problem with your motherboard or any other hardware, it could be a software problem. I would reinstall windows and then see what happens after that and you can root out the problem from there. Can you get into safe mode?


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## kobaj

Have you installed eny new software resently cause if so that could be it, also you could have a virus so do a scan.


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## Cromewell

the blue screen is a seperate issue, clearing CMOS was the solution to the NVRAM problem.

As to the blue screen see kobaj's question and also, have you added any new hardware?


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## hckyplyr000

No, I have not installed new hardware  lately, last time might have been maybe 2 months ago or  more, and i cannot remember the last time i installed any software: it might have been trillian or ad-aware, but those were atleast 3 weeks ago. 

 My computer is set to scan for viruses every night, but the biggest problem now, is that when i start up the computer, it does not detect, either of my HDs nor my CD and DVD drives.  All it says is, detecing HDs, then it sort of fails that and says nothing can be found.  As i was trying to transfer files to my dad's computer, where i just reinstalled windows, i had to take out my storage HD and slave it in my dad's.  Once i put it back in my computer, it stopped detecting everything.  

Now my biggest fear, is that i might have spread any virus to my dad's computer.  The last time i tried to shutdown my computer after the blue screen first appeared, Symantec antivirus said something bizarre like, there is a floppy in the drive, there might be a virus, remove the floppy, etc.  But since i never used the floppy, and am pretty sure it doesnt even work neway, i didnt bother to take notice.  But now, after i installed windows on my dad's computer and connected my HD, that same thing happened, and there isnt even a floppy drive connected.  So i am kind of scared that the same thing will happen to my dad's computer.  So after i post this, i am going to reinstall windows here, and hope for the best.  I hope this is enough information for anyone to help me, especially since i cannot get my computer to recognize any of my drives. Please help me out, i am kind of stressin out, mainly because i do not want two non-working computers in the house, if anything i hope my dad's works. Thank you in advance, i appreciate it!!


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## Praetor

> Symantec antivirus said something bizarre like, there is a floppy in the drive, there might be a virus, remove the floppy, etc. But since i never used the floppy, and am pretty sure it doesnt even work neway, i didnt bother to take notice


It says that for removable media too (i.e., flash drives)

I get a feelig you dont have a virus but rather this is either a physical component failure or an OS screweup


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## hckyplyr000

well you are definitely right about the flash drive, which is relief for now.....i guess i can try to find a random mobo n test whether mine is messed up or not....and if it is an OS screwup, then how would i go about fixing it, considering that my computer won't recognize a single drive?


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