Is this a faulty RAM? USB not recognized and now bad system config info

[veelva]

Hello,

I've been extensively troubleshooting my PC for the last 3 days (see below what I've done, including new mobo and PSUs), but now I'd like opinions on whether my RAM could possibly be faulty. The problem was and remains that my computer stopped recognizing my keyboard and mouse on bootup; it recognizes neither USB nor PS2. OS boots normally to logon screen, but it is absolutely crippled.

I have DDR3 Kingstom HyperX Fury 2x4GB, 3 years old, on an Asus M5A 78L-M LX3 motherboard. My OS is Windows 10 upgraded from 7 during their free campaign.

To test the RAM I took out one of the RAM sticks, and the computer booted "normally" to the same problem. I then tested the other RAM stick on the same socket, and the OS didn't seem to load at all. I don't know whether this particular RAM and mobo can run solo, but nothing I've seen would suggest it can't.

I tried to repeat this later: I first booted up the PC normally to the same problem, then powered it down and removed one of the sticks, the one that booted "normally" to the problem. Now my PC powered up to a bad system config info error repeatedly, implying some real system damage had finally happened. As the computer still doesn't recognize the keyboard, I'm unable to use the troubleshooting the system tries to offer when I boot up.

Would this suggest a faulty RAM was the cause? HDD with my OS was fine before.

The things I've checked and tried while troubleshooting before checking RAM:

Switched to a new mobo, same model as old one
Tried 3 different PSU units
Tried a different GPU
Switched SATA cables
Checked my hard drive on a docking station; nothing suggested there was anything wrong with it
USB legacy turned on in BIOS
Tried to boot from USB and DVD to restore system, cannot boot from either
Obviously, tried all USB ports, have reattached everything firmly etc...

Thank you for any insights or ideas you might have regarding this problem!

 

[Vic 40]

Just to be clear you can't get into the bios? Or use the keyboard there?

 

[veelva]

I'm aaaalmost certain I was able to get into the BIOS after the system config error too, so yes, I can get to the BIOS and it recognizes both the keyboard and the mouse. No USB configuration (including the legacy setting) has helped at all, though.

 

[Vic 40]

Since able to get into the bios can you check if you have the latest one? Is "Version 1401 from 2017/04/21".

 

[veelva]

Thanks, I will check that tomorrow, but I highly doubt it is the latest version... I never updated the BIOS in my old mobo, and got a new mobo just yesterday (to rule out a dying mobo) that I haven't been able to update.

 

[Vic 40]

Okay. Do let us know if the bios needed an update and if that solved your problem.

 

[veelva]

The BIOS was same version as the newest version I could find online, so I didn't update it.
However, the issue has been resolved and it took reinstalling Windows 10.

Copy-pasted from my other thread:
For posteriority, here's what the early warning signs were, what solutions I tried and what finally worked.

Earlier problems
I started having kernel-power 41 issues where my computer would randomly reboot; it didn't matter what the computer was doing (gaming, idle or going to sleep), and there was only one bluescreen that was related to memory IIRC. PSU voltages and component temperatures were always fine. I had kept the computer running for 10 days, simply playing games with no new downloads, when I powered it down for the night and woke up to the USB recognition problem described above.

What I tried
First, obviously checking multiple other mouses and keyboard, all the USB ports and powering down, removing keyboard and reattaching it once OS had loaded -> no effect
New motherboard identical to old one -> no effect, but I got to BIOS now simply because I hadn't button smashed enough before (old mobo is fine)
BIOS USB configuration legacy enabled -> no effect
Three different PSUs tried, all working and with sufficient W -> no effect
Tried different PSU settings in BIOS -> no effect
Switched to an older GPU -> no effect
Removed probably both of the 2x4Gb RAM sticks -> no effect
Tried to repeat bootup with only one 4Gb RAM stick -> OS wont boot anymore, stuck in bad_system_config_info loop

What fixed it after previous step
Made a USB Win10 ISO file for repair, had to do it twice as the first one didn't work for some reason -> tried all troubleshooting & repair options, but computer was unable to initiate any of them
Used the USB to run the command prompt and chkdsk /f on the HDD. It wasn't assigned as the C drive so had to look around for it (it was named E) -> reported having fixed a load of issues, tried rebooting OS, bad_system_config_info again
Tried to recover Win10 using the USB -> no option would initiate
Tried to reinstall Win10 as an update that would keep my files using the USB -> didn't allow it updating, can't remember why
Manually ("advanced" install option) installed Win10 over the old one, files were kept in the Windows.old folder -> boots normally, all data safe.

I ran chkdsk /f on the drive again after Windows had finished updating the system, and it found no problems. However, it remains likely that my HDD is going bad, but it is only 3 years old and all programs think it's in good health... will have to monitor.

Tl;DR: Windows 10 was corrupted with possible causal links to HDD health, had to reinstall Windows 10.

 

[Vic 40]

Good you found your problem.

Something os related would have been my second guess since in the bios the peripherals seemed to work fine. Too bad you needed a whole reinstall,but it happens.