After completing a normal memory upgrade, you power up the computer and receive an error message on the screen complaining that a boot device isn’t available. The hard drive was working correctly prior to the upgrade. What’s the most likely reason for the error?
A) The new memory modules are faulty
B) The hard drive was damaged during the memory upgrade
C) The hard drive cable was dislodged during the memory upgrade
D) The hard drive controller is incompatible with the new memory modules
The answer: C) The hard drive cable was dislodged during the memory upgrade
The work inside of a computer is cramped, often uncomfortable, and not usually well lit. It’s very easy to dislodge cables, even when performing the simplest tasks.
The incorrect answers:
A) The new memory modules are faulty
Faulty memory modules are bad things, but they won’t break hard drives. You’ll probably get a memory error on the screen before it even tries to access the hard drive.
B) The hard drive was damaged during the memory upgrade
It’s difficult to damage a mounted hard drive during a memory upgrade, so this probably shouldn’t be your first option.
D) The hard drive controller is incompatible with the new memory modules
The hard drive controller and the memory modules are very diverse components that wouldn’t be very likely to cause a conflict.
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Want to know more? Watch “Troubleshooting Motherboards.”What’s the best way to troubleshoot a PC motherboard? In this module, we’ll show you how to troubleshooting motherboard problems such as heat, BIOS incompatibilities and failing hardware. |