Nvram

filmbuff,

I found the following excerpts regarding nvram.

NVRAM
                                       Last modified: May 16, 1998


            Abbreviation of Non-Volatile Random
            Access Memory, a type of memory that
            retains its contents when power is turned
            off. One type of NVRAM is SRAM that
            is made non-volatile by connecting it to
            a constant power source such as a
            battery. Another type of NVRAM uses
            EEPROM chips to save its contents
            when power is turned off. In this case,
            NVRAM is composed of a combination
            of SRAM and EEPROM chips.


NVRAM - Nonvolatile Memory Random-access memory whose data is retained when power is turned off. Sometimes nonvolatile RAM is retained without any power whatsoever, as in EEPROM or flash memory devices. In other cases the memory is maintained by a small battery. Nonvolatile RAM that is battery maintained is sometimes
also called CMOS memory. CMOS NVRAM is used in IBM-compatible systems to store configuration information.
True NVRAM often is used in intelligent modems to store a user-defined default configuration loaded into normal modem RAM at power-up. Memory which can be modified like normal RAM but does not lose its contents when the system's power is turned off. This memory may be powered by a battery when the system power if off, or it may be a type of memory which does not need electricity to maintain its contents, such as EEPROM or bubble memory.

Not something you want to (or probably can) remove.



What does Scandisk do when you run it ?

Do you get  an error message ?

What makes you think it is rnaapp or nvram causing your problem ?

Steve

Most of the time, the message for NVram is "NVRam cleared by jumper", or "NVRam corrupted...". What's the exact NVRam message?

thanks guys. this first came to my attention when i would get the message "scandisk has stopped 10 times because another program is writing to it" when i was doing a through scan. the only program i had running was explorer, systray, rnaapp and nvram. when i closed rnaapp scan seemed to work fine. i closed nvram also, but it always returns when i reboot, along with explorer and systray. so theres really no nvram message, it just appears after i start windows. i see it when i control alt delete. should it normally be there. thanks

Bare minimum is explorer and systray. And that's it. Rnaapp is some
run-time module for dial-up. WHen you offline it shouldn't be in
memory (after dial-up ends, it stays, however). It has nothing
common with Scandisk restart. Check StartUp folder for some applications
that you run automatically. Also run RegEdit and search for Run and
RunOnce strings. There you can see what you run and DON'T see in
TaskList. If you see smth. like antivirus module it can be a
problem for ScanDisk.

I traked down the nvram. its listed under my winmodem properties under version it says something like NVram manager
know what this means?

John. I dont really get a nvram failure message. I just see it load everytime i start windows. is it supposed to start when windows start?

Sorry filmbuff I misunderstood you. Gotta get these glasses fixed :-).
Anyway a better answer to your question....
I believe the Winmodem uses your system ram to hold information that would, in a standard Modem, be held in (a)Ram chip(s) physically attached to the Modem board. This eliminates the need for the modem to have the expensive ram on the board and reduces the cost to the consumer.
The WinModem, more than likely, uses a file which it loads into your system RAM when Windows starts and treats that like physical NVRAM in a non-winmodem Modem.
Hmmm, was that sentence confusing enough...
I hope this helps to answer your question.

John C. Cook