[sdiy] OT: Can your computer catcha computer virus from another computer's RAM?

[anthony]

Hi guys (and gals),

I know this is off-topic, but seeing as my computer is vital to my synth-DIY 
it's important hat it run well with no hitches And I know it seems like such 
a STUPID question, but that's another great thing about this list is that 
almost all of you are so gracious with even the most peckerwood greenhorn 
(which I am not - just making a point) and their SEEMINGLY stupid questions.

That said, I have acquire a Dell Dimension 3000 that is almost exactly like 
the one I have from an attorney friend of mine (hey, they're friends when 
they win AND when they give free legal advice and when I've actually paid 
him for legal services, he did a bang-up job...) wo didn't want to give it 
away at fisrt, "because a lot of important stuff is on there." I told him I 
didn't want the HD anyway - I just wanted to double-up my 500MB DDR RAM. 
Then he said he had someone fix it and afterwards it hd a virus on it. He 
didn't really give a clear account of it.

So I'm less well-schooled in the workings of newer RAM. The PC sat out in 
his garage unplugged for a few months. I was just wondering if viral-code 
coulr reside in DDR RAM for extended periods of time. I thoght if I removed 
the RAM from the machine and let it sit for a good long time, I could rest 
100% sure that I wouldn't have any problems.

I can't even imagine RAM contributing to the propagation of a computer virus 
when swapping said RAM from one PC to another, but why number myself among 
those who assumed the best and got the worst?

If you reply, do it off-list unles you think there is a danger here that 
other synth-DIY-er's should know about too. It does seem like a stupid 
question, but my computer has been running smoothly without a hitch (except 
huge dust deposits disabling the cooling fan now and then) and I can't 
afford any "hitch" that might pop up. I could try the RAM out on a similar 
vintage HP Pavilion that I got at a yard-sale for $10. I haven't fired it up 
yet, and it could be riddled with viruses too... I thought about doing this 
with the HD unplugged, then it could do all of the initialization that it 
does from the BIOS and then halt when it doesn't have a boot-disk (which is 
where the virus would be).

I suppose if I'd renewed my Norton when it ran out, I could just do it with 
no worries, but I think I want to go with McAfee anyway.

I meant for this to be a short, terse message, but then this is me... I 
should point out that this is my first OT post in a long time.

But replying off-list is still a good idea I think.

Thanx a mil (or half a Gig even...).,
Anthony