Weird RAM Problem

It seems highly unlikely, but twice now Windows update has seemed to make 1 or both sticks of my RAM to crash. About a month ago, windows updates (SP1) were restarting the computer and the bios beep code went off three times, signaling a RAM failure. I went out and bought new RAM. This fixed the issue. Yesterday night, my computer automatically restarted in the middle of the night to install windows updates. The error beep code in the middle of the night woke me up. One of the RAM had been fried. Why does my computer keep frying out RAM?

(I have a Gateway GM5424 running Windows Vista Ultimate (32 bit) with Service Pack 1)

Some possible questions that I anticipate:
Q: Do you turn on and off your computer frequently? Does the RAM issue take place just when the computer restarts?
A: I set my computer to hibernate after 30 minutes. I have, however, restarted it within the past month several times and this has not happened.

Q: Did you reseat the RAM and all that?
A: Yup. One is fried this time, both last time.

Q: Do you use a surge protector?
A: Yup.

Q: Did you buy the correct RAM after the first time it went out?
A: It’s the right kind purchased from Best Buy.

Why does this keep happening?? Help!

 

It's not Windows frying your RAM. Your motherboard or power supply is doing it (probably motherboard as it controls the voltage into your memory sticks). Check the motherboard for 'popped' or leaking capacitors. Capacitors on your motherboard look like this:
http://www.fotosearch.com/bthumb/GLW/GLW137/gwc118050.jpg
If the top is not perfectly flat, and is even slightly popped or bowed outward, or if there's crud on top (usually beige to dark brown or black), then you have bad capaictors and the motherboard must be swapped out. This is true even if only one capacitor exhibits any of the things described.

 

After reading your post for a 2nd time, I realize I didn't address some things...
You've only restarted your PC once in the past month? While this has no real effect on the RAM one way or the other, it usually a good idea to turn off the PC if it's not in use. I have found hibernation to cause problems over the long run. Maybe Vista has worked the 'kinks' out of hibernation, but with XP, I have found hibernation to be the cause of numerous software problems.
Most surge protectors are crap. If the surge protector didn't include an insurance policy or was less than $30 or $40, it probably isn't doing much. While it may stop surges, most of the cheap ones do not filter noise (electrical noise, not actual noise as in sound) nor do they clean the electricity flowing into the PC. A good UPS or high end surge protector will do this. Again, probably not the cause of your RAM woes regardless of the surge protector quality.
It comes down to this: like I said earlier, it's either the motherboard or the power supply, or possibly both. Since this has happened before, I would take the PC in to a shop where they can test the components individually and they can test the voltages to see exactly what's going on. If the PC is under 1 year old, it is probably under warranty and you may be entitled to a free replacement. However, if you do this, you will lose everything on your hard drive (data is not covered by most warranties) so save what you need.

Good luck!

 

I find that strange that the RAM has actually fried.....the BIOS beep "may be" indicating a RAM failure but not necessarily it could be something else, poor data transcription, etc. Is there something "visually" wrong with the RAM did you check it in another system??