Qimonda's problems are already rippling across the globe and could take down others, as well as cause a sharp rise in DRAM prices for users. Qimonda's problems could also zap computer gamers and businesses in the short term because the company supplies DRAM or specialty chips to around a quarter of each market.

Qimonda had hoped to use bankruptcy as a way to reorganize its business, but the prospects of such a comeback are quickly dimming. For one thing, a chip supplier Qimonda counted on, Inotera Memories, has said it won't provide DRAM to Qimonda anymore.

"This means that Qimonda will lose close to 35 percent of its capacity overnight, which will hamper the company's ability to support existing clients and to continue normal operations," said Andrew Norwood, DRAM industry analyst at Gartner, in a report released Monday.

"As for Qimonda, an insolvency administrator has been appointed, and the administrator will be looking to rescue as much money from the company as possible -- either though restructuring or, more likely, a fire sale of assets," he added.

The first place users will feel Qimonda's bankruptcy filing is in the price of DRAM and its possible reduced use in PCs, laptops and other hardware. The low price of DRAM over the past year has prompted many PC vendors to add more DRAM than normal to desktops and laptops, but a sharp rise in chip prices could halt that trend. PC sales are already waning and the last thing vendors want to do is raise prices. Reducing the amount of DRAM to the least needed per PC will keep system prices stable.