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Halp, I destroyed my computer!

GorkGork Registered User regular
edited February 2009 in Help / Advice Forum
So I was installing some new RAM in my computer and having some problems.

I put the new chips in and when I turned the comp back on, it was only registering one. I reopened it, checked it out and saw I hadn't fully inserted one of the chips. I closed everything back up and turned on the computer to be presented with a black screen, some loud beeps, and the computer fan going into overdrive.

Is it dead?

Gork on

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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Did you take the new chip out or push it in?

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Pushed it in.

    Gork on
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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Chances are it's incompatible with your machine, if you take it out, does it work?

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    I'll check, but it was registering one chip fine. They're both the same. Would it do that?

    Gork on
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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Depending on the computer and motherboard, chips may have to be identical down to the cas latency, size, and whether double sided or not.

    Or sometimes, some motherboards won't even work that way, and they require you select from a list of matching types.

    I guess it would help to know your motherboard/pc model.

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Well, I put the old chips back in with the same result. Black screen, three beeps, nothing.

    It's a Dell Dimension 8200.

    Yes, it's old.

    Gork on
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    tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Beep Codes:
    http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8200/codes.htm#1101734

    Do you have diagnostic lights on the back of your computer? If so see if they light up:
    http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim8200/codes.htm#1101590

    I would try taking the RAM out and reseating it, MAKE SURE that there is nothing in the way of the contacts, that the memory is fully pressed in and seated, etc.

    tsmvengy on
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Hah, checked the diagnostic lights and I had the ones for no memory modules detected.

    Reseated, with the new ones, and it is starting up again. It's only registering memory in one slot, though.

    I was upgrading from two 512mb sticks to two 1GB sticks. I'm kinda freaked out to go back in there. Should I just call it a wash?

    Gork on
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    tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Are the two 1GB sticks a matched pair? i.e. Did they come in one package together.

    If they are NOT a matched pair, and you have 4 slots, try them in slots 1 and 3 or 2 and 4. If they are a matched pair try 1&2 or 3&4.

    tsmvengy on
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    ApogeeApogee Lancks In Every Game Ever Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Suggestion for ya, based on personal experiences...

    Motherboards can (and will automatically) run identical sticks of ram in parallel if possible. Sometimes, particularly with fast ram and old motherboards, running them in parallel will be litereally too fast for the machine to use. It's stupid, but I've had this happen to me twice. If you've got 4 slots, try putting the ram in such that they aren't running in parallel (check the manual). Otherwise, boot the machnie with one stick, lower the ram speed, and try the second one again. If it works, there's you're culprit.

    Technical addendum:
    Also, if this is indeed the case and you lower the ram speed, you can tighten the timings on the ram to mitigate the slowdown.

    Apogee on
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    They are a matched pair and I put them in the slots where the old RAM was. Looking down at the board from left to right, that would be slots one and two. I will try moving the sticks around.

    Apogee, how do I lower the RAM speeds and then tighten the timings if that is the case?

    Gork on
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Wow, I am terrible at this.

    I cannot consistently seat the RAM. What the hell am I doing wrong?

    Gork on
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    urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Gork wrote: »
    Wow, I am terrible at this.

    I cannot consistently seat the RAM. What the hell am I doing wrong?

    Is it in backwards? I've done that before. :P

    urahonky on
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Nope!

    Gork on
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    urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Push harder? I know sometimes it feels scary that you have to press that hard on the motherboard, but give it a good push.*
    *Please note that if you punch a hole in your mobo I am not responsible for any damages.

    urahonky on
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    I'm pretty sure I've seen the board flexing because I've put so much pressure on it.

    Gork on
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    urahonkyurahonky Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Oh wow, yeah I have no idea then. I'm sorry :(

    urahonky on
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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Generally you put it straight down and then push one side in first (so one side is slightly down) until the lock clicks and then repeat for the other side.

    There's also a group of people who just give it a good push straight down, but that tends to flex the board.

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
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    GorkGork Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Haha, finally got it with both new sticks.

    Next time I work inside a computer, I'm using a hammer.

    Gork on
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    tsmvengytsmvengy Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    Gork wrote: »
    Haha, finally got it with both new sticks.

    Next time I work inside a computer, I'm using a hammer.

    D:

    Yeah, I usually put it straight in, then do one side and then the other.

    tsmvengy on
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    bowenbowen How you doin'? Registered User regular
    edited February 2009
    tsmvengy wrote: »
    Gork wrote: »
    Haha, finally got it with both new sticks.

    Next time I work inside a computer, I'm using a hammer.

    D:

    Yeah, I usually put it straight in, then do one side and then the other.

    Seems to be the standard.

    I remember back in the day PCI and ISA slots were really really unforgiving in terms of size and sometimes you had to give it a really good push to get them in.

    bowen on
    not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
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