Is my computer dead forever

TheStinger · January 2, 2003, 07:16

I was upgrading my computer with a new stick of RAM.

It nowdoesn't work at all and won't start. When I turn it on it makes a bit of a noise and then nothing.

IS this repairable or am I going to have to go shopping

Zopperoni · January 2, 2003, 07:29

The computer won't start with or without the new stick of RAM?

Bereta_Eder · January 2, 2003, 07:31

_is the new stick of ram correctly installed?
_is the new ram at the same frequency/speed as the other ram sticks already installed?

this is all i can think of, and know of.

Bereta_Eder · January 2, 2003, 07:34

and asfter you chekched those two things,

they are OK and the PC still doesnt turn on, then

try to boot it up with a system diskette to make sure the problem is not from software (if it is then "simply" reinstall windows)

others know much more about this, thats all i can think of

TheStinger · January 2, 2003, 07:38

The new Ram is the right speed.

It now won't work with or without the new Ram

Bereta_Eder · January 2, 2003, 07:51

there is a minuscule chance you "burned" them if you didnt discharge your static electricity before installing them (this discharge can be done by simply touching a metal thing on your PC before you touch the ram sticks).

but does the PC turn on at all?

if it does try the system disk boot up.

Alexander's Horse · January 2, 2003, 07:53

Have you considered a grief counsellor?

TheStinger · January 2, 2003, 07:57

The light comes on on the base unit, it clicks a couple of times and thats about it

Bereta_Eder · January 2, 2003, 07:58

bare in mind i installed a new ram without doing that static discharge thingy and there was not any problems.

on another occasion when installing a cd burner (im ignorant about PCs) my modem didnt work...but the good people of Poly came through for me with their advice.

PC are stange beasts. Im sure there's something you can do or check.

TheStinger · January 2, 2003, 08:02

In some respects I want to get it mended, if its knackered though I can justify buying a much better one

Bereta_Eder · January 2, 2003, 08:03

Quote:

Originally posted by TheStinger
The light comes on on the base unit, it clicks a couple of times and thats about it

does it check the disk drive for a diskette?

if it does try inserting a system disk and see if something happens.

i dont know anything else to tell you.

but i think that inthe worse case scenario (where you actually burned all the ram chips) the worse that can happen is you buying some new ram chips. which are dirt cheap.

Bereta_Eder · January 2, 2003, 08:05

also

_try to get all the ram chips out and then reinstall them (do the discharge thingy first to be sure)

if it doesnt work still

_then again get them all out and reinstall them in different slots. (some motherboards want the ram chips on specific slot positions according to their size and the total amount of ram on the motherboard - it should be all in the manual)

_also make sure your motherboard supports the current amount of RAM that you have on (you will need to look at the manual or at the net site of the manufacturer of your motherboard)

Bereta_Eder · January 2, 2003, 08:16

and make sure you have installed them correctly.

from what you say its like the motherboard doesnt even see them

this can be caused by 3 things AFAIK

_you have not installed them correctly (on some motherboards there is a little clip on both sides of the slots. these two clips must be closed with the ram chip inside them - gently

_you have burned the ram chips (nothing you can do)

_you have not inserted them in the correct slot combination according to each Ram chip size. (check your manual)

good luck

Solver · January 2, 2003, 11:54

I have had a similar issue with a new comp. The key to solution could be provided by questions:

1) What noises are there? Any beeps? If so, is there one beep, a string of them, or what?

2) Can you open the CD drive?

DaShi · January 2, 2003, 12:15

Try a stick of butter.

SpencerH · January 2, 2003, 12:18

We're gonna need more info about the hardware. It may simply be that you didnt install it properly or that the connection is dirty.

But here are some questions.

What kind of RAM are we talking about?
Did you take out the old RAM to install the new RAM ?
Have you added RAM previously (so you know when its seated properly?

Things to try.

Take out all the RAM. Reboot, it should post. Listen for HD start-up and beeps from the MB (hopefully you have a MB speaker).

Dis · January 2, 2003, 14:40

take the new stick out and try it again

edit: you already try that.

Spencer has a good advice. It's good to know exactly how your startup should be like and what each noise means. It's good to know if your hardrive is accessing or if you put a floppy in that your floppy is accessing.

There is a possiblity that your motherboard is fried. But I'm not sure how that happen as long as your RAM is compatible and you didn't damge it by a tool or static electricity.

Hurricane · January 2, 2003, 14:55

Make sure the stick is really correctly installed. You will have to use quite a lot of power to press it deep enough into the slot. Most people are afraid they will break the motherboard, and only press it halfways into the slot.

ranskaldan · January 2, 2003, 17:40

Dig out the manual of your motherboard and reset your BIOS to default settings.

I had this problem about 3 days ago... The things with my computer was, I didn't click the RAM in right the first time round, and the BIOS is convinced that I have no RAM. And reseting the BIOS worked for me.

General Ludd · January 2, 2003, 17:49

Quote:

Originally posted by TheStinger
The light comes on on the base unit, it clicks a couple of times and thats about it

Are the "clicks" the usual sorts of noises it makes on start-up? If so, make sure you didn't disconnect your video card or or monitor by mistake.

I had the same problem when my video card fried - the light would go on, the computer would make some noises, but nothing would show on the monitor.

Ogie Oglethorpe · January 2, 2003, 17:55

Static is a major problem this time of year. It takes only 100 volts or so to fry RAM (Undetectable to the touch).

Chances are you fried your RAM during the install. Next time, plug in your computer to a wall outlet and leave the power off. Routinely touch your hand to the frame prior to handling the RAM, alterately by a wrist grunding strap and ground yourself to the computer box. Voltage will then equalize with the box and through the ground in the plug to your homes ground.

What you've described is a fault in the POST (Power On Self Test of which RAM is one of the first things checked). I would suspect faulty memory especially if you cannot get the A drive to recognize a boot disk. Of course, I've also expereinced lock ups that can be solved by simply removing and reinstalling the memory.

Skanky Burns · January 2, 2003, 20:04

Also after installing memory, you should test it.
A quick search on google should get you a decent memory tester.

This will let you know if your new memory is working correctly or not, and as faulty memory will make your system unstable and corrupt data on your system, you want to know if it is faulty as soon as possible.

Dis · January 2, 2003, 20:08

I had a faulty memory chip once. I could not install windows at all. And I admit I took my computer to a shop

. What I should of done was alternate the memory chips and see which one was bad. I just didn't realize the bad memory chip would have that effect on my system.

Urban Ranger · January 2, 2003, 23:57

Remove all the RAM modules and boot up the computer. That might force the BIOS to reset. Then put in your old sick to see if the compute boots up. If so, put in your new one to see if it works.

Hurricane · January 3, 2003, 06:13

Well, did you get it to work?

OneFootInTheGrave · January 3, 2003, 07:34

The motherboard bios should be beeping if RAM went I think. If there is only fan working and nothing else that might mean that mobo is dead for some reason.

But just make sure that there is no beeps and no other noises, as the vid card might be dead too, and you only wouldn't have any monitor output while all the rest would be OK. In that case you should hear your HDD working as the OS boots. But anyway... if the vid card is totally dead or out of the slot the BIOS shouold beep as well.

How did your computer "die" in the first place?

Richelieu · January 3, 2003, 08:55

In some motherboards you have to check that the combination of RAM sticks is appropriate.
i.e. I have a MB with 3 slots that will not take a 32 MB stick and a 64 MB stick but will take 3 32 MB sticks. There are combinations that you can't use. You should find the info you need in the motherboard book.
The main thing is: you should get beeps during the POST if your RAM or RAM combination doesn't work.

Ozz · January 3, 2003, 11:22

Quote:

Originally posted by Hurricane
Make sure the stick is really correctly installed. You will have to use quite a lot of power to press it deep enough into the slot. Most people are afraid they will break the motherboard, and only press it halfways into the slot.

Sound advice, Also try reinstalling your old memory and
see if it boots. If the memory is not seated or is the wrong type (parity etc.) it won't start.