RAM crash?

Ok I was installing MS WORD 2000 on my computer (totaly legit) and It asked me to restart. Sure...It never quite finsihed restarting because it basicly froze a ways into shutting down. I am running XP home. I turn off the computer and push power. The A (3.25 inch floppy) drive chuggs away and I hear the computer restart. This continues. Just chug chug then restart. and all throughout this no monitor signal. I am like crap my dads Hard Drive just bit the dust I bet. So later I swap my HD into his cpu and same thing happns..nothing. I swap several componets untill I swap his RAM. Computer boots fine and continues installing word. Shutdown. I take out my RAM and check from dust blowing and stuff. I put his RAM back in. Chug chug restart. Ok good it looks like his RAM is bad. Hard drives are more of a pain ( and he had some work stuff on it) so its good. I will get some more ram later but What exactly caused this? It was pretty dusty in there but I didnt think that caused it. What did happen? Is it just the cheap RAM I got him from a store? ( I built this cpu for him) i have never heard of RAM crashing before.

it coulda been some faulty generic ram.. if it still has warranty replace it

Sure sounds like the ram fried itself. Try to return it.

I have seen RAM just stop working before. It happens.

Hmm fried itself that would explain the black marks .... hah j/k ya It is shot. I got it at this little store up the street in march so I have no idea if they will take it back. Thanks for the replys