Bad ram Messed up my comp.........need help

Ok, here's the problem

Here in ohio, once every year we have a thing called Ham Vention. Basicly......around....10+ acres of People selling new and used Electronics.

well There was one place Called Mendelson's. They are an actuall company, and i figured buying stuff from them should be safe. all their stuff was new, and it was an actual company in dayton ohio

well i went out and bought me a 256 meg DDR ( pc2100 ) stick of ram.

Well i come home ( this was on a school field trip my class took, since we are in an electronics class ) I couldn't wait to put the stick in.

well, i get it into the computer with ease. My other 256 Meg ram stick, was using the middle slot, i put the new one, in the slot on the left ( i only have 3 slots for Ram )

Then i boot up the computer. The next set of events made me nearly **** my pants.

I heard some popping sounds, and sizzeling sounds, and i smelled Burned hardware. I quickly shut the computer off. Pulled out both Sticks of ram. i smelled them both, they both smelled burned ( uh.....i think they both did.......i know the new one i had just put in smelled Burned )

So i take that new one out, and leave my old 256meg in there. well, when i would turn the computer on, It would roughly get to the boot screen......then after a screen or two later.....i get some Gibberish, or I get a infinite long beep.

so i then try putting in that new 256 i just bought.......i wouldn't even get a picture on my monitory.

So i talked to my dad, luckely he had 2, 256meg Sticks of ram in his computer. he said he will basicly, give one to me.......as long as i buy him a new one soon. I agreed.

Well now, i'm having problems. If the computer ever gets put under to much load ( like.....playing Video's, trying to play a game like unreal 2k3, Doing to many things at once, trying to run seti, or Prime 95 ) It either......crashes on me.....or...the computer restarts itself. Bam.....screen goes black.....and i get the boot up screen.

Well i had forgotten all about memtest86. So last night, i d/l'ed it. well on my dads good stick of 256.......on test 6, and 11, the ones that mainly check the module......it either makes the comp reboot on me after a second or two into the test.......or i get something that says " Fautly ( uh....something i forget ) Halted Process ( or something along that nature )

It doesn't matter what slot i stick the ram in. it happens on all 3 slots. I even tried running memtest on my old 256......this time.....i couldn't even get a screen. then i tried that newer 256 i had bought.....the comp booted to memtest......and did the same thing on me. so i let it try to boot into windows, and as it is about to boot up windows, i get BSOD'd.


So here's my Question......Did the ram pretty much turn my Motherboard ( or at least the ram slots ) into nothing more than a peice of ***? Cause so far.......thats the only thing thats comming to my head. It messed up my motherboard.....or all 3 slots.

I can't think of what else it could be. it had to have messed up my Mobo.

Oh, and don't ask why that new 256meg ram started to fry, sizzle, and pop. i don't know. it was put in correctly, and everything. i don't take chances with putting hardware into my computer. i make sure its in all the way, triple check it, and all.

Oh and the chances of Mendelson's Giving my money back are about.......none. my teacher said, they probably have a disclaimer that was inside the tent, or the computer parts area, saying that there is no refund on the computer parts. and even if they didn't, i don't know how i'd prove it was their ram. plus, i'd have to drive like 45 min. just to get to dayton, plus find the stupid Store. Now when i bought the ram, they did give me a receipt, wich i still have.

But for now, getting my money back, isn't my big worry......its getting my computer running correctly. i can't even crunch for Seti!. and its killing me. half the time, i can't watch a video on my comp. Sometimes i can, somtimes i can't. its drivng me nuts.

So.......should i save up a few bucks, and go out and get a new motherboard? It may fix the problems, plus hey, i could get me a Better motherboard than the one i have now


Also, i put this in the memory section.....i didn't know where else to put it, and because Ram is what Screwed it up in the first place......this was the first place that came to mind.

Oh and one other thing, after this happened, I formatted, and Clean installed my computer. i have a Fresh Windows 98 SE. on my computer ( i don't have 100+ dollars to dish out to get a new OS right now, so i stay with 98SE.....works for me for now ) So i know its not windows. RIGHT after i clean installed windows........i was getting the problem. So i know it MUST be hardware.. its the only other thing.

so......any idea's?

Sounds like you need to have your motherboard tested. Perhaps your memory controllers are fried. Something sure is. No way to know without having it tested. I would recomend saving the 30 bucks to have it tested and invest in another m/B. However, the first thing I would do is contact the co. you bought the ram from and try to get some kind of settlement from them. After all, it was their faulty memory module that shorted out your m/b. Good Luck!!!

yeah, so far i'm pretty sure i will need to buy a new motherboard.

But how do i get my motherboard Tested? and whom would i pay?


Plus, buying myself a new motherboard isn't so bad, i can get more slots for ram, Faster Bandwidth, higher overclocks.....etc...

Not sure i want to pay 30 bucks for someone to tell me, what i'm 95% sure is the problem anyways. Could just...save the 30, and save a bit more money, and get a new, Better Motherboard.

but anyone else have any comments/suggestions, or anything at all.