Replacing memory mishap...

hmm,

I sent some ram back to Crucial last week with an RMA for replacement. Long story short, my father called me and told me the ram had come in, and he tried to install it. (His computer btw.)

Anyways, he put the ram in (2100 DDR 256 strip) and started the computer. He said the computer didn't start and he could smell smoke. Oh man, I haven't been home yet and won't be able to look at it until later tonite. I'm guessing he probably put the ram in backwards some way, would be a bit hard but maybe possible. Says he pulled the new ram out and the system will try to start, but just sits there with blank monitor.

Anyways, I'm gonna look at it when I finally get home and post again. IF he did put the ram in backwards, what are your opinions of what may be fried. My first guess would be the motherboard. Fun fun...

Tim

Umm, how can you put RAM in backwards anymore? Its go the little slits, so unless he pounded it in with a hammer, the clips would not close.

exactly what i was thinking. i havent been home yet. I'm gonna get him to show me what he did when I get home.

I've never been able to do it, can't say I havent tried without realizing what I was doing shortly after. If someone doesn't know how it is supposed to be seated properly and what not, they could not have it in all the way and think it is.

It was just a thought. He may have had the ram half in the slot and it may have felt fairly secure somehow. tried to turn the computer on and bam.

Well, if the ram was not completely in, then the current could have jumped, possibly frying the ram, or any number of things on the motherboard and things connected to it.
It all would simply come down to the amount and placement of the "problematic" flow of electricity. I doubt anything connected to the mobo is damaged. Possibly just the DIMM slot.

I've seen RAM stuffed in backwards before, it's horrible

In that instance, it killed the RAM and motherboard, you may be in the same boat.

ya. the mobo is fried. got home last night and there is a small chip, about 1/3" by 1/3", close to the dimms that is burned with alot of white residue on the top of it.

I didn't have a chance this morning to check if the ram was ok, but I'm guessing my father put the memory in backwards somehow. lol. Oh well, he's gonna upgrade to an XP from that Thunderbird now anyways. Give him a bit of room for improvemet in a couple of months too.

I'll post a pic if digi is around when I get home.

Thats the best part of breaking sutff, you get to upgrade!

haha. ya.

Bensa said:

Umm, how can you put RAM in backwards anymore? Its go the little slits, so unless he pounded it in with a hammer, the clips would not close.

Click to expand...

in limatek card autodetecting which way is in