Looking for help...

[trents]

Well in regards to that, I have a hyper EVO fan and a heat sink that prevent me from putting a memory stick into slot 1. 2 through 4 are good. Should I stick to only using 1 stick at a time?

If you haven't been using slot #1 there's probably no need to test it. What do you mean when you say "2 through 4 are good"? Do you mean you have access to them or that when you use those slots with one stick of memory at a time the computer works like it should? Also, you can move the cooler fan to the other side of the cooler temporarily and use it as a pull fan if it is blocking the memory slot you are trying to test.

Don't bail so fast. If you take this to a PC shop you won't learn any new skills to cope with something like this next time.

Another option would be to remove your memory and take it to a friend or a PC shop and have them test it in a known good motherboard that uses DDR3. If the memory modules themselves prove good then it is likely a bad motherboard. It seems you have tried everything else that can be tried when there is no display happening.

 

[TBsteve]

No I just meant that they are accessible. I'm moving the fan now! I also tried using them individually in slots 2 to 4. I've been using 2x corsair vengeance 4gb

 

[Tír na nÓg]

Would he still get something displayed on the screen with a bad or not seated module? I thought (and could be wrong) that you would still get a display just no boot past the initial post screen?
I would also verify all your plugs are secured into the board. Unplug everything and plug it in again to verify.

Nope, just memory issue Dr debug code.

 

[TBsteve]

No I just meant that they are accessible. I'm moving the fan now! I also tried using them individually in slots 2 to 4. I've been using 2x corsair vengeance 4gb.

*** just moved the fan and used slot 1 for memory....1 stick at a time....both same issue

And sorry I'm not trying to give up. It's just with the hurricane this weekend sucked. Thought I got out alive with power in my house and all was good until this happens. I'm not trying to give up, Im just frustrated. I appreciate everyone's help immensely

 

[trents]

No I just meant that they are accessible. I'm moving the fan now! I also tried using them individually in slots 2 to 4. I've been using 2x corsair vengeance 4gb.

*** just moved the fan and used slot 1 for memory....1 stick at a time....both same issue

And sorry I'm not trying to give up. It's just with the hurricane this weekend sucked. Thought I got out alive with power in my house and all was good until this happens. I'm not trying to give up, Im just frustrated. I appreciate everyone's help immensely

Certainly understandable.

One more thing to keep in mind is that the problem may not be related at all to the storm or to the evac or to anything you did or didn't do. Sometimes things just happen when they happen and are not related to other events that we might associate them with. There is still such a thing as coincidence. Restoring power to a PC or any electronic device when a component has become marginal can often finish it off. Powering up creates it's own power surge.

 

[TBsteve]

I understand. I thought I had bought new memory sticks not too long ago, but I may have only planned to. I definitely need to check my newegg history to see if these are newer... I was looking at 2x 8gb sticks

 

[trents]

Are you communicating with us today via cell phone or do you have another pc available?

Something else to keep in mind is that it is fairly rare for both memory modules to go bad at the same time. So if neither RAM module works in any of the slots I would be inclined to thing the issue is the motherboard.

And did you try resetting the CMOS as someone else has suggested. That's an easy troubleshooting measure.

 

[TBsteve]

Well that's disconcerting. If I have to replace my motherboard how boner am I? Also I'm on my cell phone. My girlfriend has an iMac and MacBook but I'll get on one of them later

 

[trents]

Clearing CMOS on that board just involves moving a jumper between three pins. But make sure there is no power to the board when you do it and don't power it back up until you replace the jumper to the default position.

 

[TBsteve]

Well that's disconcerting. If I have to replace my motherboard how boned am I? Currently on my phone. No other PCs

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I will try it when I'm home. I have a CMOS button on the back, should that be used for anything?

 

[trents]

Yes, if you have a CMOS button on the back just use it. Push and hold for 30 seconds. But before you do that, unplug the PSU from the wall and push the case power button to the on position to drain the juice from the motherboard capacitors. Push the CMOS button in for 30 seconds, release it and then restore power.

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If your motherboard is bad it might be a time to look at upgrading the whole system to current technology. It might be difficult to find a new Z77 chispet board that isn't terribly expensive. They don't make them anymore.

 

[Daleon]

It would be really odd for two sticks to go bad from being moved. The HSF could have stressed the mb during move or even damaged the cpu. Its going to be hard to tell though without having another working stick of ram to test with or another machine to test your ram in. Instead of buying parts to try and find the problem I would find a shop that can test it out for you.

 

[TBsteve]

My power button doesn't have an on/off position as it's just push start, so should I press and hold it for like 10 seconds? Then press and hold CMOS for 30 seconds?
Just to make sure steps are correct:
Unplug power cord from my surge protector
Hold power button for 10 seconds or so
Hold CMOS button for 30 seconds
Plug PSU in
Turn PC on

 

[trents]

My power button doesn't have an on/off position as it's just push start, so should I press and hold it for like 10 seconds? Then press and hold CMOS for 30 seconds?
Just to make sure steps are correct:
Unplug power cord from my surge protector
Hold power button for 10 seconds or so
Hold CMOS button for 30 seconds
Plug PSU in
Turn PC on

Just hold the case power button in long enough to make sure it would simulate powering on the computer. Just like you were normally turning the system on. You may hear fans spin and lights come on briefly and then quit. But, yes, you got the instructions correct.

 

[TBsteve]

Finally grabbed my girlfriend's laptop so I'm not on a dam phone anymore. Just tried the steps...I unplug the cord but when I press the power button I get nothing. Should I press CMOS when the power is plugged in?

 

[trents]

No. Unplug the PSU from the wally before pressing the power button and then press the CMOS button. If no fans spin or lights come on briefly that just means there as no residual power stored in the PSU and motherboard capacitors. Doesn't mean anything one way or the other except you want to make sure all the residual power is drained before using he CMOS button. Capacitors store electricity to be used when other components are switching on and off and there are gaps in the electrical delivery. Helps keep the voltage steady.

 

[Jeff G]

Finally grabbed my girlfriend's laptop so I'm not on a dam phone anymore. Just tried the steps...I unplug the cord but when I press the power button I get nothing. Should I press CMOS when the power is plugged in?

Nothing should happen without the power cord plugged in. By pressing the power, you're essentially draining any stored power in the caps. That's what you should be doing. After that, hold the CMOS for 30 seconds.

 

[trents]

Jeff G is probably correct but I always like to play it safe. Sometimes there are trickle charges produced by electronics to maintain settings and a "ready" state. Switching the PSU off at the back would probably do it the same as unplugging it.

 

[TBsteve]

Jeff G is probably correct but I always like to play it safe. Sometimes there are trickle charges produced by electronics to maintain settings and a "ready" state. Switching the PSU off at the back would probably do it the same as unplugging it.

Nothing. Same situation with the 53 error code. Is there anything to do with the 2 buttons, next to the numbers directly on the motherboard, labeled power and reset? Would either of those help any?

 

[Jeff G]

Jeff G is probably correct but I always like to play it safe. Sometimes there are trickle charges produced by electronics to maintain settings and a "ready" state. Switching the PSU off at the back would probably do it the same as unplugging it.

I meant that with it unplugged, he should not see anything happen when he pushed the power button (poorly worded by me). I fully agree to play it safe by pulling the plug. I won't do anything on my PC without pulling the plug.

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Nothing. Same situation with the 53 error code. Is there anything to do with the 2 buttons, next to the numbers directly on the motherboard, labeled power and reset? Would either of those help any?

Those are the same as the buttons on the outside. They are literally a Power and Reset button, just like on the case.