Is It My Motherboard?

[OneFinger]

Boy, have I had a stroke of bad luck with my personal computer. About 10 days ago it goes into eternal reboot and I can't even start in safe mode. Couldn't reinstall XP and I didn't have the time or patience to try and fix it.

 

Took it to a local shop and they fixed it the same day. Also suggested I beef up the RAM (had 1 slot left) so they ordered in a 512 stick. (Existing RAM was 2 sticks of 126 ea.)

 

Memory arrives today and I pick it up after work. (Should have taken the computer in to have them install it but I didn't.) I go home and install the new stick in the empty slot. Reconnect everything and turn on the computer.

 

The computers starts in with solid beeps and I immediately turn it off. I open the cover and smell electrical burning (but don't see any smoke or visible damage).

 

I take out the new RAM and try to start the computer with only the old RAM. There's no beeping, hard drive light is solid, CD light is blinking. Tried starting up with new RAM only, old RAM only, switching slots, etc., etc., etc. I'm still dead in the water.

 

I suspect the new RAM was not compatible with the motherboard and it's fried. (Currently running on my spare system.)

 

Can anyone confirm that this is the probable problem?

 

Do I have any recourse on the shop? They took out my old RAM and verified specs before ordering additional RAM. My belief is that they should have known what was compatible with my motherboard.

 

Would appreciate any suggestions.

[+ deej]

>Do I have any recourse on the shop? They took out my old RAM

>and verified specs before ordering additional RAM. My belief

>is that they should have known what was compatible with my

>motherboard.

 

For work they didn't do? No recourse whatsoever, IMO. Had THEY installed your new memory, and THEY fried the machine then yes. The onus would be on them.

 

That said, it doesn't sound like a MOBO failure. Those don't usually cause smoke. Sounds more like the power supply went tits up, and may actually explain the behavior you originally took it in for. (Of course, a remote diagnosis is pretty much useless.)

 

As for compatibility, well, it depends. If your machine is a name brand with a known configuration then yes. Any monkey can choose parts that will be compatible. But many "2nd tier" makers use whatever peripherals are cheapest that day to assemble computers that you never know when you're going to find a subtle incompatibility. (And even tier 1 makers have "home" or "budget" product lines made with cheapest peripherals.)

 

Take it back and tell 'em what happened.

[OneFinger]

Thanks for the reply. I'm kicking myself for not having them install the RAM. x(

 

The power supply was replaced about 1 year ago and it's not acting like that was going out. Plus, I "think" the prolonged, solid beeps are associated with memory errors.

 

I do have a solid light on the hard drive idiot light and the CD also has power. Would those work with a power supply failure?

 

For now, I've decided NOT to take it back to them. I honestly don't trust them.

 

A friend is shipping out for the Iraq next week and he's getting rid of a lot of things he can't take with him. He's made me a very sweet deal on his system. So, I'm picking that up tomorrow.

 

I'll donate my old system to my nephew and let him try to troubleshoot the problem and make me a more reliable spare.