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Resolved New RAM interfering with Monitor. No longer working

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by shadowlink2525, 2010/07/31.

  1. 2010/07/31
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    My older brother built two computers a while back (which i bought from him), both with asus motherboards. One had an A8N-SLI Premium MOBO and the other was AT3...something. The SLI kept failing a Sony Vegas video render because it was out of virtual memory, so i turned off the computer AT the PSU, removed two sticks of RAM from the AT3 (which hasn't been plugged in for months), and put it in the last two RAM slots of the SLI. When i powered it back up, My optical mouse lit up, and my speaker system started up, but my monitor didn't get a signal. I removed the new ram, started it back up, and the monitor still cant find a signal.

    I think the RAM that was already installed was 2 512MB DDR sticks, but there is no sticker indicating, and my monitor won't work so i couldn't check...

    I added the ram on carpet so my guess is that i fried something. :(

    Any suggestions for troubleshooting?
    Thanks in advance!
     
    shadowlink2525,
    #1
  2. 2010/07/31
    rsinfo

    rsinfo SuperGeek Alumni

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    Have you checked the VGA cable ?

    How many beeps are you getting on startup ?
     
    rsinfo,
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  4. 2010/07/31
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    no beeps, and i have made sure my video card was secure to both the MOBO and the vga cable.
     
    shadowlink2525,
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  5. 2010/07/31
    rsinfo

    rsinfo SuperGeek Alumni

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    Since you can post, it seems you have another computer. Could you test the monitor on it ?

    No beeps means either the board/cpu is damaged/not getting power or it could not find RAM. Remove all the RAM & then switch on the computer. Report how many beeps you hear.
     
    rsinfo,
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  6. 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    i am on a laptop at the moment so i cant test a new monitor. As for the beeps, i just removed all of the ram and there is one, somewhat unclear beep at the moment of startup. it might be a normal system sound i'm not sure. If it is supposed to be a very distinct beep then there is none. However, my optical mouse no longer lights up.

    Should i begin placing ram into each slot until my optical mouse no longer lights up as a means of detecting which slot is damaged?
     
    shadowlink2525,
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  7. 2010/08/01
    rsinfo

    rsinfo SuperGeek Alumni

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    Place only one RAM in one slot at a time. Thats the only way to test it.
     
    rsinfo,
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  8. 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    Right! thats what i meant :D
    So if/when i figure out a problem slot, do you know of any repair options?
     
    shadowlink2525,
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  9. 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    *UPDATE*
    There are 4 RAM Slots, a group of 2 on the left and a group of 2 on the right. While starting up the computer with a single card in a single slot at a time, both of the 2 slots on the right seemed to cause a single beep right on startup, While the two on the left make no noise. (The new ram that caused this problem was added to the right slots)

    Every test caused the computer to light up the optical mouse accept for when there was no ram in the computer at all.
     
    shadowlink2525,
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  10. 2010/08/01
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    You can - plug it into the laptop - every laptop I have seen and my netbooks have a D-Sub port for an external monitor. The display is toggled between laptop screen, Laptop screen + external monitor, external monitor using an Fn-key combination - check your manual, but usually Fn + a key with a screen symbol on it.

    As for RAM positioning check out the mobo manual for the slots to use - coincidentally I have the manual from many years back ....

    A single module in either of the blue slots - theblack slots are not supported for a single module
    A pair of modules in either the blue or black slots - these must be the same size and preferably a matched pair for Dual Channel operation
    2 pairs of modules one in the blue slots, one in the black slots. Again the modules in each pair must be the same.

    I do not remember if the blue slots are adjacent or alternated with the black slots.

    Also bear in mind that the modules must be compatible with the motherboard.

    You need to sort out the monitor first - I suspect you dislodged some cabling when inserting the additional RAM - check all the connections.
     
    PeteC,
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  11. 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    The only output is DVI, otherwise i would check. As for the connections, i will start checking them now.

    Thanks guys for your help so far!
     
    Last edited: 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525,
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  12. 2010/08/01
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    That does surprise me, but then I am not buying laptops every week :). However the HP ProBook I bought ~3 months ago has both.

    Your best bet is to try the monitor on a friend's computer - you need to get that out of the equation if possible.
     
    PeteC,
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  13. 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    Alright, I think i can get my hands on another monitor to test it out with. In the meantime, made sure the video card was completely seated and connected to the PSU. There is another connector on the video card but when my brother moved away he took all the manuals with him, but it is covered in dust so i dont think it was ever connected.

    Ill try and get back as soon as i can with a new monitor.
     
    shadowlink2525,
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  14. 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    Good news and bad news...
    Good news is the new monitor works...But does this mean my monitor is broken? Because my monitor is pretty nice so if it's broken its quite a loss
     
    shadowlink2525,
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  15. 2010/08/01
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    The omens are not good - did you use the same cable to connect the new monitor or are the cables integral to each monitor?

    You should try your original monitor on another computer to confirm.
     
    PeteC,
    #14
  16. 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    I used the same cables to connect the new monitor and it still worked. I then tested the bad monitor on a working computer and still got a *no signal* screen and it then jumped to standby mode.

    I just got this monitor a month ago and still have the receipt. Did i do something to break it that would void warranty or could i still take it back?
     
    shadowlink2525,
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  17. 2010/08/01
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    From what you have posted I can't see that anything you did that would cause a monitor failure. Looks like a coincidence - I would return it soonest.
     
    PeteC,
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  18. 2010/08/01
    shadowlink2525

    shadowlink2525 Banned Thread Starter

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    Thank you so much for your help!
     
    shadowlink2525,
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  19. 2010/08/01
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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    You're welcome :) Post back to let us know how things worked out - then ....

    Please mark this thread as 'Resolved', see .....
     
    PeteC,
    #18

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