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Never work on your computer sleep deprived...

C

cricky

Senior member
So I decided to do some upgrades on my computer the other morning after working 10 hours overnight... Everything went seemingly well, but I couldn't get it to boot up after I was done putting the parts all back together. It would power on but not post. It was an ECS board, so I figured I finally got the proverbial "bad one."

Nope, I put one of the DDR's in the wrong way! Argh. Now the DIMM is singed and ruined. I'm glad prices have come down on it, I don't feel so bad. Just stupid...

The DIMM slot in a bit singed, and I'm wondering if it's usable. I cleaned out what was left of the contacts that burned up but don't dare test the slot. The board works fine otherwise, just with one DIMM in it. Maybe I'll use it as the backup board. Glad I didn't spend too much on it.

First screw up in ten years of building computers. I thought I'd share...

--Christopher
 
Sorry to hear about your mishap, cricky. It's a lesson that I'm sure many of us here have learned the hard way. (I know I have! 😱 )
 
I have to ask, even if very sleepy, how you managed to force a DIMM in backwards. You'd have to put enough force on it to either crush part of the PCB so that the notches would fit in, or hard enough to crush the plastic notches in the slot.

I've been awake for 25 hours now with lots of heavy lifting and driving, and I doubt I could manage that.
 
It really took less force than you would imagine. It just didn't set straight in the slot. But I was too tired to notice. I figured "click, click" it's locked in... I think some boards are easier to do this with than others (think ECS, not high quality...) I think I would have noticed my mistake had I been using an Asus (the old, old board, Slot A, that I had...)

I was an idiot, I know. I'm just making light of my idiocy...🙂

--Christopher
 
It's easy to force a DIMM like that in if the board/RAM is weak so I can see that happening. As for the sleep, some people do better without it than others... 😀

 
Computers are never a dull moment without mistakes like this. I'm sure everyone has done something similar with their hardware due to whatever conditions. At least your're still able to use the mobo with the one dimm slot.
 
it really has nothign to do w/ the ECS board specifically...they're all generally using the same dimm bank plastic components...they're all rather cheaply made, if u will.

i've seen others do it - i always watch it - but it could happen....if i stop watching...in fact, the person i saw do it still had a fully funcitonal board/dimm....i'm surprised to hear that it actually ruins the bank...hmmm

now get to bed.
 
Originally posted by: cavdraco
also just for future reference dont try oc'ing after a 6 pak you will have all sorts of problems 😀
Click to expand...


I can see it now......

485374582975239847ghz attempt at 750 volts....

WTF WHY WONT THIS POST?!?!?!?!?....Wait a minute....why is my PC spewing flames???
😱
 
It doesnt take all that much force to put a stick of ddr ram in backwards, especially since DDR sticks only have one safety notch that's located relatively close to the middle which makes it easy to put in backwards. If it was crucial ram, you should rma the ram. They have been known to be really nice about this sort of thing. No promises, but they hooked me up 🙂
 
Yeah, it was Crucial. Maybe I should RMA. What do I say though? Come clean and say I was an idiot, or make something up? It's pretty obvious what happened to the RAM.

Why isn't the DDR standard more fault tolerant? I guess this is the first time I've ever put a stick in backwards so it could be the same with SDRAM too. But why not make it that the system just won't boot with it reversed. Why end up with a couple singed contacts?

--Christopher
 
Yeah. I was worried about forcing my DDR RAM in backwards when I first upgraded to a DDR board. SDRAM has two notches providing extra safety.
 
Maybe they could print little arrows on the PCB of the RAM and the PCB of the mobo. It would eleminate the problems because you could actually see that you are installing it the wrong way. Just a thought...
 
I think the easiest approach to making it so you can't install it backwards would be to make the two locks on the sides of the ram different heights so if you have it in backwards it won't lock.

If you tell crucial about your ram, come clean. I told them that the ram was burnt and the lady automatically knew I improperly installed it without asking further questions. I said the ram was burnt in two spots on the stick and she said "Sir, our warranty doesn't cover for you installing the ram in backwards"
 
Yeah, it was Crucial. Maybe I should RMA. What do I say though? Come clean and say I was an idiot, or make something up? It's pretty obvious what happened to the RAM.
Click to expand...
Just tell them the truth and if they cover it, they cover it, if they don't, they don't
 
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