What happens when you put RAM in backwards?

JohnVM

Member
May 25, 2004
170
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76
So, got new RAM and Gfx card. Was trying to install and comp screen was black and comp wasnt doing nething. Thought I put RAM in backwards, but I hadn't. Nonetheless, flipped it around and turned on the PC. PC smoked. Immediately turned it off. Flipped it back around and turned it on again, worked this time.

Windows is giving me gay errors now though - Explorer crashes when it first boots, can't overclock proc. now, BF2 gives "memory cannot be read" errors....

Think the RAM is fried? Think its something else?
 

Jojo7

Senior member
May 5, 2003
329
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0
How is this even possible? Did you take a sledgehammer and force the ram into the slot? It's notched dude, just line it up. Wow.
Where did the smoke come from? The board?
 

Nick5324

Diamond Member
Aug 19, 2001
3,267
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Originally posted by: Jojo7
How is this even possible? Did you take a sledgehammer and force the ram into the slot? It's notched dude, just line it up. Wow.
Where did the smoke come from? The board?


My thoughts exactly. I'm willing to bet you damaged the RAM or the MB by having it in "backwards", which i still can't figure out how you did. Run MemTest and check for errors.
 

Rock Hydra

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2004
6,466
1
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Originally posted by: Nick5324
Originally posted by: Jojo7
How is this even possible? Did you take a sledgehammer and force the ram into the slot? It's notched dude, just line it up. Wow.
Where did the smoke come from? The board?


My thoughts exactly.

Yeah...same here. :confused:
 

Green Man

Golden Member
Jan 21, 2001
1,110
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0
Originally posted by: JohnVM
So, got new RAM and Gfx card. Was trying to install and comp screen was black and comp wasnt doing nething. Thought I put RAM in backwards, but I hadn't. Nonetheless, flipped it around and turned on the PC. PC smoked. Immediately turned it off. Flipped it back around and turned it on again, worked this time.

Windows is giving me gay errors now though - Explorer crashes when it first boots, can't overclock proc. now, BF2 gives "memory cannot be read" errors....

Think the RAM is fried? Think its something else?

RAM runs on magic smoke. If you let the magic smoke out, you're f'd.
 

indianduddawg47

Senior member
Dec 29, 2001
275
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0
it will smell like smoke, but it should still work. happened to me once with PC100 ram.


EDIT: test with memtest86 to be sure.
 

JohnVM

Member
May 25, 2004
170
0
76
apparently i forced it cuz it fit, and smoked. i stuck diff ram in now, still getting same issues. seems liek a board issue now. :-\
 

boomerang

Lifer
Jun 19, 2000
18,883
641
126
Originally posted by: CrucialLabs
Call and get a RMA for the memory, you fried it, lucky you did not fry the motherboard.

Maybe he did. Along with the RAM.

I'd take a close look at that RAM slot.

 

JohnVM

Member
May 25, 2004
170
0
76
ya, kinda thinking i did fry the mobo cuz i put diff ram in it and its still not workin.
 

theMan

Diamond Member
Mar 17, 2005
4,386
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if it went in, there should be really noticeble damage to the pins. there is a little slot, that it has to fit into, so if you got it in there, the pins are probably crushed.
 

boomerang

Lifer
Jun 19, 2000
18,883
641
126
If it makes you feel any better, you're not the first one to put RAM in backwards. There's a post here every few months about it. Some won't believe it, but they will snap in place pretty readily even when backwards.

Hey, you wanted a new rig anyways, right? We all do! ;)
 

cirrhosis

Golden Member
Mar 29, 2005
1,337
1
0
omg this has to be a joke.

You forced it into the slots? Without lining up the notches? I admit, I did something similar when installing RAMBUS years ago, but I was a noob. I suppose anything is possible nowadays though.

GL fixing whatever mess you've created; at least it's a learning opportunity.
 

Ze Mad Doktor

Banned
Dec 9, 2004
137
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0
And on a similar topic, has anyone ever looked at the computer repair kits they sell in CompUSA. They have all the screw drivers, ESD bracelet, etc stuff you would need for computer work. But then, a couple of them have hammers in them.
 

SVT Cobra

Lifer
Mar 29, 2005
13,264
2
0
Originally posted by: Ze Mad Doktor
And on a similar topic, has anyone ever looked at the computer repair kits they sell in CompUSA. They have all the screw drivers, ESD bracelet, etc stuff you would need for computer work. But then, a couple of them have hammers in them.

:laugh:
 

RadiclDreamer

Diamond Member
Aug 8, 2004
8,622
40
91
Originally posted by: CrucialLabs
Call and get a RMA for the memory, you fried it, lucky you did not fry the motherboard.

You my friend are one of the types of people who thinks that everything is owed to them. He broke the part, he should eat it. Not the company. I dont care how the cost of RMA like this is built into the cost blah blah. Its just wrong
 
S

SlitheryDee

Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer

You my friend are one of the types of people who thinks that everything is owed to them. He broke the part, he should eat it. Not the company. I dont care how the cost of RMA like this is built into the cost blah blah. Its just wrong

You're an idealist...I like that.

JohnVM:

RMA everything.

What are you waiting for?

Hurry up and DO IT before your warranty expires.

Edited for humor
 

Sforsyth

Golden Member
Mar 3, 2005
1,294
0
0
I did this once with my daughter Athlon 1.1 Ghz and I had to push hard when I tried to boot it up the PSU blow and then I took the hole computer into the shop and sold everything to them that still worked and bought her new stuff, only the PSU was died so they told me.
 

pcgeek11

Lifer
Jun 12, 2005
21,943
4,819
136
Originally posted by: RadiclDreamer
Originally posted by: CrucialLabs
Call and get a RMA for the memory, you fried it, lucky you did not fry the motherboard.

You my friend are one of the types of people who thinks that everything is owed to them. He broke the part, he should eat it. Not the company. I dont care how the cost of RMA like this is built into the cost blah blah. Its just wrong

I agree with RadiclDreamer, people who do shlt like this are thieves. Except they are stealing from all of us. Including themselves.

pcgeek



 

CrispyFried

Golden Member
May 3, 2005
1,122
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0
That memory slot is almost certainly toast. Try a different slot.

You probably smoked a voltage regulator or a mobo trace. Im impressed it works at all.