My Desktop is back!

TheNumberOneShmuck · **Reply #20 on:** July 01, 2008, 06:27:55 AM

Quote from: landbeforetimelover,Jun 25 2008 on 10:32 PM

His computer specs are as follows:

1.8ghz AMD athlon processor (single core)

512mb of ram (DDR)

80GB SATA hard disk

it has Windows XP SP3 now.

I bought a desktop brand new a little over a year ago and its specs are pretty comparable. It cost $700!

$700? Weak, dude. Weak.

I bought my desktop almost 2 years ago, came with:

AMD Athlon 2.0ghz Dual Core processor

1gb DDR2 RAM

160GB SATA Hard Drive

nVidia GeForce 7300LE graphics processor w/ 512MB video RAM

Windows XP Media Center Edition

Cost me about $600, including shipping and tax.

There must be something I'm not aware of, to cause such a strange price/performance difference…

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #21 on:** July 01, 2008, 01:36:43 PM

Okay, this was really weird. I got the new RAM and installed it, but there's some problems here.

Apparently, my computer wouldn't recognize the new RAM. (Yes, I did use the ones I ordered from that site that LBTlover recommended.) At one point, it did recognize 2 GB of it, but then stopped doing so.

So, I've reinstalled my old ones and it's working fine.

WTFH happened? :unsure:

Note: I made sure I had as little static electricity running through me as possible, so there's little chance that was the problem.

Petrie. · **Reply #22 on:** July 01, 2008, 03:17:30 PM

The fact that it was able to be seen for some time proves that it wasn't static electricity from your body that caused this, so no worry there. It could be bad ram too....if they're gonna break it happens before thirty days of use.

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #23 on:** July 01, 2008, 04:21:17 PM

Quote from: Petrie,Jul 1 2008 on 12:17 PM

The fact that it was able to be seen for some time proves that it wasn't static electricity from your body that caused this, so no worry there. It could be bad ram too....if they're gonna break it happens before thirty days of use.

Guess I have no choice but to call up the company and see if I can get some replacements here. Ah, defective items happen I guess. -_-

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #24 on:** July 01, 2008, 05:06:05 PM

Your memory requires that you install it in pairs. See, there are 4 slots......2 groups of slots that contain 2 slots each. You must install the ram by putting the ram in the first slot and then install it in the corresponding slot on the other side in the other group. Really hard to explain. I'll show ya a pic. This is a clients computer that I'm gonna put 4gb of ram into. Its nice enough to have the clips color-coded, but some of them don't. See how the ram is arranged? It has to be in pairs:

If the ram was all on one side in the top group of slots, it wouldn't recognize properly. With PCs that can handle 4gb of ram, it's really important that you arrange them properly. I would have guessed crucial would have said something about this with the ram they sent, but I guess they didn't. They always send some piece of paper, but I never look at it cuz I already know how to install the ram. Sorry for the bad pic. It's dark inside a computer!

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #25 on:** July 01, 2008, 06:19:59 PM

Well, here's some rather vital information I found out.

The scan the site gave my computer showed that my computer works with DDR PC2700 or DDR PC3200. However, when we got the new PC2700 ones, they didn't work. Only the old PC3200 ones did.

I think I see the problem now. -_-

Oh, and yes, I did do it in pairs and all that, LBTlover. Still didn't work and I think I see why now.

TheNumberOneShmuck · **Reply #26 on:** July 01, 2008, 07:33:14 PM

I don't believe mixing RAM works. I believe that if you have PC3200, you have to buy more 3200.

Am I correct in this assumption?

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #27 on:** July 01, 2008, 10:18:21 PM

Mixing ram does work, but in order to put 4gb in, he had to remove the 2 sticks of 256mb he had in there to do it.

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #28 on:** July 01, 2008, 11:11:32 PM

Quote from: landbeforetimelover,Jul 1 2008 on 07:18 PM

Mixing ram does work, but in order to put 4gb in, he had to remove the 2 sticks of 256mb he had in there to do it.

I didn't mix them. I definitely took out the old ones and put in the new ones when I did the replacing deal. Only at one point did the new ones actually work. I'm guessing that the PC2700 is only partially compatible (if anything, considering they did work at one point) while PC3200 is FULLY compatible.

Besides, my current PC3200 ones are working, so why wouldn't other ones be compatible?

Oh, one other thing, the inside of my computer was QUITE dusty. I had to use a special cleaner that didn't harm the insides of the computer to clean it. (Obviously wouldn't be working if it did harm the inside.) With how much dirt and dust there was, I'm surprised there weren't cobwebs in there.

:

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #29 on:** July 02, 2008, 12:41:23 AM

Getting a can of compressed air and blowing the crap out of the slots for ram is a good start. Remember that only 2gb recognized? I'd say it's quite a coincidence that you had 2 chips in before and only 2 chips worked. I think the other slots might be dirty. Also, look in the setup menu as you start your computer with the 4gb in. Does 4gb recognize on the board? If not, then you've still got a problem. If so, then it's something with your OS.

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #30 on:** July 02, 2008, 01:30:38 AM

Quote from: landbeforetimelover,Jul 1 2008 on 09:41 PM

Getting a can of compressed air and blowing the crap out of the slots for ram is a good start. Remember that only 2gb recognized? I'd say it's quite a coincidence that you had 2 chips in before and only 2 chips worked. I think the other slots might be dirty. Also, look in the setup menu as you start your computer with the 4gb in. Does 4gb recognize on the board? If not, then you've still got a problem. If so, then it's something with your OS.

Well, this computer won't start up unless it recognizes the RAM. So basically, if it doesn't read it, it won't start up. That's basically what happened when me and my dad tried the full 4 GB. It just wouldnt' start up. At one point, it did start up with 2 GB in it, but then he turned it off, had a conversation with me, then turned it back on with the 2 GB still in it and it didn't start up again.

After all the switching and combinations we tried, it could only start up with the original RAM the computer itself came with.

If anything, it's easy in the end to see if it's compatible or not with this one.

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #31 on:** July 10, 2008, 08:41:11 AM

Okay, an interesting thing has come up.

My dad said that if this works, he wishes to use my currently being used sticks of RAM in another computer. However, he also questioned what the best course of action one should take after removing their old RAM. Should one keep it or should one give it to someone else who is willing to take it off your hands?

So, what exactly should be done with the old RAM once this is all over?

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #32 on:** July 10, 2008, 01:08:47 PM

Your computer uses the old DDR ram. Chances are, it'll be compatible with 99% of the PCs out there. Even computers that take DDR2 will accept DDR ram. The question is, if your other PC will actually benefit from the ram. If you've got 333mhz ram, then probably not so much. Just look up the other computer via crucial.com to see what sort of ram it takes and then compare the two ram modules that are required. I can tell you however right off the bat that ram from your desktop will NOT go into ANY laptop and vise-versa.

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #33 on:** July 15, 2008, 08:30:30 AM

Okay, I'm on my laptop now. New problem with my Desktop.

I got the new RAM right before leaving for work yesterday. I didn't have time to insert it. (2 minutes left to leave basically.) I waited until just an hour ago to insert the new RAM. I tried the first 2 GB, found the RAM just fine, but would freeze up while trying to start Windows.

Then, figuring everything was okay, I turned it off and inserted the last 2 GB. Now, while trying to insert the final stick, I noted that some wires were in the way. I carefully moved them and put in the final stick.

I start it up and now my computer won't detect my keyboard, my C Drive or my A Drive. It basically goes into a system fail. WTH happened?

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #34 on:** July 15, 2008, 09:19:50 AM

This is most likely caused by another piece of hardware that is in conflict. I would go in and remove each removable card (not the graphics card otherwise you won't be able to plug in your monitor to see the screen) one by one. Don't just pull them all at once. For example, remove the sound card and then start up. If it fails, put the sound card back in and remove the network card..........

If at any time you didn't insert the ram in pairs, you could have fried your motherboard. *YIKES!* Even if you inserted them in pairs and one wasn't totally pushed in and you turned the computer on....*fry*. Put the other ram back in. Does it work?

Also, if you don't put the ram in all the way you'll experience anomalies like this. Try switching the ram around. Put all 4gb in right away. Don't screw around and put only a gig or two in.

You might also want to try resetting your CMOS settings. Remember how we entered CMOS to adjust your boot priority? A BIOS update is also an option. When you go to crucial, it will tell you your board number. Type in your board number as well as "bios update" into google and try some updates. One thing that really sucks about your computer is the fact that it isn't a name brand store bought model. You can't just type in "HP Pavillion 1970a bios update" into google. You'll have to find your board model before trying a bios update.

As a last ditch effort, you can remove EVERYTHING you can from your computer including your floppy drive, CD drive and ALL of the cards except for your graphics card and see if it'll boot that way. If this doesn't work, crucial is giving you s*** incompatible ram that won't work with your system.

But lastly, I have to ask. DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ED (Electrostatic Discharge) PREVENTION??? Do you know how to ground yourself before touching ANY computer component? Geeze man. If you so much as take a step and then touch a computer component without grounding yourself, you're gonna fry it. Ground yourself every time you can think of it.

This situation is EXACTLY what would happen if you fried your ram with ED and then tried to put it in. I gotta admit that I'm a little suspicious.

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #35 on:** July 15, 2008, 11:05:46 AM

I take quite some precautions to ensure I don't fry the inside of my computer. Last time, when I first got my new RAM, I was just touching metal as often as possible. The latest times, I was touching metal as often as possible and wearing a grounding strap properally. Seriously, what are the chances of me frying the thing when I take precautions like these?

Anyways, I put in the old RAM and the computer started up just fine. No errors whatsoever popping up. I'll check out a few things with the old RAM in and see what's up.

However, there is one thing I think I should note. If I have my computer shut down for a period of over 30 minutes, it tends to make this strange, rather irritating, loud, humming noise when I turn it back on. It does go away after a few minutes, but I feel it to be a problem. My Dad thinks it's the cooling fan inside, though I'm not sure myself.

I think it's wise I provide you a picture. I'll show you one ASAP. Because I'm suspicious that it was set up in a way that made it and so that only the people who made it can handle it properally, both hardware and software maintenance-wise.

Well, see ya later! -_-

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #36 on:** July 15, 2008, 01:07:11 PM

Okay, here we go. How my computer looks inside:

(Note: Pardon the quality and weird angles. I took these with my Webcam and the sun is shining into my room.)

First, this is where you insert the RAM:

Could someone explain to me why two are blue and two are black?

Now here's what's right below where you insert the RAM:

This thing ends up being below the first two RAM switches at the bottom. It's so close that it makes it almost impossible to remove the RAM without touching it. That and you can barely move the bottom switches enough to remove the RAM before they touch this thing. The other two RAM switches are well enough out of the way.

Okay, this is the stuff near the bottom of the computer:

With these things, we suspect the thing making the noise is either the cooling fan I'll show you in a few pics or the circular unit you see at the bottom of this pic.

Now, here are some wires connecting to my C Drive:

Here are wires that connect to my A Drive:

This is my DVD/CD Drive:

You can see a part of the unit that powers the whole dang thing up top.

Finally, my Cooling Fan:

That purple thing you see in the background is where I get information on my motherboard. Which I took a look at and says it is: A8NE - FM/2. Not: A8NE - U, which is what the cruical scan showed.

I'll show you up-close pictures of the RAM later. I don't have the time. I need to be to work early and I have a lot to do there.

See ya later!

EDIT: Oh, and when I checked out the Start Up, there weren't any problems. So maybe it is the RAM.

action9000 · **Reply #37 on:** July 15, 2008, 04:00:46 PM

Quote

Could someone explain to me why two are blue and two are black?

That's because your motherboard supports dual-channel RAM.

Dual-channel simply means that the motherbord can give twice as much bandwidth to your RAM modules, allowing data to transfer to and from RAM much more efficiently, basically by using two 'highways' to transfer data on, in parallel.

In order to use the dual-channel capability, you need to use either 2 or 4 RAM modules. The colours on the motherboard show how the RAM modules have to match.

Basically, you need to put the exact same speed/size/preferrably brand as well into both slots of the same colour. Aka the RAM in both of the blue slots have to be the same to use dual-channel. The RAM in both of the black slots have to be the same to use dual-channel.

If you only have two RAM modules, put them both in the same-coloured slots to use dual-channel. The RAM modules should ideally be the same as well.

landbeforetimelover · **Reply #38 on:** July 16, 2008, 12:30:05 AM

Exactly what Action said in so many words.

I still think a bios update would do you a world of good. I'm sorry but I'm not close enough to zoom over there. You don't have a good enough webcam for me to able to effect repairs on the inside of your computer from where I'm at. There's either a problem with that ram or there's a hardware issue with your computer. I'm about 75% sure it's a problem with compatibility of the ram, 20% sure it's a problem that can be fixed with a BIOS update, and 5% sure it's an issue with another type of hardware in your computer.

pokeplayer984 · **Reply #39 on:** July 16, 2008, 02:13:00 AM

My brother in law came over and, taking a chance, I asked him to insert the RAM. Now, he inserts it all at once and it started up fine. Read the RAM properally, but new problem now.

Apparently, a file in my computer is either corrupt or missing and without it, I can't start Windows.

This is the following file:

\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CONFIG\SYSTEM

I tried using the burned CD for XP SP3 Lite that I originally used to reformat it, but it didn't fix the problem.

So, now what?

PS: The newly installed RAM though did seem to take care of the irritating noise that was going on. I didn't get it when I turned it back on after having it off the whole time I was at work. So I can be glad of that.