HOLY SH--HELP! I Need Emergency Computer Help!

[Chief Rum]

Yeah, yeah, the title is a real eye catcher, eh?

Well, the situation suits the urgency. You see, I fear I have seriously screwed up my computer. I just thought maybe one of you more learned computer individuals might be able to waylay my jump to the absolute worst conclusion with either a hypothesis on what the heck is going on, or maybe even a solution to the problem.

Here are my computer specs:

AMD Athlon XP 1600 (about 1.4 GHz)
KR7A Motherboard
256 MB DDR RAM PC2100

I would tell you the rest (40 G HDD, Windows XP, Soundlbaster, ATI Radeon, other stuff and etc.), but I don't think that is related to the problem (until told otherwise anyway). This is a down to the basics super-hardware problem.

Today I bought some more memory. It's 256 MB DDR again, PC2700 this time. It's made by PNY (my first 256, from Elixir, came with the computer).

I have seen memory installed a bunch of times but I never did it myself before. Not that it seemed too hard anyway. :(

I followed all the instructions (or so it seems). I turned off the power and removed the power cable. I had already removed the computer's outer cover. I grounded myself so as not to screw up the memory, and then removed it from its packaging. And then I stuck it in as the computer suggested, locking in the connector clips with (of course) the golden lead edge down toward the board. The put it in the DIMM slot right next to my current memory (I have four DIMM slots). It seemed to fit just fine. There was a label on the PNY memory, the same as the Elixir memory, so I made sure the label was on the same side for both memories.

I turned the computer on and it loaded up just fine. But it didn't recognize the new memory, saying I still had 256 M memory. I confirmed this is BIOS as well--didn't recognize it.

So I completely took all cables off the computer (the monitor & printer cables, and so forth, not the IDE stuff inside), so I could be certain about how I was putting memory in. I also took out my old memory (which I knew worked) to see if there was any apparent difference in how it was put in that might account for why the new memory wasn't being recognized by the computer.

I put them both back into the same slots, same direction, snapping in the connector clips and making sure the slot matched up with the ridge in the DIMM socket (they both did), reconnected all the outer cables and fired it up and...

...eery silence at first. I thouught the computer was just reassessing things a bit, then a couple seconds into it, I hear a full second beep from the interior speaker (which, BTW, I still haven't actually located). This beep is repeated every 4-5 seconds or so. Meanwhile, the computer does absolutely nothing computing-wise. The power is going, the fans are running, and so on, but the monitor isn't receiving any info, and the computer isn't loading up at all, just making that repeated beeping noise. :(

I tried different configurations. Just the old memory, just the new memory. No memory at all (just to see if it was the memory itself that was the cause of the holdup). Nope, same thing every time.

So I fear I have somehow screwed up the motherboard and/or the processor, and I am in mortal fear right now (since that's a lot of money you know, money I don't really have). If it's really bad news, you guys can tell me--I can take it, because I have already assumed the worst. But I knew it would be dumb for me not to throw this out there and see if you guys had ever heard of this or knew what the problem was or how to fix it (without doing a complete MB or processor replacement, that is).

Thanks in advance for your help.

Chief Rum

[Anrhydeddu]

Mixing PC2100 and PC2700 RAM? Can you do that?? Does the KR1A support PC2700?

[Chief Rum]

Well, the motherboard installation guide didn't specify it needed a PC range of particular memory. It used 1600 and 2100 in its examples.

I thought that was a computer speed thing (a reference to how fast the memory could be accessed), and there were no warnings about mixing them like this. There were warnings about mixing different RAM types (like straight DDR or SD RAM), but these were both DDR.

I figured if the two memories had different access speeds that whenever the computer accessed that particular memory, it would just do its job faster or slower, depending on what memory it was using.

I also asked a tech guy at the store about the memory I bought, if it should work ona computer like I have and with other memory. He reitereated the different memory types, but that was it. I think if there was a potential problem between PC2100 or PC2700 (especially a "fry the motherboard" type of problem), he (or the installation guide for the motherboard or for the memory itself) would have put that in clear terms.

But then what do I know? That's why I am asking you guys. It should also be noted that I put in both memories at first and it loaded up just fine. It just didn't recognize the second memory. I thought maybe I didn't push it in all the way or something like that.

Chief Rum

[Axxon]

Make sure you didn't unseat the video card. I've done that when building a new computer and got the same thing you're describing.

[Silver Owl]

CR, Like Axxon said check your video card and all other cables to make sure you didn't unseat something. Also make sure your memory module is not touching anything after it is installed. Things can be cramped in there so it can happen. You said that you unpluged cables from the back of your computer, make sure keyboard is still plugged in. What bios do you have? Award or something else.

Good Luck

[Draft Dodger]

I don't think it's a great idea to mix the memory speeds.

different memory types, ok. different speeds? I wouldn't.

that said, I agree with the others - sounds like you've unseated the video card.

the beeps are error codes from the POST test (Power On Self Test) - different patterns mean different things; you should be able to get this info from your motherboard manufacturer to find out exactly what the issue is. not worth worrying yet - you probably haven't fried anything.

[Draft Dodger]

ps here (http://www.postcodemaster.com/index.php3) is a site that lists different POST codes for different motherboards / BIOS.

never used it before, but it looks helpful

[Chief Rum]

Thanks, guys. It's funny how long you can be around computers and still not know some things about them. For instance, up until this issue I had never heard of POST before. You want a heart attack, all you have to do is be ignorant of POST, screw around with your computer, and get that ominous beep instead of a boot up. :)

Well, none of the bits and pieces seemed out of place, but I pressed down on a whole lot of things to make sure they were firmly entrenched within their connections to the motherboard. Then I hooked everything back up, and voila!, working computer.

Thanks again for the help. It's amazing how I am the computer guru to some of my friends and in particular to my mother, but I get the same panic state they get in when I hit something I don't understand. So then I turn to you guys. ;)

BTW, I did a little research on the PC2100 and PC2700 type of RAM, and discovered that Anrhydeddu was right in questioning that they can mix. I was correct that the number refers to memory access speed, but apparently it takes two to tango. You see, the memory speed has to match up with the front bus speed on your motherboard. PC2100 is an ideal RAM for motherboards that work with Athlon's, apparently, and this is the type of RAM I need to buy. PC2700 (the memory I bought) works with some more powerful machines, but not my little ole computer. So I'm going to return it tomorrow in the hopes I can get an identical PC2100 chip.

BTW, technically the RAMs can mix, it's just that the motherboard won't understand both of them. If there's a motherboard out there that does handle both PC2100 and PC2700 memory, then it could use what I bought and what I already had, but I don't even know if that's possible.

Ugh. Thanks again.

Chief Rum

[Dutch]

While I am no expert, I have been putting PC's together for years. In the olden days I discovered that mixing memory speeds was bad. The PC would recognize all the memory, but when things in the RAM got out of synch the computer would go screwy. I have never mixed PC2100 and PC2700 however.

But your suggestion that now you cannot see anything on your monitor but everything is running is something that happened to me just recently and I discovered that my powersupply connector was unseated. So make sure you check every connection in your machine by unseating them and reseating them.

Good luck.

[Chief Rum]

It rears its ugly head again. :(

Since the RAM I got was the wrong kind, I went back to the store and got the right kind (PC2100, all the rest the same as before). Last night I put it in the computer again, being very careful not to move the computer around (so that I wouldn't unseat anything this time). Everything seemed to go very smoothly, and I turned the computer again.

Of course, you guys have already guessed that despite being careful, the computer went right back to what it was doing before (not even loading up, going to the POST beeps, a full-second beep or so, followed by silence for 4-5 seconds before repeating).

This time, I went in and completely removed all of my cards (video, sound, dial up, modem, high-speed modem). I dusted them off and generally got a lot of muck away from the sockets they go into in the motherboard as well. I basically also did what I did before, pressing down on all the connections I found on the motherboard, making sure the memory (both sets) was all the way in. Last time, this worked (although I didn't take out the cards last time, just applied a little firm pressure on them in the direction of the leads). I put the cards back in, checked all the connections and fired it up. Same result. :(

I have since repeated exactly what I did Saturday night to no avail as well. And tried it repeatedly to see if maybe I missed something somehow.

Anyway, I never could find out which POST signal was going on because the computer I am using has no sound. That Web site linked to by Draft Dodger seems to have a listing for all the POST codes, but my guess is that they must actually play the sounds, something I don't hear on this crappy other computer I am having to use. There seem to be a lot of codes, and with no way to hear the sound, I have no idea what code I am hearing when my computer doesn't work.

So I am at a loss now as to what to do. I have removed the new memory as well, and it still doesn't work. This is extremely frustrating. I suppose maybe one of you guys, if you have time, could follow Draft Dodger's link above and listen for codes that sound like what I have described, but that's about the only thing I can ask now. If anyone is so inclined, I am using an Award BIOS (there are two, 3.0-3.2 and 4.5, or something like that...I don't know which one I have, but I'm guessing they are probably similar in code use).

It may not sound like much but if someone were able to tell me what damn code I am hearing, maybe then I can concentrate more on that specific area, rather than having to do time-consuming card removals and other stuff all over the computer because I don't know which component is causing the problem. I would find the video card code first and listen to it, since Axxon said he ran into this same thing with an unseated video card.

Now, a quick question--my assumption when you all are saying "unseated" is that you mean that not all of the leads are touching their ends, right? At least that's the context I think I have heard that term used with before. Is there any other part to it that I am not getting? Maybe there's something I'm not doing that I need to do.

Anyway, thanks again if any of you can help.

Chief Rum

[Franklinnoble]

Do you have another video card you can try to install instead of the one that's already in there? Just for testing purposes...

[cartman]

Hey Chief,

Not too familiar with that motherboard, but are there three or four slots to put in RAM? If there are four slots, you might need to use slots one and three, not one and two. Sometimes, especially with DDR capable motherboards, you can only use one, two, or four sticks of RAM. The one piece scenario you already have mastered! :) You might want to check the docs to see how to populate the MB with multiple sticks of ram.

[sabotai]

Memory can be a tricky thing. There are several things to memory that can be mixed up, but a few should not.

The speed thing, while technically you can mix up, it's not a good idea. Just pick one speed and go with it.

You should not mix up RAM that has ECC with RAM that does not. You can tell if a stick of RAM has ECC or not by counting up the number of "black boxes" on the RAM stick. If the number is divisible by 3, then it's ECC.

[MizzouRah]

Definitly make sure you have them in order (Dimm 1 and Dimm 2 should be used if you only have 2 memory sticks). Meaning slots labeled 1 and 2 should have your memory sticks in them.

Mixing older SDRAM 100mhz and 133mhz is ok, but I wouldn't mix DDR speeds (PC2100 and PC2700). You wouldn't notice any speed difference anyway.

Also, there are knotches on the memory sticks, make sure to line those up with the knotches in your motherboard's memory slots. You should hear a 'click' noise when they are seated properly.

Todd

[Dutch]

Do you have a big enough Power Supply and one that hasn't fried?