I've been having problems with two computers lately, neither of them turning on properly. PSU's are fine (tested them ) but the second computer only had a problem when I tried it's RAM in a previously broken computer and then placed it back in. Even new RAM in the second computer isn't helping.
Can dodgey RAM destroy a Mobo?
- Thread starter Amp34
- Start date
In theory, anything is possible but can't say I've ever had a problem with a "killer" stick of computer memory?
So you say you have two PC's, one had a problem with "turning on properly" and the other did not . . . once you swapped the RAM from the computer that was having boot problems to the other computer that wasn't having boot problems it picked up the boot "lurgy"? . . . are you 100% sure the second PC that was working fine started acting weird after trying the suspect RAM? . . . even after you swapped out the sticks again?
If you can list a little more hardware info lets see if we can to the bottom of this?
So you say you have two PC's, one had a problem with "turning on properly" and the other did not . . . once you swapped the RAM from the computer that was having boot problems to the other computer that wasn't having boot problems it picked up the boot "lurgy"? . . . are you 100% sure the second PC that was working fine started acting weird after trying the suspect RAM? . . . even after you swapped out the sticks again?
If you can list a little more hardware info lets see if we can to the bottom of this?
I thought this may probably be the case but just wanted to make sure. It does however make even less sense as to what has happened... 
This thread is a follow on from a previous thread in GH http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18178055. Essentially a problem with another computer, it decided to stop working when restarting. Fans spinning up and drives working but no booting or bios screen. I swapped the RAM from a working PC onto that just to check if it was that (didn't work), however when I put the RAM I tried back into the second PC that that PC failed to start up and ended up with the same symptoms... I did wonder if the other MOBO destroyed the RAM in the second computer but new RAM in that computer hasn't helped either. This is why I now wondered if the RAM may have damaged the second Mobo.
As a side I've tried the PSUs of both affected PC's and both work fine on other boards.
Hardware specs for the first computer (originally damaged) are:
ABIT S775 microATX Mobo
2x1GB DDR2 Corsair Value select RAM
Intel 5300 CPU
Antec 300W PSU
Second PC
Gigabyte S775 microATX mobo
1x2GB DDR2 corsair value select RAM (this was what was placed in the first PC and subsequently placed back in the second)
1x2GB DDR2 Kingston RAM (subsequently bought as a replacement to the CVS)
Intel 5300 CPU
Tagan 480W PSU
Either way I still don't understand quite why the RAM has caused issues with the other board, the same issue that occured on the other computer. I'm now going to buy both a new Mobo and RAM and see if that sorts it, not putting any of the RAM currently tested in the old boards (including the newly bought RAM) into the new one or swapping components just to be on the safe side...
This thread is a follow on from a previous thread in GH http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18178055. Essentially a problem with another computer, it decided to stop working when restarting. Fans spinning up and drives working but no booting or bios screen. I swapped the RAM from a working PC onto that just to check if it was that (didn't work), however when I put the RAM I tried back into the second PC that that PC failed to start up and ended up with the same symptoms... I did wonder if the other MOBO destroyed the RAM in the second computer but new RAM in that computer hasn't helped either. This is why I now wondered if the RAM may have damaged the second Mobo.
As a side I've tried the PSUs of both affected PC's and both work fine on other boards.
Hardware specs for the first computer (originally damaged) are:
ABIT S775 microATX Mobo
2x1GB DDR2 Corsair Value select RAM
Intel 5300 CPU
Antec 300W PSU
Second PC
Gigabyte S775 microATX mobo
1x2GB DDR2 corsair value select RAM (this was what was placed in the first PC and subsequently placed back in the second)
1x2GB DDR2 Kingston RAM (subsequently bought as a replacement to the CVS)
Intel 5300 CPU
Tagan 480W PSU
Either way I still don't understand quite why the RAM has caused issues with the other board, the same issue that occured on the other computer. I'm now going to buy both a new Mobo and RAM and see if that sorts it, not putting any of the RAM currently tested in the old boards (including the newly bought RAM) into the new one or swapping components just to be on the safe side...
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Sounds like the motherboard! You had one PC that didn't boot and one that did. You removed sticks from another computer and put into the non working one- no luck. Then you put the previously working RAM back into the working PC and it had the same problem as the non-working one?
In that case, your motherboard is killing RAM with a short, bad voltage regulation etc...
In that case, your motherboard is killing RAM with a short, bad voltage regulation etc...
+1 to that. either that or your killing them with static discharge or something, but thats never happened to me personally.
That was my thought, however that would mean the RAM is killing the Mobo on the second one, which apparently never really happens.
I'm fine with the Mobo issue, the RAM destroying another working Mobo? Hmmm!
Well After buying a whole new Mobo and more RAM I replaced both at the same time and it now works, so it looks like somehow RAM placed in another damaged Mobo managed to take out the second Mobo when placed back in there. Very strange considering everyone I've spoken to about this suggests that isn't possible. 