Pc won't boot when new RAM installed

[r3n4ud]

Hi folks. Have a big problem . My uncle wanted me to install RAM. He had one stick of 512mb. I installed two new sticks each 512mb (different brand). I turned on computer, windows loaded to desktop but the screen was fuzzy/blurry. I tried to reseat the ram. Now, pc won't boot at all. I hear the fans running, motherboard (Asus K8V-X) green light is on, but windows won't boot.

I tried booting only with the original stick of ram, still won't boot. I turned on pc without any ram installed, no beeping at all. I tested pc with another psu and video card, no luck. You think it's either the mobo or cpu? What the heck could I have done wrong for the screen to be fuzzy when first installed new ram, to not starting at all now? Any ideas?

[aedipuss]

possibly fried the m/b if you didn't insert correctly or used a wrong type. only thing left for you to try is to clear the cmos. look it up in the manual there is usually a jumper to short. if not try removing the cmos backup battery for 5 minutes. go back to the original ram and see if it will boot then.

[r3n4ud]

Gave clearing the cmos a shot, nothing doing. Ah well, time to shop for a mobo.

[lenti_75]

flash the bios to the latest firmware, this happened to me with asus when upgrading from 2x1Gb to 4x1 Gb.
if doesn't work then new mobo.

[Bjs]

Fans on including lights is generally an issue with the PSU ... try another before committing to a new mother board.

Secondly, remove power and take the cmos battery out and leave it over night ... Ive had a few messed up asus's board's in the past and for some reason this fixed the no boot problem after a bios update which was successful but left the system in an unbootable state.

[r3n4ud]

flash the bios to the latest firmware, this happened to me with asus when upgrading from 2x1Gb to 4x1 Gb.
if doesn't work then new mobo.

How can I flash the bios? Can't get pc to boot at all.

[r3n4ud]

Fans on including lights is generally an issue with the PSU ... try another before committing to a new mother board.

Secondly, remove power and take the cmos battery out and leave it over night ... Ive had a few messed up asus's board's in the past and for some reason this fixed the no boot problem after a bios update which was successful but left the system in an unbootable state.

Tried changing the PSU, same problem. I'll try taking out the cmos battery overnight. Thanks.

[AlanHK]

I turned on computer, windows loaded to desktop but the screen was fuzzy/blurry. I tried to reseat the ram.

"Fuzzy, blurry screen" has absolutely nothing to do with RAM.

Either the monitor needed to warm up (especially if it's CRT) or if LCD, you had the wrong resolution selected.

But sounds like you blew something up when you "reseated" the RAM, maybe a static discharge.

[Webster]

edit... never mind....

[lenti_75]

flash the bios to the latest firmware, this happened to me with asus when upgrading from 2x1Gb to 4x1 Gb.
if doesn't work then new mobo.

How can I flash the bios? Can't get pc to boot at all.

Sorry, I didn't read that it doesn't boot at all now even with original ram. I don't know, could be a lot of things, from a bent pin in the ram slot to mobo fried because the ram was bad or something and did a short in it.

I think the mobo is dead as you said. I think the cpu is ok. when you try to boot without ram, it should beep.

[r3n4ud]

Think I tried all I could to determine what the problem is, without any luck though. I'll pick up another mobo and hope that is the issue. This time I'll be more careful when installing the ram. I've installed new ram dozens of times and never had an issue. Ah well, first time for everything!

Thanks for all your help folks. I'll keep you posted when I try out the new mobo.

[DarrellS]

Did you go into BIOS and make sure that it was set to boot from the correct drive? My Gigabyte changes drives on me at times.

Also, my brother had an ASUS board that refused to boot inside a certain case. Had the same symptoms as yours (fans run and light is on). It was recommended on the ASUS site to try and run it out of the case. He did so and it booted right up so he bought another case. No problems afterwards until he forgot and put it in the old case to give to his son and remembered that the ASUS board would not run in that case (other boards would).

[Nelson37]

If there is a seperate video card, re-seat it in the slot. Pushing in the RAM can flex the mobo and lever the video card slightly out of the slot, which could account for fuzzy video, another RAM install and a little more movement could give you the current symptoms.

Or you cracked the board or bent a pin in the socket, possible the board flex caused a case-contact short, or the damn thing just chose to die at that precise moment. The fuzzy video is odd, though.

[Nelson37]

Never mind, missed the part about swapping video cards.

That is just really strange that a fault severe enough to cause fuzzy video would allow it to boot normally, then die. Such is the wonderful world of computers, crap happens.