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What would cause RAM to burn when turning on PC? Also can I use the other RAM slot /w the 1st on melted?
I turned on my PC after checking the RAM stick and it melted and smoked.
I want to try to save the mobo. Is there a way to disable or even take off the first RAM slot.
I want to try to save the mobo. Is there a way to disable or even take off the first RAM slot.
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The most common cause for RAM failures such as the one you describe is the RAM stick being installed backward. The sticks are keyed (notched) to only go in one way, but this is not a guarantee that they will not make electrical contact and short if installed backward. This is actually why I got out of building computers for remote clients and shipping them, they would ask for a RAM upgrade some time later, and very often fry the machine and blame me when it "burnt up." I had of course explained keying and given close-up photos of proper installation steps, but the number of people who read directions does not equate to the number of possible customers.
It is possible you had a bad chip, anything can happen during manufacturing or even in transit (some weird chemical leeches into the container that explodes with heat/charge?). I couldn't guess at those reasons, but it is always possible that you'd have something broken and/or damaging out of the box.
To answer the second part of your question, it is possible the second RAM slot will still work. You can buy electrical testing equipment to check this, but the much quicker way is to get a RAM stick of the correct type (DDR2 being the currently most common, but this is specific to your motherboard), put it in the still working slot and see if the machine boots up. I'd recommend disconnecting your optical drive, hard drive, and any other totally non-essential equipment first, and be ready (preferably wearing insulated gloves) to pull the plug really quick out of the wall if it sparks or fries again (in which case there is something much more seriously wrong most likely).
What I advised in the last step is somewhat dangerous, because you are working with electricity and electrical components in an unknown state of (dis)repair. So do so at your own risk. That said, I and every technician I've worked with who didn't have a multimeter and some other good tools handy would (and has) tested RAM sockets in exactly the manner described.
You probably do not want to undertake removing the burnt RAM slot. This would require at a minimum a lot of hours of fine soldering work, and more likely that not some specialized tools. You'd have to be totally comfortable with all that, and somewhere find the information specific to your motherboard about how it would react to the desoldering of a RAM socket. Good luck!
It is possible you had a bad chip, anything can happen during manufacturing or even in transit (some weird chemical leeches into the container that explodes with heat/charge?). I couldn't guess at those reasons, but it is always possible that you'd have something broken and/or damaging out of the box.
To answer the second part of your question, it is possible the second RAM slot will still work. You can buy electrical testing equipment to check this, but the much quicker way is to get a RAM stick of the correct type (DDR2 being the currently most common, but this is specific to your motherboard), put it in the still working slot and see if the machine boots up. I'd recommend disconnecting your optical drive, hard drive, and any other totally non-essential equipment first, and be ready (preferably wearing insulated gloves) to pull the plug really quick out of the wall if it sparks or fries again (in which case there is something much more seriously wrong most likely).
What I advised in the last step is somewhat dangerous, because you are working with electricity and electrical components in an unknown state of (dis)repair. So do so at your own risk. That said, I and every technician I've worked with who didn't have a multimeter and some other good tools handy would (and has) tested RAM sockets in exactly the manner described.
You probably do not want to undertake removing the burnt RAM slot. This would require at a minimum a lot of hours of fine soldering work, and more likely that not some specialized tools. You'd have to be totally comfortable with all that, and somewhere find the information specific to your motherboard about how it would react to the desoldering of a RAM socket. Good luck!
source(s):
Years of personal experience working in IT having built scores of computers, including multiple issues similar to yours.
Years of personal experience working in IT having built scores of computers, including multiple issues similar to yours.
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Haha, must have put it in wrong then. Thought I had it right, done it a few times before.
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It sounds like the RAM module could've been defective, and some component on it which was on the verge of failing died. Either that or possibly some circuitry on the motherboard which regulates the power the RAM receives might've failed. You might want to check out the site http://www.badcaps.net and see whether your board shows any of the symptoms they describe, such can lead to spectacular motherboard failures but also RAM and peripheral death.
Hopefully you might be able to use another slot and just avoid using the damaged one (if you're using SDRAM, the slots can in many cases carry single modules [unlike RDRAM for example which must be in paired slots]).
Note that modifying it will likely void any warranty you might still have on it, and also you risk torqueing or otherwise damaging other components on the board in the process of removing the damaged slot.
Personally I'd ditch the whole motherboard and get a replacement and try to move the CPU and peripherals to the new setup.
Hopefully you might be able to use another slot and just avoid using the damaged one (if you're using SDRAM, the slots can in many cases carry single modules [unlike RDRAM for example which must be in paired slots]).
Note that modifying it will likely void any warranty you might still have on it, and also you risk torqueing or otherwise damaging other components on the board in the process of removing the damaged slot.
Personally I'd ditch the whole motherboard and get a replacement and try to move the CPU and peripherals to the new setup.
Yeah my whole setup is moved back to my other machine. just trying to take advantage of a little better cpu and a better looking case.
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