Tried to replace RAM - monitor doesnt recognize video card

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MisterBubbles

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Tried to add RAM - monitor doesnt recognize video card

I have a Radeon 9550 128MB video card. I found an old stick of PC2100 1GB RAM into my PC3200 motherboard and I thought I would try it and see if it ran any faster. I put it in and when I turned on the computer the monitor didn't turn on. I turned it off and on manually and it said something like "Your monitor is working. Check the video cables on your computer". I took out the RAM and same message. But when I plug it into the motherboard video slot (on board) it works fine and displays the start up screen, so I'm pretty sure the motherboard isn't fried. How could I fix this? I didn't touch the video card at all when I was installing the RAM.
 
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take out all the RAM and reseat it nice and tight on the mobo and then reboot the system, what happens?
 
Also check just to be sure that the video card is securely seated. It wouldnt take much for you to accidently hit that and move it a little and then it woudlnt work. Try that as well!
 
Same thing happened.

I never took out the original stick of 512MB RAM, only tried installing some more. When I plug the
monitor cable into the onboard motherboard video slot, it works fine. But not with the 9550. I'll try making sure it wasn't knocked out of place but I doubt it, it was securely fashioned into there with a screw.
 
Disable the onboard video in the BIOS. There should be an advanced setting somewhere that says init video display (or initial video) and make sure it is set to AGP or PCI-E or whatever slot the video card is in.
 
I tried that and when I turned on the computer a blue flame shot out and hit the glass on the case and nothing else happened except now it smells funny.
 
MisterBubbles said:
I tried that and when I turned on the computer a blue flame shot out and hit the glass on the case and nothing else happened except now it smells funny.
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Um what? was there a live wire or grounding problem on your rig? I am confused...:confused:

Explain in detail exactly what happened then I can better assist you.
 
Well.. I can't really see into my case anymore.. The plexiglass window is all charred up and burnt. And smoke is still coming out of any opening it can find, it's been like 10 minutes and its still coming out. The room it's in is almost full of smoke. Should I throw it out?

What happened was I pressed the ON button and then a blue spark shot out from the part where the PSU connects to the motherboard, that spark hit the metal part of the case where the plexiglass window is like installed and then the spark started arcing around until I turned off the computer.
 
remove it outside at least, electrical burn is one of the worst smells ever. Then once the smoke clears take a pic and post it.
 
MisterBubbles said:
What happened was I pressed the ON button and then a blue spark shot out from the part where the PSU connects to the motherboard, that spark hit the metal part of the case where the plexiglass window is like installed and then the spark started arcing around until I turned off the computer.
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I dont think your going to get it to boot now!
 
Regardless of what anyone said. You do things at your own risk ;). tlarkin never gave you any bad advice by the way. If that indeed happened to your PC... Well nothing suggested here could have caused it. Sorry about your luck but blaming members wont get you any help in the future.
 
MisterBubbles said:
Tlarkin messed up my computer then! I followed what he said. :mad:
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I said take out the ram and reseat it, how it caught on fire is no part of that. I also said go into the bios.

My guess is you did something else with out anyone knowing or you didn't give enough proper information because there is no way anyone on the internet can prevent that from happening with out having the machine right in front of them.

It was something you did. If you don't have the expertise to do componet level hardware troubleshooting you had no business being in there in the first place.
 
Well.. I can't really see into my case anymore.. The plexiglass window is all charred up and burnt. And smoke is still coming out of any opening it can find, it's been like 10 minutes and its still coming out. The room it's in is almost full of smoke. Should I throw it out?

What happened was I pressed the ON button and then a blue spark shot out from the part where the PSU connects to the motherboard, that spark hit the metal part of the case where the plexiglass window is like installed and then the spark started arcing around until I turned off the computer.
Click to expand...
i smell smoke, maybe thats because someones pants are on fire
 
Never mind, I don't need the 5,000. My computer is working fine now :) . It turns out it was the toaster oven I had connected to the PSU that fried while heating pizza.
 
Umm, no, I'm not kidding. There was a page a while ago on some GeoCities thing (that got removed) which talked about hooking up all these devices to your PSU.. I had a toaster oven, missle launcher foam thingie, and a lamp all hooked up to my PSU. I thought it was a well known thing.. :confused:
 
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