# Added RAM, computer won't boot up -- what'd I do???
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [July 9, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359 "2004-07-09T21:32:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/1 "2004-07-09T21:32:37Z")
Dang it! What did I just do?
I’ve been upgrading my PC. Added a new soundcasrd yesterday, all went fine. Today I added some new RAM.
Total no-brainer: Unplugged the chord from the back, put the new RAM in the slots (had to unplug one of the CD Drives for a minute to get the big fat cable out of the way). Now the computer won’t boot up. No happy beep nothing.
The RAM is fine, they tested it in front of me at the store. When I removed the new RAM, and put everything back exactly the way it was, it still wouldn’t boot up.
Power comes on, but no happy beep, no DOS, wo Windows, _nothing_.
What the heck could I possibly have done? Is ther a reset button I just can’t find for the motherboard or something?
Note: I did get the right kind of RAM PC-100. I added a 64 mB and a 128 mB. It’s an older machine, running Windows 98
---
### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/2 "2004-07-09T21:39:50Z")
You did replug-in the CD right? Do you know what the order was for boot up? Is the computer looking at the C drive or the CD first?
I would suggest looking at 2 things. One, check the BIOS and make sure everything is still kosher. Two, make sure that the CD is powered and so is everything else. You may consider re-seating your RAM and videocards and rechecking the power connections.
---
### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/3 "2004-07-09T21:39:48Z")
Stupid question to ask, but if you’re getting _absolutely_ no response when you switch on, are all the cables (power supply, leads to front panel etc) all connected properly?
---
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/4 "2004-07-09T21:52:38Z")
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> You did replug-in the CD right? Do you know what the order was for boot up? Is the computer looking at the C drive or the CD first?
I did plug the CD back in. I’m pretty sure the computer was looking for the C drive first.
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> I would suggest looking at 2 things. One, check the BIOS and make sure everything is still kosher. Two, make sure that the CD is powered and so is everything else.
Er, how do I go about that? I’ve become so used to my Mac, that I’m relying on vague memories for the PC.
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> You may consider re-seating your RAM and videocards and rechecking the power connections.
I re-seat everything when it didn’t boot up. The power connections seem to be okay. The computer is _powering up_ just no happy beeps of booting, or any booting at all.
This was such a basic procedure, I can’t figure out what I could have done wrong.
---
### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/5 "2004-07-09T21:55:06Z")
Is your BIOS loading at all?
---
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/6 "2004-07-09T21:58:48Z")
Nope, nothing is loading at all. That’s why I can’t figure out what the hell happened. I just seated the RAM in the slots.
---
### Author:  [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/7 "2004-07-09T22:00:30Z")
I never did too much with WIN98, so I don’t know for sure, but maybe the RAM has to be matching pairs.
---
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/8 "2004-07-09T22:02:39Z")
> [@adam yax](#):
>
> I never did too much with WIN98, so I don’t know for sure, but maybe the RAM has to be matching pairs.
I don’t think so… but in any case, I took out the new RAM and put everything back the way it was before I started and I’m still getting no response as far as booting up.
I’m a bit baffled.
---
### Author:  [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/9 "2004-07-09T22:10:12Z")
Is it possible you accidentally shorted out the motherboard?
How’s your power supply?
---
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/10 "2004-07-09T22:16:20Z")
> [@asterion](#):
>
> Is it possible you accidentally shorted out the motherboard?
>
> How’s your power supply?
That’s what I was wondering, but I’m noet sure how I would’ve done that, the power supply has always been pretty stable. Could the RAM have somehow toasted it?
---
### Author:  [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/11 "2004-07-09T22:25:22Z")
That’s a tough one. What if you take both ram sticks out? It should at least beep annoyingly at you in that case.
---
### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/12 "2004-07-09T22:25:39Z")
Putting incorrect RAM in will not damage the motherboard.
If you’ve (definitely) put everything back _exactly_ as it was, and there’s a problem, then there’s damage.
Just to confirm again - by ‘nothing’ happening when you switch on, you mean nothing at all on screen, and no beeps at all? If that’s the case, then (other than the speaker being damaged) it’s not even getting to the BIOS. Which suggests a power problem. After triple-checking that every plug is in its correct place, the correct way around and secure, you’ll need to look for damaged pins on plugs, chips etc.
---
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/13 "2004-07-09T22:31:07Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#):
>
> Putting incorrect RAM in will not damage the motherboard.
Phew.
> [@GorillaMan](#):
>
> Just to confirm again - by ‘nothing’ happening when you switch on, you mean nothing at all on screen, and no beeps at all? If that’s the case, then (other than the speaker being damaged) it’s not even getting to the BIOS. Which suggests a power problem. After triple-checking that every plug is in its correct place, the correct way around and secure, you’ll need to look for damaged pins on plugs, chips etc.
Exactly, _nothing_ happens. The fan comes on, you can hear the hard drive spin a bit. That’s it.
But there is nothing onscreen and no beeps. No happy “We’re booting up!” beeps, and no “Oo! Bad things are happening beeps.”
I’ll go through every nook and cranny again…
---
### Author:  [@nitrousbutterfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitrousbutterfly)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/14 "2004-07-09T22:44:22Z")
Look for the bios reset on the motherboard. It will have a few pins, and a small plastic connector, either remove it or switch it for a second and then re-install the connnector and try to reboot, it should reset bios and then you can go into it on reboot and it will update everything.
---
### Author:  [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/15 "2004-07-09T23:11:31Z")
Sort of what **nitrousbutterfly** said but here goes. If you can’t find the bios reset dip-switch or the pin connectors, you may want to just take the battery out of the motherboard for a minute or two. It usually looks like a watch battery only bigger.
-K
---
### Author:  [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/16 "2004-07-09T23:20:17Z")
Take out the new RAM and return the PC to the pre-upgrade condition.
If the PC boots normally once it’s got the original RAM in it, there’s a problem with that new RAM - either you wound up with the wrong kind, or it’s incompatible with your PC - Win98-era PCs were often finicky about their RAM, and what size was in what slot. If it still won’t boot, you’ve managed to knock something loose or done some sort of unfortunate damage.
That said, I’d expect some sort of beeped protest if you got the RAM wrong.
---
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/17 "2004-07-09T23:25:02Z")
> [@Kaotic Newtral](#):
>
> Sort of what **nitrousbutterfly** said but here goes. If you can’t find the bios reset dip-switch or the pin connectors, you may want to just take the battery out of the motherboard for a minute or two. It usually looks like a watch battery only bigger.
I’ve been looking for the bios reset switch, but I’m having problems identifying it. I did check everything over _thorouhgly_ including looking for any bend or broek pins. I pulled out the new RAM, reset the RAM that’s always been there.
I swear I can’t find anything amiss. This is making me mad :mad: Crayons smaaaaash puny motherboard!
(Well, no I won’t do that, though it’s tempting.)
Dammit where is that reset switch??? Grrr. The last computer I was poking around in had a much more obvious switch. This does not. I could remove the battery for a second, that’s plain enough.
---
### Author:  [@Caldazar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caldazar)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/18 "2004-07-09T23:31:32Z")
What SmackFu said; yank all the RAM, ensure the PC speaker is connected, double-check that the power connector to the motherboard is securely seated, and power up. If you don’t get beeps, you likely have a bad motherboard.
---
### Author:  [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/19 "2004-07-09T23:31:58Z")
Ew! What lousy typing/communication skills, I’ll try that again:
I’ve been looking for the bios reset switch, but I’m having problems identifying it.
I did check everything over thorouhgly including looking for any bent or broken pins. I pulled out the new RAM, re-seated the old RAM that’s always been there.
---
### Author:  [@midget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/midget)
#### Post date: [July 9, 2004, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359/20 "2004-07-09T23:37:41Z")
Just to ask an obvious question: are you sure that your monitor is plugged in correctly (both to the computer and the wall) and has the power on? If so, check to make sure that the video card is properly seated and you didn’t knock it loose.
Like others have said, resetting the BIOS (by unplugging the computer and then removing the CMOS battery, if you can’t find the reset pin) is always worth a shot.
If you have access to another computer, you could try swapping the power supply .
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/added-ram-computer-wont-boot-up-whatd-i-do/254359.md?page=2)