Need help!

Double C

I just need a bit of help. I was adding some new RAM into my old (5 years old) HP Pavillion 743.uk and when I was making room I accidentally pulled out the jack that connects the heatsink to the motherboard. I put the RAM in anyway and turned on the pc but got a burning smell, like synged hair. I took the RAM out and put it into my other PC and it works fine there, a mate told me the RAM was too new for the old processor. I copped on to the heatsink thing afterwards and plugged it in but since then when I turn it on the monitor stays on standby, even though the pc sounds as it would normally. Ive tried a different monitor etc and theres no difference.

I'm just trying to work out what the problem is, is it the motherboard thats gone, the processor or the heatsink?

Any help would be great.

requiem1

I'm going with your cpu, how long was it running before it started to burn???

Double C

I got the smell after about 5 seconds. I think its the processor too tbh. But, when I took out the new RAM and started it there was no burning at all, the smell was gone. I guess the damage may have been done by that stage though.

conceited

Your ram is probably loose thats all

Double C

Nah its not that, the ram was in ok but i think it was too new for the old cpu to support. I just think the cpu got fried when I turned the computer on without having the heatsink plugged in. I'll probably just be better off buying one of them cheapo dell computers because a new cpu will be just as expensive.

blackgold>>

A cpu won't just fry like that .What type of ram is it anyway?
I have loads of different types of ram I don't need .

TerrorFirmer

As above, a cpu won't burn that quickly simply because there's no fan attached - I'm assuming you mean the fan wasn't plugged in, rather the entire heatsink taken off?

From what I can see online that's an old S478 P4 based machine - a new processor would be about 20 euro on Ebay (I got a s478 2.8Ghz P4 for around that a few months ago). So not quite as expensive as getting a new Dell.

For example. So even if it does come down to the CPU being damaged, a new one would only set you back the price of 3 or 4 pints.

What sort of ram did you buy, and what size? Is the PC is starting up normally without any error codes? Did you try resetting the cmos? (The battery in the motherboard, remove it for 60 seconds, put it back in and restart)

Double C

Thanks for all the replies guys. The ram i got is this http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=312054

TerrorFirmer, yeah, the fan just wasnt plugged in, it disconected when i was taking out the vent and i never noticed it til afterwards.
The pc is starting up normally, just not displaying on the screen. Its not the graphics card either because i took it out and tried the one on the mobo and got the same results.

So you don't think its the cpu? I'll definitely try the battery later when i get home, the old turn it off and on again trick, cant believe i didn't think of that myself

TerrorFirmer

If that's really the ram you bought, then....you would have had to have crammed it in there, because DDR2 and DDR ram are completely different!! Different notches, one is 184 pin, one is 240 pin....:eek:

You could have just ruined your motherboard, wouldn't be the first time I've heard of that happening by forcing ddr2 ram into a ddr slot.

Double C

hmmm, thats not good, not good at all! It fitted ok though, it wasnt too long for it or anything. If that is the case though it would just be a new mobo i'd need, right? I'm waiting to hear back from the manufacturer for a price of a new mobo. So I'd just have to transfer the cpu and heatsink form the old one? Is that done easily?

thanks again

TerrorFirmer

Well first of all, you have to determine what exactly is wrong - while it's possible the mobo is damaged, it's also possible it isn't. Try resetting cmos, using a different stick of ram, etc first to try and pinpoint the problem more specifically. If your speakers are connected, is Windows actually booting? Is the machine even posting?

Getting a new mobo would be cheap and painless, but the fact it's a HP could mean strange proprietary form factors etc (basically, the psu and board would not be the same as standard ATX ones off the shelf) - and if you had to buy a direct replacement from them it would probably cost a ridiculous amount. I know a lot of HP machines use standard Asus/Gigabyte boards etc so it's probably OK but one to check anyway just in case.

Transferring the cpu to a new board though is easy - you just have to be extremely careful with the cpu as the pins bend so easily and if a single one breaks then the cpu is useless. I was upgrading a friends machine a while ago, dropped the cpu by mistake - half the pins bent right over and for the next half an hour I had to individually straighten them all out with a needle praying that the next one didn't snap off. Not a whole lot of fun.

Double C

I'm after buying a new mobo (with a cpu and heatsink included) on eBay for €70 (I know it's eBay, but it's been tested, the seller has 100% feedback etc, it will be grand), compared to the £215 sterling I was quoted by the suppliers for HP. I'm going to buy new RAM and that should sort me out. So I'll have to get something like this?