I think i've blown my motherboard ..doh !

Typhoon.

i'm having nothing but probs with my pc lately..everything seems to cause hassle...anyway

I have a 2004 Dell Dimension 4600 desktop
bought 2 new sticks of 512 ram to add to the two already there...
Put in the 2 new ram and switched it on...system only showd it as having 1gig still
so took out 1 old ram stick and 1 of the new ones...basically to see if only 512 would show up...thought the ram i got might be bad..
when i turned on the pc again i heard a little crackling/sparky/electricity noises.....and the smell of something fried soon followed....

now when it starts it just beeps...i think theyre 6 long beeps....which i've googled and it says keyboard error....but i dont think its that

the fans start up alright so i'm guessing its my motherboard

this is the RAM i got...i think its the right type
http://www.memoryc.ie/products/description/1Gb_Mushkin_DDR_HP3200-PC3200-2_3_3_Dual_Channel_kit/index.html

basically i'm wondering can i replace the motherboard and will it be expensive? what motherboard should i get?

sorry for the long post

or maybe i should just strip i n throw it in the bin

Mr. Presentable

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim2400/en/sm_en/advtshoo.htm#1105830

Your mobo may be OK, it may be a RAM problem. Can you try it with each stick one at a time?

Typhoon.

hi nip

tried all 4 sticks individually...same result each time....

the beeps may be 2 long and 4 shorter....

its the smell of burning that makes me think something is gone kaput

CHW

Edited...

CHW

Re-read your original post - you have 4 memory connectors, spec I linked says the motherboard has only 2. You might want to investigate the capabilities of your board a bit further before proceeding. Check the numbers printed on the board through google.

Edit: scrap my previous post, this is probably your board:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4600/en/4600i/sm/specs.htm#1105699

Should have been no problem, memory is correct for the motherboard.

Typhoon.

board definitely has 4 slots ...and they all went in ok the first try so i wonder why only one gig was showing up..it should've been 2 gigs...

CHW

It's a puzzle why it didn't work then, should have been a no-brainer. According to the spec, your board should be able for 4GB, at the spec you bought.

I put a 512MB module into a PC a few years back, when it was only capable of 2 x 256MB. Luckily I had the case open, as the memory module got very hot very quickly, so I could pull the power cord out quickly, but part of the sticker on it melted as a result. I put the original RAM back in, but it didn't start, so I took out the RAM again, left the PC for a few minutes (as I contemplated the excuses I was going to tell my parents, as it's their PC), but when I came back again to it, put the RAM back in, it worked fine (and still is). I even tried the new RAM in a capable machine, and it worked perfectly as well. (I may have disconnected all cables attached to the motherboard before retrying the RAM, but don't remember - might be worth trying; also might be worth trying with a different/no keyboard?).

Chances are the new RAM has caused the problem. I've never used RAM with heatsinks, is it possible that the metal on the sink can short a connection on the memory module? If your original RAM isn't working, then it's probably a bad sign.

Typhoon.

how would i go about getting a new mobo? what type etc? surely i'll find a second hand one on fleabay...it is an old computer

i havent a clue what i need to get......