Win7 PC added new RAM now lost link to screen!

[cglassback]

Hello folks. My Win7 PC works faultlessly but has recently slowed a little. Decided to take out 4 X 2GB of RAM and put 4 X 4GB of RAM in. Vacuumed out the interior very carefully as usual! Now the PC makes the right kind of fan noises but there is nothing at all on the screen. Put the old RAM back in. Still nothing on the screen. I sense that the screen is OK so linked up old laptop and sure enough screen is working. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

[jdc2000]

Are you using an add-in video card, or an on board video adapter? If using a video card, remove and reseat the card. Make sure all power cables are properly and securely connected.

Does the hard drive light flicker as usual during the power up process?

[Midknyte]

You should really use compressed air, not a vacuum. Vacuuming can cause static build up.

What are the make/model of your motherboard and video card?

[photolady]

Just in case, check your CMOS shunt, to see if you accidentally sucked it into the vacuum.

[cglassback]

I'm really sorry! I would know the answers to your questions....if I could open the docs on this old laptop on my ext hard drives!! The lights on the CD drives flicker and the usual peep noise occurs at start up and fans sound normal. Have messed with power / connecting cables. All seem secure. Might the video card be part of the motherboard? Fortunately I am totally backed up but I don't want to lose this PC. The cost is irrelevant. Is there a USB2 product that I could buy that would allow me to bypass whatever is going on and then send signal to screen? Apologies photolady I do not know what a CMOS is despite a 'search'. I was gentle with the vacuum though!!

[Midknyte]

Might the video card be part of the motherboard?

Yes. That's why it helps to provide the make/model numbers. Otherwise, we are just guessing.

Is there a USB2 product that I could buy that would allow me to bypass whatever is going on and then send signal to screen?

No. If the motherboard won't POST, then it can't output a signal anywhere.

The CMOS is the chip where the BIOS settings are stored. Did you accidentally suck up any jumpers/shunts from the motherboard?

Did you try using only 1 or 2 sticks of ram instead of all 4?

[cglassback]

I took 4 out, (2 different types, installed alternately, worked fine!). Put in 4 new ones from Crucial direct. In daylight tomorrow will try just 2 then. (Thank you all for your kind responses).

[jdc2000]

Posting the make and model number number of the computer with the problem, if it is an off-the-shelf type system and not a custom computer, would be helpful.

[cglassback]

(The nature of the problem has perhaps changed!!). Tried only putting 2 blocks of RAM in and it connected with screen! Delighted! However it would not load windows. "Windows failed to start". "Windows has been shut down to avoid further damage". "Check that hardware / software is installed correctly....". "STOP: Ox00000067". "Launch startup repair". I have now tried around 10 different configurations of the old and new blocks of RAM albeit in pairs each time using either the two blue slots or 2 black slots in pairs. Have been connected to screen 3 times but each time Windows fails to load. The motherboard incorporates the connection to screen . It is Asus 1156 P7P55 LX S/L Motherboard. It was custom built. The external drive does light up. All connections seem to be secure. I have had to be fairly heavy handed to get the RAM in and out. I did at one stage get stuck on 'Windows Loading' with black background but it never moved on from there! Latest error code with blue background 0x00000074. After another go got 'Startup Repair' to run with original 4 blocks of RAM in. SUCCESS!!! The 'startup repair' did something! I then put the 4 new blocks in and all runs well. Thank you all for your inspirational and indeed educational suggestions.

[jdc2000]

Both of those stop codes have to do with memory problems. It sounds like you may have had issues with getting the RAM modules properly seated in their connectors. That can be difficult on some motherboards.
Thanks for the update.

[cglassback]

Thanks for clarification of error codes. That makes some sense! I am not seeing any benefit from going from 8GB to 16GB. I looked at old Belarc scans and the 'usable' RAM always represented the RAM that was inserted. Have run a fresh scan and I see that only half of the RAM is 'usable'! Might it be worth me removing and pushing back in the new RAM do you think?.....
8184 Megabytes Usable Installed Memory

Slot 'DIMM0' has 4096 MB
Slot 'DIMM1' has 4096 MB
Slot 'DIMM2' has 4096 MB
Slot 'DIMM3' has 4096 MB

[jdc2000]

The reviews on that motherboard indicate that it can be picky about RAM - see the link below:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131604

Post the Crucial part number for the RAM that you have installed.

Also, check the RAM compatibility list to see if that RAM is listed:

http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/P7P55_LX/HelpDesk_QVL/

[Midknyte]

I am not seeing any benefit from going from 8GB to 16GB.

What were you hoping for? Was there a certain app that used a lot of memory?

You probably should have updated the BIOS FIRST, especially if that MB is fussy about RAM.

[cglassback]

Wow! Read through the 12 pages of reviews! Plenty about the motherboard in question! What an education! (To be fair, apart from the current issue), this motherboard has given me 5 years of relentless intensive good service! I have noted the new (4 blocks of) memory numbers below. Thanks for links. I cannot see my new RAM on the QVL!! Do you think that I should return the RAM? What was I hoping for? In the main the only thing that I have ever messed around with inside PCs and laptops is RAM. When computers become sluggish, (despite all manner of regular scans!), I just upgrade the RAM. I generally have 3 browsers open with about 15 tabs each. Firefox is getting quite slow. Opening word docs can take several seconds. A restart, (albeit with a built in scan), takes 26 minutes. I have read up on updating BIOS but am not confident enough to do that while I am so reliant upon the PC. However will go out and get a laptop and once that is controlling most of my tasks will return to PC and do that. I aim to use this Win7 PC for as long as possible as my main computer. Thanks again for all comments posted.
Crucial Ballistix Tactical 4GB DDR3-1866 UDIMM
CT2596157
• DDR3 PC3-14900 • 9-9-9-27 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR3-1866 • 1.5V • 512Meg x 64 •
• upgrade for ASUS P7P55 LX system.

[Shinma]

... I cannot see my new RAM on the QVL!!

Not unusual. Mobo manufacturers can not test/list every single memory sticks available due to the variety out in the market.
As already suggested, updating the BIOS is your best bet.
If uncomfortable with the process, exchange current RAM for a dual channel kit with lower speed, considering anything beyond DDR3-1600 is considered overclocking by the mobo.