Zapping Memory Sticks
I was vacuuming the huge quantities of black dust that rapidly accumulate out one of my systems today (there are downsides to running 24/7, especially with highspeed fans), and when I hooked it back up, it refused to boot 2000. After some checking around and running Memtest86, I noticed it was only detecting 16MB of my 512MB of RAM.
Before I noticed this I had been thinking that maybe it was something static-related, because it was a very dry day today, and I was generating static electricity every time I moved. Although I was careful not to touch any electronic components and grounded myself on the case, maybe it had somehow conducted from the vacuum cleaner hose to the memory. In any case, I wanted the system up and running Folding@Home again, so I very carefully (with the system plugged in but the power switch on the power supply switched to off, and the capacitors discharged), grounded myself, then without shifting position (so my clothes wouldn't generate any static) removed the memory, cleaned the contacts with some rubbing alcohol which picked up a lot of black dirt (both on the DIMM and the board), and reinserted it. This time it detected the full 512MB, but Windows still wouldn't boot completely (though it would get farther) and Memtest86 would hang with funny numbers at about 1% on test #2 (not even any errors reported; just hang).
Now it won't boot; just one long, repeating beep, indicating memory issues. Rats. I found a special deal on 1GB (512MB x 2) Corsair ValueSelect PC3200 DDR400 2.5-3-3-8 DIMMs at ZipZoomFly.com for slighly under $80 (before tax) with free shipping, so replacement memory is on the way (maybe I should have ordered from Mwave.com - Mwave has a somewhat better reputation, deservedly so). However, I'm not going to handle it or even work on anything until I spray the area and my clothes down so they're damp with anti-static spray. No worries; I won't get it in the vents of the computers.
Further testing will be performed at that time, but I'm pretty sure it's the memory. (Edit: no, something must have been loose, because it all works perfectly now - I guess there was good reason to be suspicious)
Update following day:
The memory seems to be fine now - passed two or three cycles of Memtest86 without error, and over 2 hours of Prime95 with no error. Well, I can't complain with upgrading two of my computers from 512MB to 1GB of RAM, and I'm glad I didn't burn the memory after all.
Before I noticed this I had been thinking that maybe it was something static-related, because it was a very dry day today, and I was generating static electricity every time I moved. Although I was careful not to touch any electronic components and grounded myself on the case, maybe it had somehow conducted from the vacuum cleaner hose to the memory. In any case, I wanted the system up and running Folding@Home again, so I very carefully (with the system plugged in but the power switch on the power supply switched to off, and the capacitors discharged), grounded myself, then without shifting position (so my clothes wouldn't generate any static) removed the memory, cleaned the contacts with some rubbing alcohol which picked up a lot of black dirt (both on the DIMM and the board), and reinserted it. This time it detected the full 512MB, but Windows still wouldn't boot completely (though it would get farther) and Memtest86 would hang with funny numbers at about 1% on test #2 (not even any errors reported; just hang).
Now it won't boot; just one long, repeating beep, indicating memory issues. Rats. I found a special deal on 1GB (512MB x 2) Corsair ValueSelect PC3200 DDR400 2.5-3-3-8 DIMMs at ZipZoomFly.com for slighly under $80 (before tax) with free shipping, so replacement memory is on the way (maybe I should have ordered from Mwave.com - Mwave has a somewhat better reputation, deservedly so). However, I'm not going to handle it or even work on anything until I spray the area and my clothes down so they're damp with anti-static spray. No worries; I won't get it in the vents of the computers.
Further testing will be performed at that time, but I'm pretty sure it's the memory. (Edit: no, something must have been loose, because it all works perfectly now - I guess there was good reason to be suspicious)
Update following day:
The memory seems to be fine now - passed two or three cycles of Memtest86 without error, and over 2 hours of Prime95 with no error. Well, I can't complain with upgrading two of my computers from 512MB to 1GB of RAM, and I'm glad I didn't burn the memory after all.
posted by Wireball at 11:18 PM
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