When your laptop won't start...

[v2freak]

I finally bought some RAM which was Dell confirmed was the correct kind, and proceeded to install it. I went through the usual procedure - power down the laptop, take out the AC power adapter and battery, ground myself and then change the RAM. Now when I turn on the laptop, the screen is completely blank and before the Dell screen even shows up, the laptop powers down again. I've done a complete power drain and I've tried it with the AC power adapter plugged in. Anybody know what the heck's going on?

[ducks]

take the new memory out and try it

[v2freak]

I did, same thing happened. Powers on, then turns off without showing anything.

[Nbadan]

Hard to tell....are you sure you are seating the RAM correctly?

[v2freak]

I believe so. It clicked and everything...are these the symptoms for when someone messes up the RAM by not properly grounding himself?

[ducks]

does it snap when you put the memory in

[Nbadan]

I believe so. It clicked and everything...are these the symptoms for when someone messes up the RAM by not properly grounding himself?

Nah....I don't think you fried the motherboard but you may have messed up some of the BIO settings....trying getting into the BIO settings and setting it back to default while you have your old memory back on...

[TDMVPDPOY]

hey i got those symptoms also on my comp atm which is out of service

its either fried or hard drive fkd up.....

[AnotherArgie]

Did you try to turn it on with the AC power adapter plugged in but without the battery?

[v2freak]

Thanks for the responses guys

Nah....I don't think you fried the motherboard but you may have messed up some of the BIO settings....trying getting into the BIO settings and setting it back to default while you have your old memory back on...

hey i got those symptoms also on my comp atm which is out of service

its either fried or hard drive fkd up.....

Dell wasn't particularly helpful when I called them. The lady I talked to kept repeating that it was a motherboard problem, but I find it hard to believe that the motherboard just died seconds after I installed the memory.

Did you try to turn it on with the AC power adapter plugged in but without the battery?

Yes I did. The problem must be severe, it keeps doing this no matter what I do. I've fiddled with the memory, taking out new and old, I've tried taking out the battery, draining it completely etc.