Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

I didnt know I was supposed to.

I was wearing socks. Actually, that's all I was wearing. :gay:

I was standing on carpet.

Jeans and a t-shirt.

Wasn't playing with any ballooos.

In all seriousness though...is this for real? Like maybe I had some static on me when I was touching the computer's insides and fucked it up?

NA6C-Guy

iTrader: (1)

It's certainly possible, but after having built 10+ computers and changing components probably more than 100 times, I have never taken any precaution and have never had an issue with it. I think it's a myth You are supposed to at least discharge static before touching anything, preferably wearing a grounding strap, but I think it's a bit over the top. Especially in the summer. If it were winter and I was being shocked every time I touched anything I might be worried.

Oni

iTrader: (1)

im with NA6C, build hundreds wearing wollen jumpers sitting on carpet and dancing about to 99 red balloons and never had an issue. Can Ram be DOA? certainly can, and its not uncommon. Where i work ive probibly upgraded ram in 4-500 pc's and about 5% of the ram was DOA.

dustinb

Sounds like someone didn't remove the battery when they upgraded the ram in their laptop... Hopefully it wasn't in sleep mode.

Oh and static is definitely a myth. Built computers at a retail location for 12 years. Never used ground straps once, and never had a customer damage something through static.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

****! Was I supposed to? It was off for sure, not in sleep mode. But I didnt take the battery out.

dustinb

You definitely were. When a computer is plugged in, there's always voltage running through the system. You always have to unplug the computer before you do anything on it, and with a laptop that means removing the battery. I would suspect that was your problem. It probably happened when you removed the 1gb.

Faeflora

iTrader: (2)

You fucked up. What they said about hardware changes with power is correct. It's bad.

IF you bought it with credit card, some credit cards have automatic extended warranties with all purchases.

NastyNate

iTrader: (1)

Exactly this. You could have discharged some static electricity along the way that could be the cause of your problems. That would be the most likely since both RAM modules dont bring the computer back. Did you get the Black Tie Proection from Best Buy? If that is where you bought it.

NastyNate

iTrader: (1)

It's also a good idea to hold the power button down for about 30 secs to make sure alll the power is discharged. Installing RAM really isn't as much of a drop in and deal as you'd think.

Stealth97

iTrader: (5)

Asus specifically does not void warranties for swapping ram. Man up, call the Indian chick and RMA your stuff.

NA6C-Guy

iTrader: (1)

What exactly would the problem be with leaving the battery in/power supplied to the computer when changing memory? I can't really imagine what processes would damage components. I understand you aren't supposed to though, and I don't think I ever have. Kind of have to unplug a desktop anyway to turn it on the side and remove the side, unless you fight with cords.

I think this is more likely the issue though, at least more so than static.

kenzo42

iTrader: (6)

Do you need to change your timingz for your RAM w EEEpc? BIOS issue? How about putting your ram back and setting it back to defaults in BIOS and see what happens.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

The only other time I swapped memory it was on a desktop, so all the cords in the back were definitely unplugged. I had no idea about removing the battery on this thing though.

I was thinking about it and now I remember that I have some **** on this netbook that I might need. I wonder what my best approach is now. I mean, I'm not ******* dealing with that indian bitch again, so scratch that idea. And I'm not really cool with sending it in and having it fixed for who knows how long. I'd really just like a replacement, and Amazon offered it, so maybe that's my best bet.

So if that was the problem, what damage did I cause? Like say I go to geeksquad tomorrow and ask them to fix it, what will they have to do to fix it and is it expensive?

NA6C-Guy

iTrader: (1)

If you had important stuff there shouldn't be a problem swapping the HDD when you get a replacement. For me, I wouldn't trust Geek Squad for ****. I've seen and known people who work there, and they honestly don't know their *** from a hole in the ground, and really don't give a **** about the quality of their work.

miatamike

+1 and they are way expensive. Someone has to pay for those V-Dubz

BTW: i have replaced hardware in well over 25,000 systems and I can say I have only experienced ESD a few times. But it does happen, even with shoes on. But I can say that every time it did happen there was carpet involved.

And BTW: I have changed RAM, MDC's, WIFI, CPU's with the battery in. Just like your its no way it could be ESD I could say the same about the battery. As long as there is no electrical current running through the system its fine.

Cococarbine3

iTrader: (1)

What model do you have? Your eee is completely dead, right? If so,

Try unplugging AC, pull out battery, hold power button for 20 seconds, replace battery

Try removing the internal battery.

If that doesn't work, try shorting the CMOS triangles seen under the ram cover (see attachment)

Also look for a common burnt transistor to the left of the mainboard: http://forum.eeeuser.com/viewtopic.php?id=21063

I just swapped to 2gig DDR2 2 weeks ago with the battery left in on my 701 eee. Using it now...

Seriously though, if you get this figured out your machine will scream. You'll be able to browse **** faster than you could imagine.

grego9198

What model eeepc do you have? Did it have the 8gb of solid state memory or the spinning disk 160ish gb hard drive? If it's solid state I don't think you can retrieve your data if you can't power the laptop on. If it's a conventional laptop drive then you can stick it in an enclosure and access the data as if it were an external hard drive.

Seriously this is a really odd case, the only thing I can think of is something was shorted when you removed the ram or installed the new stick. I've never had an issue with ESD on all the computers I've worked on. I would stick with amazon and let them exchange it for a new one, I doubt that the geek squad will be able to diagnose this thing properly.

Vashthestampede

iTrader: (17)

Well it turns out that Amazon didn't have any replacements in stock, and I explained how I use this for work and kinda need one ASAP, so the lady sent me an email with a label to mail it back.

I'm going to return it for a full refund and then use that money ($320) plus the amount Ill get back from returning the memory ($40) to put toward a actual laptop. Something with a bigger screen and more memory from the factory.

I just have one last question. I don't really have anything on the computer that I need (only thing I would really need would be the maps for MS, but I can just load the current one thats in the car and go from there), so I'm not worried about any files that are on the computer. But I am wondering about websites that I've logged into that have important information on them. Such as my bank account, etrade, etc etc. I don't think I have any passwords automatically saved, but I don't know for certain.

Do you think I should worry at all about sending this back and having someone **** around with it looking for information like that? Or am I just being a paranoid ****?

NA6C-Guy

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't worry about it.

Faeflora

iTrader: (2)

Just open up the case and apply some A/C directly to that hard drive and don't worry about it. Nobody other than the NSA will get that info back.