I was an idiot and accidentally inserted a non-compatible stick of RAM into my computer and tried starting it and I smelled a bit of smoke.

Anyways, now whenever I try to boot up my system, with the original RAM that was in there before, I get no video output and only quick repetative non-stop beeps.

I was thinking that it was the RAM connection on the motherboard that might have been fried but I can't be positive.

Is there anyway I can determine if this is either a now-bad motherboard or bad RAM? Thanks in advance.

Go here for te test. http://www.memtest86.com/

Can't because I can't even start my computer right now.

Can you explain what a "non-compatible stick of RAM" is?

DDR RAM & SDR RAM have a different number of pins (184 vs 168) & there are notches on the bottom of the RAM that "should" prevent them for being placed in the wrong slot without considerable effort.

PC2100, PC2700, PC3200 are all interchangeable in regards to fitting in the RAM slot & the faster rated ones are backwards compatible with the slower. If your BIOS was setup to run PC3200 but you install PC2100 instead, the system probably wouldn't boot at all, but I highly doubt it would damage anything.

"quick repetative non-stop beeps" is a sign of bad RAM, or bad video. Double check that both are properly seated in their slots. You may wanna try resetting the BIOS (use the ClearCMOS jumper) & trying again. And look for any signs of damage (scorching, swelled or leaking capacitors) to the motherboard, video card, or RAM chips

Asus A7N8X-X
1800+ @ 8 x 210MHz
512MB PC3200
Asus Ti4800SE 128MB
WinME/WinXP Pro

Can you plug the ram into the machine you are using here to check it? If you smelled smoke I would suspect you fried the mobo or the ram or the psu or all of the above.

By non-compatible RAM, I mean I accidentally put a stick of PC100 non-DDR RAM into the slot. Weird thing was, the notches fit perfectly.

Power Supply definitely still works. Motherboard works partially.
RAM, well I don't know if the RAM works or not. Can't test it in the system i'm on now as it's a laptop.

Anyways, i'm leaning towards the fact that it's a motherboard issue, more specifically the RAM connections.

Can someone tell me if the BIOS checks RAM before Video? Also, any other input would be appreciated. Thanks.

I believe the first thing bios checks is ram after it checks itself.

"Weird thing was, the notches fit perfectly"

NO, they don't. On PC100 RAM there are 2 notches along the bottom where the contact pins are. On DDR RAM, there is only one notch & it's in a different location than either notch in the PC100. The RAM stick should have been rocking like a teeter-totter in the slot...lol. You must have forced it into slot to get the retaining clips to catch.

Sounds like you may have fried the board.

Asus A7N8X-X
1800+ @ 8 x 210MHz
512MB PC3200
Asus Ti4800SE 128MB
WinME/WinXP Pro

If you installed a stick of SDRAM in a DDR RAM slot, you may have fried the motherboard and the RAM chip. I believe the two types are of different voltages, and I know DDR RAM has one notch, and I think SDRAM has two notches, so it may have been possible to install an SDRAM module in a DDR slot...

If you have onboard video it would make since.

Check the pins on the sticks of ram to see if any have melted off.

ASUS A7V8X
AMD XP 2700+ 2.17ghz
768mb ddr 2700
nVidia 128mb FX 5200
WD 80gb SE
DVD R/RW

"it may have been possible to install an SDRAM module in a DDR slot..."

Dude, I have a stick on each right in front of me...the notches are in different locations. The only way to make the PC100 fit in the DDR slot would be to force it!

Asus A7N8X-X
1800+ @ 8 x 210MHz
512MB PC3200
Asus Ti4800SE 128MB
WinME/WinXP Pro

============================================

"and I smelled a bit of smoke"

============================================

Smelling smoke is never a good thing. Once you've let the smoke out of an expensive electronics device, it's , uh , toast.

Smoke follows an inverse function. That is, the more expensive the device, the less smoke you have to let out to fail the device. One the other hand, the more smoke you let out, the more severe the problem.

Now, the other aspect of this problem, is the EPA. Once you've "let the smoke out" of a device, you have committed a crime per the various and sundry EPA pollution regulations, and it is IMPERITIVE, that you immediately contact the US EPA as well as the state and any county or city regulatory agencies, to make sure you remain in compliance.

Also, you may be now affected with toxins. It is essential that you now get yourself down to medical facilities who are qualified to deal with this situation.

Anytime you smell smoke, not goot. You probably fried BOTH the memory and something on the motherboard. If you happen to have any memory that you don't have much money in, it might be worth it to use that "good" stick to test the motherboard.

On the other hand, there is NO WAY that I'd stick the suspect RAM into a different motherboard.

If you test the motherboard with some known good RAM, and it won't work, I'd just assume that BOTH the original RAM and motherboard are bad, and trash them.

You probably can save the processor, though, it should be OK, as well as most any cards and other "plug in" devices.

Let this be a lesson: be careful, and don't let out the smoke.