RE: Compaq 5050 PC . I send my bro a RAM stick of PC100 128 mb . He had PC100 128 and a 64 mb stick in it . He wanted 256 .

He said via phone he installed the 128 i sent in in place of the 64 mb stick , and the 128 Burnt a " square" ? i can't remember what they are called , on the Stick I sent him on boot up .

He then tried another RAM stick i sent , in one slot that the ram didn't burn in ( he said the slot looks , ok but he also installed the 64 Stick . His PC then would boot , but only recognize 128 MB Ram .

The Modem is also NOT being detected . He restored the PC with his restore CD .

Any thoughts or fixes ?

If you "burnt" a memory slot, you probably rendered the MOBO defective.

The "fix" would be to replace the MOBO but since it is using PC100 RAM and a WIN98SE OS, a more cost-effective "fix" might be a new computer.

It appears that the Compaq Presario 5050 uses PC66 RAM only. If you check any of the memory sites with "memory configurators" such as crucial.com or 18004memory.com, they list no other options other than PC66, so my guess is attempting to use PC100 is what caused this whole mess.

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp?model=Presario+5050&tabid=AM

http://www.memoryx.net/presario5050.html

http://www.18004memory.com/model.asp?

Using the restore CD was probably unnecessary & probably a bad move as well. Did he do any troubleshooting 1st or just jump straight into it?

ASUS A7N8X-X
Athlon XP 1800+
8.5 x 200MHz
1024MB PC3200 2.5-3-3-7
Asus A9550GE/TD 128MB
WinME/WinXP Pro SP1

Apparently , he had bought a 128 MB PC100 stick and had it installed by the shop he purchased it at previously .

Both 128 and 64 were detected .

He wanted to upgrade to 256 the max .

I specifically ask him what the 128 MB stick had on it . He said PC100 128mb , so I sent him one I had . That's the one that burnt in the second slot .

He then tried the first 128 , taking out the Burnt one , no go . He then took out all sticks , put the 64 in the first slot , no go .( he said).

He then tried a Diff 128 stick I sent him not Pc100 . He says the PC recognizes 128 .

Yes I was probably a bad move to restore , but in any event it won't recognize any modem w/ drivers installed .

It could be incompatible RAM , or port conflicts .

It's hard to work on a PC not in front of me .

I advised him to remove ALL modems from device manager and reboot . I haven't heard from him since .

Bro IM's Me : you aren't gonna beleive this ,right now i have the pc100/128-320-640 stick u sent mew and my pc100/128 stick and it read em updated and i'm reading 192 mb's again.

Apearantly wrong RAM .