Serious Black Screen Issue after RAM Upgrade

[SirLordChris]

So today I decided to upgrade my old RAM stick (4GB DDR3 1333MHz) with a Corsair Vengeance Dual Kit (8GB DDR3 1866MHz), and me being excited and all, I forgot to check if I needed to do something before switching the ram, like a BIOS update.

So after 3 hours of excruciating web surfing random forums for a solution and a lot of swearing, I've come here to plead for help.

(MOBO: ASRock H61M-DGS
CPU: Intel i5 3470
GPU: ASUS R9 280X 3GB)

Disclaimer: Everything boots up and seems to be in working order, it's just the monitor that won't display anything, and idk why.

So here's a "quick" list of what I did:

1) As I have an old VGA only 1280x1080 monitor, I am using a VGA to DVI-I adapter, so I thought the problem might be there: I kept fidling with its placement for a couple of minutes, then I unplugged it and put the straight VGA into the MOBO - Nothing

2) Hooked the PC to my TV with an HDMI cable - Also nothing

3) Unplugged and plugged various things in the PC - Still nothing

4) Tried to put the old RAM back - More nothing

5) I desperately tried a CMOS reset using a jumper and removing and putting back the battery - NOTHING

6) Tried to clean new RAM and RAM slots - NOTHING AGAIN

And I think that's it...

Please...help....

Thanks for reading if you made it this far <3

EDIT: After extensive testing, I'll be assuming my MOBO bricked. Good night sweet prince.

EDIT 2 (if anyone reads this in the future): I cleaned my RAM slots, and really jammed the sticks in, and it finally solved the problem.

 

[Herc08]

Do you have a speaker in your motherboard that gives you beep? Also a patient test is testing each RAM stick in each RAM slot. So take stick 1, put in slot 1, boot, record results. Take stick 1, put it in slot 2, boot, record the results. And then do the same with the other RAM stick.

Also check your cable connections.

 

[SirLordChris]

I don't have a motherboard speaker, just 2 normal ones. I'mma try testing the RAM more thoroughly now. And I think I checked most connections. Any important ones I might have missed?

Thank you for first answer btw!

 

[Herc08]

No, there is an actual speaker on the motherboard itself. Looks like this: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812201032&Tpk=N82E16812201032

 

[SirLordChris]

I belive I don't have one unfortunately

Also testing results are in and mostly it's just more black screens and fan spins, although a couple of times the PC kept restarting in a loop (~10 seconds of in between)

 

[Herc08]

So each slot with each stick had black screens?

 

[SirLordChris]

Yep, even the old stick.

 

[Herc08]

Well somehow someway, those slots are dead. Unless you have other RAM sticks that you can test. If this is a new baord, you can RMA it.

 

[SirLordChris]

Yeah it seems so, though it really sucks and I'm not sure why. Did I brick my motherboard (or at least the RAM slots) just by swapping some RAM without preparing? It sucks but I think I'm gonna have to get a new one, maybe swap to AMD while I'm at it :/

 

[Herc08]

Yeah it seems so, though it really sucks and I'm not sure why. Did I brick my motherboard (or at least the RAM slots) just by swapping some RAM without preparing? It sucks but I think I'm gonna have to get a new one, maybe swap to AMD while I'm at it :/

It's possible. Do you have carpet? Could have been a static discharge, but there is no where to tell.

 

[SirLordChris]

Yeah I have 2 small ones , but they're at least 1 meter away from the PC.

 

[SirLordChris]

But maybe I picked some of the static up, since I didn't wear one of those grounding bracelets.

 

[Herc08]

But maybe I picked some of the static up, since I didn't wear one of those grounding bracelets.

No saying that is the case, since touching the case usually gets rid of it, but just saying it's a possibility. If you don't have any other RAM stick, I think the RMA is your best choice.