Dead Computer, HELP!!

[macojoe]

is it a possibility that if the mother board was week, that by pluging in the new memory in backwards or by being bad could have caused the mother board to fail completely??

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by macojoe

is it a possibility that if the mother board was week, that by pluging in the new memory in backwards or by being bad could have caused the mother board to fail completely??

You can't plug the memory in backwards as it is asymetrical in the pin layout - and if you did, you used more than a little force to do it

Pull the memory out and verfy that you are lining up the notch in the mem stick with the notch on the mem slot. When you push it in, if installed properly, the catches on each end of the memory slot should click and lock into the side notches ont the memory sticks. You probably have 4 memory slots, in which case try each stick individually in each slot. If still no go, use both 256 sticks and plug into the first two and see if it works, if it does not, try the next two slots, if it still does not work, put one in the first slot and one in the third slot. I don't believe that your memory needs to be installed in pairs

[macojoe]

Thanks John, I have 2 slots and have done all that many times so far?? And nothing??
I have checked all connections to make sure I did not pull anything off or lose and still nothing??

I have done memory many times in the past including this computer and never had a problem before.

Ok lets say I have done all and still nothing, what do think the next step should be??

[JohnR]

2 things - verify that the 3 beeps in fact means a memory issue by checking Dell's site specifically for the 4400. Different BIOS manufactures have different beep codes for different things

2 - see if there is a set of 4 lights on the back of the computer and see what the pattern is green / green /yellow /green or whatever - and check that against dell's site for the 4400.

OK, one more thing, the P4 comps, especially the early ones, often had a second power connector (4pins) to plug into the motherboard in addition to the 12 pin (or 16 pin) main ATX connector - verify that both plugs are in - one may be over by the memory. Double check all other connectors and especially your video card. And a further test is to unplug all cards and drives other than memory, video, keyboard, power, and monitor - this helps to narrow it down. Beyond these checks, I really could not add more without seeing it (and you are not exactly next door)...