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Question Black screen after installing RAM?

Question Black screen after installing RAM?

K
KuJee
Junior Member
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15
06-08-2025, 01:19 AM
#1
Hello everyone,
I’m facing a particular hardware problem with my Asus Vivobook 14x after a spill. I’m trying to figure out what’s going wrong.

The situation is as follows:
My laptop originally had 8GB of RAM. I added another 8GB stick in the upgrade slot, and everything worked smoothly with 16GB total. However, recently I spilled water on the keyboard. I shut it down right away and let it dry.

Now the symptoms are clear:
- When the extra 8GB stick is installed, the laptop won’t boot.
- If I remove that stick and only use the built-in 8GB, it starts up normally.
- Every time I try to reinstall the additional stick, the system says “no-boot” again.

What I’ve observed so far:
The laptop seems fine without the extra stick, suggesting the motherboard is likely intact despite the water damage. The problem appears to be limited to the RAM upgrade—either the specific module is damaged or the slot on the motherboard was affected by moisture.

I’m still unsure whether the RAM stick itself is dead or if the slot is broken. I haven’t tested it in another machine yet, but I want to be sure.
My questions:
- Is it more likely that the RAM is faulty, or that the slot is damaged?
- Could water residue or corrosion on the slot contacts be causing the issue? Is there a way to clean it (e.g., with alcohol)?
- Have others managed to recover a RAM slot after a keyboard spill? Would that slot be safe to use now?
- Any suggestions or troubleshooting steps would be greatly appreciated.

I’m glad the laptop still functions, but I’d really appreciate getting it back to 16GB if possible!
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K
KuJee
06-08-2025, 01:19 AM #1

Hello everyone,
I’m facing a particular hardware problem with my Asus Vivobook 14x after a spill. I’m trying to figure out what’s going wrong.

The situation is as follows:
My laptop originally had 8GB of RAM. I added another 8GB stick in the upgrade slot, and everything worked smoothly with 16GB total. However, recently I spilled water on the keyboard. I shut it down right away and let it dry.

Now the symptoms are clear:
- When the extra 8GB stick is installed, the laptop won’t boot.
- If I remove that stick and only use the built-in 8GB, it starts up normally.
- Every time I try to reinstall the additional stick, the system says “no-boot” again.

What I’ve observed so far:
The laptop seems fine without the extra stick, suggesting the motherboard is likely intact despite the water damage. The problem appears to be limited to the RAM upgrade—either the specific module is damaged or the slot on the motherboard was affected by moisture.

I’m still unsure whether the RAM stick itself is dead or if the slot is broken. I haven’t tested it in another machine yet, but I want to be sure.
My questions:
- Is it more likely that the RAM is faulty, or that the slot is damaged?
- Could water residue or corrosion on the slot contacts be causing the issue? Is there a way to clean it (e.g., with alcohol)?
- Have others managed to recover a RAM slot after a keyboard spill? Would that slot be safe to use now?
- Any suggestions or troubleshooting steps would be greatly appreciated.

I’m glad the laptop still functions, but I’d really appreciate getting it back to 16GB if possible!

Reply
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T
ttj_16
Member
Find
116
06-22-2025, 01:57 PM
#2
Welcome to the forums, newcomer! I quickly turned off the laptop and allowed it to dry. Would you like more details on this step? You might want to try using an eraser on the RAM's gold contacts, wipe away any residue from the eraser, and then reinsert the stick of RAM. I haven't tested it in another machine yet to confirm. To eliminate the possibility that the RAM is causing the issue—especially if you suspect a short caused by liquid damage—consider borrowing or testing a compatible RAM stick and see if the black screen problem disappears. If the problem isn't related to water or contains sugar, you could disassemble the laptop completely and clean the motherboard with an ultrasonic cleaner.
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T
ttj_16
06-22-2025, 01:57 PM #2

Welcome to the forums, newcomer! I quickly turned off the laptop and allowed it to dry. Would you like more details on this step? You might want to try using an eraser on the RAM's gold contacts, wipe away any residue from the eraser, and then reinsert the stick of RAM. I haven't tested it in another machine yet to confirm. To eliminate the possibility that the RAM is causing the issue—especially if you suspect a short caused by liquid damage—consider borrowing or testing a compatible RAM stick and see if the black screen problem disappears. If the problem isn't related to water or contains sugar, you could disassemble the laptop completely and clean the motherboard with an ultrasonic cleaner.

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