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@Silver2Falcon wrote:
Well, after putting in 100% compatible memory in my Dimension 4600, the memory controller apparently suicided on the second attempted boot up (the first worked fine). Soooooooo, now I need a new MoBo...here's the problem. Dell has told me that there are no MoBos avaliable till August, and for obvious reasons, I really don't want to wait! I have asked tech support, and have been informed that they don't know what specs are needed to have a new MoBo run....

If the memory is guaranteed compatible, and it ruined the motherboard, you should seek compensation from the supplier.  I've not heard of compatible memory doing that, and would question who told you it was compatible.

The memory was not guaranteed compatible by the Corsair (which I did not know until after I had ordered it) however it was the exact same specs as that in my computer manual, the exact same specs as those that were told to me by the dell support rep I talked to, and the exact same specs as the RAM that the corsair system scanner recommended for me. The computer was also 2 x 512mb sticks, when the total the computer can hold is 4gb of total RAM. There should be absolutely no reason for it not to work perfectly, and, at the very least, shouldn't be blowing out the memory controller on my Mobo (I'm 99% sure that's the problem, as it seems to start up fine without any memory in it, that is, it SOUNDS like it's starting up without memory in it, whereas it sounds pretty dead with any memory in it).

Now that I've established that, even if I DID get compensated, I have no clue what motherboard I'd get with the compensation, as I have no clue what the Mobo would require to run (as I've found out Dell computers are infinitely picky, I'm trying to be 300% sure, so I don't waste more money and more time because I'm getting told incorrect information).

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@Silver2Falcon wrote:
The memory was not guaranteed compatible by the Corsair (which I did not know until after I had ordered it) however it was the exact same specs as that in my computer manual, the exact same specs as those that were told to me by the dell support rep I talked to, and the exact same specs as the RAM that the corsair system scanner recommended for me. The computer was also 2 x 512mb sticks, when the total the computer can hold is 4gb of total RAM. There should be absolutely no reason for it not to work perfectly, and, at the very least, shouldn't be blowing out the memory controller on my Mobo (I'm 99% sure that's the problem, as it seems to start up fine without any memory in it, that is, it SOUNDS like it's starting up without memory in it, whereas it sounds pretty dead with any memory in it).

You can't buy memory for a Dell on specs.  You can search the forum for many that have unfortunately had the same experience as you - adding incompatible memory and frying the machine.  Very unfortunate. 

Silver2Falcon

Dimension 4600 motherboards,

http://computers.search.ebay.com/Dell-Dimension-4600-motherboard_Computers-Networking_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8QQsacatZ58058

How to remove the processor from the D-4600 motherboard,

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/dim4600/en/4600/sm/mprcsr.htm

How to remove a stuck CPU to a Heatsink,

http://www.mikeshardware.com/howtos/howto_remove_heatsink/index.html.html

Bev.

Thank you very much, shesagordie. Those links told me what I needed.


in response to rickmktg...
...if you can't buy memory for a Dell on specs, Dell support reps should not be telling me to buy memory for a Dell on specs, and a Dell manual should not be telling me to buy memory on specs. Given the problems I have had and what I have been told BY DELL, I have a justifiable reason to be angry.

Well, I got the processor out...sort of. It came out still attached to the heat sink, and now I can't get it back in. Does anyone know a good way to detach it without damaging anything?

All,

I'm trying to replace the MoBo on a Dimension 4550. And I have exactly the same issue in that the Processor is glued to the heat sink. This really frustrates me as Dell gives no warning about that and I bent some pins of the CPU when it got yanked out of the socket. It was only a couple of pins and I was able to bend them back into place. But, I can't insert the CPU in the new MoBo now as I can't separate it from the heat sink.

Any ideas on how to separate CPU from heat sink?

Thanks in Advance