Best way to clean oxidised RAM simms / slots?

#1 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 19:12

Hey, Got a couple of pizza box's here (a LC and Performa 450) that are giving me intermittent ram problems, the LC has oxidised contacts on the ram simm, and the 450 has the opposite problem, oxisied contacts on the simm slot. the LC seems to be ok after i cleaned the simm with alcohol (though it didn't really remove allot of the oxidation)

However the 450 is being more of a pain, with a ram simm installed it keeps giving me either no boot or death chimes, remove the simm and it works perfect (although quite slow). i'm sure the simms are ok, as reseating them gets it booting, but it just ends up going back to not booting.

so dose anyone have any good methods of cleaning the oxidation off the simms and their slots?

thanks

-max1zzz

#2 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 19:17

Sounds more like bad caps to me.

I always use a toothbrush and acetone to scrub crud off, it always works quite well.

#3 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 19:39

bad caps was my first thourght, recapped both of their lb's already

i'll give that a go then, sounds like a good way to go

#4 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 19:46

My favorite stuff for this sort of thing is Deoxit D5.

http://www.amazon.com/CAIG-DeOxit-Cleaning-Solution-Spray/dp/B0002BBV4G

It isn't cheap, but a little goes a long way. I'm still on the original can I bought several years ago.

#5 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 20:13

ahh, now that looks perfect, gonna order a can of it

how is the best way to apply it?

#6 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 20:31

did you check the +12 +/- 5?

those PSU's can be flaky too, (bad caps)

#7 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 20:51

yep, i cheacked all three voltage rails and they are all within limits (the psu will be recapped once i get the caps anyway, since it is a TDK one)

i'm pretty sure it's the oxidation on the simm slot thats the problem, as if i run it just with the onboard ram it works perfectly fine

#8 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 20:53

Was there a battery explosion? or was it maybe just exposed to some moisture? at one point of its long life

#9 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 20:59

I have a dremel i use sometimes, now keep in mind i have "the touch" . That angled wire wheel always works good for me as well.

#10 Thu, 8 Aug 2013 - 21:09

maybe i'll gibe the dremel a shot, would be a little worried about it destroying the plastic parts of the slot though

there dffinatley hasn't been a battery explosion, in fact there wasn't even a single cap visibly leaking cap

(but i still gave it a good clean and recapped it)

#11 Fri, 9 Aug 2013 - 22:45

ahh, now that looks perfect, gonna order a can of it
how is the best way to apply it?

Depends what you're doing. You can squirt a little directly on the item you're cleaning. Sometimes I put a bit on a paper towel or magic eraser and scrub with that.

Careful with the Dremel. You might try a brass bristled brush first. I recently got a package of three at a dollar store. They look a lot like a toothbrush with metal bristles.