Can any help with a powerbook ram problem please?

mark_lmark_l
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Hi,



Ive just added in a 512 stick to my 17" 1 ghz powerbook. Rebooted and it still says i have just 512 (should be 1024)



So i switch the Ram chips round in the mac and reboot again. And again it says i have just 512. So both slots are accepting the original apple chip but not the new one?



The System profiler just says that the reversed slot has 512 and the standard slot is empy - and vise versa when i swap the chips round.



Any Ideas on what the problem is? I ordered a PC2700 DDR 200 pin SO DIMM 333. When I looked at the chip it says on the stiker DDR 266? Im assuming its slower than 333? Also the Brand is KTI.



Any help would be greatfull!!



Cheers

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    maktekmaktek Posts: 3member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MARK_L

    Hi,



    Ive just added in a 512 stick to my 17" 1 ghz powerbook. Rebooted and it still says i have just 512 (should be 1024)



    So i switch the Ram chips round in the mac and reboot again. And again it says i have just 512. So both slots are accepting the original apple chip but not the new one?



    The System profiler just says that the reversed slot has 512 and the standard slot is empy - and vise versa when i swap the chips round.



    Any Ideas on what the problem is? I ordered a PC2700 DDR 200 pin SO DIMM 333. When I looked at the chip it says on the stiker DDR 266? Im assuming its slower than 333? Also the Brand is KTI.



    Any help would be greatfull!!



    Cheers



    Sounds like the ram you installed is either incompatible, or that it's busted and thus not registering on the system. The only thing I could suggest is to try it with another computer to see if it shows up, if it does than it's incompatible, if it doesn't show up- you have pooched RAM.
  • Reply 2 of 14
    mark_lmark_l Posts: 39member
    Well my original Samsung 512 chip works in both slots, and the new chip doen't work in either. I also noticed that the RAM is KTI PC2100 266 - I ordered Samsung PC2700 333!
  • Reply 3 of 14
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MARK_L

    Well my original Samsung 512 chip works in both slots, and the new chip doen't work in either. I also noticed that the RAM is KTI PC2100 266 - I ordered Samsung PC2700 333!



    The RAM is bad. Call for a return.
  • Reply 4 of 14
    mark_lmark_l Posts: 39member
    yeah, i told them they had sent PC2100 not PC2700 and they are sending me a new chip.



    Cheers
  • Reply 5 of 14
    khalal538khalal538 Posts: 12member
    I have a similar problem, however it turns out that my ram slot (DIMM0) is bad. I went to the Genius Bar and had them look at it. They said that they may need to replace the logic board and have it sent in. How much do you think they will charge? I don't have the protection plan or anything and my warranty is over. I've put together many PCs, but I've never opened up a powerbook before. Do you think it's something I can fix myself? Any insights would be appreciated.

    Thank you in advance,

    Kevin
  • Reply 6 of 14
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    A used 12" PowerBook logic board is $450 http://www.powerbookrepairshop.com/p...products_id=43



    So I'd think that is the minimum. Installing it yourself wouldn't be trivial. Ask the Genius Bar guy what the charge would be, but I am betting it's way more than $500.



    Make sure you have reset the Open Firmware before assuming the slot is broken.
  • Reply 7 of 14
    khalal538khalal538 Posts: 12member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy

    A used 12" PowerBook logic board is $450 http://www.powerbookrepairshop.com/p...products_id=43



    So I'd think that is the minimum. Installing it yourself wouldn't be trivial. Ask the Genius Bar guy what the charge would be, but I am betting it's way more than $500.



    Make sure you have reset the Open Firmware before assuming the slot is broken.



    how do you reset the open firmware?
  • Reply 8 of 14
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Boot the machine holding down command-option-O-F.



    At the prompt, type



    reset-nvram

    reset-all



    as two commands each followed by return.
  • Reply 9 of 14
    khalal538khalal538 Posts: 12member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy

    Boot the machine holding down command-option-O-F.



    At the prompt, type



    reset-nvram

    reset-all



    as two commands each followed by return.



    ok, i did it and it still doesn't recognize the slot. I guess it turns out that I have a bad slot. Do you happen to know what would be the cause of this? Is it possible for the memory dimm to mess up the slot?
  • Reply 10 of 14
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Khalal538

    ok, i did it and it still doesn't recognize the slot. I guess it turns out that I have a bad slot. Do you happen to know what would be the cause of this? Is it possible for the memory dimm to mess up the slot?



    I guess the slot just broke a connection somewhere. This would be understandable if it is just after you changed memory, but it's a bit strange for it just to happen out of the blue. Usually things like faulty or weak solder joints are apparent in the first few days of use, not just crop up later like this. However, repeated use can cause heating and cooling which could pop a vulnerable joint so I guess anything is possible.
  • Reply 11 of 14
    khalal538khalal538 Posts: 12member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy

    I guess the slot just broke a connection somewhere. This would be understandable if it is just after you changed memory, but it's a bit strange for it just to happen out of the blue. Usually things like faulty or weak solder joints are apparent in the first few days of use, not just crop up later like this. However, repeated use can cause heating and cooling which could pop a vulnerable joint so I guess anything is possible.



    Ok, I've read that there were actually a number of reports from people who updated from an earlier version of OSX and it blew out their lower RAM slot.

    Is this true and have you heard of this?
  • Reply 12 of 14
    lundylundy Posts: 4,466member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Khalal538

    Ok, I've read that there were actually a number of reports from people who updated from an earlier version of OSX and it blew out their lower RAM slot.

    Is this true and have you heard of this?



    It's possible - it wouldn't "blow out" the slot, but it could make it look like it didn't exist. I have not read of any problem like that however.
  • Reply 13 of 14
    khalal538khalal538 Posts: 12member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by lundy

    It's possible - it wouldn't "blow out" the slot, but it could make it look like it didn't exist. I have not read of any problem like that however.



    Well I reformatted my PB before updating it and it still said it's empty (i think it was before the updates...). Just to make sure, so the program cannot physically "blow out" the slot?
  • Reply 14 of 14
    khalal538khalal538 Posts: 12member
    here is the link to the article...

    https://www.lawyersandsettlements.co...ok_classaction
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