Troubleshooting Quick Guide: Tricks & tips on problems when installing memory upgrades

Your memory upgrade did not lead to the desired result? Here you will find appropriate answers to frequent questions.

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| Tom Bauer | 22 Replies
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Your memory upgrade did not provide the expected result? Here you may find possible reasons for the most occurring problems when upgrading memory. Please check, if one or another below mentioned reason can help to solve your problem. Otherwise, our support team will be pleased to take further technical measures using the information you obtained through the performed tests.

Overview:

  1. Did you consider the configuration guidelines of the system manufacturer?
  2. Are BIOS, operating system and driver up-to-date and set correctly?
  3. Please remove the memory module and install it again!
  4. Your system does not start immediately after a memory upgrade?
  5. Is your system running stable? Test your RAM!
  6. Refine your diagnosis!
  7. Your OS does not recognize more than 4GB of memory even though you have installed more?
  8. Tips for upgrading RAM on NAS (Synology)

1. Did you consider the configuration guidelines of the system manufacturer?

Before installing new memory modules, it is absolutely necessary to read the documents provided with the device by the manufacturer/distributor (manuals, homepage of the manufacturer, etc…). Often, there are specific configuration guidelines, which need to be considered when upgrading with memory modules.
You should pay attention to the following:

      • Is there a certain order to follow when equipping the slots?
      • Are there any restrictions or guidelines on how and if different modules or kits can/ should be mixed?
      • Please check if our website contains specific references about your model.

2. Are BIOS, operating system and driver up-to-date and set correctly?

Basically, manufacturers of a computer system expect the BIOS version to be up-to-date before any installation of new hardware. While there are many cases where a BIOS update is unnecessary and the system runs stable after the installation of new hardware, a BIOS update is the first method of choice in case of problems after or during installation.
The following symptoms are typical for an outdated BIOS and/or operating system:

      • The RAM is recognised only partly by the BIOS and/or operating system.
      • The system does not boot with the newly installed memory.
      • During operation, reproducible crashes occur during specific applications or actions.
      • The system is remarkably slower than before or freezes.
      • The system is running and the memory is recognised, however, another component is not working anymore as expected.

     

  • Recommendations for action:
      • Please check possibly extended settings (ECC, Hot-Spare-Memory, Mirroring etc.) regarding your RAM in the BIOS setup for correctness.
      • Should your BIOS allow settings regarding RAM timings, please make sure that these are set to automatic detection. Otherwise, false, manually set values are likely to lead to an instable system as well as harm your motherboard and the memory modules.
      • Make sure that you only use the latest version of your operating system and all drivers. An extension of your working memory means that the new resources have to be distributed and managed by the operating system. This is often blocked by outdated, defective software.
      • The above is also valid if your system ran stable before the upgrade.

3. Please remove the memory module and install it again!

      • When function errors occur, they sometimes arise only from a mechanical contact gap!  Often, dust or similar have settled on the yet unused contact surfaces of the memory slots. Just remove and insert the module repeatedly.
      • Is the module really engaged?
      • Is the module, resp. are the pins or the contact banks damaged?

4. Your system does not start immediately after a memory upgrade?

      • From experience, it can take a few minutes (depending on the capacity of the installed RAM) until the system restarts due to memory checks by the system. This startup delay then occurs once. It makes sense to wait at least this time before taking further steps.
      • Please also remember to connect mobile devices to a fixed power connection after RAM installation.

5. Is your system running stable? Test your RAM!

    You can use the Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool by Microsoft to test if the memory, independent from the particularly installed operating system, has been integrated properly into the system by the BIOS:
      • When no errors occur during the tests, that means the memory is being tested as O.K.. The error can be assumed to lie in the installation/configuration of the operating system.

You will find an instruction on how to test your memory for Windows systems in our blog.

      • Alternatively, you can use the free tool Memtest86, independently of the installed operating system, for all x86 Intel and AMD platforms.

6. Refine your diagnosis

The following steps help to localise the fault quickly:

7. Your OS does not recognise more than 4GB of memory even though you have installed more?

Please make sure that you really use a 64-bit operating system. If so, the following phenomenon may be the reason:

8. Tips for upgrading RAM on NAS (Synology)


Did we help you with this Quick Guide? Do you have any further questions?
We are looking forward to your feedback – just leave a comment below!



22 thoughts on “Troubleshooting Quick Guide: Tricks & tips on problems when installing memory upgrades

  1. al meneghino

    I upgrade my memory ram from 16gb to 24gb my computer can handle until 32gb.Yesterday after one month my computer did not start BLACK SCREEN(scary) after a couple of trial and error I took out the new memory card and everything is ok now.
    I reinserted it with no luck will freeze on the boot menu (can”t go inside my bio configuration with the memory card inserted) Better to dispose this memory or there are some way to fixi it Thank you

    Reply
  2. pam

    could it be the type of RAM that is the problem in my case? Long story short: my laptop accepts its own 4 GB ram stick, but if I try to install a second one in either of the two slots it will not even go into BIOS. It only works with its own 4 GB and not any other 4GB RAM stick.

    Reply
    1. CompuRAM Redaktion

      Dear Pam,
      We can only speculate, we neither know your system nor the RAM upgrade.
      You could use our RAMinator tool and see if suitable RAM modules are recommended to you and then compare – or order from us (we deliver within Europe) …
      Best regards,
      Your CompuRAM Team

      Reply
  3. Bill Kominiak

    I have a gateway SX2370 and the system has a max limit of 16GB of ram so I tried to maximize the system but when I turn it on it has a constant buzz or beep so I put each stick in individually and they work fine until I put in the fourth stick and then it starts the buzz or beep each stick is 4GB and I did have 4 sticks installed before and I had no problems Like I say each stick works individually Thanks Bill

    Reply
    1. CompuRAM Redaktion

      Dear Bill,
      in order to send you a detailed proposal, we require more information about your system.
      If you are a Windows user, please follow below link to “RAMinator“. The further procedure will be described as well.
      This tool generates a system report which you can send us and we will send you an offer for the maximum possible upgrade. We can only speculate about the functionality of third-party RAM modules.
      Best regards
      Your CompuRAM Team

      Reply
  4. Krishnan

    Hi
    Is it mandatory that each slot should have equipped with the same amount of memory sticks ? i.e. if one slot have 4gb, the other slot also should have 4gb ? or can I use 4gb in one slot and 8gb in the other slot.. etc.
    Please advice…
    Thank you for the valuable information…

    Reply
    1. CompuRAM Redaktion

      Hi Krishan,
      that depends on the system you use.
      Kind regards from Munich!

      Reply
  5. Nanag Taten

    Hi,

    This is very intersting site. I bookmaked this site and enjoy learning here. Thank you very much, few thing just learned here.

    Thanks and Regards,

    Reply
  6. RAHEEL AQUIL

    Samsung provides exceptional quality SODIMM Memory for enhanced processing of laptops and notebook computers. You can find huge stock of high performance Laptop Memory Upgrades at affordable prices on [SpamLink removed]

    Reply
    1. CompuRAM Redaktion

      It is a great honour and confirmation for our work when competitors try to place links to their sites on our blog.
      Sorry Raheel from memory4less, but we have to edit your Spamlink.
      your CompuRAM Team

      Reply
  7. NINOSLAV SOVIĆ

    My Acer Aspire 7720G not work with 2x4GB modules. The system does not boot with the newly installed memory.
    The screen is dark, there is no initial images for bios. The bios version is v1.45 and it is the last released version from Acer. BIOS no additional setting options. When I remove one module it works.

    Reply
  8. hp printer troubleshooting guide

    Great blog. I read your blog. It is very interesting and has many remarkable points. Thanks for sharing this kind of information. The way you write the blog it is very nice and easy to understand.

    Reply
  9. gt

    I have a Dell Precision T-3500 with a 6 core Xeon X5650 CPU and 24 GB of RAM. I’m using it as a VMWare host, so the more RAM, the better. Recently I tried upgrading it to 48 GB, but it wouldn’t POST with the extra RAM installed.

    Dell’s literature says that 24 GB is the maximum for a T-3500, but at my last company, I had one just like this (also running VMWare) that had 48 GB and was working flawlessly. Any idea how to make that work on this machine, or if it’s even possible?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  10. Jan G.M. Meijer

    1. The system reports max RAM is 16 GB
    2. YES
    3. YES
    Latest BIOS is F.43 of 10/07/2013
    Updat is automatic initiated by HP
    4. YES and checked with UEFI memeory test
    5. 2 slots
    First filled with underslot 4 GB upperslot 2 GB
    New situation underslot 8 GB upperslot * GB
    6. See 4.
    7. No HP probook 4740s has a quadcore processor so a x64 system and memory above 4 GB.

    Reply
    1. Joan M. Alcaraz

      Hi.
      I have a old laptop my sister gave me. It’s a Toshiba Satellite 6100. According to the manufacturer it has 2 slots of 500Mb. Total RAM is 1GB. DDR pc-2100 and the frequency 266Mhz. Could I increase the RAM? Could I use DDR 333 pc-2700 at 333Mhz? 2 dims of 1gb, total 2gb? It would be another option replace the motherboard? Now it has CPU socket 478
      Thanks and regards

      Reply
      1. Joan M. Alcaraz

        This kit of memory is PC2100? Or maybe PC2700? Thanks in advance

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