I had 1gb of memory (2x512's), and bought 2 more 512's to put in the other two empty slots. It supports a max of 4gb (1gb in each slot). After I put them in, when I turn comp on, I just get a continuous beep, and screen stays blank. Don't know a lot about tech stuff, but after reading stuff, thought I could install some memory. Got scared I might have ruined the comp, I took the 2 sticks back out, and luckily, comp works okay again. I grounded myself by touching the comp frame, a door handle, and a metal lamp, and handled them only as it said by the ends. The sticker on one of the original factory installed 512mb sticks says 512MB DDR 400MHz PC3200, and that is exactly what I bought, the brand was "Samsung Original", from MemoryAmerica.com. I even emailed them before the order and gave them my comp name and model #, ran it thru their memory configurator, and asked if that one will work in my computer, they said it would. Comp is a desktop Acer Aspire E-360-UA381M. Something obviously wrong, but I dont have a clue, as it is an exact match up, and everything says it should work?
How-To Geek Forums » Geek Stuff
(Solved) Memory upgrade doesn't work
(46 posts)- Remove Solved Status
The Dimms match, the Crucial website says 184-pin DIMM, that is what I bought and put in. I'm sure they were in all the way, the end tabs snapping into place into the slots. Duh.....BIOS?? Gotta help me out there, like I said above, I don't know alot about tech stuff, scared the crap outa me doing the memory, then not having it work.
Usually you get into the BIOS if you hit F2 or ESC once the first splash screen occurs after power on. But it could also be another key. The splash screen will tell you. Unfortunately from there you'll have to research a little bit because each BIOS is somewhat different. It depends on the motherboard.
billy12345,
---
Turn off machine and take all memory out.
---
Reboot Machine and let it fail. Turn machine Off.
---
Put One Stick of Old memory into slot one, turn on machine and boot.
---
The machine will Halt on the Bios setup screen.
---
Press whatever key that comes up on the screen to get into Bios setup.
---
Enter Bios and exit with a SAVE.
---
The machine should Reboot and continue into O/S.
---
If this works, Post Back for further instructions.
---
Regards,
Rick P.
Rick P.
This is getting really complicated (for me). Is it common to run into this much trouble just doing a memory upgrade? If it is not getting "recognized", does that mean this particular brand name will definitely not work? The original one installed in my comp has the name "NANYA" on it. Worried I am going to make things worse if I keep taking things in and out. I can tell you the info about my Bios if that would help, I just found another site that had an easy download that looked into my comp and listed what is inside, it was called SIW, "System Information for Windows". I just checked it under "Bios", and it has bunch of stuff listed.
billy12345,
---
The is QUITE COMMON.
---
Don't Worry, you can't hurt the machine as long as you don't physically force the modules in place.
---
What is the Make and EXACT Model of the machine ??
---
We'll find some memory that will work based on the Machine Specs.
---
Best to NEVER mix memory modules.
---
You can try what I posted above if you feel confortable doing it. Will hurt nothing.
---
Regards,
Rick P.
Rick P.
Quite common? Damn, I read lots of stuff, looked at diagrams, videos, etc., made it sound basic and easy enough that I thought I could handle it. Never mentioned any possible problems as long as you got the right memory. I gave specs in first post, I have a desktop Acer Aspire E360-UA381M. Came with 2x512 memory, 2 more empty slots. And I gave that info to MemoryAmerica.com, and they assured me these Samsung Originals they sent would work. So, based on what you are saying, it sounds like you mean some brand names will work, and some won't. Or the Bios has to be "tweaked"? Stores never mention these things, I don't get it. Which means running the comp specs thru some store's "memory configurator" is meaningless? But...how can that be, because how in the world do you know what one to buy? I'm all confused, as you can tell. And by the way, on the mem. config. at MemAmerica.com, they did not bring up the EXACT model of my comp. It had Acer Aspire E360-9NB73, and E360-9PB7S (but they both took the same memory anyway), but did not have the E360-UA381M listed. And I told MemoryAmerica that, and as I said, they said they would work. Also, at most other stores, on their memory configurator, it only goes into the E360, no numbers beyond that.
billy12345,
---
The Bios does [ not ] have to be tweaked.
---
If the modules are indeed compatible, there is a little procedure sometimes one has to do when installing them so that the machine can recognize the memory.
---
To see if the new modules will work by [ themselves ]:
---
1. Take all out.
2. Insert only the two new modules into the slots the old memory was in.
3. Boot the machine.
4. If there is a Bios Halt, go into Bios and just Save and Exit.
5. The machine should re-boot then all the way into the operating system.
---
See if this happens with only the two new modules.
---
It is NEVER good to mix memory modules in different capacities or different brands.
---
Better to have four new modules of same brand OR two new modules of greater capacity of same brand.
---
Regards,
Rick P.
Rick P.
by as usual, I meant it came on the way it is supposed to (just so you don't think I meant it was blank as usual like it was before, and then I put the factory ones back in). I guess that means the new ones are compatible...in a way. How come only in the "old" slots? And now maybe if I add the old memory into the previously empty slots, I'll get the same blank screen, and continuous beeping? Time for bed, catch ya later, thanks.
billy12345,
---
OK. Now you know the new memory modules will work in the machine but may not be compatible with the old memory modules.
---
Add the old memory modules in slots 3 and 4 and Boot the machine.
---
If there is a Bios Halt, go into Bios and just [ Save and Exit ].
EDIT Post me back [ exactly ] what you see on the screen if you don't understand what I'm saying.
---
The machine should Re-boot then all the way into the operating system.
---
See if this happens.
If so, all the memory modules are compatible and you are "good to go".
===========================
Reminder Again for Everyone:
---
It is NEVER good to mix memory modules of different capacities or of different brands.
---
Better to have four new modules of the same brand OR two new modules of greater capacity of the same brand.
---
Regards,
Rick P.
Some computers are picky about which slot one puts the memory into. It could be that you have to put old and new into different slots ie if the old RAM was in slots 1 and 2 (don't bother about numbering, just for clarification) they'd have to be in 1 and 3 for the new ones to work.
Rick P.
It works! Kept my fingers crossed when I hit the switch. Isn't that odd how the new ones won't work in the other 2 slots? But I'm a bit disappointed at the speed. I thought doubling the ram, would = much faster. I did a bunch of clicking at different spots, newspaper articles, etc, and I don't see any difference. That was reason I bought the ram and went thru all this. Would it make much difference in speed if I had spent more and got rid of the old 2x512mb, and then bought 2 sticks of 1gb each? Does the fact that the machine came on mean the extra ram is in fact being utilized, or do I have to do some clicking somewhere to make sure it is being put to use?
Whether a RAM upgrade will result in a speed increase mainly depends on how much of the RAM you were using before the upgrade. If you were hardly using any, it will not make much difference. However, if you were using lots of it, forcing the computer to swap it out to the much slower hard drive, it will. The only thing that will actually see an improvement in transfer speed is upgrading to faster RAM (eg. from 400MHz (PC-3200) to 800MHz (PC-6400)) or a new technology. The latter requires a new motherboard.
However, generally upgrading to another memory speed does not provide that much of a performance boost, unless memory is the bottleneck. Usually something else in the system is the bottleneck; no matter how fast your RAM is, if the CPU cannot process the data as fast as it can be delivered, there will be no performance boost!
But the memory upgrade will allow you to run future programs that use more memory. Its better to upgrade now, when you have time to spare, than when you need to urgently install a new program that requires more RAM! Besides, DDR is probably going to start increasing in price soon, as there is less demand for it and the manufacturers start producing more DDR-3, so now was probably about the best time to upgrade your memory.
Sorry about long post.
BTW, although this may be best for another thread, is anyone using FF3.5? I am, and I cannot type more than a few characters at a time into boxes, not just on this page but everywhere. I had to copy paste this lot from Notepad.
billy12345,
---
Click on -> Control Panel -> System.
---
How much memory is shown ??
---
If 2048 (2 Gig) stay with what you have. :) :)
---
Max a 32 Bit XP O/S can use is 3.5 Gig if 4 Gigs were installed.
---
Would have to look up Machine Specs to see if your machine can reconize (4) Gig.
---
Best Regards,
Rick P.
---
Reply »
You must log in to post.