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Bizarrro RAM issue-newbie question

K

kcdude

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 16, 2008
100
0
Just got my MacPro and installed 4x2 OWC ram and moved the original 2x1gb. I put 2GB in Slots 1&2 of Riser A, 2GB in Slots 1&2 of Riser B and 1GB in Slots 3&4 of A.

I check system details and it shows 10GB Ram. I use the system for a few days...now I show 9GB of ram A1-2GB, A2-2GB, A3 512k, A4-512k, B1-2GB, B2-2GB. What's up with that? Is there something wrong with my installation? All appeared to be seated in the Riser. Help the newbie here...
 
All four 2GB OWC sticks need to be in the top riser.

The 2 1GB Apple sticks need to be on the bottom riser in the 2 slots closest to the gold pins on the riser.

If that doesn't work I'd say there might be something wrong with the 1GB sticks.
 
Peace said:
All four 2GB OWC sticks need to be in the top riser.

The 2 1GB Apple sticks need to be on the bottom riser in the 2 slots closest to the gold pins on the riser.

If that doesn't work I'd say there might be something wrong with the 1GB sticks.
Click to expand...

?? I have seen numerous posts that suggest the optimal config is the setup that I used. Why would rearranging the ram make the system recognize it appropriately?
 
So I remove the OWC ram and install OEM 1GB in slot 1 Riser A and 1GB slot 1 Riser B....A1 shows 1GB and B1 shows 512k. I switch the two and then A1 shows 512k and B1 shows 1GB....do I have a bad ram stick?

I assume I only have one bad stick and when installed with the 8GB it matches the bad 512k stick with 512k of the good stick. If this is the case, why would it show 1.5 gb when I uninstall the 8gb?
 
You're right with the config. I read your message wrong.

As far as the 1GB sticks it sounds like that one that keeps saying 512MB is bad and maybe when you put it together with the other one it somehow drags the good one down to meet the memory of the bad stick. Are the 1GB Apple sticks ?

If so call Apple and tell them you have a bad stick.
 
kcdude said:
?? I have seen numerous posts that suggest the optimal config is the setup that I used. Why would rearranging the ram make the system recognize it appropriately?
Click to expand...

The way I put mine in is. Removed the 1 gig stick from riser #2 and put it in into riser #1.
I filled riser #1 with 2 more 2x2 gigs.
In riser #2 I put in 2 more 2x2 gigs.

I did this on Thursday Jan.14 and my Mac sees all 10 gigs from day one.

This is the way OWC installs it on the video on there site.
 
Peace said:
You're right with the config. I read your message wrong.

As far as the 1GB sticks it sounds like that one that keeps saying 512MB is bad and maybe when you put it together with the other one it somehow drags the good one down to meet the memory of the bad stick. Are the 1GB Apple sticks ?

If so call Apple and tell them you have a bad stick.
Click to expand...

They are the OEM 1GB sticks. I talked with Apple this morning and they suggested I look at my Bootcamp partition to see if Windows recognizes the full 2GB when OSX recognizes it as 1.5GB....need to get home tonight and try it. They also recommended a SMC reset...they told me if the reset does not work and both OS recognize it as 1.5GB...then the will issue a replacement.
 
Definitely looks like a bad memory stick.

And you were correct in your placement:

Riser 1:
1: 2gb
2: 2gb
3: 1gb
4: 1gb

Riser 2:
1: 2gb
2: 2gb
3: empty
4: empty
 
What will a SMC reset do?

I just read about how to do a SMC reset....funny thing is that I unhooked all the cables, power included for about 2-3 minutes to switch out the RAM...I assume I already did a SMC reset. Right?
 
This is an interesting thread because I'm experiencing RAM problems too. I just received my new Mac Pro last Friday and before I turned it on for the first time I immediately installed 8GB RAM that I ordered from OWC.

When I turned it on for the first time I immediately checked to see if all 10GB were recognized. They were, so that was all well and good. But after a few hours when I looked at "About this Mac" again I noticed that I was only running 6GB RAM.

I opened up the case and saw that a red light coming from one of the riser boards. After rearranging the RAM I learned that: the red light indicates a hardware problem and the light moved to the riser board where I moved the suspect RAM module to.

I wonder if the SMC reset might help...
 
ChiaJesus said:
I opened up the case and saw that a red light coming from one of the riser boards.
Click to expand...

I noticed the red light also...I will re-check tonight. I assume the red light means a Ram hardware issue or is it a Riser issue?
 
kcdude said:
I noticed the red light also...I will re-check tonight. I assume the red light means a Ram hardware issue or is it a Riser issue?
Click to expand...

Because the light moved from riser to riser depending on where I moved the suspect RAM modules, I figured it meant a RAM issue.

BTW, have you tried running the hardware test? That was one of the first things I tried after I noticed the red light, but it kept on hanging trying to initialize so I couldn't run it.
 
Well...new ram on the way from Apple. I get .99GB in WinXP. Installed both 1GB in slots 1&2 of Riser A and both read 512k. Installed in slot 1 of Riser A and B, it reads 1GB on A and 512k on B. I can also see the red light lit up on the riser for the bad stick. Guess we'll see how a few new sticks work...
 
bigbird said:
Hold down the C key
Click to expand...

Actually, I confirmed last night that on the new Mac Pros it is the D key.

Unfortunately, the hardware test utility is about as useful as a third nipple. It hangs my machine after the hardware probe is completed.
 
ChiaJesus said:
about as useful as a third nipple.
Click to expand...


...about as useful as the Apple tech support recommendation of doing a SMC reset via a button that does not exist...I would be searching forever for that stupid button.
 
ChiaJesus said:
Actually, I confirmed last night that on the new Mac Pros it is the D key.
Click to expand...

I didn't know that you could go direct to the Hardware test via the D key. I thought you had to boot from the install disk, thus the C key, and then find the hardware test in the install CD. I learned something new this morning. Thank you!
 
bigbird said:
I didn't know that you could go direct to the Hardware test via the D key. I thought you had to boot from the install disk, thus the C key, and then find the hardware test in the install CD. I learned something new this morning. Thank you!
Click to expand...

No problem. In all fairness I think it used to be C. :)
 
kcdude said:
Well...new ram on the way from Apple. I get .99GB in WinXP. Installed both 1GB in slots 1&2 of Riser A and both read 512k. Installed in slot 1 of Riser A and B, it reads 1GB on A and 512k on B. I can also see the red light lit up on the riser for the bad stick. Guess we'll see how a few new sticks work...
Click to expand...

OWC confirmed a bad module for me. They're getting an RMA set up for me right now so hopefully in a few days I'll have a replacement. Til then I'll limp along with 6GB RAM. ;)
 
ChiaJesus said:
OWC confirmed a bad module for me. They're getting an RMA set up for me right now so hopefully in a few days I'll have a replacement. Til then I'll limp along with 6GB RAM. ;)
Click to expand...

New sticks are in and I am back to 10GB...interesting though...they sent them to me with instructions saying send the old ones back or they charge me for the new ones. Yet the box labels were not the multi-labels that included the return label, I get an email confirming my shipment that says I do not need to return the old ones, and I have a cust service follow up call yesterday and he comments "it looks like they have already been returned".....sounds like I have me an extra 1.5GB of ram now....maybe I will order 1GB from OWC and put it in with the good oem stick for 12GB total...guess I should wait to see if they bill me first.
 
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