RAM upgrade trouble

[JadeBuddha]

I received the 2GB RAM module I ordered from OWC today - upgrading to 3GB total in my aluminium iMac. This is both my first mac and my first RAM upgrade of any computer. I followed the directions for installing the 2GB module in the empty RAM slot, and when I booted up, I kept getting a "You need to restart your computer" message. This error happens a different times during the boot-up: before signing into my admin account, just as the dock appears, etc.

Is there an obvious newbie RAM installing mistake I could be making? Should I be returning the RAM to OWC? What should I be doing?

 

[IC3D]

I received the 2GB RAM module I ordered from OWC today - upgrading to 3GB total in my aluminium iMac. This is both my first mac and my first RAM upgrade of any computer. I followed the directions for installing the 2GB module in the empty RAM slot, and when I booted up, I kept getting a "You need to restart your computer" message. This error happens a different times during the boot-up: before signing into my admin account, just as the dock appears, etc.

Is there an obvious newbie RAM installing mistake I could be making? Should I be returning the RAM to OWC? What should I be doing?

You should put the new memory on one board and the old on the other. That's what I found to have the best luck with my ram from OWC. I bought an extra 8GB. So I have 10 atm.

 

[EricNau]

No, it sounds like bad RAM. Try re-installing the original module; if that resolves the problem you should arrange for a replacement from the manufacturer.

 

[JadeBuddha]

current status

I never removed the original 1GB module from Apple - I was just adding a 2GB module in the empty slot.

After removing the 2GB module, everything booted as normal. Sounds like bad RAM, then?

 

[CanadaRAM]

There's a 50% chance you haven't installed the 2 Gb module properly.

First, make SURE you have the slot on the RAM connector edge oriented the right way -- refer to the diagram on the Mac.

Push the RAM straight into the slot. It pushes in about 1 inch and stops. You're not done yet.

You have to get both thumbs onto the RAM and push harder, and it will go in another 1/8th inch to seat the contacts fully into the socket's pins.

If you don't have dents in your thumbs, you haven't pushed hard enough.

Try it again.

 

[EricNau]

I never removed the original 1GB module from Apple - I was just adding a 2GB module in the empty slot.

After removing the 2GB module, everything booted as normal. Sounds like bad RAM, then?

My mistake. I was assuming you were upgrading to 3 GB from 2 GB.
Because of this, my past advice was a bit misleading. Having you reinstall the original RAM (had it existed) would tell us if you were making the installation correctly (if it fixed the problem, it would be a problem with the RAM; if it didn't fix the problem, it would point to an error in installation). Just removing the module doesn't really prove anything either way, unfortunately.

Have you installed RAM before? As CanadaRAM implied, most people are surprised at the amount of pressure required to seat RAM correctly.

 

[JadeBuddha]

update

Okay, I tried installing the RAM again with lots of pressure. I then booted it up 4 times.

1st - froze during blue screen (no login yet)
2nd - froze after login, just as dock appeared
3rd - booted fully! I checked About This Mac and it showed 3GB of RAM installed... then it froze
4th - same as second

I've removed the 2GB module and things work normally. For boots 2, 3, and 4, the "You need to restart your computer" message was displayed. Not sure what to make of this, especially after #3.

 

[Jelite]

Try taking out the Apple stick and replacing it with the new one.

 

[JadeBuddha]

update - day 2

Got home tonight and did the following:
- removed 1GB original Apple RAM from slot 1
- tested 2GB OWC RAM in both slots 1 & 2

results:
With only the 2GB module in place, the computer booted to different stages before freezing. On two occasions, it booted up enough for me to check About This Mac in Finder before it crashed. Another time it loaded up to the dock, but gave me an error message that said Finder had crashed and needed to be restarted - when I clicked Finder in the dock, the computer froze. Other times it froze prior to log-on.

I just don't understand how to interpret this. When I returned the original 1GB module to slot 1, everything was fine again. But, if the 2GB module is somehow 'bad RAM', how can the computer boot up or recognize it at all? What actually happens when someone gets installs 'bad RAM' ?

 

[SaSaSushi]

Got home tonight and did the following:
- removed 1GB original Apple RAM from slot 1
- tested 2GB OWC RAM in both slots 1 & 2

results:
With only the 2GB module in place, the computer booted to different stages before freezing. On two occasions, it booted up enough for me to check About This Mac in Finder before it crashed. Another time it loaded up to the dock, but gave me an error message that said Finder had crashed and needed to be restarted - when I clicked Finder in the dock, the computer froze. Other times it froze prior to log-on.

I just don't understand how to interpret this. When I returned the original 1GB module to slot 1, everything was fine again. But, if the 2GB module is somehow 'bad RAM', how can the computer boot up or recognize it at all? What actually happens when someone gets installs 'bad RAM' ?

If you could manage to get into OS X to run it, I would recommend you give Memtest OS X a try. Since it doesn't seem like your new RAM will allow you to get that far if you have indeed seated the RAM properly and firmly I think you need to start considering the possibility that you have bad RAM. That being the case were I you I would try to arrange for a replacement.

 

[JadeBuddha]

Final Results

Returned 2GB RAM chip, received new one today. Works great! (Apparently, it wasn't me; I can properly install RAM.)

3GB of RAM feels soooooo good!