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Computer people: putting more RAM in a laptop?

  • Thread starter swords
  • Start date
swords

swords

Hey folks, just a quickie. A week or so ago I bought a Toshiba Satellite notebook PC and today I got my 1 GB ram stick however when I pull one of the 512 MB RAM sticks and put this one in the PC starts up normally (with normal screens) but when it goes to windows it's got this weird scrambled cable screen look to it. I took the new RAM out and put the old stick back in and it's fine.

So my question is what am I doing wrong? Does the RAM both have to be 1 GB sticks (or 2 GB sticks) and not 1 GB + 512 MB sticks - Does it have to be "even"? If they both have to be the same size that's fine, I just don't wanna buy another stick if that's not the problem. Is there any way to check this new RAM and see if it's maybe defective?

Thanks for any info you can pass along!



BTW: that USB flash key (for transfering files) you guys suggested in my last computer post is awesome - where've these been all my life? I'll probably never burn another CD Rom again! :-))
 
It's actually rare to have paired memory anymore. Manufactures however always screw you over by putting two 512 sticks in if you want 1GB. That way they buy 512 sicks in bulk
and you have to spend a lot more to upgrade in the future.

If you memory required pairs, odds are you would have never made it that far. Quick test just run one of the original sticks, if it's fine then you know you just bought bad ram.
 
Hey thanks for that link! Hmm, it looks like maybe I do need to have 2x 1 GB or 2x 2GB as it did come with a pair of 512 MB I had simply assumed it came with a 1 GB and empty 2nd slot but when I opened it today I saw otherwise. I had no idea they even still made MB sticks! :)
 
I put a spare stick of memory in my wifes pc and it would start up to the desktop and then restart by itself. It kept doing this until I took out the stick of memory that I put it.
 
The bank schema tab should show you if you need a pair or not. It all depends on the chipset of the motherboard.
 
Nope, it won't load even with just the new RAM stick in it - I just tried. It'll go through some startup screens but just keeps rebooting and won't fully go into windows, finally it just stopped rebooting altogether. Is this a sign of bad RAM? I'm following all the directions in the book that came with the notebook. I only have 72 hours from delivery time to contact the seller to complain about the RAM, I just wanna make sure I'm not accusing him of something that isn't his fault. One thing I noticed is that the RAM was sent in a static package but it was not sealed or even taped shut and it had come partway out of the static baggie - could that have damaged it?

NAN according to that website the memory configuration on my model Satellite A205-S5800 looks like it can be single or double sticks but nothing about mixing them like 1 GB and a 512 MB But now it seems that new RAM may be junk anyway.
 
Have you checked the RAM speeds? Not all RAM runs at the same speed, and if you laptop motherboard requires a particular speed of RAM, anything else will just fail. There should be technical documentation somewhere on the manufacturer's website.
 
Yes, 667 mhz - that's what I've got.
I've contacted the seller but so far no response, probly not a good sign...
 
  • #10
Most likely just a bad ram stick. Ram is one of the most commonly malfunctioning pieces of brand new computer hardware. In the future only order from good websites with excellent return policies like Newegg. I think they have like a 90 day ram return policy.
 
  • #11
Make sure it's the right type of ram.
Like NaN said, look at the manufacturer's website for the type and (if your mobo is picky enough) timings.
 
  • #12
Yup, everything is the same on the new RAM as the factory RAM except it's bigger. The seller looked up the type of RAM I need and said if it didn't work they admitted their RAM must've been bad so I'm getting a refund, not refunded on the shipping but nobody does refund shipping for returns.
I could get a replacement stick from them but I'd rather go with someone else cos I want more than 1 lousy GB. I definatley want at least 2 GB and maybe 4. Win Vista is like watching grass grow compared to my quadcore XP desktop!

I really expected the laptiop to have a 1 GB stick and an empty slot, not 2 x 512 MB ones. I guess I'm :crazy:
 
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