RAM memory dropped suddenly

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nitay10

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Apr 22, 2014
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Hi.

I have win 7 and 2.5 GB RAM installed in my computer.
Today, I noticed that in the system information it says that the computer has 1.5 GB only. It stayed the same after I tried to reconnect the cards to the slots.

What is the problem??
 
Solution
Darkbreeze
If you have four slots that are full, then you have four physical modules. Usually, there is a sticker on the modules or something with a model number. With yours being so old though the stickers could be gone by now. My suspicion is that one of the modules has failed. Try using one module only until you find the bad one. Install each module, one at a time, in the slot that says 1, or DDR1 or something similar. Boot each time and verify that the computer is recognizing the memory. When you get to the module that is bad the computer will probably not boot, and will possibly beep at you. If that happens, remove the module, install the remaining 1GB module back into slot 1 and the other modules into slots 2 and 3. I don't believe the old...
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nitay10

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Apr 22, 2014
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2enrrb5.png

fwkbut.jpg


This is what I got...
 
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nitay10

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Apr 22, 2014
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In the second picture in the 'memory module' one of the card of 1GB is missing. It shows that I have 1 GB + 2x256GB.
What could happened to the other 1 GB??
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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Jun 24, 2014
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That's the wrong window. I want the "sensors" window. When you first start HWinfo a box pops up. Check mark next to sensors only and click ok. Then take screenshots of all the sensors listed. You will need to scroll down and take more than one screenshot to get all the sensors. And in CPU-Z I was wrong, you want the SPD tab, not the memory tab.
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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Jun 24, 2014
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Well, for one thing, that system is about ten years old, at least. If you recently bought memory and didn't check with the memory manufacturer before you purchased the memory there is a good chance of the RAM being incompatible.

I can see that there is either no RAM installed in Slot 1 or it's not being recognized. Do you have RAM in all four slots? I'm going to need all your system information including the part numbers for each RAM module. Include at least all of the items in bold.

System information:

http://www.tomshardware.com/faq/id-2299418/obtain-basic-advanced-system-component-information.html
 
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nitay10

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Apr 22, 2014
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You are right! I have this computer since 2004 but it's perfect for me and works fine. I took 2 memory RAM DDR cards of 1GB from another computer and put it in mine.
I have now:
1 GB x2
256 MB x2
So all of the four slots are full. I worked just fine until last week I think. I opened the case and reconnected them but it stayed the same...

How do I get the number of physical modules?

 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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Jun 24, 2014
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176,790
If you have four slots that are full, then you have four physical modules. Usually, there is a sticker on the modules or something with a model number. With yours being so old though the stickers could be gone by now. My suspicion is that one of the modules has failed. Try using one module only until you find the bad one. Install each module, one at a time, in the slot that says 1, or DDR1 or something similar. Boot each time and verify that the computer is recognizing the memory. When you get to the module that is bad the computer will probably not boot, and will possibly beep at you. If that happens, remove the module, install the remaining 1GB module back into slot 1 and the other modules into slots 2 and 3. I don't believe the old DDR1 modules on that board performed in dual channel anyhow so it won't matter about the configuration of the 256mb modules.

If you verify a module that is bad you might as well discard it and find or purchase a replacement module. It would be helpful to have the model numbers of the modules in order to tell you if possibly the failure was due to being run at an incompatible voltage or timing. If all of the modules work, then you have a bad slot on the board.
 
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Solution
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nitay10

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Apr 22, 2014
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Hi there!

So I took out the first 1 GB RAM and when I looked at i closely I saw that it is burnt on the side of it...So I took 1 of 512MB and now everything's fine and I have 2 GB.
What can cause this to happen? Can it possibly happen to the one I replaced instead?

Thanks!
 
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Darkbreeze

Darkbreeze

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Jun 24, 2014
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Of course anything is possible when it comes to electronics. More than likely, it was either not inserted fully/correctly when the system was powered on or it was just a bad module to start with. Sometimes modules feel like they are inserted all the way but are just a little bit out of whack and then when you hit it with voltage, wham, all sorts of different results may happen. Sometimes it does nothing, other times it can kill a motherboard. More than likely it was just a bad or old module.
 
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