[Major Problem] Attempted to add additional RAM, but fail to startup.

hi,
today i decided to add more ram to my computer. i have currently 3.5gb of ram with 4 ram slots. i replaced the 512mb ram with my new 1gb ram. altogether now is 4gb. when i turned the computer on, there was only a black screen.... i waited for 5 minutes but still black screen. i then arranged my rams around the ram slots. Some of my rearranged ram order resulted in the machine to beep several times and sometimes twice only.
can anyone help me? i would like to play my windows with 4gb ram.

thank you

If you have the manual sometimes it tells what 2 beeps means this may lead you to fixing the problem :)

mckillwashere said:

Take out all the sticks of ram and put in only the new stick. Try to turn on your computer your new stick may be dead.

ive done that, it works singlely.

SmurofNeves said:

Might be the speeds.

what do you mean by the speeds?

mckillwashere said:

Yes, smurofneves is right. It very well could be the speed of the ram, or your motherboard may just not hold 4Gb of ram.

how can i find my motherboard info?

duongducminh said:

how can i find my motherboard info?

The Dell tag number on your Dell machine is used to find the PRECISE description about your SPECIFIC MACHINE, on the Dell Support Site for home users.

Just enter one of the main areas, and it will prompt you to be more specific about your machine, either by model or ideally by entering the actual 7-character Dell tag number (which is on the side, bottom, or back of the machine). Everything from there on will be exactly and precisely relevant to your exact particular physical computer purchased from Dell.


Note that as has already been said by others, memory sticks normally should all be of the same "speed" and "timings". For sure, if you have "pairs" of memory sticks that differ in characteristics between the pairs, then they should be inserted into corresponding "every-other-slot pairs" of memory slots, e.g. in 1+3, or in 2+4. Of course if all four sticks are identical (e.g. 4 sticks of 1GB memory purchased together as a "kit") then they can just go in all four slots with no considerations.

Having unusual mismatches in the individual memory sticks you've inserted into the memory slots can definitely confuse the BIOS and cause boot problems. It is normally NEVER a good idea to replace or substitute any individually purchased single memory stick into an environment in which there are already other "matched pairs" of memory sticks in use. Again, the mismatched timings and speeds of these memory cards is going to cause problems.

Finally, sometimes the BIOS can recover from these unexpected mismatches successfully and without a problem. However it will actually "slow down" the overall memory access speed to conform to the slowest memory stick you've inserted. So while you may get the SIZE increase from your new memory, you certainly may have done yourself a disservice in terms of PERFORMANCE... because all of the memory is now running slower, having been slowed down by the BIOS to match your slowest memory stick.

And, at other times, the BIOS simply cannot figure it out... because of the mismatch.


My recommendation is to perhaps consider purchasing a new "kit" of 2 or 4 memory sticks to produce a matched environment, with exactly the right memory which the motherboard in your Dell computer expects... both timings and speeds. Having a "matched set" of memory sticks in timing/speed is ALWAYS the right way to go.

Memory upgrades are normally done by replacing A PAIR OF MEMORY STICKS, not replacing an individual memory stick.

And if you do have different size memory sticks, again you should put them into the machine in alternating memory slot pairs. Two that are one same size should go in slots 1+3, and the other two that are their own same size should go in slots 2+4. Of course this notion may not apply to your particular motherboard and BIOS, and you may well be able to use any slots you want thanks to a "modern BIOS". That's just not the way I've done it in the past, because the machines I've always built or worked on have had this same 1+3 or 2+4 consideration, so I've always just used 4 identical memory sticks, and planted them in all 4 available memory slots... and known I did the right thing which could not possibly not work.

Memory prices are low enough so that you can consider this pairs or kit "solution", and ensure that your Dell machine has been upgraded with correct and compatible and proper memory sticks.


My own 100% regular source for new memory is from Crucial Memory online. I believe they are the largest memory maker there is, and their prices are fantastic. The prices are especially good if you buy a "kit", i.e. 2x1GB or 4x1GB or even larger. This is a terrific way to really upgrade the memory on your machine, as the price is terrific and the results are guaranteed since the new memory sticks are identical.

That link sends you to the "Crucial Memory Advisor Tool" and you will be able to enter Dell and your product/model number, and you will be presented with a list of choices for EXACTLY THE KIND OF MEMORY STICKS which belong in your particular computer.

Crucial also has telephone tech support, and 100% guarantee on your memory purchase. I am a loyal Crucial customer over many years.

That's my suggestion.