G5 Will Not Read Ram in Outer Slots

[Charles218]

I just purchased new ram to add to my 1.6hz G5, it has four dimm slots. I am aware of the pairing and slot requirements and believe that all is well there. I added the new ram to the two outside slots, these are numbered 2 and 3 by Apple and the original ram is in slots 0 and 1. The new ram was not recognized. I then swapped and put the new ram in slots 0 and 1, the old in 2 and 3, and the new ram was recognized but not the old ram. It appears that it does not recognize ram in slots 2 and 3, how do I get this to work?

[VirtualTracy]

It appears that the RAM is fine, and the issue relates to slots 2 and 3. I take it that you have a 1GB module in each slot which would be the max for your G5 (AFAIK).

All I can really think of is that the RAM may not be seated properly in slots 2/3 .... I had a similar problem when I added RAM and that was what it boiled down to in the end. When you put the RAM into those slots, really make sure they are in as far as possible and visually they look as seated as the modules in slots 0/1.

[DICKSTER]

Virtual tracey is correct you have exceeded the ram amount capabilty of your sys. I have 1gb in one slot 512 mb in two slots and a 4th 512 mb in last slot; my read out shows the last slot as empty.; because i have exceeded the 2 gb my system can handle.
Dickster------------------------------------------------

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Originally Posted by DICKSTER

...because i have exceeded the 2 gb my system can handle.

The PowerMac G5 1.6GHz machine can handle up to 4GB of RAM -- if you have a PowerMac G5 1.6GHz machine and you can only "see" 2GB of RAM even if you have installed more than that, then something is incorrect and could be one of the following:

- The RAM is installed incorrectly (matching, placement, insertion, etc.)
- The RAM is of the wrong type
- The RAM sticks are incompatible with each other
- The RAM sticks are of different and incompatible speed grades
- The RAM sticks are faulty/broken/bad

[Charles218]

I've been away for a couple of days and could not reply. First, I started with two 512's in the inner two slots. I added the two new 1 gig dimms to the outer slots, they did not work. Then moved the new ones to the inner slots, old ones to the outer slots. Whichever ram I have in the inner slots work, those in the outer slots don't work. So all of ram is okay, the problem is in the slots. I should have 3 gigs showing up but only have 2. It may be that the slots are dusty, the computer is four years old and those slots have been sitting there unused collecting dust. I will try cleaning them with compressed air or I had one fellow suggest using a folded business to clean out the slots.

[DeltaMac]

The contacts in the memory slot are self-cleaning. It won't hurt to blow or brush any dust out, but the contacts themselves are cleaned simply by reseating the RAM cards. I think you still have a seating issue. Try again to swap the pairs between the slots. Try this:
Eject the memory cards. Make sure that the memory ejector levers are fully 'out', then firmly seat each memory card until the card causes the levers to 'snap' back into place against the ends of each memory card. Apply extra pressure on that end if one lever does not snap back easily.
You should try this 2 or three times again.
You have a hardware test on the original restore disk that came with your G5. It will be on disk #1, with simple instructions on the label of the disk, telling you how to boot to that test. Run the extended test, which may verify that you have a problem with the slots.

[Kees Buijs]

You can try using ONLY slot 2 and 3. If it is a max capacity issue, the meomry should work fine. If the mac does not work at all, one of the slot is bad. It doesnot seems to be bad memory.


Good luck, Kees