PowerMac G4 Ram issues....HELP!!

Jesse714

Jesse714

Tech In Training
Okay so i have a powermac G4, i just bought 2 512 sticks of PC 133 ram made for it, my computer isnt recognizing it at all, if i take out the original 128mb stick, and leave my gig in there, then when i push the power button i hear the ram chime error, if i stick the 128 back IN with the 512, then it boots up, but it wont recognize the ram, i have tried a PMU reset, NVRAM, PRAM, im really lost here...Anybody know whats going on?
thanks
 
Sounds like you have the wrong type of RAM.

Which exact model of PowerMac G4 do you have? If it's the Yikes! version (PCI graphics), then you cannot use a stick of RAM that is larger than 256MB, and the RAM cannot be "high density" RAM.

What are the exact specifications of the RAM you have?
 
Im not exactly sure what model it is, I dont know how to dell, i got my my buddy the MDD, and then i ended up wanting to buy one on top of my powerbook. this is the best way i could explain it, 128mb of ram came with it, 533ghz processor, its kindof like a navy shade of blue, ati rage 128 pro graphics card, and when i went to crucial, it said my computer has a max of 1.5 gigs, with 512mb per slot, which makes sense, the ram i got is pc 133 184pin, which is exactly what the 128mb stick says, but when i did a PMU reset, so it recognizes it, but if i restart it, it does the same thing.... ?
 
I believe that's the "Digital Audio" or "Gig Ethernet" model of G4, both of which are really similar in terms of specifications.

It does sound like you got the correct RAM -- but certain computers were notoriously picky about the quality of RAM they would accept. If you have another PC-133 512MB stick laying around (or even a 256MB stick -- anything other than the 128 or the 512s) to test with, that would be ideal.
 
ok eldiablo, i took a 256mb stick out of an older dell 2100, and that works, so i read somewhere about a firmware update for the powermac's and after the update third party ram will no longer work, where can i get ram for my powermac that i know will work? i just didnt want to spend the 100 bucks it was to get the same thing i got for 30 off craigslist, so would the micron ram from crucial work? im just going to be pissed if i spend 100 dollars on something that isnt going to work
 
and also what doesnt make sense to me, if i keep the gig that i have in there, and put the 128 or 256 it will start up, and usually if the ram isnt compatible the powermacs wont boot up, it will power on but the screen usually doesnt turn on, and if i take the 256 stick out, and leave the gig in i hear the ram error chime
 
Jesse714 said:
Im not exactly sure what model it is, I dont know how to dell, i got my my buddy the MDD, and then i ended up wanting to buy one on top of my powerbook. this is the best way i could explain it, 128mb of ram came with it, 533ghz processor, its kindof like a navy shade of blue, ati rage 128 pro graphics card, and when i went to crucial, it said my computer has a max of 1.5 gigs, with 512mb per slot, which makes sense, the ram i got is pc 133 184pin, which is exactly what the 128mb stick says, but when i did a PMU reset, so it recognizes it, but if i restart it, it does the same thing.... ?
Click to expand...

Some of those G4 towers are picky about RAM placement. You need to have a chip where that 128MB chip came from. Move one of the 512 chips into that slot and leave a 512 in the middle slot. Hopefully it will cooperate.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top