Replacing ram problem

Live at Three

Acer aspire 5250

I opened my laptop to fix a hinge which was coming apart. I used an identical laptop to take spare screws etc from.

I got the hinge fixed, but noticed I had a spare ram slot, so added the 4gB ram card into this from the spare laptop, resulting in 8gb total.

When I started up, it wouldn't work, screen was blank and fan spinning. I removed the extra card and went back to the old 1, and laptop started fine.

Here is where I should have stopped...but...

I tried again with the extra card in the spare slot, after a bit of googling and reading that the acer aspire 5250 could take a max of 8gb. Didnt work, but now the single card doesnt work, won't restart. Im getting blank screen, fan spinning and 3 long beeps followed by 2 quick ones, I can't find a translation of this particular code after looking at some lists, but I believe it's to do with Ram. Incidentally it's the same signal I get when starting up with no ram at all.

Have I ruined my computer? Why doesn't the old ram work anymore? I may have forgotten to take the battery out every time I messed with the cards, would this damage both cards, or slots somehow?

Thanks

Live at Three

Update:

I got this working again, after several attempts I found that I wasn't pushing the card in far enough, it went in with a bit more force than O thought it needed (my first time doing all this)

Is there any harm in trying the spare 4gb card from the old laptop in this, if google tells me it can take up to 8gb? Or will I leave well enough alone?

Thanks

FanadMan

Have you used the correct type of ram module? Can't safely mix ram types.

Live at Three

FanadMan wrote: »

Have you used the correct type of ram module? Can't safely mix ram types.

Both ram modules look exactly the same. Same make and spec, just different long numbers. They came from almost identical laptops that were bought around the same time.

Have the laptop working now with the old configuration, but curious to know if upgrading ram is as simple as just adding and extra 4gb more of ram into the empty slot?

FanadMan

Normally it is, just slot in new module and away you go. Have you tried original module in second slot? Or new one in the first slot?
Could be a dodgy slot or module.
BTW, that beep code is memory error so either they weren't inserted properly or the new one is faulty.

Live at Three

FanadMan wrote: »

Normally it is, just slot in new module and away you go. Have you tried original module in second slot? Or new one in the first slot?
Could be a dodgy slot or module.
BTW, that beep code is memory error so either they weren't inserted properly or the new one is faulty.

Cool, I'll try it again tomorrow. I think the modules slot in with a little more pressure than I was giving it first time, I'm not used to changing them.

Johnboy1951

I would first try the new module on its own, in both slots to ensure the laptop is happy with it. If ok then add the original module to see if you get the full RAM.
You should check in BIOS when it gets that far.

Live at Three

Johnboy1951 wrote: »

I would first try the new module on its own, in both slots to ensure the laptop is happy with it. If ok then add the original module to see if you get the full RAM.
You should check in BIOS when it gets that far.

Will do. Thanks

jca

Be no harm to check the Acer site if a newer bios is available.

degsie

sugarman wrote: »

That should have absolutely no baring on upgrading the RAM and I wouldn't advise it to the OP who (No offense) is having a hard enough time as it is inserting sticks of RAM. Upgrading the BIOS can be messy and potentially risky for anyone whos in the know, never mind a novice.

You see a lot of scaremongering like this when it comes to updating BIOS. 'Anyone who is in the know' should be aware that there are security implications if you decide not to upgrade bios, given the revelations of the recent Meltdown and Spectre flaws.

Live at Three

Trying the second ram module in the empty slot and getting black screen and fan spinning. Works fine when I take it back out and just leave the original.
Maybe I should leave well enough alone.

FanadMan

Sounds like it is faulty. Try your nearest CEX (or online) - they might have another one and they're quite cheap.

degsie

sugarman wrote: »

:rolleyes: You know what I was getting at. It was bad advice for the OP and wouldnt solve their problem anyway and if ever there was any scare mongering its Meltdown and Spectre!

How can you be so sure that a newer bios wouldn't fix the problem? Maybe there are modified memory parameters that allows a wider range of compatible memory modules.

Bad advise comes in many forms. Putting people off the idea of updating bios is one of them, in my books anyway.

FanadMan

degsie wrote:

How can you be so sure that a newer bios wouldn't fix the problem? Maybe there are modified memory parameters that allows a wider range of compatible memory modules.

Bad advise comes in many forms. Putting people off the idea of updating bios is one of them, in my books anyway.

I've personally never come across a case where updating bios made a ram upgrade work but that's nothing in the grand scheme of things lol.

It may work for the OP but if they're not confident enough to do it then you know yourself that if it goes wrong, it'll be even harder to sort out. I always update the bios on all my machines and the ones I work on but that's just me.

jca

Go to the crucial website and run the scan utility, that will tell you what type of memory is compatible with your machine. You can then check the figures on the extra ram I'd say it isn't compatible with your motherboard.