iBook Clamshell - Only Detecting 64MB of 512MB RAM Stick?

[rjkucia]

I just installed a 512MB RAM stick from OWC into my clamshell iBook. However, in Apple System Profiler, it's only showing the stick as 64MB (plus the 64MB built-in to the logic board, so 128MB total). I'm running Mac OS 9.2.2.

Normally I'd assume that I got a mislabeled part, but since I assume OWC is relatively trustworthy, could there be another cause that I'm overlooking or not aware of? Thanks in advance!

 

[retr01]

Try reseating the RAM module and resetting PRAM. I remember my service manager at an Apple dealer would go bonkers when he had to reseat RAM SIMMs.

 

[rjkucia]

I checked the RAM, and OWC's label matches what I ordered. I looked at the individual chips, which are labelled as 48lc32m16a2. There are 8 of them. From googling these are 512Mb chips, so 8 of them would make 512MB.

I reseated the RAM, no difference. I did not try to manually reset the PRAM, but the iBook doesn't have a battery so that shouldn't be necessary (unless I'm confusing PRAM with something else).

 

[retr01]

I checked the RAM, and OWC's label matches what I ordered. I looked at the individual chips, which are labelled as 48lc32m16a2. There are 8 of them. From googling these are 512Mb chips, so 8 of them would make 512MB.

I reseated the RAM, no difference. I did not try to manually reset the PRAM, but the iBook doesn't have a battery so that shouldn't be necessary (unless I'm confusing PRAM with something else).

Since there is no PRAM battery, removing the main battery and leaving it out for a few minutes would reset PRAM. Check OWC Support to make sure the RAM is good.

I remember I saw somewhere in a forum that discussed this issue. I tried looking, and I couldn't find it. I am sure this is an issue that some folks face.

 

[rjkucia]

To clarify - I don't have a main system battery either, so PRAM should reset whenever I unplug it.

 

[retr01]

Hmmm. I think there is a solution to the problem you are having. If only I could find information that I saw before. Dang.

 

[3lectr1c]

With things like this, you could always have a hardware failure as well. Clamshells are old. The onboard RAM on my Blueberry isn't recognized. Some issue could just be preventing the board from seeing all the RAM.

Do you have another system to try the RAM in?

 

[rjkucia]

With things like this, you could always have a hardware failure as well. Clamshells are old. The onboard RAM on my Blueberry isn't recognized. Some issue could just be preventing the board from seeing all the RAM.

Do you have another system to try the RAM in?

I do not - the closest is my PowerBook G4, which takes DDR.

 

[rjkucia]

I reached out to OWC, and here's what they suggested:

Thank you! You can try cleaning the contact pins. To do that you can use a rubber eraser to buff the contact pins. Then after that take a small amount of isopropyl alcohol on a Q-tip and run that over the pins to finish cleaning them. That can help clean any potential resin residue that may be left from manufacturing, which can cause it to not function properly.

You're welcome! Also you can try a pram reset:

a. During boot press and hold Option-Apple (command)-P-R.

b. Hold for three boot chimes. It does take a bit. The third chime should normally be done within 30 seconds.

c. Release the keys and let it restart as normal.

I tried both these things (not the rubber eraser, as I couldn't find one at home, but everything else), as well as trying to clean the iBook's pins, but it's still only reading the stick as 64MB.

I'm not sure if I'll actually pursue this any further, as 128MB seems okay-ish enough for OS 9, and I have no way of knowing the stick is actually the issue versus the iBook. But, if someone else has any other suggestions, let me know and I'll give it a go!

 

[rjkucia]

Very delayed response here, but I finally got around to trying Deoxit on the RAM & slot to see if that helped, but no dice.

 

[KingDingus]

I received bad RAM from OWC but didn’t initiate a return because the time and effort wasn’t worth it. Ordered a new stick and it worked fine.

Not sure if that helps, but it’s certainly possible you got a bad stick.

 

[3lectr1c]

Can you post an image of the RAM, with the characters on the chips visible? You can look up the part number to verify the capacity.

 

[rjkucia]

Can you post an image of the RAM, with the characters on the chips visible? You can look up the part number to verify the capacity.

Unfortunately the characters were blocked out. Chip part number appears to be 48lc32m16a2, which from googling appears to be a 512megabit chip. So 8 of those would give the correct amount of 512MB.

 

[3lectr1c]

Ok so yeah your clamshell board probably has an issue then

 

[rjkucia]

I was able to test with a different clamshell, and the RAM still shows up as 64MB. Seems like it's most likely a bad stick, although this is the first time I've seen this exact issue. I've contacted OWC to ask for a replacement.

 

[rjkucia]

Got a replacement from OWC, and this one works perfectly. Guess it was just a bad stick!

 

[KingDingus]

Got a replacement from OWC, and this one works perfectly. Guess it was just a bad stick!

I'm about to order another stick for Pismo from OWC soon. Seems to be contributing to machine randomly freezing.