I reseated one of two RAM cards and now my computer only reads one

[DrVonSamuel]

Hi everyone,

This is similar to the thread on reseating RAM with a result of the computer not responding AT ALL, but it is qualitatively different in that my computer still responds.

My laptop had 4 GB RAM (2 x 2 GB). I briefly removed one, just to get a feel for what installing new RAM cards would be like. I put it right back within a few minutes. It clicked into place, and I can vouch for there not having been any static electricity discharged.

Now, when I turn my computer on, it only reads 2 GB RAM.

Is there any way to "tell" the computer to read the RAM? I am hesitant about clearing my CMOS because I bought my computer refurbished so I wouldn't know what the factory settings are. Clearing CMOS might revert to default settings from a time when many of the laptop's hardware components were not yet installed.

Any help or suggestions would be most greatly appreciated!

 

[DelJo63]

Hopefully we all know enough to power-off before inserting or extracting anything!!

 

[Mark Fuller]

You can take the ram out you took out initially and see if the computer boots up ok. Then shut it down and take out the known good ram(if it booted up ok) and put it in the slot you took the other one out of. If it fails to boot up then, you have an issue with a bad slot on the motherboard. If it boots up ok, then clean the contacts of the ram put it back in and see if the pc will boot up and read all of the ram. If it won't boot up and read all ram then you have an issue with a bad ram. This is a standard ram troubleshooting procedure. BTW, I don't know how old the pc is but ram contacts need to be periodically cleaned of oxidation or maybe fingerprint contamination.