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taylor7220

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 14, 2016
5
0
I have a 2010 macbook pro 15 inch icore 7. I bought it used and it was running with only one stick of 2g ram. I bought 2 sticks of 4g ram for it but it wont start when they are installed.

I currently have 3 macbooks and interchanged all the ram sticks between the different macs to make sure the ram was good and it is. No combination of ram over 2g will work. I've tried 2x4gs, 1x4g, 2x2gs all with the same result. The sleep indicator light will come on when I try to turn it on, just a steady light, and the screen stays black. No chime, none of the keyboard commands do anything like holding shift or option ect. If I take all the ram out it gives me the three beeps to indicate no ram.

I have a few times got the macbook to start with the full 8g of ram after reseting smc but its very very rare that it works, and when it does the macbook usually freezes right after login.

I can put just the single stick of 2g ram into either slot and it runs perfectly with no issues.

Does anyone have any idea why more than 2g of ram would cause these issues? I'm usually pretty good at tracking down a solution but this has me completely stumped. Only thing I can think of is a failing logic board but I have never heard of one failing only with more than 2g of ram.

Help?
 

taylor7220

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 14, 2016
5
0
Is the RAM you're fitting definitely 1066MHz?

Yes it's 1066MHz. And like I said I have tried multiple sticks of ram, the new ram I bought as well as the ram out of my other MacBooks. It will run on any 2g stick I have but anything more than that and it has problems.

The sticks of ram are not faulty, and before someone mentions it yes I've pushed them all the way in.
 

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
Yes it's 1066MHz. And like I said I have tried multiple sticks of ram, the new ram I bought as well as the ram out of my other MacBooks. It will run on any 2g stick I have but anything more than that and it has problems.

The sticks of ram are not faulty, and before someone mentions it yes I've pushed them all the way in.

What about the OS? Fully up to date (just on the off chance there's a firmware update)?

Doesn't sound too healthy though...
 

linguist

macrumors member
Mar 31, 2009
91
14
Ideas :

on some iMac system sometimes need 30 seconds or more after installing new RAM to verify it / reconfigure the system.

List of RAM related problem :

more extreme :
broken/warped motherboard.
broken slot.
CPU connection/solder to board is marginal.

less extreme :
BIOS not compatible with the RAM stick.
RAM stick not secured on the slot correctly.
plating / slot pins not making good contact (oxidation film).
RAM rated running voltage is wrong.
differing RAM stick brand might not work together.
electrical interference.
 

taylor7220

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 14, 2016
5
0
I've tried multiple brands of ram even pulling some from my other MacBook Pro. The ram is good.

A single 2g stick of ram will work perfectly in either the top or bottom slot, so both slots are good.

If it's faulty soldering, or logic board, then why wouldn't a single 4g stick work like the single 2g stick?
 

linguist

macrumors member
Mar 31, 2009
91
14
If it's faulty soldering, or logic board, then why wouldn't a single 4g stick work like the single 2g stick?

I don't know the exact explanation especially with so many pins on CPU and interconnection could be anything, this happens on desktop PC , in one case of the CPU pins turns out be be bent, another case is warped motherboard.
 
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