Resolved RAM vanished!

[zmunkz]

Hello, I was hoping for some feedback on how you guys might try to solve this...

I have a 2008 Mac Pro with 10GB of ram. Its been running nicely for the last half decade, until recently. 2 weeks ago my main HDD kicked the bucket, so I had to get a new drive and restore the system from time machine. I was eventually successful (although I can no longer reboot without holding down OPTION), except I noticed the machine now tells me only 6GB of RAM is installed. I have not touched the RAM nor changed anything except the Bay-1 HDD.

Is this how RAM fails? I was under the impression bad ram would lead to system crashes and so forth, not that it would just vanish. Any thoughts on what I should try?

Thx in advance!

 

[Macsonic]

Hello, I was hoping for some feedback on how you guys might try to solve this...

I have a 2008 Mac Pro with 10GB of ram. Its been running nicely for the last half decade, until recently. 2 weeks ago my main HDD kicked the bucket, so I had to get a new drive and restore the system from time machine. I was eventually successful (although I can no longer reboot without holding down OPTION), except I noticed the machine now tells me only 6GB of RAM is installed. I have not touched the RAM nor changed anything except the Bay-1 HDD.

Is this how RAM fails? I was under the impression bad ram would lead to system crashes and so forth, not that it would just vanish. Any thoughts on what I should try?

Thx in advance!

Hi Zmunkz You can you try removing the ram, cleaning them, and cleaning the slots and riser cards then reinstalling the ram. 2006-2008 Mac Pros sometimes exhibit those ram behaviors.

 

[Gav Mack]

Hello, I was hoping for some feedback on how you guys might try to solve this...

I have a 2008 Mac Pro with 10GB of ram. Its been running nicely for the last half decade, until recently. 2 weeks ago my main HDD kicked the bucket, so I had to get a new drive and restore the system from time machine. I was eventually successful (although I can no longer reboot without holding down OPTION), except I noticed the machine now tells me only 6GB of RAM is installed. I have not touched the RAM nor changed anything except the Bay-1 HDD.

Is this how RAM fails? I was under the impression bad ram would lead to system crashes and so forth, not that it would just vanish. Any thoughts on what I should try?

Thx in advance!

Yep that's how it fails sometimes but odds less in your case with what you've done. Open the case, ground yourself to avoid static and carefully remove the ram carriers then the memory itself. use a can of compressed air to clean out the slots on the carrier and slot on the logic board then replace in the same order they were installed. The carriers stick up a bit on a 3,1 so could have been dislodged by brushing the tops or even moving the case about.

Fingers crossed you have 10Gb after else it's hunting for a used set on eBay!

 

[zmunkz]

Thanks!

It worked!

I removed each tray, and each stick one by one, used compressed air to remove the dust, put it all back together, and now I have 10GB again.

Thanks guys!