have dell inspiron 6000 and installed 2gb of memory, replacing 512mb that came with the laptop. when i restarted, black screen with white print said it detected new memory and choice of f1 or f2. chose f1, "continue," and computer seems to run faster except when using internet which i suppose is more a function of my dsl speed and not my memory. really do not know.
f2, if i recall correctly, was to establish some kind of setting. figured choosing f1--continue--was the easy way out. should i have or should i now reset my computer to tell it something re the 2gb just installed?
You should be reading close to 2 GB. It sounds like one of them isn't seated properly and only one got detected.
Usually if a module is bad, the computer won't boot and you'll get an error screen.
retraced the steps and re-installed the 2-1gb memory chips. turned on computer, a little symbol next to the caps symbol flickered, went off and computer would not start. the little symbol has an "A."
reversed chips in slots, tried again and comp would not start. it is as if there is no juice flowing into the computer. checked all connections and all attached with green lite lit on the power plug black box.
Have you tried each of the 2 sticks by themselves and then one of them in each of the two slots? Maybe one of the two stick is no good or one of the slots is damaged.
yes. i got the memory from crucial and they have a short online video on how to do the job. followed instructions each time. i do not use the battery because i use the laptop about 95% at home and travel little nowadays. hence, i disconnect the power cord, prss the power button on the laptop anyway, then open it up to fool with the chips.
i cannot think of anything different i did re-checking the seating of the chips from what i did when i first installed them.
did not notice triple6 last nite. removed one chip, then tried to start with the one chip, no dice. moved it to the other slot, noticed that it seemed to go deeper into the slot and i could not see any of the "teeth" and the computer started. guess i had both in the slots but not fully or correctly seated.
should i count my blessings and just continue with the one chip or should i try to re-insert the other chip to see if i can fully seat that one. feel i can play with it, but had better ask first lest i get too "greedy" with my new-found discovery.
I think that was the problem. You didn't have one or both modules fully seated in their slot. Insert them BOTH and make sure they're fully seated. The row of gold pins shouldn't be exposed.
just to be sure, as long as i keep the one that is working perfectly now in its slot, the laptop will start even if i put in the other and fuss with it until properties tell be i have 2GB memory. the old once burned, twice . . . !
To answer your first question about using the old memory in your desktop. No.
The laptop is 200 pin and the desktop takes 184 pin.
To answer your second question about fiddling with the second slot. Maybe.
If the memory stick is bad or the socket is bad, it could prevent the laptop from booting when it's fully seated.
thanks for your help on the desktop. re the laptop, if i leave the one working now in its slot, fuss with the other in the possibly bad slot, try to restart computer and it does not, then if i remove the usage of the bad chip/slot, it seems the working slot will enable startup just as it does now. or is it possible that the bad chip/slot will cause something to happen that can not be corrected easily?
That's a tough call. A bad memory stick can possibly damage the computer. Usually if it's physically damaged, such as a broken contact that can arc. Look it over good for any damage on the pins.
By the same token a bad slot can fry a perfectly good memory stick, so I'd be hesitant to plug the known good stick into it.
Odds are it simply wasn't seated, but....
I think you could try the old 512 stick that you know is good in the second slot.
Just be sure the slot is clean and free of dust. If there's never been memory in it, it could be that simple. Empty slots are like magnets for crud.
thanks for all the help and ideas. i tried the 1GB again, this time wiggling it and trying to make it go into the slot the same way the other did. had to apply a little pressure, but it popped in, i am sending this on the laptop, and the computer properties tell me that i have 1.99GB of RAM.
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