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Computer memory upgrade

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PAUL161

PAUL161

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My desktop, a Dell Optiplex 960 has 4 memory ports, trying to upgrade memory, I bought 2 more memory cards and plugged them in to the other ports and the computer screen would not come on. Pulled the cards out and the screen appeared. Any clues? PJ

Oh yeah, they are for a Dell Optiplex 960 computer. Why are the locks two different colors? Arrows.

View attachment 52274
 
What happens if you just install the two new ones?
I don't know anything about a 960, but some motherboards will accept more than one kind of memory, only if it is all the same. Perhaps your new memory, while correct for a 960, is not the same as what you had.

Another possibility is the power supply can't carry the extra memory. One of the reasons I quit buying Dells (long ago when I ran an IT department) was their habit of making everything just barely adequate for the configuration you ordered. The final straw was hard drive cables so tight that just picking up the box would pull them from the socket!
 
Not sure of the specific board config, but; On the board, near the sockets there should be designators like: "DIMM-1, DIMM-2, DIMM-3, DIMM-4" screen printed. The RAM boards MUST all match, both in capacity and speed for it to be compatible. With a no boot condition, there's got to be a mismatch somehow.

Randall said:
The final straw was hard drive cables so tight that just picking up the box would pull them from the socket!
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Had the same experience with 'em as SATA became the 'soup du jour'. Even if we'd just move a desktop machine from one desk to another and it would refuse to find the HD. After the first one, it became routine to pull the side off and check the drive connectors before power up. PITA!
 
I pulled the original memory cards out, installed the new ones and the machine wouldn't boot up. Not sure why but I put it back as before. New cards are seemingly identical to the originals, but won't work. Made in Korea with seemingly the correct numbers. Bought from Newegg, never had a problem with their stuff before. PJ
 
NutmegCT said:
Paul, the Optiplex 960 uses DDR2 Synch DRAM Non-ECC Memory. See page 12:

https://www.dell.com/downloads/glob...sktop-optiplex-960-technical-guidebook-en.pdf

Did you buy and add two DDR2 Synch DRAM Non-ECC Memory cards to the empty slots, and leave the old memory in place?

Tom M.
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Yes I did Tom, had all the slots full, but are the new ones exactly the same from your question, not sure now. My computer is the DM model and upgraded with a 1 terabyte HD. I thought the bigger HD might be the problem, but it's fine, no problem there. I'll check the new boards and see what it says on them. They are advertised as being for a Dell Optiplex 960, but who knows. Thanks for getting back Tom, I'll look into it deeper and will get back. PJ
 
Ok, the modules they sent me for the Optiplex 960 are--2gb DDR2 LD 800mhz 2RX8. No indication of Non ECC. Their not compatible. PJ
 
PAUL161 said:
I pulled the original memory cards out, installed the new ones and the machine wouldn't boot up. Not sure why but I put it back as before. New cards are seemingly identical to the originals, but won't work. Made in Korea with seemingly the correct numbers. Bought from Newegg, never had a problem with their stuff before. PJ
Click to expand...
Most likely either wrong or defective, then. To see which it is, you could try pairing each one of the new cards with one of the old ones and see if either pair will boot. If neither one will, most likely they are simply wrong. But if one pair works, pretty clearly the other one is bad.
 
Randall, I just ordered a pair of these, DDR2-6400. CL=6 unbuffered. NON ECC.DDR2-800.18V. 128megx6. Same as the factory ones in it now. Should be here in a couple days. PJ
 
Got my fingers crossed for ya, Paul. But you've likely got it handled.
 
DrEntropy said:
Got my fingers crossed for ya, Paul. But you've likely got it handled.
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Thanks Doc, I have high hopes since I got the numbers from Dell. But you never know.

How's the weather down there? Ok rub it in! :highly_amused: Were getting freezing rain, thought we would get that white stuff since the temps haven't got above 27 degrees today. :rolleyes2:
 
EYOWWW!

Sittin' in the garage just now, door up, sippin' a cold CAB with the temp at 84*F outside! Bit chilly this AM, someplace down around 68*F. I had to wear a T-shirt under my Tommy Bahama. :smirk:

Went out today with a pal to look at the progress on his mainly rust free 1964 Mustang coupe. He decided to have it done by a local shop specialising with Mustang/Cougar/Falcon chassis cars. We scoped 'em out a month or so ago, Great work, priced fairly. Car is being "resto-modded" from a 200CID six-thumper, to a 289. All new interior, panel and paint work. The thing was stored in a barn most of its life in Tennessee, looks like it's five years old structurally.

EDIT: The State Fair is now going on day three here, some poor sod is flying around in an old tail-dragger (looks like a Cessna), hauling a banner around the fairgrounds. Guy's gotta have cast iron *****! His down-wind run has him firewallin' the throttle, constantly changing it. He's been up there for the better part of an hour. The fairground is a few hundred yards north of th' hovel so I hear that nutgrinder changing RPM constantly. Hope he's paid "hazardous duty" scale! If it has a stall buzzer, he should have ripped it out by now.

download.jpg
 
Cessna 120! That's got some history behind it.

BTBW.jpg
 
DavidApp said:
It is possible that I have been towed by that Cessna long ago.

David
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Might be if you were in the UK. That's a british registration number I believe. PJ
 
PAUL161 said:
Might be if you were in the UK. That's a british registration number I believe. PJ
Click to expand...

I was thinking along the same lines; the pilot needs hazard duty for towing downwind, double for flying across the pond!!
 
DrEntropy said:
Got my fingers crossed for ya, Paul. But you've likely got it handled.
Click to expand...

Doc, Got the new cards installed and now I have 8 gig instead of 4! Love it, wish I could hook up a pair for my memory! :excitement:
 
G-BTBW is located in the area where I did most of my gliding. Seem to remember one of our tow planes did not have an electric starter so ot had to be hand started. May have been the Tiger Moth.

David
 
PAUL161 said:
Doc, Got the new cards installed and now I have 8 gig instead of 4! Love it, wish I could hook up a pair for my memory! :excitement:
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Glad it works, I wish the same! I can set down a tool or 'thingie' one minute, and spend the next thirty hunting it. Eight gig is HOT! Is this in your Linux box?
 
DrEntropy said:
Glad it works, I wish the same! I can set down a tool or 'thingie' one minute, and spend the next thirty hunting it. Eight gig is HOT! Is this in your Linux box?
Click to expand...

Yes it is. Wish I had done this a long time ago! :encouragement:
 
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