Did I break my computer?
October 11, 2007 1:53 PM Subscribe
MacBook Pro Upgrade Failed: Bad memory or bad user?
This is probably going to be a little long, but please bear with me...
About a week and a half ago I finally received my new 2.4GHz MacBook Pro. I had previously ordered and received a 4GB memory upgrade from Other World Computing [(2) 2GB PC5300 DDR2 667MHz 200 Pin SO-DIMMs]. The shipping on the laptop got delayed, so I ended up receiving the memory about 2 weeks before the computer. Once the computer arrived I opened it up and installed the OWC memory. When I tried to boot up, I got nothing, just a rapidly blinking light on the sleep light indicator. I replaced the original memory, and I still got nothing, so I took it to the Genius bar.
The Apple Genius confirmed that it would not start up, and then tried each of the Apple memory chips in each of the 2 slots, and determined that the bottom slot was bad. He said there was no way to know what caused it (because I had not tried to boot up prior to installing the memory), and that it could have just been DOA, and recommended replacing it. AppleCare agreed and said they would send a replacement laptop.
My replacement laptop arrived yesterday. It booted up just fine, confirming both memory slots were functioning. So today, while trying to be very, very careful, I attempted to upgrade the memory again. I put the OWC memory in as gently as I could, closed up the machine and...blinking lights again. D'oh! So I did what the Genius had done last time, and replaced both Apple chips, still nothing, so I took out the bottom one, and voila, the laptop boots up. Both Apple chips will work in the top slot.
So, although it makes me feel a little sick to ask this...did I break *two* computers? Is there a possibility that the memory from OWC is bad and that caused the problems (this thread made me wonder). I have replaced memory in other computers, and I swear I don't think I tried to shove or cram anything in. Why is the problem only with the bottom bay? And most importantly, what can I do now? I seriously doubt AppleCare will replace the computer a second time, especially since it was working before the attempted upgrade. I'm also not sure what I can do about the OWC memory, b/c after the delay in getting the first laptop, and then the time to get a new one, I seem to be out of the 30-day replacement part of their warranty. And I'm a bit afraid to put the OWC chips back in the laptop for further testing.
Thanks for reading this far. Advice and/or explanations are greatly appreciated.
This is probably going to be a little long, but please bear with me...
About a week and a half ago I finally received my new 2.4GHz MacBook Pro. I had previously ordered and received a 4GB memory upgrade from Other World Computing [(2) 2GB PC5300 DDR2 667MHz 200 Pin SO-DIMMs]. The shipping on the laptop got delayed, so I ended up receiving the memory about 2 weeks before the computer. Once the computer arrived I opened it up and installed the OWC memory. When I tried to boot up, I got nothing, just a rapidly blinking light on the sleep light indicator. I replaced the original memory, and I still got nothing, so I took it to the Genius bar.
The Apple Genius confirmed that it would not start up, and then tried each of the Apple memory chips in each of the 2 slots, and determined that the bottom slot was bad. He said there was no way to know what caused it (because I had not tried to boot up prior to installing the memory), and that it could have just been DOA, and recommended replacing it. AppleCare agreed and said they would send a replacement laptop.
My replacement laptop arrived yesterday. It booted up just fine, confirming both memory slots were functioning. So today, while trying to be very, very careful, I attempted to upgrade the memory again. I put the OWC memory in as gently as I could, closed up the machine and...blinking lights again. D'oh! So I did what the Genius had done last time, and replaced both Apple chips, still nothing, so I took out the bottom one, and voila, the laptop boots up. Both Apple chips will work in the top slot.
So, although it makes me feel a little sick to ask this...did I break *two* computers? Is there a possibility that the memory from OWC is bad and that caused the problems (this thread made me wonder). I have replaced memory in other computers, and I swear I don't think I tried to shove or cram anything in. Why is the problem only with the bottom bay? And most importantly, what can I do now? I seriously doubt AppleCare will replace the computer a second time, especially since it was working before the attempted upgrade. I'm also not sure what I can do about the OWC memory, b/c after the delay in getting the first laptop, and then the time to get a new one, I seem to be out of the 30-day replacement part of their warranty. And I'm a bit afraid to put the OWC chips back in the laptop for further testing.
Thanks for reading this far. Advice and/or explanations are greatly appreciated.
Sorry, didnt read carefully. If the stock ram doesn't work either, its probably the memory chips destroying the MBP.
posted by mphuie at 2:10 PM on October 11, 2007
posted by mphuie at 2:10 PM on October 11, 2007
New MBPs support up to 4GB of RAM; FWIW.
Send the RAM back if you're at all unsure about it.
posted by heeeraldo at 2:15 PM on October 11, 2007
Send the RAM back if you're at all unsure about it.
posted by heeeraldo at 2:15 PM on October 11, 2007
that should have been a comma, not a semi-colon. Whoops.
posted by heeeraldo at 2:16 PM on October 11, 2007
posted by heeeraldo at 2:16 PM on October 11, 2007
my vote is for bad OWC RAM...
posted by hummercash at 4:12 PM on October 11, 2007
posted by hummercash at 4:12 PM on October 11, 2007
He said there was no way to know what caused it...
The results you experienced can't prove the damage was caused by your RAM, but it sure seems likely. Ditch those sticks of RAM for replacements.
Apple only knows what you tell them and what they can deduce. You told the Genius that you installed third party RAM, and he wasn't able to pin the blame on the RAM. But knowledge of your repeatable experiment would likely oblige him to deny a repair under warranty.
You can probably get it repaired under warranty if you don't provide them with reason to deny it. This puts you in a bit of a grey area. On the one hand, it seems likely that third party RAM caused the problem, and that is not covered under warranty. On the other hand, you would simply be playing the same game that Apple plays when they deny warranty because, "We found a dent, you must have dropped your computer."
Just put the Apple RAM back in and call AppleCare for service. Don't mention third party memory, just describe your problem: sleep light blinks and computer won't boot. Don't go back to the the Genius Bar, have them send a box for shipping your computer.
posted by colgate at 4:36 PM on October 11, 2007
The results you experienced can't prove the damage was caused by your RAM, but it sure seems likely. Ditch those sticks of RAM for replacements.
Apple only knows what you tell them and what they can deduce. You told the Genius that you installed third party RAM, and he wasn't able to pin the blame on the RAM. But knowledge of your repeatable experiment would likely oblige him to deny a repair under warranty.
You can probably get it repaired under warranty if you don't provide them with reason to deny it. This puts you in a bit of a grey area. On the one hand, it seems likely that third party RAM caused the problem, and that is not covered under warranty. On the other hand, you would simply be playing the same game that Apple plays when they deny warranty because, "We found a dent, you must have dropped your computer."
Just put the Apple RAM back in and call AppleCare for service. Don't mention third party memory, just describe your problem: sleep light blinks and computer won't boot. Don't go back to the the Genius Bar, have them send a box for shipping your computer.
posted by colgate at 4:36 PM on October 11, 2007
If Apple says they won't replace it a second time, I'd definitely drop this in OWC's lap. They must have some sort of warranty.
posted by pmbuko at 6:46 PM on October 11, 2007
posted by pmbuko at 6:46 PM on October 11, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mphuie at 2:08 PM on October 11, 2007