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Customer Service Home / Knowledge base / Technical Support / Memory

RAM: Troubleshooting Tips

Created on: March 16, 2015
Last updated: April 19, 2022

Problem

The Mac will not start up / it exhibits a beeping sound after startup with new memory (or RAM) modules installed.

Solution

If you're having trouble getting your Mac to run normally after installing new RAM, there are several things you can do to remedy the problem:

 

1) Make sure the RAM modules are fully seated in the correct orientation for each slot. This is the most common reason new modules fail to register after starting the computer. If any one module is partially seated on one or both ends, this can cause the computer to beep or not boot at all, or exhibit other unusual behaviors. IMPORTANT: You will need to shut down your computer, then disconnect the power cable and any powered devices which are connected, before working inside your computer! If you have not done so yet, please refer to your owner's manual to see Apple's recommendations for working with memory or RAM modules.

When you're ready to proceed, you can then check our installation videos to see if your specific Mac is covered (most are).
http://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/

Generally you should be able to seat the modules fully without forcing them into their respective slots. IMPORTANT:  You should not need to put a lot of force on a RAM module in order to seat it. If it feels like you're having to apply a substantial amount of force, it is best to stop, remove the module, and re-assess the process before trying again. Attempting to force a RAM module into its slot could damage the computer, the RAM module, or both.


2)  If the modules are all properly seated and the computer is still not starting up or registering all of the RAM capacity available after starting up, try restarting the Mac to see if that makes a difference. Some people reset the Mac's NVRAM / PRAM instead; this can help, but it is the restarting of the computer itself that will impact the RAM setup, not the functions managed by the NVRAM / PRAM.


3) For Intel systems the next step (if reseating and restarting do not help) is to try resetting the System Management Controller (SMC). While the SMC does not directly manage RAM-related functions, sometimes the systems it does manage can affect performance, giving the impression there may be something wrong with the RAM. The article below describes the SMC reset process.
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295


4) Sometimes the methods above will not resolve the issue because a thin coating of resin remains on the metallic "contacts" from the manufacturing process. The contacts are the bronze- or gold-colored material along the bottom of the chip that resemble piano keys. Luckily this problem is easily resolved. Follow the steps below to perform a contact cleaning.

  1. Shut down the computer and then disconnect the power cable and any powered devices that are connected.
  2. Remove the RAM modules and set them aside for a moment. 
  3. Using 90% isopropyl alcohol and clean cotton swaps, dampen the end of a swab with alcohol (it doesn't need to be dripping).
  4. Gently brush the contacts on both sides of each module with one of the dampened swabs. 
  5. Let the modules dry fully for a couple of minutes before reseating them into your Mac.
  6. Close up the computer, reconnect the power and then restart the computer.

 
5)   Another diagnostic option is to run the Apple Hardware Test (or AHT) on your Mac. For more information on how to run this (sometimes lengthy) battery of tests, please see the link below.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201257


6)  If none of the first four methods resolve the issue, and the AHT test does not result in any RAM module errors, but your computer still will not power up properly or still beeps during startup, please contact our Technical Support Team.