Powerbook G4 15in 1.5GHz Dead Lower Ram Slot

My Powerbook G4 has a bad lower Ram slot, but the problem is intermittant. If I put both 512mb ram in and start up, sometimes I get the 3 beebs and sometimes it will boot and show a full 1gb ram but locks up moments later.
I've been running on 512mb and it is not fun!
I can not afford a new logic board or a new mac. I am a web designer and need my PB for work.
How can Apple not Recall these machines and fix them?

Did the 2 RAM modules come with your Mac? Have you tried swapping the RAM modules to opposite slots and do you get the same failure in that slot? Make sure the modules are securely connected in the slot.
To eliminate RAM modules being the problem, Look at this link: Testing RAM @ http://guides.macrumors.com/Testing_RAM Then download & use Memtest & Ramber.
Do you have an Apple Hardware Test disc (the AHT is on the Install/Restore DVD that came with your Mac)? Running the Apple Hardware Test in Loop Mode is an excellent troubleshooting step for finding intermittent hardware problems. It is especially useful when troubleshooting intermittent kernel panics. If Loop Mode is supported by the version of the Apple Hardware Test you are using, you run the Extended Test in Loop Mode by pressing Control-L before starting the test. Looping On should appear in the right window. Then click the Extended Test button.The test will run continuously until a problem is found. If a problem is found, the test will cease to loop, indicating the problem it found. If the test fails, be sure to write down the exact message associated with the failure.In some cases, RAM problems did not show up until nearly 40 loops, so give it a good run.
 Cheers, Tom

Similar Messages

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  • 1.25 GHz Lower Ram Slot not working

    I've got a 15" G4 1.25GHz. When I went to upgrade my RAM (I use Samsung) I noticed my lower slot is dead. I don't know how long it's been that way. I see others who've posted the same issue, and all mention that Apple knows about it and has documentation on it. Can someone point me to that? I've had this thing 3 years and had to replace the battery twice and the power adapter 3 times. Now this...not too impressive.

    Your pB is not covered by:
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    Hi,
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    I'm beginning to think this is a software problem related to Tiger. It seem to me, nearly everyone with this issue experienced this "lower slot" problem when upgrading to 10.4x.
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    The problem seems to be worse in the newer machines (1.67 and the newer hi res models), but now it seems, that anyone with an Aluminium 15" Powerbook can get the problem.
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  • Powerbook Lower Memory Slot Issue, what are my options?

    Hi there,
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    - Should I just buy a 1gig stick for the upper slot and try and sell my old RAM, as that would be cheaper than getting the logic board replaced?
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    (Browse down for findings and questions).
    The notorious lower-memory-slot-bug has hit my finally too... I never believed it until now (and I've immediately signed the petition).
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    Also my powerbook, a very dear machine to me, is a less common type to have this problem: a 1 GHz G4 15" FireWire 800 OS 10.3.9 type. Funny enough my older powerbook ( a G3 Bronze) is still running strong with no problems whatsoever.
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    Alright, I'll stop complaining for now.
    I've been able to browse the internet on this and found the following statements:
    The lower memory slot gets "fried" because of a OS 10.3.9 upgrade,
    or possibly due to overheating when the powerbook is put on the users' lap,
    or possibly due to picking the powerbook up by the corners so the metal gets bent.
    + I have only seen one case where someone's UPPER memory slot was defective.
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    Summary
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