PB180 10MB RAM module issue

[mattia1071]

Hi there,
I got an old 10MB RAM module form my PB180, I installed it, the PB was working properly and the RAM was detected by the system. The day after I booted the 180 and... NO boot, just a strange tune: 8 note. I had to remove the ram to be able to boot again the PB180.
What happens? does the RAM is fried? Is there a method to understand what happened?
Thanks for your help

 

[AndyO]

I really don't want to be the person who always responds to PB180 problems with 'me too', but this also happened with mine. It sometimes booted, but usually not, and often stuck at a blank screen after the startup chime, with no other activity. Sometimes it gave the 'sad Mac' chimes, which seems likely what you're describing at the '8-note tune'.

When I removed the RAM module, it booted every time.

In the end I sourced a new RAM module from eBay and it has booted reliably every time since. I suspect the RAM module is bad, but there are sources of new ones.

 

[Byrd]

Third party "higher capacity" PowerBook 1x0 RAM modules usually had super thin PCBs, and were unwieldy in size to fit the internals. I've had two recently fail, from a PowerBook 170 and 180. I'm betting there is a broken trace somewhere from the bendy, flimsy PCB over a bad RAM chip.

 

[mattia1071]

ok thanks for the answers. I didn't have any hope, the only thing is that it always seemed strange to me that the first time it worked well and from the second time on it didn't work anymore. We can say with a bit of imagination, that Ram and the PB180 did not fall in love.

 

[ian1035nr]

I've had a similar problem with a 10MB module that's been floating around in my collection for over a decade now. The connection for 1xx RAM modules is kind of.... Not good. It's not like other RAM types that at least have some kind of clip, the whole thing relies on friction, as I'm sure you've noticed. My module only makes proper contacts with the motherboard pins when it's held at a very specific angle.

I ended up folding a business card onto itself a few times so that it acts as a shim and presses on the module when the case is closed, skewing it to the desired position.

Another option that was suggested to me when I posted about an identical issue, was to splay the pins on the motherboard ever so slightly so they have a higher chance of making contact with the RAM card.


Those are some free things you can try before buying a new card. Mind you, the new cards are so reasonably priced that I'd probably just pick one up instead of messing with the machine too much.

 

[mattia1071]

Thanks for the advice, I will try to bend a little the connection pins and see what happens