# RAM problem with a Dell Optiplex 745?



## lilbit13007

Hello.  I have a desktop Dell Optiplex 745 I'm trying to fix for a friend, and I cannot even get it to "boot up".  Does anyone have any ideas to get me started?

When I press the power button on the tower, the electricity runs and turns something on, including the fans, but the monitor doesn't show anything.  I've tested the monitor, which is working.

Specs on the tower:
Dell Optiplex 745
Windows XP Professional
Intel Pentium D processor, unknown RAM specs (unless you want me to open up the tower).

Sorry I don't have more hardware/software info, but I didn't realize I was coming to a computer that wasn't fully booting up.

Thank you for any help.

Please let me know if I can provide any more information.


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## claptonman

You could try pulling one of the sticks out of the second slot and see what happens, then replace it with the other stick. If it boots up, then its a bad stick. If it doesn't, then something else is wrong, or both sticks are bad.


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## voyagerfan99

If you pull all the memory out and turn it on it should shoot out a beep code for no memory installed. If it doesn't do that then something else is wrong.


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## lilbit13007

Alright, sigh.  I tried the two 512 MB Ram sticks in every permutation possible in the 4 DIMM slots (as a pair, individually, and lastly no sticks in at all just to ensure I heard the beep indicating no RAM memory was installed).  I have the sore finger tips to prove it.  
Of course, only diagnostic lights 3 and 4 (out of 1, 2, 3, and 4) turn on, which the dell manual said that means:
Memory modules are detected, but a memory failure has occurred.

Obviously, no warranty.  The computer was constantly turning itself off the past month or so, and now won't start.  Is it possible a software issue caused something to happen, or is it just the hardware (either the RAM sticks or the DIMM slots on the motherboard)?

Many thanks for the previous advice.  I look forward to any further advice.


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## voyagerfan99

Get some new PC2-5300 speed memory and try that then. The current sticks must be bad.


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## lion149

Besides the fact that you posted this in the "momry and HDD" forum i would say you are knocking on the wrong door. 
The symptoms don't point to memory, try a PCI graphics card to verify that the onboard video isnt dead.


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## lilbit13007

I'm sorry to be in the wrong forum.  Sometimes I can't figure out which one is the correct forum.  No harm intended.  It turns out, it wasn't the RAM.  I had a friend point out to me that there are capacitors that are bulging, and I would need a new motherboard since I have no soldering experience.  Before my friend and I discovered the bulging capacitors, we tried new RAM, which didn't work.  When I looked online at ebay for a new motherboard, I just looked glanced at the description for a motherboard kit.  The motherboard kit had the typical offending capacitors available for purchase, which were the same capacitors that were bulging on the machine I was working on.  

That seems like the trick - new motherboard.


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## JHM

bye


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