MacBook Pro won't start up after installing 2x2GB RAM cards

I have a 1 year old 2.16 ghz MacBook Pro 17". It came with the standard 2x512mb RAM cards, which I wanted to upgrade to 2x1GB RAM cards. I just recently installed Leopard. I ordered a pair from NewEgg for about $50 and the brand was Crucial. When they arrived, they ended up sending 2x2GB RAM cards instead. They were the proper type (2GB 200 PIN SODIMM 256MX64 DDR2 PC2-5300). When I installed them both, my computer would not start up. The "sleep" light would come on but not cycle from bright to dark like when it is asleep. Then I powered down, removed one of the cards, and it started up fine and recognized the 2GB card. I thought that one of the cards might have been bad, but I swapped them out and they both worked in both slots independently, but not together. I then tried installing one of the original 512 cards in addition to the 2GB card to see if it would start and recognize more, but it would just have the "sleep" light come on and make a few noises (like the dvd drive or hard drive was barely moving). Therefore, I verified that both of the slots and both of the new RAM cards work correctly, but not more than one at a time.

I know that my computer (2.16ghz 17" MacBook Pro w/Leopard) on officially takes a max of 2 GB of RAM, but as I understood it that the computer would recognize up to 3.3 Gigs of RAM.

Will a 2.16GHZ MacBook Pro not startup if you exceed at all beyond the 2GB limit? What can I do to make these 2x2GB RAM cards work?

Any help would be GREATLY appreciated, as I am very frustrated!

Thanks again and take care,

- Brock

Are you sure you got them in all the way?

I have reinstalled them in every configuration and when they are in individually I have them installed all the way because the computer recognizes it. I have pushed them in as hard as I feel comfortable. I have tried every configuration and the only variable that seems to cause it not to work is 2 RAM cards being installed in there and therefore taking the amount of RAM over 2GB.

Is there anything else that could be causing this problem? Have others installed more than 2GB in the 2.16 ghz MacBook Pro? Is the 2GB limit a "hard" limit?

Thanks again for your help!

- Brock

im pretty sure 2.16 ghz mbp can only hand 3 gigs....

2.2 ghz/2.4 can handle the 4 gigs... correct me if im wrong...

Does going over this limit cause the computer not to start? I tried installing one of the original 512mb cards in addition to a 2GB card that was functioning and recognized before installing the 512mb card, which would still keep it under the 3 GB limit. I thought that going over the limit just resulted in the computer not recognizing some of the RAM.

Thanks again for your help!

Hello cdroadwarrior,

Did you ever find a solution to this problem? I am experiencing exactly the same situation you described. It is possible to use a 2 Go ram or 1 Go separately, but when I try to use them both simultaneously, the MacBook hangs on reboot.

I'm having exactly the same problem.

I have the same problem, I tried 2Gb + 2Gb, 1Gb +2Gb, 2Gb+512Mb. The slots are not working simultaneously. RAMs are good, all were tested.

Macbook Pro 2.16Ghz will not boot

I am having the same problem as mentioned above. I wanted to upgrade my MBP to 3 gigs of ram but I am experiencing the same problem. When I have both modules in together (totaling 3 gigs) my computer will hang and the screen will not power on. If I remove either of the ram modules it works fine. Currently I am running with 2 gigs of ram but it would be nice to have the additional 1 gig of ram installed and working. Both are 200pin DDR2 SODIMM's running at 667Mhz.

Help!

Is there maybe something in the BIOS that needs to be enabled/disabled? I mostly have experience fixing pc's but these days the motherboard usually will advise YOU of the changes that were made.

Different models have limits in RAM. This may be causing the issue.

The answer:

Hmm, upon doing further research on the Internet - if your laptop is a "Core Duo" (NOT a Core 2 Duo) then your RAM limit is 2 gig's (same applies for Macbook)... I guess it's a physical limit of the chipset. Darn!

I guess I'll live