Lower RAM Slot Repair

Which is the lower slot? The slot which is lower when the computer is in the normal upright position, or the slot that is lower when you have it inverted to open up the RAM access port? For me the latter one went out but the service guy at the genius bar said that this was not the port covered by the recall program.

Good on ya, Apple! I have to post this, because I too had lost the lower slot memory. I am sorry for all of you who have experienced and are experiencing troubles with this memory anomaly. So it breaks down like this: I first started experiencing lower slot mem loss about a month ago. Switch upper to lower, etcetera, and my full 1gb did return, but for only a couple of weeks. I lost it again a few days ago. In the meantime, I couldn't get it back trying the slot switch again. I called my Apple Care person (can't say enough about this plan), he checked my SN, sent me a packing box specific to my G4, which I received two days after my call. I packed and sent the laptop to Texas, according to the prepaid mailing slip on the side of the box, on, get this, 03/11/2008. Texas gets it on 03/12/2008. They repair and ship it back to me on 03/12/2008. And when do I get it, and with my 1GB restored? Today, 03/13/2008! ... just a bit incredible, wouldn't you say? Hat's off Apple! P.S. let's hope the fix sticks!

I have the same problem and my Powerbook is

The affected PowerBook G4 (15-inch 1.67/1.5GHz) computers

However, the serial number does not fall in their list.
What are my options, anyone know?

Just putting my two cents in: I was afflicted by this problem about when it started to appear four years ago. At the time I'd opted to get it repaired through my local apple store on the assumption that I'd get my money back if a replacement program ever started (there was a several hundred post thread on the subject at the time).

For whatever reason the program starts with the model year after mine, which has been an extreme annoyance ever since.

In the mean time, I'm coming up on looking for a new powerbook instead.

Because of this problem i've had my logicboard replaced for three times already. It worked normally for a year and now the problem is back. It's just within my applecare.

<Edited by Moderator>

Hi, Matbook, and welcome to Apple Discussions. No one in Apple Discussions can tell you anything you can depend on about whether your Powerbook will be replaced; only Applecare can. It sounds to me as though you may have a good case for it, but I'm just another PB user — not what a certain notorious bumpkin would call the Decider. AC is the Decider. Call ASAP, and have the paperwork on the previous three repairs handy when you call.

Message was edited by: eww

Just to add to the list. PB G4 1.5 47 months old.
I've been Running 1.5 GB of Ram since new. 512MB original and 1 GB extra Optional at the time of purchase.
1GB in the upper slot and 512MB in the lower.
No problems except a loose hinge. On 3rd January 2008 Upgraded to OSX 10.4.11.
Around the same time noticed things getting slower. Saving PDF's etc. No more thought.
Then I Purchased Adobe CS3 - Photoshop ran quite slow. I thought, maybe it's time for more Ram.
Checked in System profiler, only 1 GB. Thought, maybe I swapped the Ram when I purchased the computer???? Went to a dealer and bought an extra 1 GB and asked could they install it. Took off the cover and there's the other stick in there.
Have had it boot up several time now and read both Sticks - for about 5 mins, longer if I leave it turned off for a while. Now also the fan is making a buzzing noise whenever the computer is not level.
Sort of indicates that this is a heat problem.
Also, from reading other posts here, that it is something that has been irritated by OSX 10.4.11 and above.

<Edited by Moderator>

Hey Mattelfesso
By the way - For that "Technician" at the "Genius" bar - to find out which the "Lower" Slot ( Closest to the logic board ), insert only one stick of RAM, boot up and ask the System profiler.

Hi Newman,
Thanks for clarifying "Upper" vs "Lower". Indeed Apple System Profiler > RAM indicates that my lower slot is out.

Yup. I've got the same problem. My lower slot recently died, my applecare Juuuuuuuuuust expired, i've got a 1.5 GHz Powerbook G4 whose serial number is not covered under the recall...

along with numerous other irritations from 10.4.11...
my powerbook had already been into the applecare shop for the lower slot malfunction. now it's doing it again, but i'm way out of warranty. it's preventing certain applications from working... very annoying. running memtest when both memory slots are working shows that they are fine. it's the machine..
i'm pretty mad.

Apple fixed my lower RAM slot free of charge even though my computer does not fall within the SN range and is way out of warranty. I took my PB to my local Apple Store. The Genius issued a courtesy repair. Perhaps you should try talking to your local Mac Genius. Best of luck to you!

Wow Natalie! That's awesome news for you. I've got some time off in the next couple of weeks and might just head down to the Ginza Apple store and plead 'the ignorant Mac lover' and see if I can get a courtesy fix too.

Hi. I've been a lower RAM slot failure victim for a long long time now. For as long as the slot has failed, the startup chime has been gone, too.

Now, for no apparent reason, the startup chime is back! My lower RAM slot still says it's empty (which in reality contains a 1 GB card), but at least the chime has returned.

This happened, strangely enough, when I was working on an important document in word. I got the usual, "disk is full" autosave error from word, (a common problem where word thinks the disk is full, when it is far from it) and went to reopen the document to begin working again. When I reopened the doc, it was from a saved state long long ago. I know I had saved since then but it all seems to have been lost.

I went to restart hoping to find some of those nice temporary files in the trash when I heard the startup chime.

Alas, I still haven't seen any temp word files appear in the trash and have lost many hours of work. 😟