Oops! Upgraded DD's RAM - now Mouse won't work

13 years ago

I upgraded my daughter's Dell Dimension 4500. There's lots of mixed information online about whether the 4500 can handle more than 1 GB memory. Here's a cnet thread that suggests it can:

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?sku=A0740404&cs=19&c=us&l=en&dgc=SS&cid=27530&lid=627063#Overview

Seems that Dell documentation states max as 1GB bc. documentation is old.

I probably bought this Ram to update her computer close to a year ago (maybe less but it's been quite a while). I am pretty sure that to determine which type of RAM to get, I had Crucial do an online scan of my daughter's computer - and came up with potentially two 1GB sticks of RAM. She already had 768 (one 256 original to the machine and on1 512 that the previous owner installed), so I decided to just replace the original 256 with a 1GB stick. Again - it's been a while so I don't fully recall my research in doing this - but I think it was sound and that it was the appropriate type of RAM.

So I just put the new RAM in (and blew out the dust bunnies while I was there). Reconnected everything. The computer boots up well. And it shows there are updates for superantispyware, and asks if it can check for an update for the webcam software. BUT - the pointer is not moving. The mouse won't work. I tried switching to another mouse (wired) and it doesn't work either.

So I don't know what to do - or what I did wrong. Could the wrong amount/type or RAM cause this? The bootup was so beautiful. perhaps because I forgot to turn off the wireless mouse before unplugging from the usb port, it messed it up? The computer was already shut off and unplugged. But no mouse is working.

Did I blew dust into the wrong place - and it's blocking/damaging the mouse operations? Did I accidentally touch something and screw it up (the only nearby thing I had to remove before switching RAM was the AGP card (don't know what that is but I thought the removal and replacement went smoothly).

Any ideas what to do now - or what the problem may have been? Might have been good if I'd written the type of RAM first - but I didn't - not expecting a problem - but I"m 95% sure that I ordered the 1GB RAM stick based on Crucial's scan of the computer.

One step forward, two steps back. Isn't that how it often goes.

Thanks.

Lynn.

PS - FWIW - keyboard may not be working either. When I pressed Alt-Control-Delete, nothing happened.

Don't think this is relevant but she has Windows XP sp3.

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Comments (9)

lynnalexandra
Original Author
13 years ago
I turned off the computer and unplugged it. Plugged it back in. I also moved the USB stick(?) that sends a signal to the wireless mouse. I think I had plugged it into a different USB port (didn't think that would matter) - but I plugged it back in to where I think it was before. Turned the computer back on. Now Mouse works.

Well - so far, it's okay. I'll report back if more problems arise.

Thanks.
Lynn.
jane__ny
13 years ago
I'm following your post with bated breath. I have the same machine and am debating how much ram to put in. I was told I could add 2 Gigs but the computer already has 516. Seems like 2 1/2 gigs doesn't make sense.

Please post back. I'm so nervous to do this I've been putting it off forever.

Jane
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lynnalexandra
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi, Jane. The computer seems to be working great. It's noticeably faster. I don't think that the mouse and keyboard not working was bc. of the RAM. One possibility is that I had put the USB devices back in any USB port - which I thought should be no problem - but may have been. maybe it was especially too much since there were 3 USB devices in new ports.

The other possibility is that in getting rid of the dust bunnies - blowing the dust out with compressed air, that I got a bit of dust on the power supply plug/port. I'm not sure - but one place I googled (perhaps a cnet forum?) reported the keyboard and mouse not working bc. dust got into that area. They had unplugged the power cord - cleaned out any dust - and tried again.

I did both. Unplugged the power cord and dusted the area again - and replugged the USB devices into the right ports. I also started by just plugging in the keyboard and mouse. Once I was up and running, I plugged the microphone back in.

So I don't know what caused the temporary disabling of mouse and keyboard - but I"m pretty sure it wasn't too much RAM - just something I did when I was messing with the innards or replugging devices back in. All seems to be great now. I put it off forever too.

I'm pretty sure that I went to Crucial's website (on the computer I wanted to upgrade) and let it scan the computer to determine how much RAM (and what type) it could use. If you haven't already tried that, I'd give it a whirl. Here's the link:

http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/

Let us know what you decide and how it goes.
Good luck.
Lynn.
mikie_gw
13 years ago
I've found lots of times computers will handle more memory that it says in the mfg specs after a bios or a microsoft service pack upgrade.

My laptop 2gb max rating,,, has 3gb in it.. and its picky as to which slot the larger memory module is in.
genes
13 years ago
Crucial says that your desktop will supposedly handle 1GB Memory, 512MB in each slot and either DDR PC2700 or DDR PC3200....if you mix a PC2700 with a PC3200, it will run at the slower PC2700 speed, which isnt that noticable
genes
13 years ago
Crucial says that your desktop will supposedly handle 1GB Memory, 512MB in each slot and either DDR PC2700 or DDR PC3200....if you mix a PC2700 with a PC3200, it will run at the slower PC2700 speed, which isnt that noticable
jane__ny
13 years ago
Thanks for the encouragement. I realized I had the wrong model#. It is Dimension 4600. I did the Crucial scan and it said it could take 2gigs. Might have been more (have to look for the printout). My husband was thrilled with the idea of 2 1/2 ram but I think you need matching amounts.

Now that your machine is working, I might get the nerve to order it. I am so intimidated working inside the computer. I did clean it out, however, and it runs so much faster already. I did uninstall a lot of junk he had installed.

Thanks for the heads-up!

Jane
genes
13 years ago
Well, if it really is a 4600, it will take 4GB of RAM and be able to utilize 4GBs if if you are running a 64bit OS..If you are running a 32bit OS then, the most it will see and use is 3-3.5GB..uses the same speed modules as the 4500
"Each memory slot can hold DDR PC2700, DDR PC3200 with a maximum of 1GB per slot.* (you have 4 slots)
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
13 years ago
my suggestion as always to know exactly what is on YOUR pc and what is available and what is currently in use do a belarc scan and it will give you all the info from inside your actual pc then you know for sure.
Belarc Advisor
much better to have a reading directly from your pc.

Oops! Upgraded DD's RAM - now Mouse won't work

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lynnalexandra
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Oops! Upgraded DD's RAM - now Mouse won't work

Comments (9)

lynnalexandraOriginal Author

jane__ny

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lynnalexandraOriginal Author

mikie_gw

genes

genes

jane__ny

genes

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lynnalexandra
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lynnalexandra
Original Author