Gateway LT21 series netbook RAM upgrade problem

[soccrpal]

First of all:

WHY DOES THE BACKSPACE BUTTON NAVIGATE TO THE PAGE LAST VIEWED, ERASING ALL THAT I HAVE TYPED?!?!?

More to the point:

I recently purchased a Gateway LT2113u netbook from Newegg: Link w/specs.

I also purchased a PNY 2GB ddr2-pc5300 667 MHz RAM upgrade: Newegg link.

When I opened my netbook, I powered it on and it started up just fine. I then swapped out the 1GB stick of RAM with the 2GB "upgrade" and now it no longer boots. It goes straight to the Windows Loading screen and then suddenly reboots again. Bad RAM most likely?

However, the netbook boots properly into Safe Mode. (Mind you, there is only one RAM slot in this netbook) I can then navigate to the computer properties and check to see that it registers all 1.99GB of the RAM, it simply will not boot normally. I also tried a live boot of Ubuntu 9.10 and a Windows PE live boot, neither of which will load. Yet for some reason it works in safe mode and registers 2GB in the BIOS menu. I did a memtest which ran through several passes finding no problems with the RAM.

My roommate also bought a similar netbook from the Gateway LT21 series and when he got a different (but same exact model) PNY 2GB RAM upgrade, his failed as well. So we're at a bit of a loss.

Could it be a problem with the backwards compatibility of the RAM? How is it booting into Safe Mode with bad RAM?!

Is there any RAM out there that has been confirmed to work with this series of Gateway netbooks?

I would like 2 GB because I'm trying to upgrade to W7 Home Premium (and we all know how much fun that will be with 1GB of RAM)

 

[Ael]

OK - I was encountering the same exact issue with my Gateway LT2104u netbook. I purchased Corsair 800mhz 2GB RAM and tried to install it. With my version of the BIOS, it did not even post at first.

I upgraded to 1.25 and it booted into Windows, but it only read as 1GB. To make a long story short, I flashed the BIOS several times to different versions, and found that BIOS version 1.24 loaded windows AND was recognized at 2.0GB. FINALLY! Hope this helps.

Hi is it still saying 2gb after rebooting? You may want to check. :/
Mine will say 2gb after the first boot of take-out/put-in ram, but only until rebooted. I tried changing from Bios 1.25 to 1.24 and it is still doing the same thing for me. I'd like to know if anyone's is still working after rebooting.

 

[Ael]

(double post)

 

[cesario26]

Hi is it still saying 2gb after rebooting? You may want to check. :/
Mine will say 2gb after the first boot of take-out/put-in ram, but only until rebooted. I tried changing from Bios 1.25 to 1.24 and it is still doing the same thing for me. I'd like to know if anyone's is still working after rebooting.

Yep - rebooted and it is now reading at 1.00GB.. extremely frustrating! I will post again if I get something else to work. UGH.

 

[Ael]

Argh, I wonder if it actually kept working for anyone here who thought they had solved this... :// I ordered a different stick of ram. I'll see if it is any different in a week or so and will post.

 

[cesario26]

Argh, I wonder if it actually kept working for anyone here who thought they had solved this... :// I ordered a different stick of ram. I'll see if it is any different in a week or so and will post.

Now I am really confused, but on every other restart it will recognize my 2GB RAM Chip (without me reinstalling it). Its a Corsair 800mhz stick.. what kind were you trying to install?

 

[Ael]

Now I am really confused, but on every other restart it will recognize my 2GB RAM Chip (without me reinstalling it). Its a Corsair 800mhz stick.. what kind were you trying to install?

Mine that didn't work was a Patriot 667mhz.
I have 2 more on the way.... a Corsair 800mhz and Kingston 800mhz.

 

[Ael]

This Kingston seems to work I booted 3 times to Bios and 4 more times to Windows, and it has been recognized as 2gb. The others only ever worked the first time.

So for me...
Patriot 667mhz did not work. Corsair 800mhz did not work.
Kingston 800mhz KVR800D2S5/2G is working.

 

[whinobasher]

This Kingston seems to work I booted 3 times to Bios and 4 more times to Windows, and it has been recognized as 2gb. The others only ever worked the first time.

So for me...
Patriot 667mhz did not work. Corsair 800mhz did not work.
Kingston 800mhz KVR800D2S5/2G is working.

Thanks Ael the Kingston KVR800D2S5/2G worked in my gateway LT2107h without me even needing to change my bios.

 

[cesario26]

This Kingston seems to work I booted 3 times to Bios and 4 more times to Windows, and it has been recognized as 2gb. The others only ever worked the first time.

So for me...
Patriot 667mhz did not work. Corsair 800mhz did not work.
Kingston 800mhz KVR800D2S5/2G is working.

I received a new stick of RAM from crucial.com, per the recommendation of some of the IT guys at work, I went with 2GB of RAM with a 256x64 configuration (http://www.crucial.com/store/mpartspecs.aspx?mtbpoid=02377DA4A5CA7304). Worked on the first try! No BIOS changes necessary. Recognized every time I reboot as well. Great success!!

 

[scottie6981]

The RAM upgrade problem I had been having has been SOLVED!

The newegg equivalent of the RAM i purchased is here

While at Best Buy, I decided to share the issues with them and told them what laptop I have and that I wanted to upgrade to 2g of RAM. I watched the guy navigate to crucial.com and then he told me that the RAM i was holding in my hand should work in my laptop. I cordially replied by saying "I agree." We then walked over to the shelf and I decide to play memory roulette. I told him that I will buy some RAM, install it, and if it doesn't work, return it right here on the spot and keep trying until I find one that works. So I pull the old RAM out of my laptop and notice the label says it's 1GB Kingston RAM pc2-6400 800MHz. Now...why oh why would they brag about these new netbooks wielding a "faster" 667 MHz RAM and ship it with 800 MHz RAM?! It seems like a marketing fail to me! Using my newfound konwledge, I bought a Kingston pc2-6400 800MHz equivalent. I installed the new 2gb stick in my computer and wouldn't you know it: IT WORKS!!!!!

So if you are having the same problem with RAM upgrades that I was, this solved my problem. It seems (in my specific scenario) to be a marketing oversight and buying 667 RAM just wasn't compatible with my netbook. Which explains why people who haphazardly buy ram that is already compatible at 667 AND 800MHz speeds, aren't having the same problem as I was.

Here is a link to EXACTLY what I bought from Best Buy. As we all know: ram is ram so if you buy it from newegg you save $25 and get the same thing. It all comes down to compatibility...even the speed of the RAM.

I hope this helps Buck_Necked. Good luck

I thought this would definitely work, however, the "U" shape (on the bottom of the RAM) is in the wrong place. It's more to the side rather than more so in the middle (which is what I need). Any suggestions/thoughts to help me with my dilemma?