Where are the RAM slots???

[Hanover_Fiste]

Howdy!

I'm new to the HP universe, having just migrated from Toshiba Land.

I'm in the process of upgrading an i7 8760W and just got a rude shock...  everything I've read says that the machine

will support 32 GB of RAM, and I purchased memory accordingly.

Removing the keyboard as directed I discovered that there are NO sockets for RAM there!

This is an early machine; April 2012. Were there some early i7 machines sold with only the two bottom RAM sockets

in them???

A load of 16 GB of RAM is adequate for my purposes, but this mystery had me somewhat perplexed. Anyone know

the answer?

Thanks

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

According to the service manual, the primary memory slots are under the keyboard and the secondary memory slots (if applicable), are in a compartment on the bottom side of the case.

Chapter 4, pp 62-64.

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02847569

Primary memory module  NOTE: Primary memory is installed under the keyboard.

A computer having a system board with spare part number 652508-001 or 655024-001 has two memory slots (primary memory slots). When adding or replacing memory modules, slot 1 must be populated before slot 2 is populated.

A computer having a system board with spare part number 652509-001 or 655025-001 has four memory slots (expansion memory slots) (on the bottom of the computer) and the primary memory slots (under the keyboard). Slot 2 cannot be populated if slot 1 is not populated.

[Hanover_Fiste]

Hi Paul

Yes, I've consulted the manual...  this is an i7 that has NO MEMORY SLOTS under the keyboard!!!

Other than that, it seems to be normal in every other way...  something of an oddity.

The only possibilities I can come up with:

1 - There were some machines produced that have only 2 RAM sockets, possibly based on the i5

motherboard.

2 - Somewhere along the line, somebody put an i7 processor in an i5 machine.

The Good News is that the machine seems to be running pretty much fine, except for a curious

issue with the Windows Performance Index re. graphics. It looks good, but the numbers stink.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

That is really odd because according to the manual, the primary memory slots are supposed to be under the keyboard and the PC's that came with the quad core processors have the extra two slots on the bottom.

I would say that your point 2 is probably correct, but it still doesn't explain where the heck the top memory slots went to.

Enter the product number of the PC in the box at the link below, and maybe it will give you some specific info regarding that product number (what processor, what motherboard part number, etc.).

The product number can be found on the same label as the serial number.

http://partsurfer.hp.com/search.aspx

[Hanover_Fiste]

THANKS for the link; it will be useful, as I still have to upgrade another one of these machines.

Based on a serial number search, the results are ...  interesting.

It contains this entry re. the motherboard...

652508-001  SPS-SYS BD  2 DIMM 

In the spare parts available list, it specifies an i7 processor...  so it appears that this machine left the factory

as an i7 with only two RAM slots!

Odd indeed...  but based on the serial number, it looks like very early production (April 2012),  probably one of the

earliest i7 versions to come off of the assembly line.

I guess that solves the mystery.

Thanks for your assistance!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.