Issues with upgrading RAM

[GrzegorzZych]

Hello.

I have a ProBook 650 G4 and have recently decided to upgrade its memory to 32GB. I've bought two identical sticks of RAM: Kingston Fury DDR4, 16GB, 2666MHz. 

After installing the laptop gives me a message that it detected a change in memory amount and if I would like to save the new configuration, I select YES and it proceeds to boot to Windows with no issues. Task manager reports 32GB of memory and all seems well.

The issues start after I turn it off and try to turn it on again - I get a beep code (three long, two short) which I found out means that the RAM is incorrectly mounted. If I choose "restart" rather then "shut down" in WIndows it just shows a black screen with no beep code.

When I put back the old sticks it works fine and the issue is gone (I can restart to my hearts content). If I put the new sticks back again after booting with the new ones the situation repeats, that is I can boot the system once and then it starts beeping at me again.

So far I've tried:

 - Updating the BIOS;

 - Removing the battery and holding down the power button for 30 seconds between restarts;

 - Made sure the sticks sit as tightly and securely as they can and the laptop is not even nudged between the first and second startup;

 - Tried to boot with only one of the new sticks. Tested them both in both slots;

Nothing seems to work. Is there something else I can do? Can this be remedied by some BIOS settings (I'm somewhat reluctant to go poking it myself)? Or is this the fault of the sticks and I should return them?

[Paul_Tikkanen · Accepted solution]

Hi:

It is generally not a good idea to install gaming or high-performance memory in your notebook unless it came with that kind of memory, and most HP notebooks do not.

The high-performance memory has faster timing specs than the standard memory and since you can't change the memory XMP profile in the BIOS, there is only a 50-50 chance the memory will work.

I suggest that you use the standard Crucial memory bars supported for your notebook.

Crucial 16GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM | CT16G4SFD8266 | Crucial.com

[GrzegorzZych]

That is disappointing, guess I'll have to talk to the vendor and see if they agree to replace them.  I'm still not sure why the laptop works normally on first boot and fails on subsequent ones, but I guess it is what it is.

Thank you very much for the explanation.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.