16GB RAM for OptiPlex 3020 Micro

Those are the exact RAM modules that Crucial specifies for the 3020. So the problem should not be the RAM type. I am wondering if the BIOS is throwing the code in error. Have you tried clearing the BIOS and then installing the 2 x 8 GB RAM modules? This should help.

3020M , dell calls it to read docs.  that name.

skipped step one, ?  Upgrade old PC to new BIOS so it can know how to use  modern RAM,  this is first.

what ram from laptop, what ram did you have from there, tell that first.  is it CT2KIT102464BF160B???

your owners manual , shows.

DDR3 (IS SODIMM)
Memory speed
1600MHz
Memory connectors
two DIMM slots
Memory capacity
2 GB, 4 GB, and 8 GB
Minimum memory
2 GB
Maximum memory
16 GB

the first rule of DDR, (if fits slots) is what,  do not mix classes of DDR< (size can be differ per Intels rules )

Intel tells you matching  SKU is best!, (intels words are clear) do not mix RAM, (sometimes luck happens mixed)

what is this, ? what the laptop had, or what your 3020m , I guess the below is out  of the laptop>?

Crucial CT2KIT102464BF160B?????????   and fails 1 slot? 1 stick, test? 

so did  you do the tests correctly, ( DO NOT HOT SWAP RAM)!!!

1 stick of ram in bank0 channel A and test them all 1 by 1, this is first. (per manual)

crucial dot com shows that DDR listed top choice, and would work , if you did it correctly.

power off PC  , 100% zero power, ,must be...

push power button 3 times for 1 second, to discharge all caps in said PC. (See fans stop twitching is best)

then insert 1 stick  and test it first. and reset the bios defaults,  in bios F2 page,  this forces the PC BIOS to do a fresh scan of DDR, fully,

does the stick work now?  or only beep.?

in cold weather , the air in a home can be near 0% humidity, if yes ESD will  blow up RAM easy,

we use a wrist ground strap ,always to not do that.  25,000 volts can be attained in dry cold weather, ever touch a door  knob, and get hit, and it hurts bad, that be 25kv hit.  so just dont do that. learn that ESD is not the same all time time , where I live it is humid most times. but not all the time...

if right handed, keep left hand on metal case of  PC, on ground, this will make this 10x more safe for the PC.

I even have work bench with  grounded ESD mat on top, and have yet to blow up , anything.

again these are certified DDR.

https://www.crucial.com/usa/en/compatible-upgrade-for/Dell/optiplex-3020m

The replies are encouraging. I'll follow yours and savvy2's advice and reset the BIOS defaults and then try with 1 stick at a time..

I am careful about static and discharging caps before playing inside. My first PC was an 8088 (ok ... it was a Timex Sinclair) so this is not new to me.

 Thank you

Woohoo! That's great Russell, and thank you very much for reporting back. Too many times people solve their problem, but never tell how, so nobody else learns from it. I suppose it's an artifact of the dell culture.

@rproulx 

The guys above gave very good advice. The only two things I would add is:

  (1) Replace any cmos/clock coin cell battery while you have it opened. Check the dell user manual for details.

  (2) Consider that you may be working with damaged memory since it came from a dead computer. When the laptop died, the event could have caused the memory modules to be damaged as well. A single damaged transistor junction can take the whole memory module down.

Savvy indicated that the specs call for max memory of 8 GB, so if the bios has never been updated, that could well be the cause. Put the old memory back in to see if everything still works fine, then check for bios updates. Then try the swap once again.

Good luck; I hope you get them to work.

It's Aliiiiive :-)))

Resetting the BIOS was what was needed. I referred to Dell's detailed instructions at =
How to Perform a BIOS or CMOS Reset and Clear the NVRAM on Dell Systems

and then found DELL-Chris M's post with an illustration showing which one is the RTCRST jumper (the motherboard markings are not clear).

I booted the system, hit F2, then set my preferred BIOS settings and all is now good. Waahooee! It would have been a shame to not use the RAM as it's not cheap and I had expected it to work when I bought the 3020M on Ebay.

Thank you for the great help!

Russell

PS: The RAM is a matched set and was removed from my working Lenovo x131e laptop. The BIOS on the 3020M is the most recent and the battery is fine. It was just the BIOS reset that was needed.