Pacify me about this RAM issue if you can

[BrotherGary]

I have an HP Pavilion Media Center TV Model m7667c which I purchased new in 2007
Today I decided to order some more RAM. I ordered 2 more GBs (2x1GBs)
Upon researching, I found that the maximum amount of RAM I can have is 8GBs (4x2GBs)
I also learned that my PC was suppose to have came installed with 2GBs (2x1GBs)
However, my system's information was only showing 1 GB of RAM

I removed the side cover and found that one of my RAM sticks was not locked in on the top.
(very strange since I have never messed with my RAM before in this PC)
OK, cool. I figured I could simply lock it down and I would now have 2GBs of RAM running.

Unfortunately, when I attempted to boot up my computer, I got the long beeps indicating a RAM problem.
I carefully pulled the RAM stick out and re-seated it again, and still I got the beeps once again.
So I removed it and decided to do some research until I found this forum.

My question is this:
Do you think it is possible that the RAM stick became defective simply by not being locked down properly from the beginning?
I can not recall how much RAM my PC showed when I first purchased it in 2007. I wish I could remember.

Can the slot itself be defective or do these beep codes only pertain to a defective RAM stick?
I haven't attempted to try the RAM in a different slot as of yet. I may wait until I receive the other 2GBs that I ordered.
I just don't want to put the new RAM into a defective slot and end up destroying my new RAM.

Any thoughts or suggestions that may help pacify me until I get the new RAM? 

Thanks,
Gary

[daryllsilorio]

Do you think it is possible that the RAM stick became defective simply by not being locked down properly from the beginning?

yes..
Try to remove the memory stick that is not lock, and place the working memory to the other slot, or try to clean the memory using an eraser and also clean the memory slot, remove all the dust coz it might be the cause of disconnection..

[BrotherGary]

Here is an Update: And this is very strange to me. 

I could not get the seemingly defective stick to work at all in the original slot.
I could not even get it to work in the empty slot next to it.
Then I tried taking the GOOD stick out, and putting it in the seemingly defective stick's slot, all by itself, just to see what would happen.
Then when I tried to boot up the PC, it kept shutting back off almost immediately. (No Beeps) No idea why   

This kinda scared me, but then all I did was take the seemingly defective stick, and put it where the Good stick had originally been.
That did the trick and now I finally have 2GBs of working RAM, with 2 open slots awaiting the 2 new RAM sticks I ordered. 

Thanks

[Spalla]

Hey brothergary,

When you memory stick was not locked in was it all the way properly in the slot but kept unlocked or was the stick not quite properly in there either?

Cheers,

[BrotherGary]

Hey brothergary,

When you memory stick was not locked in was it all the way properly in the slot but kept unlocked or was the stick not quite properly in there either?

Cheers,

It was not quite in all the way on the end that was not locked down