I've been using a Thinkpad T490 for about two years now, and it's been great. But recently, while watching a video, my laptop froze and showed some weird artifacts. A restart didn't help, and it kept freezing shortly after booting. At first, I thought the GPU was the problem, but it turned out that removing the RAM let it work fine. I replaced the RAM, but the issue persisted. Now, I suspect it might be the RAM slot since the laptop functions well until I touch the underside, and any contact with the RAM stick causes a crash. I've cleaned it with compressed air and found no visible damage, yet it still freezes sporadically. Any ideas on what might be going on? Sorry if my English isn't great!
5 Answers
It's also possible that the RAM isn't properly seated. When you touch it, it might cause a short, so rechecking how it's fitted could solve the problem.
Have you considered just not touching the RAM? It sounds like there could be a micro-fracture on the RAM socket pins, and when you touch it, the board might bend enough to cause issues. It’s worth avoiding any contact if possible!
Try cleaning the RAM slots with high concentration isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush—just be gentle. Sometimes dirt can cause poor connections.
Does your RAM have a cover? I had a similar issue with a laptop where the RAM was covered by a metal plate that wasn’t secured properly. It flexed a bit and shorted out. Just something to check!
It might be a cracked RAM chip or maybe it's not seated correctly, as others have mentioned. Double-checking that could help too!
The problem is, even holding the laptop with one hand or slightly lifting it triggers the freezing issue.