Comment by protocolture

I used to work in IT recycling, and let me put you at ease, RAM goes all the time.

Common scenario:

200 PCs at least 6 years old, often over a decade old, come in on pallets.

We pick up the first 50, stack them on benches, and power them on.

At least 10 wont post.

Of that 10, reseating memory and other little jobs fixes 5.

Of the remaining 5, replacing or removing memory gets 4/5 them to post.

Testing those sticks in other PCs confirms the RAM is dead.

Into the scrap it goes.

The remaining PC is dead mobo, PSU or needs a new CMOS battery.