Okay, so I am building up a new computer and ....

[kRocket]

It was time to upgrade my old AGP system to a shiny new PCI-e mothboard which, as you know, means you have to replace everything nearly. I saved, finally ordered everything a few weeks apart. I am not technically endowed so I replaced everything in my case but the new SATA disk. It posted but wouldn't run, of course. I took it to my local computer hospital and told the guy what I was up to and would he do the honors of replacing my two IDE disks with the new WD 640GB drive. He was happy to for a price. Three days later I got it back and it booted right up, we put the C(80GB) & D(40GB) disks on the desktop as bulk files. The repair fellow had built up my old XP to SP3 with a fresh install. About all I do is get my mail, surf the net and play WoW or Guild Wars so I setup this stuff. Windows seemed to work fine, got mail (Thunderbird) and browser (Firefox) worked, but when I went to play WoW it signed on fine and I played for a few minutes and CRASH!, followed by a week of fiddling with utilities and stuff and many crashes of different types. Back to the computer hospital for memory tests, and as I got home he called and said the memory was so bad he was surpised I could boot up. I bought all my stuff from N____G and the memory was OCZ Reaper 1066.

What are the chances that 2-2GB sticks of memory in the same package from a supposedly reputable MFG are bad. I thought very slim until I read some of the reviews on the memory and read another guy who had the same experience. Could OCZ be knowingly sending out questionable memory and maybe with N____G's assistance? I say that because the seller quickly and without question issued an RMA.

My CPU is AMD Phenom X2 7750
Motherboard is GIGABYTE MA770-UD3
WD 640GB SATA
Radeon HD 4830
Anteq 900 case with Anteq 500W BASIQ
Older LG DVD R/W
Windows XP 32 Home Edition

Could there be another reason why my memory would fail in this configuration. I am waiting while I wait for my new GSkill memory to get here.

 

[mpilchfamily]

Stuff arrives DOA all the time. Fortunatly you ordered threw Newegg. Its not there fault it happned but they are really good about helping you out in these situations. As you now know Newegg is good about these things.

 

[KGB]

Is your OCZ memory on THIS LIST?

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: kRocket
Could there be another reason why my memory would fail in this configuration.

If you aren't giving them enough voltage. "Enthusiast" memory typically requires higher than stock voltages to work properly.

 

[kRocket]

Originally posted by: KGBMAN
Is your OCZ memory on THIS LIST?

That is the list of QUALIFIED motherboards from Gigabyte. No, it is not on the list, but there aren't many, if any, available memory from Newegg available on that list.

 

[kRocket]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: kRocket
Could there be another reason why my memory would fail in this configuration.

If you aren't giving them enough voltage. "Enthusiast" memory typically requires higher than stock voltages to work properly.

As I stated, I am Technically challenged. The add said 1066 memory and the motherboard called for 1066 memory, so that was what I bought (it had about a 50% rebate). It requires 1.8v and that is what 'AUTO' gave it. Past that I know not.

I tried to get flexible pieces to make future upgrades easier. I had intended to buy a new OS but the Vista vs. Win7 deal made me say 'Whoa' cause I can't afford to by two in one year.

 

[KGB]

Originally posted by: kRocket

Originally posted by: KGBMAN
Is your OCZ memory on THIS LIST?

That is the list of QUALIFIED motherboards from Gigabyte. No, it is not on the list, but there aren't many, if any, available memory from Newegg available on that list.

That is the list of Qualified Vendors for memory tested on your MB.
If the RAM you use is not on the list, Gigabyte will refuse tegch support.

 

[Denithor]

Just RMA the RAM and hope the new sticks work right. Run memtest86 after installing, no reason to take to the local computer doctor when that's all he's going to do anyway.

If it passes memtest86 ok you're gtg. If not, try boosting the volts slightly (+.1/.2 but no higher than 2.0V) and repeat the memtest. If still not stable, get on the OCZ forum and ask for help there. They have technicians who can figure out what needs to be done and/or issue you another RMA if it looks like you got a second pair of bad sticks (which has happened before).

 

[Blain]

But OCZ memory looks cool and always has a cool name...
You'd think it would be 100% reliable, with a name and looks going for it! :roll:

 

[BTJ]

RAM is DOA all the time, which is a huge PITA. If you RMA it, you'll be UARINT (up and running in no time).

 

[kRocket]

Originally posted by: Zap
If you aren't giving them enough voltage. "Enthusiast" memory typically requires higher than stock voltages to work properly.

Okay! So I bumped the memory voltage by the minimum(0.025v) to 1.825v. The system went berserk and finally just went to a black screen and wouldn't respond to anything I did.
Finally, I shorted the CMOS and got it back to square one. It booted normally and I am now typing this to you.

Stop scaring the crap out of me!

 

[GuitarDaddy]

run memtest!

 

[Old Hippie]

Stop scaring the crap out of me!

Now, what fun would that be!

 

[zagood]

Originally posted by: kRocket
Finally, I shorted the CMOS and got it back to square one. It booted normally and I am now typing this to you.

I'm thinking it was probably something in the BIOS that was incorrect when your "repair guy" installed it. Sad to say, but you can probably find him posting in the Computer Help forum here, and someone told him to run memtest.

 

[kRocket]

Okay, this is what I found! While looking at the reviews on NewEgg of the ODZ Reaper memory, I found a guy that had the same probelm I did with his 1066 memory. It wouldn't work a 1066 he had to reduce it to 800 and it worked fine. So I tried it and mine seems to work fine also. All this after I have been fiddling with it for two weeks. Only probelm is my new memory arrivec this morning, finally. So I swapped them out and the cheaper 1066 memory from G.Skill runs fine at 1066. So it was in truth the memory. Not totally bad evidently just bad enough to not make what it was advertised to do and also cost.

I hope this helps someone else.

 

[Denithor]

Originally posted by: zagood

Originally posted by: kRocket
Finally, I shorted the CMOS and got it back to square one. It booted normally and I am now typing this to you.

I'm thinking it was probably something in the BIOS that was incorrect when your "repair guy" installed it. Sad to say, but you can probably find him posting in the Computer Help forum here, and someone told him to run memtest.

:laugh:

OP - glad to hear the new memory solved the problem. Falls in line with what I have experienced and Blain refered to - OCZ memory is flashy with a fancy name and a big rebate - and fails to work correctly half the time.

In my case, personally I've seen two different memory kits from them fail to post in numerous motherboards - I'll never buy and/or recommend their memory products again.

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: kRocket

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: kRocket
Could there be another reason why my memory would fail in this configuration.

If you aren't giving them enough voltage. "Enthusiast" memory typically requires higher than stock voltages to work properly.

As I stated, I am Technically challenged. The add said 1066 memory and the motherboard called for 1066 memory, so that was what I bought (it had about a 50% rebate). It requires 1.8v and that is what 'AUTO' gave it. Past that I know not.

I tried to get flexible pieces to make future upgrades easier. I had intended to buy a new OS but the Vista vs. Win7 deal made me say 'Whoa' cause I can't afford to by two in one year.

next time...since you know this, pay someone else to build your pc.

always run memtest and check voltages/requirements/boosts before complaining about ram