Should I RMA my Crucial memory?

[eyk03]

Hey all, so here's the deal. I have 4 x 1GB PC-6400 Crucial Ballistix Tracer memory. My system has been unstable and so I've spent the last week testing the sticks individually with Memtest 2.01, and I thought I found the culprit. The problem is, I can't get the stick to error again, even after 8-9 hours of testing. I'm worried that if I try to RMA it, Crucial will just send it back to me claiming there's no problem.

Any advice?

 

[RebateMonger]

I doubt that Crucial is going to argue about it. Maybe if you send the memory back two or three times...and each tme it tests "good" at Crucial.

 

[Zap]

Heh, I've seen something similar with four sticks of 1GB Ballistix erroring ONCE in Memtest, but never again. However, with that RAM installed sometimes Windows won't load or will crash, but works fine with some other RAM installed (in this case some G.Skill). Thing is that it has not errored again in testing, so can't tell which module(s) is faulty, whether in dividually, in pairs or all four together.

Two modules are double-sided and two are the newer single-sided Ballistix.

 

[eyk03]

Thanks for the responses, guys.

Ram issues drive me f'ing crazy...they're so intermittent. Just die already and be done with it! Ugh.

 

[QuixoticOne]

Yeah I've had a bad stick that can go for several complete memtest passes and be OK but every once in a while it gets errors on a particular test though it passes all the other memtest tests.
Usually over 24 hours it'll produce several errors in memtest.
Since the error detection is infrequent and test dependent I could easily see how in some situations maybe running a given game or OS or prime 95 it'd give a lot of errors whereas in other situations it would seem OK virtually always.

The only real point of concern is to rule out it being a problem that is related to having multiple sticks installed versus a problem with one stick itself.

They should be good with RMAing it if you say it has had confirmed infrequent but repeatable memtest errors in your system at stock speeds / volts and your other sticks don't have that problem. Put a tiny dot of paint or pencil mark on it to identify it if you look closely or something and then you can tell them "I don't think so" if they send you the same stick back.

 

[cyberfish]

I just sent my ballistix sticks for RMA today. If you do send your sticks back (and I recommend you do, as the guy I talked to online in live chat support is very friendly and reasonable, and actually knows what he is talking about ), make sure you ask for the new revision that came out a month or two ago, with part number ending in 80A. They are rated for 2.0V, and there doesn't seem to be any death report for those, yet. And I heard they clock higher also. Afterall, what can be worse than the single sided 804 stuff . You can probably even ask to send all four of your sticks back for the new revision "just so they are all the same". I heard they will actually accept that. Even if they don't, it can't hurt to ask.

 

[AmongthechosenX]

I've actually tried the "let me get all 4 of the same". what they'll tell you is that the RAM is backwards compatible so you dont need to. so you have to wait till those sticks die before you can RMA them and request the newer sticks. i dunno what overclocks better though.

theyre usually good with RMA's, i doubt they send you your "bad" stick back.

i would run a prime 95 blend test. if that fails then the stick is bad. that usually runs the ram very hard.

 

[eyk03]

Oh yes, it quite readily fails Prime95, and usually quickly. Something's definitely rotten in the state of Denmark, but trying to narrow it down is a pain in the ass.

 

[eyk03]

Originally posted by: cyberfish
I just sent my ballistix sticks for RMA today. If you do send your sticks back (and I recommend you do, as the guy I talked to online in live chat support is very friendly and reasonable, and actually knows what he is talking about ), make sure you ask for the new revision that came out a month or two ago, with part number ending in 80A. They are rated for 2.0V, and there doesn't seem to be any death report for those, yet. And I heard they clock higher also. Afterall, what can be worse than the single sided 804 stuff . You can probably even ask to send all four of your sticks back for the new revision "just so they are all the same". I heard they will actually accept that. Even if they don't, it can't hurt to ask.

Do you have to send the original packaging back? I threw it all away a while ago after cutting them up for the rebates...