What causes memory to fail?

[Replicon]

So my brother's computer started having some problems (first noticed it when modem wouldn't open COM port all of a sudden)... Eventually, it started failing the memory checksum at bootup, about 50% of the time.

So I'm running memtest68+ v1.55 as we speak, and it's reported thousands of errors. Now, we've had this computer for maybe 2 years or so. Why would the memory fail all of a sudden? Nobody's been playing around under the hood, so it's not like there was accidental static discharge... and I'm pretty sure my brother doesn't ceremonially dip the computer in brown gravy either. I guess my main concern is that something else caused it to have problems (e.g. MoBo), and I'm worried that if I replace the ram, it'll just be eaten up anyway...

But just generally speaking, what causes RAM to fail, under normal operating modes? We've got a 486DX33, and it's still kicking after all these years! Has the industry just lowered its standards for quality this much, and nobody says anything about it? Software can't fry ram, so... I don't get what happened. Just plain made in china? lol

 

[sykopath79]

Space monkeys? I really don't know. It could be poorly manufactured RAM, it could be voltage irregularities. Space monkeys are usually the best explanation though.

 

[hicksman]

heat i believe is the number one cause of degradation under the hood. If you havent been in side the case in a while, check to see there isnt 3 inches of dustbunnies on your CPU fan or worse, hair coiled around it slowing it down.

Also see: Cheap RAM, electrical storms, overclocking

 

[jmarkos]

I agree with Replico on the lower quality standards. my 256K stick is less than a year old and has failed. if it were the heat, dirt, elec spikes my 5 year old computer and every third computer in the city wouuld be just as failed.

 

[CrispyFried]

Unplug and reseat the memory, or try different slots.

 

[doornail]

A 256MB SDRAM is roughly the equivalent of about 4 billion old vacuum tubes. That's a heck of a lot of junctions to go bad.

Edit: typo

 

[Fern]

So far I've been luckly I guess and never had such probs.

But b4 I blamed the mobo, I'd check the PSU to make sure the voltage weren't fluctuating. I've had more issues with PSU's.

Put MBM5 on there, select the sys log feature, set readings for every second and have it recorded to a text.doc

After running a while, go into the text.doc (will be in the MBM5 folder) and see how she's holding up. BTW, it'll keep a list of your temp readings too. Heat can hammer ram like other components

Fern