I hate computers and vendors

[MIGhunter]

I built a new computer in Sept. 2.8 cpu, p4t5333-c, 1 gb 1066, radeon 9700pro, the whole shibang. This was the biggest unstable mess ever. I then come to find out that it was the 1066 memory. Wouldn't run at 1066. Stable as a nunn at 800 but not 1066. I RMA'd it (which went well) and received the new memory today. Guess what. Same dang problem. So, I call the company back and they put me on hold forever and then tell me they'll call back after researching the problem. I know that they are going to tell me that it is my Asus MB even thought their website site says specifically that this memory is tested for it.

I guess I either try another replacement or get a refund. Which stinks because this house/samsung 1066 was $116/256mb stick. I bought the full 1gb. If I get a refund, I'll have to find someone that has some that will work. Which as far as I can tell will be $70 more per stick.

Here is the memory that I bought

 

[BD231]

Did you try with just 512 in at 1066?

 

[Smilin]

Memory stability:

#1 fix - don't use cheap memory - pay extra, get the name brand.
#2 fix - use less slots. Trade in your 4x256 for 2x512.

 

[bozo1]

I've found that 'house brands' are often name brand chips (samsung, micron, etc.) but put on no-name (and possibly questionable quality) PCB's.

 

[MIGhunter]

Originally posted by: Smilin
Memory stability:

#1 fix - don't use cheap memory - pay extra, get the name brand.
#2 fix - use less slots. Trade in your 4x256 for 2x512.

When I bought it at the end of August 512 sticks weren't redily available.

 

[MIGhunter]

What about OcZ. Are they any good. They are going to replace my house/Samsung with OcZ. I don't know anything about them. Are they anygood. Or should I just demand a refund and get something else.

Is there really a difference in memory. If I get the OcZ and it runs at 1066 is that the same as a "high" end brand running at 1066. What is the difference?

 

[Gibson12345]

I have a friend who bought a PC from Alienware back in September, and he had to have new memory sent to him. Alienware explained that a bad shipment of PC1066 was sent out by their supplier. Perhaps you ended up with some of the same bad parts.

 

[Alptraum]

I have a friend who bought a PC from Alienware back in September, and he had to have new memory sent to him. Alienware explained that a bad shipment of PC1066 was sent out by their manufacturer. Perhaps you ended up with some of the same bad parts.

Thats most likely the problem. 16bit 1066 stuff has been hard as hell to get lately also due to this problem. I was going to order a gig of it myself but just today have I been able to find somebody that actually has it in stock and not backordered for weeks. The downside is its about 700 for a gig of original samsung (4x256 at newegg).

 

[Macro2]

Doood, you should have got a DELL.

Seriously, you're problem is not uncommon. Most vendors don't want to hear from you agin.

 

[MIGhunter]

I've sent it in once. I just did some research on asusboards.com and there is a lot of negative about ocz. What should I do?

 

[Insidious]

IMO, the suggestion to try with 512 (2 slots) is a good one. I seem to remember several instances of reading about MoBos that couldn't handle all the slots filled unless it is registered RAM (ECC is a total PAIN..... don't do it!) I think as the number of sticks increases, the ability to OC decreases too.

If that works for you.... don't despair..... 512 is a great number for XP. I doubt if the vender will be very helpful wrt a return of the other two sticks, but usually it's not hard to find someone who will buy your extra.

As another option, it may leave a bad taste in your mouth, but if you really look at the difference in your computers' performance at 800, I'm guessing the difference is pretty small. A huge issue if benchies are the goal, but not so bad if a fast stable comp is what you are looking for.

 

[wizdum]

yep same thing happened to me but with ddr. i bought ghetto brand pc2700 128mb stick. my computer couldnt even get past the bios without freezing up. downclocked it to 2100 and it worked fine. i just kept it because i got a good deal on it because it was ghetto brand. the thing that bothered me was if the ghetto company knew that their ghetto ram wouldnt run at pc2700, why did they put pc2700 in the SPD? grr.

 

[MIGhunter]

well, they are replacing it with OCz 1066. Which is a little more expensive but they are eating the cost. So I am going to try that. If that doesn't work, I will get my money back and just buy some mushkin or another brand.

As far as the 512 sticks go, I figured that the 4 256 sticks would be better than 2 512s with the 2 crimms. Not to mention 3 months ago, there wasn't any 512 sticks to buy. Oh well. Hopefully the OCz stuff will work. There is a lot of negative press on some other forums.

 

[Insidious]

I've seen some negative stuff too. It's hard to know how much to pay attention to it. Vender always gets the rap when things go astray and I suspect that when the real problem is found, retractions are few and far between.

No personal experince with OCZ, though I admit I have avoided them in the past and hope it wasn't unfair. Please post your end result and help to solidify the rep. that OCZ does (or doesn't) deserve.

 

[ElFenix]

i've heard some bad things about OCZ...

 

[Viper96720]

If you look at the left side of the PC board there should be a part number if its samsung ram.
ram You can go to samsung and look up the number see if you got actual PC1066 ram and not rebadged PC800. samsung electronics

 

[MIGhunter]

I will let you guys know when the stuff comes in. I don't plan to overclock it or anything crazy. I just want it to run at 1066 and be stable. I will run memtest and prime when it comes in. Hopefully it is good. Has a lifetime warranty but that doesn't impress me since the company was only established in August of 2000. Hopefully if it goes bad the vendor will make good on it.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

Introducing MSTAR House Brand PC1066 RDRAM Memory using Samsung chips!

ha ha ha.

You know why it sucks?

Newegg sells the real Samsung made PC1066 (16bit) for $175!

 

[alkemyst]

simply searching for OCZ will show you many bad experiences here.

I didn't research this myself but apparently, they merely get in RAM see if it overclocks and then sell it as the speed they got it to OC to. Sort of how they always have RAM speeds everyone says are unavailalbe yet.

Go Crucial, Corsair, or a Micron derivative.

 

[tbates757]

There is nothing wrong with OCZ, there was a debacle a few months back but they put out really good RAM. I have their PC2700 Revision 3.2 and it overclocks to DDR400.

 

[MIGhunter]

Originally posted by: tbates757
There is nothing wrong with OCZ, there was a debacle a few months back but they put out really good RAM. I have their PC2700 Revision 3.2 and it overclocks to DDR400.

Thanks for the reassurance. I am waiting on the return label. Once I get it, I will send in the junk they sent me in the 1st place. I really don't care what they send as long as they send me something that will run at 1066.

 

[MIGhunter]

the conclussion to the saga