Faulty RAM ?
I received the memory module (Corsair CMSS1GB-333SOD) I ordered today and installed it in my system (Apple PowerBook G4 1.25GHz). I took out one of the 256MB chips in my machine and installed the 1024MB chip in the top bay.
When I restarted everything seemed to work as it was supposed to, but after a while (after I had started a few applications) the applications started crashing, with my terminal applications stating a bus error (memory error) - this was with JBoss.
To verify I took out the other 256MB chip as well and ran the computer with only the 1GB chip installed. This led to the machine crashing on startup 3 times (just as the system were booted). The 4th time I was able to run memtest on the avaliable RAM, which caused the system to crash (kernel panic) after reaching Stack Address sequene 5, stating:
Currupt stack and Memory Acces Exception (1,0,0), upon I had to shut down my computer.
I shut the computer down and re-installed my original 2 memory modules. booted the computer and ran memtest without trouble.
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I sent this email to the shop I bought it from, and received the following reply:
We've not received any significant comments from Apple users regarding this RAM - you may have to configure something in the BIOS, however, if the size is significantly different from the originally installed module.
Check with Apple to see if there is anything you need to do to deal with such a large module, and you may also want to ask the RAM guy at the corsair forums, as they usually respond very quickly, and are more likely to know if there is something you need to do with your config.
http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/fo...hp?forumid=128
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could this be due to faulty RAM ?
When I restarted everything seemed to work as it was supposed to, but after a while (after I had started a few applications) the applications started crashing, with my terminal applications stating a bus error (memory error) - this was with JBoss.
To verify I took out the other 256MB chip as well and ran the computer with only the 1GB chip installed. This led to the machine crashing on startup 3 times (just as the system were booted). The 4th time I was able to run memtest on the avaliable RAM, which caused the system to crash (kernel panic) after reaching Stack Address sequene 5, stating:
Currupt stack and Memory Acces Exception (1,0,0), upon I had to shut down my computer.
I shut the computer down and re-installed my original 2 memory modules. booted the computer and ran memtest without trouble.
---
I sent this email to the shop I bought it from, and received the following reply:
We've not received any significant comments from Apple users regarding this RAM - you may have to configure something in the BIOS, however, if the size is significantly different from the originally installed module.
Check with Apple to see if there is anything you need to do to deal with such a large module, and you may also want to ask the RAM guy at the corsair forums, as they usually respond very quickly, and are more likely to know if there is something you need to do with your config.
http://www.houseofhelp.com/forums/fo...hp?forumid=128
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could this be due to faulty RAM ?
Comments
Crucial RAM has always worked well for me.
Moving to Genius Bar.
Originally posted by AgNuke1707
Totally agree, it's not a computer problem. It's bad RAM. Get your money back and check into Crucial or Kingston. You might also wanna check to make sure you're using the right RAM for your powerbook. Check out the Tech Spec documentation on Apple's website for your machine's specs and verify that you're using the right thing before you get up in arms with the company about getting your money back. But yeah, sounds like bad RAM ... hope you work it out without a problem!
Yeah, its definately the right RAM, corsair even states that it is compatible:
http://compatible.corsairmemory.com/...?modelid=39894
.:BoeManE:.
I think people on these forums recommend Crucial/Kingston because most of the time those RAM sticks work first time, no worries...
I have been hearing good stuff about Crucial with regards to Apple-compatible memory.... hmm i am personally wondering if they ship outside the US
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We've had no faulty modeuls of CMSS at all, despite selling more than 100 of them so far. They are pre-tested by Corsair prior to packaging, so I'd doubt that they would package a faulty module.
---
So I did some more tests in memtest, that to me says "bad memory":
For the first sequence there were "only" a few failiures:
Sequence 1:
Stuck address: \t\t\tok
Random value
Compare XOR
Compare SUB
Compare MUL
Compare DIV
Compare OR
Compare AND
Sequential increment
Solid Bits
Block sequential
Checkerboard
FAILIURE: 0x555555aa != 0x55555555 at offset 0x05964081
Bit spread
Bit Flip
FAILIURE: 0x000000fe != 0x00000001 at offset 0x022da821
Walking ones
Walking zeroes
For the second sequence it failed almost instantly (at test 0) on every point, and on the third sequence it returned the following while testing for Stuck address:
Possible bad addres at offset 0x03bb0961
I stopped memtest, which is where the system crashed (kernel panic), so the above is what I noted down with a pen and paper. I did take a photo of the screen after the kernel panic, which I put up on: http://www.devsiden.info/images/badmemory.jpg (1.3 MB)
Surely this should be enough to get a refund ??
.:BoeManE:.
The guy e-mailing you is right though - Corsair would have done their own Quality Control tests and it is VERY rare that RAM goes bad, or comes from the factory bad, but it looks like you just got one that slipped through.
My best advice is to keep plugging away and demanding your refund - you are certainly entitled to it as a consumer since your product does not work. Lucky for you too, bad RAM does have the capability of damamging your motherboard - in which case you'd have a much more severe and immediate problem on your hands.
Another thing you might wanna look into is Corsair itself. Their RAM should have some kind of a warranty on it. If you get nowhere with the guy that sold it to you, you can always contact the company and tell them what has happened anask what steps to take to file your warranty claim...
Originally posted by BoeManE
The response from the company I bought the memory from replied with:
---
We've had no faulty modeuls of CMSS at all, despite selling more than 100 of them so far. They are pre-tested by Corsair prior to packaging, so I'd doubt that they would package a faulty module.
---
So I did some more tests in memtest, that to me says "bad memory":
For the first sequence there were "only" a few failiures:
Sequence 1:
Stuck address: \t\t\tok
Random value
Compare XOR
Compare SUB
Compare MUL
Compare DIV
Compare OR
Compare AND
Sequential increment
Solid Bits
Block sequential
Checkerboard
FAILIURE: 0x555555aa != 0x55555555 at offset 0x05964081
Bit spread
Bit Flip
FAILIURE: 0x000000fe != 0x00000001 at offset 0x022da821
Walking ones
Walking zeroes
For the second sequence it failed almost instantly (at test 0) on every point, and on the third sequence it returned the following while testing for Stuck address:
Possible bad addres at offset 0x03bb0961
I stopped memtest, which is where the system crashed (kernel panic), so the above is what I noted down with a pen and paper. I did take a photo of the screen after the kernel panic, which I put up on: http://www.devsiden.info/images/badmemory.jpg (1.3 MB)
Surely this should be enough to get a refund ??
.:BoeManE:.
dude you in Brisbane, QLD, Australia? what company did you get the memory from? in your case probably not from Corsair direct but an Australian /Qld distributor that sells Corsair modules. if you bought the memory from a reputable seller, it should have 1 ,3 if not lifetime warranty. just an exchange is probably easiest for now, just bad luck with the memory stick you received.
if you bought it from a physical store, maybe arrange a time so you can go in and exchange the RAM, and install and test it there and then
last time i lived in brisbane it was a pretty chilled out place, so should be sweet.
if you bought it online you'll have to do the ol' shipping back to them for exchange, etc, etc.
....unless you are from Brisbane, CA, USA or some other Brisbane in the USA, then the US boyz on the forums will help ya out...
Originally posted by sunilraman
I have been hearing good stuff about Crucial with regards to Apple-compatible memory.... hmm i am personally wondering if they ship outside the US
yup, they do indeed.
BTW it definitely sounds like faulty RAM. If it wouldn't start up.
Originally posted by sunilraman
dude you in Brisbane, QLD, Australia? what company did you get the memory from? in your case probably not from Corsair direct but an Australian /Qld distributor that sells Corsair modules. if you bought the memory from a reputable seller, it should have 1 ,3 if not lifetime warranty. just an exchange is probably easiest for now, just bad luck with the memory stick you received.
if you bought it from a physical store, maybe arrange a time so you can go in and exchange the RAM, and install and test it there and then
last time i lived in brisbane it was a pretty chilled out place, so should be sweet.
if you bought it online you'll have to do the ol' shipping back to them for exchange, etc, etc.
....unless you are from Brisbane, CA, USA or some other Brisbane in the USA, then the US boyz on the forums will help ya out...
I live in brisbane australia. I'll try the company again before I go about posting their name online....
.:BoeManE:.
Originally posted by BoeManE
I live in brisbane australia. I'll try the company again before I go about posting their name online....
.:BoeManE:.
yeah no worries, you don't have to mention the company name here if you don't want to, it's cool... i think they'll be cool with an exchange...
Originally posted by sunilraman
yeah no worries, you don't have to mention the company name here if you don't want to, it's cool... i think they'll be cool with an exchange...
I have arranged to send the chip back for him to test it and send another chip if he finds it to be faulty.
Does anyone know how Corsair chips handle heat ? Since I live in Australia it tends to get very hot (30 degrees celcius inside) and therefore so does my computer.
.:BoeManE:.
I got a refund for the corsair module, and decided to get two 512 modules from an online apple retailer (streetwise.com.au). The modules they use are made from Amicroe and are PC2700 DDR SODIMM 333 MHz chips.
I got these two modules , installed them and rebooted. This caused a kernel panic, so I tested the modules one by one in BOTH the upper and lower slots with the same results.
I contacted the retailer again, and they were nice enough to send out two new modules that day with a return-note for the two modules I had.
Now... These two modules ALSO causes kernel panics, which have me worried that the problem is with my powerbook (which of course is out of warranty by a month and a half). To make matters worse I tried these two modules in a DELL computer and they worked fine... No errors no nothing!
I put the modules back into my computer and ran the Apple Hardware Test (v. 2.0.6) that came with my computer. And guess what... it found no errors.
To test for software issues I am now going to backup and do a deep format of the drive and reinstall OS X 10.3.5 from the CDs...
If this also failes the problem must surely lie with my powerbook, and I fear a huge cost involved in fixing it, as I can only imagine it being a fault with either the memory bays, the memory controller, or somewhere else with the motherboard...
Any thoughts or suggestions that would help me at this stage ?
but go with the fresh install and see what happens.
worse-come-to-worse, you return your memory to streetwise and get a full refund or cop a "restocking fee" of some sort, then put back the 256mb piece which you know has been working
since your powerbook is out of warranty i am not sure how much a diagnosis and possibly replacement motherboard may cost
let us know how the fresh install goes. maybe try updating all the way to 10.3.8?
good luck
Originally posted by sunilraman
this sounds unfortunate mate.
but go with the fresh install and see what happens.
worse-come-to-worse, you return your memory to streetwise and get a full refund or cop a "restocking fee" of some sort, then put back the 256mb piece which you know has been working
since your powerbook is out of warranty i am not sure how much a diagnosis and possibly replacement motherboard may cost
let us know how the fresh install goes. maybe try updating all the way to 10.3.8?
good luck
I will give feedback on the progress...
Since I currently have all 4 modules here now, I will try to install 10.3.5 fresh and test with the "newest" 512 modules. If that doesn't work properly I will try test all 4 one by one in both upper and lower slots and see if I can find a pair that works...
Talking to streetwise on the phone they kinnda said they wouldn't refund the modules as the problem most likely is with my Mac. If I cannot get two modules working correctly, I will try harder for a refund.
.:BoeManE:.
I formatted and installed OS X again, put in two 512 modules and restarted. This ran fine for a while, but ended in a kernel panic. I then took out the top module and tested again, and after about an hour and a half, no crashes. I swapped modules to the other 512 chip. Kernel Panic after a few application crashes.
I know the modules themselves arent faulty, since they worked fine in a Dell laptop, but this does seem to indicate that one of the modules aren't fully supported - They do look very different. The one thats in there now looks like a stardard memory module, but the other one looks different with only two black-squares on each side, and they seem to be covered by some sort of soft-ish plastic.
I'm going to call back tomorrow and ask if they would accept a change so that I have two modules that looks the same, and hopefully that one will be compatible as well!
I've ran the 512 module in the bottom bay and one of my original 256 one in the top bay for at least 2-3 hours now with no panics!!
Must be good news.
.:BoeManE:.