Bad RAM?

[f1]

Ok so i just bought some Kingston RAM sticks that i was hoping to use with my Macbook. After installing the RAM i would experience instability issues (kernel panics n crashes) about an hour or two after installation, and then after a while the macbook just refuses to boot until i put the old RAM in. However when i run tech tool with the new RAM installed the RAM NEVER fails the test?!?!?

 

[Eraserhead]

RAM tests don't always work reliably, I suggest you send the new RAM back, its clearly faulty.

 

[f1]

Thanks for the advice its just really weird that it would work fine for hours at a time after installing the RAM before things go bad

 

[squeeks]

dont buy kingston ram, stick with crucial, corsair or OCZ

Crucial is what apple used to use, im not sure if they still do

 

[f1]

dont buy kingston ram, stick with crucial, corsair or OCZ

Crucial is what apple used to use, im not sure if they still do

What's wrong with Kingston?? I thought they were pretty reputable?? BTW the RAM that came with the macbook seems to be some cheap generic brand. The label isn't even written in English at all, and yes I bought my computer in North America.

 

[Eraserhead]

What's wrong with Kingston?? I thought they were pretty reputable?? BTW the RAM that came with the macbook seems to be some cheap generic brand. The label isn't even written in English at all, and yes I bought my computer in North America.

Its usually Samsung, or Micron or another Tier-1 manufacturer, but Apple buys in bulk, and like everything else, its made in China

 

[f1]

Its usually Samsung, or Micron or another Tier-1 manufacturer, but Apple buys in bulk, and like everything else, its made in China

Thanks for the reply, but can anyone tell me why I shouldn't buy Kingston RAM?

 

[chris315]

I have some mushkin ram in mine and its working fine.

 

[f1]

Ok, so i did some research on Kingston RAM, i bought the ValueRAM which has been reported to have problems with the Mac. Went back to the reseller had it swapped like for like, and now my Macbook is running perfectly.

 

[heads up]

I recently upgraded the memory in my MacBook Pro 1.83GHz from 1 to 2GB. I first bought Crucial memory because I've heard that Crucial is one of the best. I've had my MBP for nearly 2 years, and have never had a kernel panic. After installing the Crucial memory, I had 4 kernel panics in less than 48 hours. I even tested the memory using Memtest 4.21, and it showed that the memory was ok. So I went back to the store I bought it from, and exchanged it for some OCZ memory (2 x 1GB modules). Works great now.

So even though a lot of people will disagree with me, from my experience, I would never recommend Crucial memory to anybody.

Hope this helped.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Ok, so i did some research on Kingston RAM, i bought the ValueRAM which has been reported to have problems with the Mac. Went back to the reseller had it swapped like for like, and now my Macbook is running perfectly.

Right -- always specify the Kingston KTA- series RAM for Apples, not the KVR series

So even though a lot of people will disagree with me, from my experience, I would never recommend Crucial memory to anybody.

Sorry, I will disagree. That is too broad a statement to make based on a sample size of one. Our experience with many thousands of modules is that the Crucial RAM is reliable, as are the Kingston KTA- series.

There is approximately a 1% OOB failure rate on RAM, no matter what brand. So if you buy a pair, then one time in 50 you will have a problem.

(this is aggravated by the fact that many, many customers, even if they are computer-savvy, fail to push the RAM all the way into the socket in MacBooks and iMacs, leading them to conclude that the RAM is no good.)

 

[iphoneifan]

And guys, what is your experience with the OWC memory??

I just bought a 4Gb Kit for my macbook and waiting to be delivery in order to install it.

Thanks

 

[Asar]

yeah, try to get a refund

 

[sndcj1]

OWC has always worked for me... but then i've only ordered 3 ram sticks from them.

 

[gnasher729]

(this is aggravated by the fact that many, many customers, even if they are computer-savvy, fail to push the RAM all the way into the socket in MacBooks and iMacs, leading them to conclude that the RAM is no good.)

Could you comment on this: In my experience, if you don't push the RAM in all the way in a MacBook, it just doesn't work - same as if you had no RAM at all. No kernel panics etc. It either works or it doesn't, nothing in between.

And when you push in the RAM, there is a _lot_ of resistance just before the last two millimetres, but once that resistance is overcome, it goes in easy. So it's quite possible to push not hard enough and the RAM doesn't work, but it should be very rare to push further than that but not far enough.