NEVER EVER buy NoName RAM!

[az]

Hehe, I think the topic says it all...

I was putting together a quite low-end system, a duron 750 running on a K7VZA with 256 MB of PC 133 CL3 RAM (wow... low end has never been faster ). The system was only for word processing, so I thought there wouldn't be any heavy burden on the RAMs, and since the last time I put together a system NoName RAM was just fine... but times have changed since EDO was cutting edge and 60ns was fast

So, I put the system together, tried to install W98 - BSOD on first boot... several retries without soundcard, with only my trusty old Millennium 1 - no go.

Since the system always hung when the GUI was loaded (even in safe mode) I suspected the graphics card, and it couldn't have been the power supply, since it was a 300W one...

Bottom line is, I replaced the 256 MB with just 128 MB, re-installed, and it miraculously worked - I'm going to return the 256 MB stick tomorrow and get brand RAM in return...

NEVER EVER make the same mistake I did! I know this has been posted before, but maybe this warning will help people who didn't believe this until now to avoid this mistake

AZ

[spazm_1999]

It might had been just a bad memory module. I've got 2*128mb of brandless ram and it work up to 3-2-2-5&7. Never had any prob with brandless things.

Spazm

[Wombat]

It just isn't worth the frustration. Especially now that Crucial 7E is soooo cheap.

[Admiral]

It might not be available in every country though.

It's a hell to find good memory here.

[Nuno]

Generic isn´t alawys a bad deal (if you can try it first)

I have a 256 Mb stick generic PC133 cas3 that works fine up to 150 Mhz cas 3. Oh yes, and it does 133 cas 2 also

[spazm_1999]

I'm with Nuno, my generic PC-133 memory can go up to 166 fsb at cas 3. And for crucial being cheap, well.... that depend on how u see it, it may be cheap in the US. Here crucial is at least 2 times more expensive than generic and you'll have a special import fee when it will cross the boarder line.

Spazm

[Indiana]

I don't have problems with my noname RAM as well, my 256MB (one PC100(!) CAS3 rated and a PC133 CAS3 rated module, both noname) go up to 146MHz CAS2 with the Abit KT7's "turbo"-setting and 4way interleaving. And those AMD/VIA chips are known to be VERY picky about the RAM.

I guess when buying RAM you just have to be lucky.

[MK]

Just to make sure I don`t have any trouble, I bought 256MB Crucial 7E (CAS2). And I didn`t had any trouble with them ...

IMHO the extra charge is worth it !

MK



------------------
Celeron II 860 MHz on EPoX BX7+100, Intel i440BX
Golden Orb @ 7V + 2x Papst Low Noise Cooler
256 MB PC133 Crucial 7E (CAS2)
G400 16MB @ PD 6.10 + TGL (soon to be replaced
Hauppauge WinTV TV-Card
IBM DTLA 20GB on HPT U-ATA100 RAID
Iiyama Vision Master Pro 400
Plustek Optic Pro U12B
HP Deskjet 959C

[spazm_1999]

I'm not saying that having crucial CAS2 would'nt enhance my pc speed, but i'm not gonna pay 150$+ for it when i can have memory that can allow me get get a good speed at 55$.

Spazm

[Rags]

Buying cheap RAM is like buying a GeForce product. As Mr. Gump would say..."...like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get."

When buying RAM, get crucial/micron. When buying video cards, get Matrox .

Rags

[Greebe]

spazm/Nuno, not all MB's will work with generic noname brands, and not always can you try it first (not in the US 99% of the time).

Mem is cheap and while as tempting as it is, it's simply not worth the hassle, especially if you value your time and additional expenses involved (ie Gas $$$ etc).

Crucial not only makes some of the very best, but you can also call them and ask what will work without problems... example, I was curious about possible instability issue with the third slot in a MSI 6167 MB. Nowhere was this mentioned (MSI wouldn't comment, nor AMD), a quick call to Curcial tech support and they confirmed my thoughts... It's a known fact (to them from testing and verified by AMD) that the AMD 750 chipset has issues with any memory module in the third slot.

Wombat had two stick of Curcial mem, one a single sided and another a double sided which he thought was causing stability issues. They exchanged the single (newer one he'd purchased) for another double, which from what he has told me, fixed him right up.

It's business practices like that, which bring me back time & time again and why I won't hesitate to reccommend their memory to anyone.

I may pay abit more for it, but I will at least know that I won't have problems.

[spazm_1999]

In 10 years i haven't had any mb that did'nt take my generic ram. I've had mostly FIC, asus and tomato.

Anyway that's not gonna change anything for me since i don't have that extra cash to get it.

Spazm

[spazm_1999]

Who care's to know what u get when it's working perfectly? I've got a Spectek memory module and i don't have any idea of the other since nothing is printed on it and no app get get a sigle info about it.... even sandra can't tell a thing about it except that it's a 128mb.

Spazm

[Greebe]

spazm, maybe you should check their prices more often, it's ~$65 for a 128meg stick now (and has been at that price for some time).

I'm not saying that by buying what you did is wrong, but to address this post, in the manner you have is only telling part of the story (ie incomplete).

[Rags]

Like I said before, it's a matter of probabilities. Just like the box of chocolates, about half of the chocolates are good, the other are circular filers Same with no name parts

Rags