Ballistix's die again....

teggs · 7 Dec 2005 at 20:00

Skeme said:
I must admit after reading the many problems ppl have had with this RAM (not just on this message board) i've changed my mind. Im going to get the 2Gb OCZ EB DDR PC4000 kit instead.

good luck sourcing them bad boys

ubern00b · 7 Dec 2005 at 22:12

teggs said:
good luck sourcing them bad boys

Indeed. Souces I have contacted said OCZ cannot supply the demand and they dont expect stock for 3-4 weeks but thats just an estimation and the sources said I couldnt quote them, but I guess I just have

I have decided on the Mushkin Redline Extreme Performance PC4000 2gb dual channel kit, uses the same mem chips as the OCZ EB, is the same price and is actually in stock.

Skeme · 7 Dec 2005 at 22:22

teggs said:
good luck sourcing them bad boys

Very true, the one place that did have them doesn't anymore but i wasn't planning on the mem upgrade until the new year ..get the xmas bank drain out of the way first

hopefully will have better luck finding them then.

spluff · 8 Dec 2005 at 09:36

Is there actually a problem with the Ballistix or is it a compatability problem?

I have never had problems with years of Crucial Value memory..... I bought the Ballistix with the thought that it is BETTER quality.

teggs · 8 Dec 2005 at 12:22

spluff said:
Is there actually a problem with the Ballistix or is it a compatability problem?

It's not a compatability problem, they just seem to have a very short life span! maybe pumping 3volts through them didn't help my set :rolleyes:

I'm sending mine back today, if the next set i get fail on me then i'm gonna sell the replacements and get some 2Gb OCZ EB DDR PC4000
I've not really heard about the Mushkin Redline Extreme Performance PC4000 2gb dual channel kit. are they giving the same sort of performance as the ballistix?

tbz_ck · 8 Dec 2005 at 13:42

Well I got my RMA back yesterday (the postie had thrown the package over the side gate, thats Special Delivery these days for you!)

Popped them in, ran them at AUTO timings for now and all is well. Got rid of my BF2 patch failed problems which was due to memory errors.

Whats the official timings and voltage for these please? (Ballistix PC3200)

ns400r · 8 Dec 2005 at 14:06

Whats the official timings and voltage for these please? (Ballistix PC3200)

PC3200
Part Number: BL6464Z402
Module Size: 512MB
Package: Ballistix 184-pin DIMM
Feature: DDR PC3200
Configuration: 64Meg x 64
DIMM Type: UNBUFFERED
Error Checking: NON-ECC
Speed: DDR400
Voltage: 2.8V
Memory Timings: 2-2-2-6
Specs: DDR PC3200 • 2-2-2-6 • UNBUFFERED • NON-ECC • DDR400 • 2.8V • 64Meg x 64

PC4000
Part Number: BL12864Z503
Module Size: 1GB
Package: Ballistix 184-pin DIMM
Feature: DDR PC4000
Configuration: 128Meg x 64
DIMM Type:
Error Checking: NON-ECC
Speed: DDR500
Voltage: 2.8V
Memory Timings: 3-4-4-8
Specs: DDR PC4000 • 3-4-4-8 • Unbuffered • NON-ECC • DDR500 • 2.8V • 128Meg x 64

ubern00b · 8 Dec 2005 at 14:36

teggs said:
I'm sending mine back today, if the next set i get fail on me then i'm gonna sell the replacements and get some 2Gb OCZ EB DDR PC4000
I've not really heard about the Mushkin Redline Extreme Performance PC4000 2gb dual channel kit. are they giving the same sort of performance as the ballistix?

Dont know about the same sort of performance as the ballistix but they use the same chips as the OCZ EB's.

http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Mushkin/XP4000-2GB

tbz_ck · 8 Dec 2005 at 14:38

ns400r said:
PC3200
Part Number: BL6464Z402
Module Size: 512MB
Package: Ballistix 184-pin DIMM
Feature: DDR PC3200
Configuration: 64Meg x 64
DIMM Type: UNBUFFERED
Error Checking: NON-ECC
Speed: DDR400
Voltage: 2.8V
Memory Timings: 2-2-2-6
Specs: DDR PC3200 • 2-2-2-6 • UNBUFFERED • NON-ECC • DDR400 • 2.8V • 64Meg x 64

[/URL]

Thanks

Doesn't say whether thats 1 T or 2T though for the PC 3200 which I have. I've run it at 1T and it seemed fine.... :confused:

Overlag · 9 Dec 2005 at 22:01

these being my 5th pair of ballistix's is the first pair to seem to run fine at 1t

Phat_Larry · 11 Dec 2005 at 12:03

Is it only the ballistix line that is having this problem? I've just started getting the usual warning signs that my 3rd set are on there way out at the moment, so I'm thinking I may be better off asking Crucial for 2x 1GB sticks of the basic RAM as a replacement for my 2x 512MB ballistix. Anyone know of any issues with these? Also, are they single or double sided?

Aus-bound · 11 Dec 2005 at 15:16

Got up this morning to find my Ballistix have died again :mad:

only got them back from crucial on 24th November. Time to find some reliable memory to fit to my system. Any suggestions?

Overlag · 11 Dec 2005 at 18:16

Aus-bound said:
Got up this morning to find my Ballistix have died again only got them back from crucial on 24th November. Time to find some reliable memory to fit to my system. Any suggestions?

at 2.8volts they need active cooling, because they get way too hot.....

Aus-bound · 11 Dec 2005 at 18:21

They have, i have a coolermaster stacker with the crossflow fan blowing straight across them.

Penfold99 · 11 Dec 2005 at 18:34

my set of ballistix 2gig i cant hit 250mhz with it, only mange to get 225mhz, will be ringing crucial 2morrow

ns400r · 11 Dec 2005 at 18:46

I'm not looking forward to getting my replacement memory back from Crucial now. I expect it tomorrow morning. The original pair only worked for about 8 hours and never seemed to be stable at the speed I was running them (236Mhz). hey were running at 2.7v and were never very hot, still weren't hot after they became very unstable. I don't feel that extra cooling would have changed anything. I just pray that they last longer next time. or do I ? Maybe a quick failure would be les painful, then change them to a different brand. Who would I talk to o do that ? Purchased from Overclockers but replaced by Crucial on Overclockers advice. Who would refund me ? ? ?

Overlag · 11 Dec 2005 at 18:47

Aus-bound said:
They have, i have a coolermaster stacker with the crossflow fan blowing straight across them.

well thats rubbish then, wouldnt expect them to die with that sort of cooling

crucial really need to sort something out

Vimes · 11 Dec 2005 at 20:01

When I asked a few posts ago if anyone else has noted if their Balistix is running hot my friends third set of 2GB kit has finally packed in three weeks after replacement. This time he placed a fan to blow across the VERY hot sticks, running 2.6v to 2.8v didn't seem to make any difference to the heat, nor to the longevity of the 2.8v rated memory.
Whilst I really do appreciate the superb and efficient returns procedure that Crucial offer it would be useful not to need them at all.
Like me my friend has just bought some Geil Value memory that is only just warm to the touch and, fingers crossed, keeps working - like mine.
There is too much of a buggeration factor involved with being a Balistix owner for me to consider them again.

Aus-bound · 11 Dec 2005 at 20:05

Overlag said:
well thats rubbish then, wouldnt expect them to die with that sort of cooling

crucial really need to sort something out

Too right they do. I have just sent a webnote to overclockers to see if it would be possible to exchange them for another make. Do you think these would be ok? if they will.

GeIL 1GB (2x512MB) PC4400 Ultra Platinum CAS3 (GL1G4400DC) (MY-027-GL)

GeIL 1GB (2x512MB) PC4400 UltraX-TCCD CAS2.5 (GLX1GB4400DC) (MY-051-GL)

If not will stick the next replacements up for sale and just buy something else.

Phat_Larry · 14 Dec 2005 at 00:17

I don't think this is a heat issue, I recieved the single sided ballistix the last time I RMA'd which run much much cooler, after 3 months they wont run stable at 1T anymore and based on past experience with ballistix will probably fail completely in the next month or so.
I find myself wondering if its something to do with the A64 mem controller, is anyone having these problems with P4, A-XP or even non overclocked A64? Looking through this thread it appears that almost everone is using an overclocked AMD chip with a built in memory controller.