Faulty GeIL stick returned from RMA as good

IT Troll · 9 Jul 2007 at 22:48

Faulty GeIL stick returned from RMA as "not faulty"?

I purchased GeIL 1GB (2x512MB) PC6400C4 800MHz Ultra Low Latency DDR2 Dual Channel Kit to sit alongside my existing GeIL 2GB (2x1GB) PC6400C4 800MHz Ultra Low Latency DDR2 Dual Channel Kit in my DFI Infinity 975X (Socket 775) PCI-Express DDR2 Motherboard. However straight away I hit memory errors and quickly narrowed the problem down to one of the new 512MB sticks.

With Memtest86 this stick produces multiple failing address errors during Test 5. I have tried running the stick below spec at DDR712 and DDR534 at 5-5-5-15 timings but the errors remain. I have tried running at 2.1v and 2.2v but still the errors. At 2.05v or below (running DDR534) the PC will not even POST with this stick! :eek:

In contrast, the other 512MB stick and my two existing 1GB sticks work faultlessly at full speeds. To me this smacks of a faulty stick.

I RMAed the 1GB Kit with OcUK but the same sticks have been returned to me. RMA just states Returned To Customer.

What do I do now? I am missing something obvious? :confused:

The motherboard, processor and all the memory were purchased from OcUK.

IT Troll · 10 Jul 2007 at 17:46

I have put in a webnote asking them to detail the testing carried out and how we proceed from here...

IT Troll · 12 Jul 2007 at 12:05

stickroad said:
Surely if OCUK return the Memory back to you as a working product, now surely its down to the user not doing something right that is preventing the system not working properly?

Could be. I'd love to know what I am doing that makes one stick work and the other not though. Any suggestions?

No response yet to my webnote.

IT Troll · 12 Jul 2007 at 23:29

Thats good to hear, as I may have to resort to it. :rolleyes:

IT Troll · 14 Jul 2007 at 11:38

WTF? Just discovered I've been charged £21.21 (without notification) for my RMA. The memory only cost £39.57 in the first place!

Still no response to my webnote. You would have thought I would be entitled to a response/test report for the money.

Gonna try the stick in another PC and take it from there...

IT Troll · 14 Jul 2007 at 19:40

allosunshine said:
If you read the T&C's for the RMA, if its found not faulty your charged £10+VAT+Return Delivery.

Apart from the fact that I'm sure it is faulty, the original order was sent by Royal Mail for a a couple of quid, whilst the RMA return was sent by courier. Surely I should get a test report for my £11.75?

I have certainly learnt my lesson on this one. If you think you have a faulty item, return it under Distance Selling Regs and then buy a replacement elsewhere!

IT Troll · 17 Jul 2007 at 22:37

OK I am still struggling with this. I have now tried the stick in another PC and it didn't error, the trouble is the PC was a corporate Dell model and so I had no control of the memory settings. I couldn't even find out what speed/timings the memory was running at (Memtest and CPU-Z didn't report the info). I can only assume it was running at the SPD timings which are 5-5-5-18.

However no matter what settings I use in my DFI the stick always errors. At DDR534 speeds I only get 1 failing address but at DDR800 I get 8 or 10. However the memory timings on the DFI don't seem to go any lower than 5-5-5-15 (even when manually set) and overide the SPD settings. I am testing with everything else running at stock to rule out any o/c issues.

The thing that is really got me stumped is that my three other GeIL sticks all work faultlessly. Please can someone throw me a bone...

IT Troll · 19 Jul 2007 at 13:55

OcUK have issued me a new RMA and are refunding the previous charge.

Fingers-crossed I get it sorted this time.

IT Troll · 24 Jul 2007 at 12:25

Oh well the kit has been returned to me again as not faulty with another £21.21 RMA charge. This time it came with a report stating that it passed MemTest 7 times, booted into Windows and played games OK. I'm really confused as to why one of the sticks consistently errors in my system whilst three others all work OK. :confused:

In desperation and for the sake of my own sanity, I have ordered another kit as it doesn't cost much more than an RMA!

IT Troll · 25 Jul 2007 at 23:27

Well suprise, suprise the second kit works faultlessly. I guess I will be having words with OcUK about the first kit. Perhaps I should bill them £21.21 for every time I have returned the faulty kit! :rolleyes:

IT Troll · 26 Jul 2007 at 19:16

I am in contact with a manager but they want me to RMA the kit for testing again. I really don't want to risk another return charge.

It could be that the fault is some weird compatibility issue that only shows with this one particular module and my motherboard (DFI Infinity 975X/G Rev AB0). But as the motherboard was also purchased from OcUK the fault should be covered one way or another.

IT Troll · 21 Aug 2007 at 14:42

Closure

In case you were wondering I have just got this matter sorted. OcUK have now refunded the original order value and all RMA charges (£94.80). The whole process was rather painful and I suspect was only resolved because I resorted to ordering a second kit to prove my point.

I must say that the managers were quick to respond when called upon, but on the whole it wasn't a pleasant first time RMA experience. Just glad it is finally sorted.