RAM is bad, but how do I prove it?

T

Thank The Cheese

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I bought 1 GB stick of ram for my MacBook Pro a couple weeks ago, and I suspect it is bad, because:

* was receiving 2-5 kernel panics an hour about 2 weeks after purchase
* was experiencing many, many random app crashes and corrupted preferences
* in some case, I had a random restart, and received a kernel panic during the white apple logo boot screen
* after removing the stick of RAM, I have not had a problem
* I have tried putting it back in yesterday, and have not received any more panics, but am finding apps are crashing.

Seems to me the RAM is bad, but buymac.com.au (where I bought it) are being morons and want to prove that it is bad before they will replace it. I have run the Apple Hardware Tests (exhaustive) and ran a memory check using Tech Tool Pro a couple dozen times, but I never get any errors.

Does this indicate it is not the RAM, or is it just the nature of RAM issues that it can be hard to 'catch them in the act' so to speak? Does anyone know of a definitive test for RAM?

thanks for the help, as always :)
 
Thank The Cheese said:
I bought 1 GB stick of ram for my MacBook Pro a couple weeks ago, and I suspect it is bad.
Click to expand...

Is this an extension of your 'onboard' memory ? If so, remove the new memory and check the system. If it runs fine, the memory is not compatible with the machine (or it is bad).

Also the slot in which the memory module is placed can be bad, the CPU or mainboard can be bad. Even a bad harddrive can cause instable systems (as I experience last week).

So that out the suspected memory module and recheck your system.


Good luck, Kees
 
I was sure to check my HDD, amongst other things, which has returned no errors.

As I said before, after I was experiencing errors I removed the RAM and did not have any issues, which is a strong suggestion that it was the cause. After putting it back in, I did not receive kernel panics, but I did experience a lot of instability and corrupt prefs.

I feel pretty certain it is the RAM, but it remains circumstantial. I'm trying to get an error that I can send to BuyMac.
 
What happens if you _only_ use the new stick? It may be that the two sticks don't play well together... If it runs okay with only the new 1 GB stick, the RAM's not bad, the machine can handle it, but the two RAM sticks don't play well together. Then there's not much your RAM-provider can do.
 
Rember (Memtest X) is considered the gold standard for testing
memory. It found a bad stick in Leslye's refurb G5 from Apple
that neither Hardware Test nor TechTool Pro could. Get it here:

http://www.kelleycomputing.net:16080/rember/

Printing the Rember report was all the proof needed to get
replacement sticks from Apple.
 
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