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Corsair Mac Memory kit not working at all


Tuetuopay

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Hello,

 

In around mid-June I bought this kit of memory on Amazon : CMSA8GX3M2A1333C9, which is a DDR3 soDIMM kit with 2x4GB sticks at 1333MHz.

I bought this because it was the cheapest (at the time, was 35€, 70€ now) and it was Corsair (I already own Corsair memory in my main rig).

 

When I received it (6th of July, damn you Amazon, you shipped it from Italy for France :confused: ...), I mounted it on my MacBook Pro, mid 2009 model. But there comes the problem. The laptop didn't booted up at all ! I tried several things :

- Only one stick, tried both, still no boot :sigh!:

- One 4GB stick plus one of the old (2GB) sticks in every combination, still no boot :[pouts:

I didn't heard at all the typical Mac bootup sound (at BIOS time).

 

I'm pretty sure it is not a frequency issue, even if my mac is officially certified for 1066MHz DDR3 since it is currently running with a 1333MHz 4GB kit just fine, and at 1333MHz, as said by the system infos :confused: :

http://tuetuopay.legtux.org/upload/Tuetuopay/468791/AboutMyMac.png

I'm also sure the problem is not from the capacity, my MacBook Pro is supporting up to 8GB according both to Apple and Crucial's tool (or maybe it was from Corsair, whatever :D:).

 

What makes me think I received a dead or defective kit is that I tested it on two others laptops, both supporting 1333MHz according to the constructors, and the system didn't booted up on them neither. I only managed to boot once on Memtest86+ on a friend's Asus ROG G56 (I think, the generation with GTX 4xx and intel's first i5 generation), and it crashed nearly one second after the test actually appeared (plain blue with memtest's stuff) :mad::mad:

 

So, what's the best option for me ? Make another test to confirm the diagnostic :p: ? Send it bac to Amazon or Corsair ? Im pretty mad at this memory right now, it cost me 35€ but these kinds of kits are getting expensive nowadays :roll:

 

Thanks in advance :)

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What makes me think I received a dead or defective kit is that I tested it on two others

laptops, both supporting 1333MHz according to the constructors, and the system didn't booted up on them neither. I only managed to boot once on Memtest86+ on a friend's Asus ROG G56 (I think, the generation with GTX 4xx and intel's first i5 generation), and it crashed nearly one second after the test actually appeared (plain blue with memtest's stuff)

I mounted it on my MacBook Pro, mid 2009 model. But there comes the problem. The laptop didn't booted up at all ! I tried several things :

- Only one stick, tried both, still no boot

Are you other systems older than the ASUS ROG rig?

 

If they are then it's not aa defective kit. They would just be incompatible.

 

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=117225

http://forum.corsair.com/v3/showthread.php?t=114437

 

You can have them RMA'd for a set that would work though. Just follow RamGuy's suggestion at the end of the first thread I linked to. The memory is slightly different but the reason why they wont work is the same. Chances of you receiving both dead sticks out of one kit is slim to none.

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Okay so it turns out (according to you) that it is not working because my kit is too modern to be used :D:

Silly standards, not compatible with themselves over the years :p:

 

The ROG I tested with was with a firs gen core i5, so according to the first thread you linked, it shoud have worked, or at least memtest should have ran just fine :evil: ... The other laptop was a Sony Vaio (can't remember the model though) with a Core 2 Duo. So yeah, the solution seems to be to phone Corsair's RMA in the US (wil cost $$$ from France >_<) to get the kit mentioned in the linked thread, CMSA8GX3M2A1066C7. Exactly the same as mine but in 1066MHz ... Whick is usually more expensive than 1333MHz on the market :confused: silly ...

 

Well thanks, still confused that it didn't worked at all on the ROG w/ Ci5

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Okay so it turns out (according to you) that it is not working because my kit is too modern to be used

Correct!

Silly standards, not compatible with themselves over the years

It's not so much standards as it is technology moving forward chips are getting smaller with larger capacities. Most manufactures have moved to these smaller more dense chips . Mostly because availability of their cousins is somewhat limited. But really the biggest factor is the chipset in your system. That determines what kind,size, ect memory that can be used.

So yeah, the solution seems to be to phone Corsair's RMA in the US (wil cost $$$ from France >_<) to get the kit mentioned in the linked thread, CMSA8GX3M2A1066C7. Exactly the same as mine but in 1066MHz ... Whick is usually more expensive than 1333MHz on the market silly ...

 

Well thanks, still confused that it didn't worked at all on the ROG w/ Ci5

I really think this is a compatibility issue. Just because it's so rare to have two failing sticks plus the information I linked to regarding CPU/memory compatibility.

You could always return them to amazon and try a second kit. If the results are the same , then I would go through the RMA process to get the other modules.

 

Well thanks, still confused that it didn't worked at all on the ROG w/ Ci5

Sorry, i totally missed the part where you said it crashed shortly after. I suppose this gives me just a little doubt too. Thats why i suggested trying another kit first. It's possible...but again, it's really uncommon for that to happen. There are a few options. it's just hard to tell where the problem is and which way to go with it. I'll let you decide whats best. :)

 

You dont need to call the states either. You can do the same thing by submitting a ticket , explain your issue and link to your thread so they are aware of what your after.

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It's not so much standards as it is technology moving forward chips are getting smaller with larger capacities. Most manufactures have moved to these smaller more dense chips . Mostly because availability of their cousins is somewhat limited. But really the biggest factor is the chipset in your system. That determines what kind,size, ect memory that can be used.

Yeah I know, just being sarcastic ! I have enough computer experiences (a lot of failures) and in electronics tu understand that it is deeper that juste plugging to ships together and praying for it to work

 

I will do this in two steps :

1) Send back the actual kit to Amazon for a new identical one. If the new doesn't work either then

2) Call Corsair's RMA (or just opening a ticket) for a new one, but in 1066MHz :)

 

I'd like to stick to 1333MHz even if my Mac is certified only for 1066 because it is faster (I experienced my mac with 4GB of ram but in 1066MHz instead of 1333, slower), at least enough to feel a different computer

 

Again, thank you !

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I will do this in two steps :

1) Send back the actual kit to Amazon for a new identical one. If the new doesn't work either then

2) Call Corsair's RMA (or just opening a ticket) for a new one, but in 1066MHz :)

I think thats the best way to go too.

I'd like to stick to 1333MHz even if my Mac is certified only for 1066 because it is faster (I experienced my mac with 4GB of ram but in 1066MHz instead of 1333, slower), at least enough to feel a different computer

Unfortunately it wont work like that. Since your laptop only has a 1066mhz memory controller it will automatically down clock the 1333 sticks to 1066mhz. So in reality, your not going to see any performance gain at all in terms of frequency. You will probably still see things move a bit faster just from the increased capacity though.

http://support.apple.com/kb/sp541

 

Again, thank you !

Sure thing! And please let us know how you make out. I'm pretty curious myself.

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For the memory speed, I'm aware of this actual limitation of my mac, bu heh ! It is currently running it at 1333MHz as stated bu the screenshot in my first post !

I dont believe that is what they are running at. The "About this MAC" page is just identifying the components in your system. You said you have 1333mhz installed, so that is what it is showing. But it doesn't show what they are running at currently.

 

Run CPUz and post a screenshot f the memory tabs.

CPUz may not work with MAC so might try the Activity monitor and click on the memory tab.

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  • 2 months later...

Hello !

 

Sorry for the 2 month long stop ... I FINALLY got an answer from Amazon concerning my RAM.

 

It has been sold to be through Amazon but not BY Amazon, it was an external seller (from Italy). I got no answer from the Italian seller, and Amazon told me that in case of defective material not sold by them, I had 15 days to return it. But the problem is ... I received the package 3-4 weeks after purchasing.

 

So I think all my chances to have Amazon replacing my kits are dead. So I think I can get a support directly from Corsair ? If so, what is the "procedure" ? Phone ? Ticket ?

 

Thanks

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before you submit an RMA, there is a way to reset the PRAM on the MAC which you probably should do anytime a major component is changed, it may just be trying to use the old settings and not working on the new ram.

it may very well be what Peanutz has implied however you have nothing to lose by trying?

please let us know:):

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this is what I did about a week ago, it didn't change anything :/

 

I made avery combination possible between installing the new ones, resetting PRAM, NVRAM, installing back old ones, resetting, etc...

 

Even tried each module separately on both ram slots of the MacBook :/

 

Oh and by the way, last time I tried the modules, after ... 15 boots ? I finally got OS X to begin booting, then crashing. After 10 other unsuccessful boots, I got to boot in verbose mode : Kernel Panic

 

http://upload.tuetuopay.tk/Tuetuopay/939766/IMG_2056.JPG

(not inserting the full pic because it makes the forum layout to explode)

 

Any idea ?

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