I've just had a Samsung 4Gb DDR3 memory stick go bad on an HP ProDesk 400 (Core i5, 3.2GHz) which I use for gaming and general computing. I bought the computer from eBay about 2 years ago but the memory stick is from 2014. The computer would start up, shut down about 10 times from cold but would eventually start. The BIOS started showing stray pixels over the screen so I assumed it was bad RAM. I tried the other memory stick on its own (A-Data) and the computer starts immediately from cold with no errors. The Microsoft Memory Tester showed no errors on either of the memory sticks when the computer did boot so I assume it is some sort of thermal intermittent fault.
My old HP Desktop from 2008 which I skipped in January this year also had a Samsung DDR2 memory stick fail after 8 years. I also had an old IBM T20 (128Mb RAM) from 2001 fail after 7 years.
My question is: Why does memory go wrong?
I have Spectrums, Atari STs and Amigas from the 80s still working and although I have heard of old DRAM chips going wrong but they were never as bad as that.
My old HP Desktop from 2008 which I skipped in January this year also had a Samsung DDR2 memory stick fail after 8 years. I also had an old IBM T20 (128Mb RAM) from 2001 fail after 7 years.
My question is: Why does memory go wrong?
I have Spectrums, Atari STs and Amigas from the 80s still working and although I have heard of old DRAM chips going wrong but they were never as bad as that.