Dead RAM stick, caused by bad airflow?

[dealmaster]

Hey guys,

After encountering BSODs and general system instability for a while, I finally narrowed the problem down to a bad memory stick. I've started the RMA process, but I had a question about my system setup.

I have G.Skill Sniper DDR3-1600 RAM and the bad stick sits underneath one of my Scythe Ultra Kaze 38mm fans on my heatsink. It likely gets little to no airflow at all. Is it possible that this environment caused the RAM to heat up and die an early death? I don't recall getting BSODs when I first bought the RAM, but that was months ago and I can't say for sure.

If you guys think it's possible that heat killed it, I'll pick up some Gentle Typhoons and remove the thicker fans, hopefully that'd improve the airflow over that stick. If you don't think it's a problem, we'll chalk it up to a defective stick and hope for the best when the replacement arrives. Thanks!

 

[wingman99]

I would chalk it up to just a bad stick of ram, the heat is not a factor with ram at stock clocks and voltage.

I don't have any airflow over my ram.

 

[dealmaster]

Cool, that's what I figured. My RAM was all stock speeds/voltage and at only 1.5v I'd be shocked if it was even warm to the touch.

 

[Woomack]

DDR3 RAM is generally designed to work in temps at least up to 85*C and voltage 1.5V +/- 0.1V. There is no way that DDR3 even after some oc will reach that temp.
If you can touch heatspreader and your finger is not sticking into it after lets say 10-15 seconds then all is fine

 

[larrymoencurly]

Sounds like a familiar problem, but no, it's not the heat but the chips either being substandard or being running beyond their actual rated speed, the latter something G.Skill has done a lot, by as much as 60%, and hidden the fact with "optimistic" SPD contents or with nonfunctional and purely decorative heatsinks.

 

[djscrew]

unless you're running 6 stocks of overclocked 1.65v ddr3 and stress testing for hours, then it's doubtful that the sticks are overheating...

I have seen my 6 sticks of ddr3 overheat and crash but it's simply because there was far to many sticks for the small area. That being said, all the sticks are still alive and running some excellent specs considering there are 6 of them.

2-4 sticks, stock clocks, poor airflow and hot house? the sticks will be fine