Is it ok to buy 2nd hand RAM?

irnbru_2

lee__48 wrote:

my eBay RAM sometimes reports errors, but other times it appears error free. Is this normal?

How long have the tests been running before errors are reported?

Memory operating close to its tolerance could report as faulty with memtest but work fine in normal usage - that's the case on an old box I use as a server

rrwfotr

Rambus memory is very quick memory, thats the why it's so expensive. It is a pain with the expensive but you should nottice the difference....

happymummy

Thanks everyone, I feel much better about it all now, I was panicking a bit but now I've done a little more homework I've realised its not quite the lost cause I thought it was!!!

So I have one more question, how much should I upgrade to? should I invest a little and get 512MB? I dont 'think' I have the need for 1GB but then I wouldnt know! lol

Alfie_E

irnbru wrote:

That might be true for components with moving parts but not for solid-state ones.

This is not strictly true. Even sold-state devices deteriorate with age. This tends to result in circuit-level timing problems – a proper hardware crash, although the effects will usually look no different from software problems. I’ve even had a general IC chip (not a CPU) go up in smoke on me. However, as you say, if it’s worked for a few years, and passed testing, there’s no reason not to expect it to work for another ten, twenty or many more years.