Apparently, even though the RAM is rated at 2.8v 250MHz 3-4-4-8, it will fry if you run it on that voltage 24/7.

I have been running 2 x 1GB PC4000 Crucial Ballistix for nearly 6 months now, with no problems. Then one day, I find that my computer is no longer stable. Narrowed it down to one of the sticks of RAM. RMA'd it. Less than a week later, the other stick dies. RMA'd that one too... (bless you Newegg, bless you.) 2 weeks later, one of the new sticks dies. Thinking I'm just pushing my computer too hard, I RMA it yet again. This time, no chances are being taken. Everything to the specs on Crucial's website. I am now running on my backup stick of 512MB PC3200 that I keep for emergencies, after the pair died. Yes, both sticks at once.

So I start searching, and sure enough, it seems I am not alone, not by a long shot. Most of the people running Ballistix find that their memory deteriorates over time. Even if you (like me) run active cooling on it. Apparently, despite what Crucial rates the RAM at, something on the PCB fries from a constant 2.8v. Very sad, I've had nothing but good luck with the memory, and now I find that I've been killing it by following the manufacturers specs. :rolleyes: So, I will try to RMA one more time, then run it at a lower voltage.

My co-worker/friend has nearly an identical rig to mine, and he's running 2250MHz (250x9) with stock CPU voltage and 2.6v 3-3-3-7 timings on the memory. Runs like a charm. And apparently his won't die after a few months due to over voltage.

I guess I'm just posting this to let people on this board know about it. It's been well documented on other sites, but I haven't seen anything around here.

The moral of the story is research before you follow the manufacturers specifications. I bought the memory because it's rated to run 250MHz. With a 10x multiplier, that slightly overclocks my CPU and gives me a decent increase in memory bandwidth over 200MHz.

The amusing part in all this? I still use lowend Crucial RAM for my backup RAM, and all the RAM I put in other systems. I've never had a single problem with it.