Whickwithy
Level 1 (68 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Anyone else experience failed memory sticks on Mac?

In all of the years that I used PCs, I never had a memory stick fail.  Since I've been using a minimac, I have had half a dozen completely fail to the point they just are not even readable.  Anyone else experience this problem?

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11)

Posted on Jul 11, 2016 6:50 AM

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Whickwithy

Q: Anyone else experience failed memory sticks on Mac?

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  • by macjack,

    macjack macjack Jul 11, 2016 7:00 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 9 (55,682 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 11, 2016 7:00 AM in response to Whickwithy

    That's very odd. You can check the specs for your RAM with the advisory tool in Crucial, or OWC. They are two very reliable vendors and you can return the RAM if it fails. You can also bring your Mac to any Apple Store for a free evaluation.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jul 11, 2016 7:08 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 9 (53,712 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 11, 2016 7:08 AM in response to Whickwithy

    Do you mean RAM modules inside the computer (as macjack reads) or do you mean USB thumb/flash/pen/etc. drives?

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain Jul 11, 2016 7:23 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 5 (5,942 points)
    Mac App Store
    Jul 11, 2016 7:23 AM in response to Whickwithy

    FWIW, I've had flash drives fail on Macs, PCs and Linux boxes. They can fail for a number of reasons.

  • by Trstam,

    Trstam Trstam Jul 11, 2016 7:26 AM in response to dialabrain
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Jul 11, 2016 7:26 AM in response to dialabrain

    Heat kills them. Check the cooling fans for proper operation and make sure the vents are not blocked.

  • by dialabrain,

    dialabrain dialabrain Jul 11, 2016 7:30 AM in response to Trstam
    Level 5 (5,942 points)
    Mac App Store
    Jul 11, 2016 7:30 AM in response to Trstam

    As I said, they can fail for a number of reasons. Heat being one.

  • by JimmyCMPIT,

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Jul 11, 2016 8:06 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 5 (7,132 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 11, 2016 8:06 AM in response to Whickwithy

    they tend to fall apart over time, I support users who get them from various states of long term storage and a good portion of them crap out. I would not suggest them for long term storage or shelf life.

  • by Whickwithy,

    Whickwithy Whickwithy Jul 11, 2016 9:33 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 1 (68 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 11, 2016 9:33 AM in response to Whickwithy

    I've had new, old, big, small  USB memory sticks fail on a Mac.  I used new, old (like 10 - 20 years), big, small USB memory sticks on PCs and they never failed.

     

    It is a good point that the memory sticks sit right on top of the heat vent on the miniMac.  True genius at work.

  • by Trstam,

    Trstam Trstam Jul 11, 2016 9:35 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Jul 11, 2016 9:35 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    My 2008 mac pro was eating 2 of 8 sticks per year, each year, almost since I owned it. I changed the 4 hard drives to ssd's and and haven't had a problem since. The SMC fan control readings are much lower and consistent, and the memory now lasts. Could be coincidence, but............

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Jul 11, 2016 9:43 AM in response to Whickwithy
    Level 9 (53,712 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 11, 2016 9:43 AM in response to Whickwithy

    It is a good point that the memory sticks sit right on top of the heat vent on the miniMac.

    I use a short USB male to female cable with my computer. It is easier to plug in the flash drive and you can position it away from any heat source. If there is any physical wear and tear where you are plugging in the flash drive and the USB socket, it is restricted to the cable which is easily replaced. You can also try plugging it into the keyboard if there is a spare USB socket but not all keyboards provide sufficient power for this kind of the peripheral.