Service policy for under warranty defective hardware

mwptech

I have a brand new build, 1 week old, that I completed using the Microcenter combo of Core i7-13700K, Z790-P PRIME WiFi ATX Motherboard, and Ripjaws S5 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5-6000 PC5-48000 CL36 Dual Channel Desktop Memory Kit F5-6000J3636F16GX2-RS5K - Black. This is the 3rd of 3 I have using the exact same build. The other 2 run just fine. This build has default settings for UEFI/BIOS as do the other 2 that work. No overclocking has been done. This computer will run fine with either single stick of the Ripjaw memory, but it unstable with 2 sticks regardless of which memory slot the sticks are placed in. When I say unstable, I could not get through Windows 11 home install on a dozen attempts without going to 1 stick. Most likely the problem is the memory itself, CPU memory controller, or the motherboard is faulty. It is also possible each one of these specific components is just on the edge of acceptable tolerances and in combination the 3 specific items wont work together. Something has to be replaced, but it could be any of the 3. Since this would be warranty repair regardless of which component is faulty will Microcenter service department take this box in, diagnose the faulty component, and replace it at no cost? If not, what would it cost? I ask because I live 30 miles away one way and I really don't want to make 6 trips or more to figure out what the defective item is.

PowerSpec_MikeW

@mwptech

You should be well within the guarantee period on labor at our service departments. And the part itself has a 30 day return policy. If you tried both sticks in different slots and they work individually. It may be prudent to run something like Memtestx86 or HCI and test each stick individually. However, if they're both stable in either A2/B2, then it sounds like you've mostly ruled out the RAM and the board, it should be an IMC issue. One thing I would check, is take a picture of the label on the memory in one of the systems that is working and compare that to what's in this system. Memory manufacturers can change IC's without a part number change and now we have to worry about PMIC's with DDR5 as well. If you post pictures of either stick I can tell you if anything changed. It's unlikely either change would result in RAM being this unstable in dual channel mode, but it's something else to rule out.

mwptech

Your post prompted me to run memtestx86. I had planned to do it, but had not got to it yet. While both sticks ran windows fine, all was not well with memtestx86. One of the stick threw a bunch of errors, the other stick threw just 1 error. Testing individually I got errors in some slots but not others at stock 4800hz. So far the fix has been to trim back the ram frequency from the stock 4800mhz to 4400 in order to get stable memory on 1 stick per memtestx86. The one stick passed the test in all 4 slots. The other stick is still throwing errors at 4400mhz regardless of slot, so I am pretty sure that one is bad. Pretty disappointing outcome for memory that is rated at 6000mhz. Since we are under the 30 day period, can I just exchange that memory at the store? I am at least hopeful that I can get 2 sticks to run at 4400mhz.

Ian

Hello,

Yes, it can be returned/exchanged within 30 days of purchase at our store. If it sold as a kit of RAM (as in 2/4 sticks in one package), it would need to be brought back as it was sold for a return/exchange.

mwptech

Thank you.

Ian

https://community.microcenter.com/discussion/comment/51773#Comment_51773

You're welcome, if you do have any other questions, please let us know.

PowerSpec_MikeW

@mwptech

I did not see your responses until just now. Get the kit replaced. Sounds like a bad stick, but the other the edge of stability. See what we get with the new kit, if you're still on the edge, that we can help you with here.