Issue with new ram - may have received a bad ram module

[namkcuR]

So, here's my situation:

I have a mid-2007 white macbook - in system profiler, it is identified as "macbook 2,1". It came with 1 GB(2x512MB) ram.

About five weeks ago, I purchased a 4GB(2x2GB) set of Kingston macbook ram(model: kta-mb667k2/4gr). I purchased it from ebay because I found a 'buy it now' listing for $70, that's a great deal for 4GB ram.

So, it arrived on time, but I had other things to do and I had some other stuff I wanted to do with my macbook before I put the new ram in, so the new ram just sat around in its box from the time it arrived until earlier tonight, when I finally opened it and put it in.

I took the 2x512 MB modules out and put the 2x2GB modules in. Upon boot up, I got three beeps and it went no further - that means the ram isn't being recognized properly.

So, I took the 2GB modules out and put the original 512MB modules back in, and it worked.

So, then I tried putting one 2GB module in one slot and one 512MB module in the other. This worked. I took the 2GB module out and put the other 2GB module in, and got the three beeps. I tried both 2GB modules in the other ram slot, and the result was the same, one worked, one didn't.

So it seems like one of the new ram modules is bad, even though its been sitting in its box untouched since it arrived.

Here's the dilemma: A google search reveals that my mid-2007 model macbook would only be able to utilize 3.2 GB of the 4GB if both 2GB modules worked. That's just the max that model can use. Mixing the 2GB module that works with one of the 512MB modules, I can get 2.5GB, so we're talking about a 700MB difference.

Now, keeping that in mind, here's what the ebay listing says(I still have access to it through myEbay):

--------------
Returns:
No Returns Accepted
Coverage:
Pay with and your full purchase price is covered | See terms

You are bidding on an open box item that is like new in condition. LIFETIME WARRANTY!!!!!!!

4GB UPGRADE KIT

Product Features
Lifetime Warranty
100% Tested for Reliability
Free Technical Support
Easy to Follow Installation Instructions
Designed to Meet or Exceed Industry Standards for Performance and Reliability

Technical Details
Model: KTA-MB667K2/4GR
Item Package Quantity: 1
Hardware Platform: Mac
RAM Memory Technology: DRAM, DDR2 SDRAM
Form Factor: SO DIMM 200-pin
Memory Storage Capacity: 4 GB
Memory Speed: 667 MHz
Memory Specification Compliance: PC2-5300
Warranty: Limited lifetime warranty
--------------

It says 'no returns' and 'lifetime warranty' in the same listing, which would seem to be a contradiction. It also says 100% tested for reliability.

1)Is the increase from 2.5GB to the 3GB out of 4 that my macbook would utilize, small enough that it wouldn't be worth the hassle of looking into returning this via ebay/paypal channels?

2)Is the increase from 1GB to 2.5GB enough to be worth having mismatched ram(i.e. a 512MB and a 2GB working together) and the loss of efficiency that is said to result in such mismatched arrangements?

3)What am I to make of a listing saying "no returns" and "lifetime warranty" at the same time?

Finally, I'll clarify right now that I don't do much gaming on my macbook, aside from using emulators to play old games.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

i think what the seller was saying is the ram is under warranty from the manufacturer, but they don't accept returns.

 

[bono_212]

Well it would seem to me that you should contact them, see if they'll offer to refund you the item or not. If not, well, I'd say you proceed to ebay claims at that point, since it says lifetime warranty.

 

[Canadiens1131]

1. The eBay seller doesn't offer returns.

2. Kingston, the manufacturer, should offer its lifetime warranty on the memory. Go here https://shop.kingston.com/web_rma/default.asp and fill out an RMA request. I have had a bad stick before and Kingston will actually ship you out a replacement and you stick your bad memory stick in the box and send it back to them. They have good customer service.

 

[namkcuR]

1. The eBay seller doesn't offer returns.

2. Kingston, the manufacturer, should offer its lifetime warranty on the memory. Go here https://shop.kingston.com/web_rma/default.asp and fill out an RMA request. I have had a bad stick before and Kingston will actually ship you out a replacement and you stick your bad memory stick in the box and send it back to them. They have good customer service.

Nice, thanks for the tip. One question: Since one my modules works, do I have to send them both back and have them both replaced, or can I just send the one defective one back?

 

[randhail]

Does Kingston's warranty apply to products not bought from an authorized retailer? If the ebay seller isn't an authorized dealer you may be shit outta luck.