I recently built myself a new computer using a Gigabyte GA-8IHXP motherboard. I bought a couple of 128MB PC1066 Kingston sticks and everything worked great. I decided about a week later to add two 256MB PC1066 Kingston chips so I ordered them from Googlegear. As soon as I installed the new chips (i removed the old ones) I began getting application errors and Windows XP started crashing, which I have never experienced before. I immediately suspected the new memory sticks so I ran Memtest86 version 3.0 and got several thousand errors after about 10 minutes. I called Googlegear and they told me that I had to get them replaced through Kingston. I called Kingston and they told me I would have to wait several weeks for a replacement. By this time a week or so had passed and I had read on this message board about many individuals with the same motherboard experiencing problems with the PC1066 Kingston 256MB chips. Since I didn't think it proper to have to wait for a few months to get working memory sticks I called Googlegear and explained my predicament. Andy at Googlegear informed me of their policy and *graciously* offered to charge my credit card for two more sticks while I sent the defective ones back. He added that Googlegear would test the defective sticks and if they found them to be working then he would give me a refund minus 15 percent for "restocking." I told Andy to just give me refund on the old ones and that I didn't want to get two more defective sticks.
A week later I got an e-mail from Andy and sure enough, Googlegear found the chips to be ok. I told them to test the sticks using memtest86 on a GA-8IHXP motherboard and they said that memtest86 is not the proper software to test the memory. I told Andy that his technicians are misinformed. I called up Kingston and spoke with a tech rep who told me that there is indeed a problem with certain 256MB chips and that there is a 4-6 week turn around time on replacements for them. I told Andy at Googlegear about this and I am now waiting to hear from him on whether or not his company will do the right thing and refund my full amount. It's been just shy of a month now since I originally ordered this memory from Googlegear and I have neither the memory or my $300.
I don't blame Kingston for this mishap although it is ultimately their fault. Googlegear should be more willing to work with its customers instead of adhering to a ridiculously rigid return policy. I've spent alot of money with Googlegear to date but I think in the future I'll be more willing to pay a little extra for better service.
Anyone who owns a GA-8IHXP and is considering purchasing Kinston PC1066 256MB chips should be aware of this problem.
A week later I got an e-mail from Andy and sure enough, Googlegear found the chips to be ok. I told them to test the sticks using memtest86 on a GA-8IHXP motherboard and they said that memtest86 is not the proper software to test the memory. I told Andy that his technicians are misinformed. I called up Kingston and spoke with a tech rep who told me that there is indeed a problem with certain 256MB chips and that there is a 4-6 week turn around time on replacements for them. I told Andy at Googlegear about this and I am now waiting to hear from him on whether or not his company will do the right thing and refund my full amount. It's been just shy of a month now since I originally ordered this memory from Googlegear and I have neither the memory or my $300.
I don't blame Kingston for this mishap although it is ultimately their fault. Googlegear should be more willing to work with its customers instead of adhering to a ridiculously rigid return policy. I've spent alot of money with Googlegear to date but I think in the future I'll be more willing to pay a little extra for better service.
Anyone who owns a GA-8IHXP and is considering purchasing Kinston PC1066 256MB chips should be aware of this problem.
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