Are AM2/AM2+ motherboards compatible with fully buffered ecc ram?

[johnk500]

Does anyone know if am2/am2+ motherboards take fully buffered ecc ddr2 ram?

I'm not actually looking to take advantage of the ecc/fully buffered functionality, just want to know if an ecc/fully-buffered stick will work in non-ecc un-buffered mode.

My plan is to buy a dual socket 1207+ motherboard in about 6 months ($200 - $500), but in the meantime I'd like to get a cheap socket am2/am2+ motherboard with a cheap/low-end cpu.

Once I upgrade to the 1207+ mobo I want to keep my ram (the 1207+ mobo will require ecc fully-buffered ram).

Thanks.

 

[NXIL]

Does anyone know if am2/am2+ motherboards take fully buffered ecc ddr2 ram?

FB-DIMMs are different than ECC DDR2 which is different than ECC/Registered RAM.


Here is a DDR2 FB-DIMM: about $50/per GB:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820134086


DDR2, ECC, Registered: about $36/per GB:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820134331


DDR2, ECC, unbuffered/unregistered: about $25/per GB:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820134099


Generally, AM2+ motherboards are not industrial strength/server gear; they can use ECC/unregistered (assuming the motherboard manufuacturer builds it in--the memory controller on AMD CPUs can run ECC RAM, but the motherboard maker has to enable that capability--it takes some extra traces and contacts....and some changes to the BIOS.)

It looks like socket 1207 boards generally use ECC/Registered RAM: see the rows and 2/3 of the way down on this board comparison grid:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...1038%2CN82E16813151058


Intel boards, dual socket 771, use FB-DIMMs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...2116%2CN82E16813182096


Wiki: FB-DIMM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fully_Buffered_DIMM

My plan is to buy a dual socket 1207+ motherboard in about 6 months ($200 - $500), but in the meantime I'd like to get a cheap socket am2/am2+ motherboard with a cheap/low-end cpu.

Hmm, I do not think that will work; would recommend you just get the AM2/AM2+ board, with the memory that is appropriate for it--it's quite a bargain right now--then get your ECC/Registered (I don't think you will want FB-DIMMs for a 1207 board) when you get that socket 1207 board....

HTH

NXIL