ECC memory - should I use it?

[Tash]

How important is it to use ECC memory?

 

[Fern]

Maybe for a server. But I don't think it neccessary in a desktop. Its slower and likely more expensive.

My .02

Fern

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Fern
Maybe for a server. But I don't think it neccessary in a desktop. Its slower and likely more expensive.

My .02

Fern

:thumbsup: yup

 

[Zepper]

ECC is good to have if you do financial or scientific work with your PC and want to be as sure as possible of the most accurate results. Or if you are running software RAID-0 (most PATA and SATA integrated controllers and inexpensive add-on controllers). Most AMD based mobos don't actually support ECC anyway even if it is supported in the chipset (as it is in most Via chipsets - ECC is not supported at all in other brands of chipsets except maybe in 64-bit - you have to pry the info out of the mfrs for some reason the spec sheets aren't up-front about it) . Some Intel chipsets/mobos do support it, some don't. Server and workstation mobos almost always support ECC. ECC RAM is not THAT much slower.
.bh.

 

[Googer]

Originally posted by: Tash
How important is it to use ECC memory?

.01% of home desktops use ECC or parity memory. It's not that importatnt to the home user. They say if the PC were left on 24/7 for 1 year that only a sinlgle 0 or 1 would need to be corrected by ECC in a 6 month period. So thats just two bits per year. Not much and wont effect the home user at all.