How to ID RAM? Particularly to see if it's registered?

[DurocShark]

I have a stick of ECC 2100 for sale here and was asked if it was registered. Since I've tossed the packaging away a long time ago, I don't know. It *is* ECC per my old MSI board, but I don't recall anything saying if it's registered.

I don't have the MSI board anymore, only an ECS K7S5A (where it is now) and an Asus K7V8X where it wouldn't run at all due to the ECC.

Memtest and SiSoft don't/can't tell me if it's registered. Anybody know of software that will tell me if it's registered?

TIA

 

[buleyb]

you can tell by looking at the stick, but it escapes me what to look for other than some added resistors before the connectors...can anyone else confirm?

 

[DurocShark]

Hmm... I know it's got one of those little chips on it (tag ram?). I'll have to look at the stick tonight...

 

[redhatlinux]

Most ECC memory is registered or buffered. The register or buffer is used to 'smooth' out timings in server mobos that use lots of memory modules. The register or buffer, slows down the memory a little but provides consistent timings as memory is added. If you know the manufacturer of the memory, their website should tell for sure.

 

[bjc112]

I would also check the website or Google the markings...

 

[redbeard1]

My understanding of registered ecc ram, is that it is relatively specialized. It is different than plain ecc ram. I have some running in a system, and the bios says that it's registered. Most of the time registered is used in servers and not in consumer computers. Even using ecc ram is somewhat out of the ordinary, and so most motherboard makers don't add support for it. Even boards that support ecc may not support registered.

The ram that I have is pc100 sdram, so this may not be the same for ddr, but on my sticks of registered ram, there are two smaller chips, totally different than the ram chips. Chips like these may be an indication to look for on your ram.

Google searching any number you find on the circuit board or chips may get you a lead as to what it is.

 

[DurocShark]

Yeah, I googled the label stickers... Nuttin.

The RAM chips (Nanya NT5DS32M8AT-7K) themselves are here: http://www.nanya.com/e-htm/page3/data/NTC-256M-A-DDR-R1.3.pdf

According to the Nanya spec sheet for that ram, it does CAS 2 at 100, and CAS 2.5 at 133!

The stick is covered with resistors and caps, and has a little 8-pin ram chip off to one corner.

 

[SKORPI0]

Confirmed Here

Nanya NT5DS32M8AT-7K. Registered/ECC.

 

[DurocShark]

Originally posted by: SKORPI0
Confirmed Here

Nanya NT5DS32M8AT-7K. Registered/ECC.

Cool! Thanks!