Looking for INTEL / AM2 board that would support ECC memory

[alex123]

I want to build a simple RAIDed database server based on AM2 platform. It seems like Nvidea 570 Ultra with 6 SATA is a good chipset for my purpose.

Now for some reason I want ECC memory.... I am trying to understand whether it is possible to run ECC memory on AM2 or 939 board... I have red some PDFs from AMD website, and from there it appears that even 939 Athlon 64 can support something called "unbuffered ECC memory":

Integrated Memory Controller
? Low-latency, high-bandwidth
? 144-bit DDR2 SDRAM controller operating at up
to 400 MHz
? Supports up to four unbuffered DIMMs
? ECC checking with double-bit detect and singlebit
correct

"Unbuffered" means "non-registered", that means no "small" register chips in addition to memory chips on the DIMM module. That is understandable. And ECC means there should be 72 bit rather than 64 bit, e.g. 9 chips rather than 8 chips, or 18 chips rather than 16 chips.

So does that mean that I just have to find some 72-bit non-registered DDR2 DIMMs (like this one) and plug them into ANY(???) AM2 Nvidea 570 Ultra board in order to have ECC functionality? (My primary mobo candidate is MSI K9N Platinum, and yes, I AM going to RTFM now but question is still being asked here )

Or should I check every Nvidea 570 Ultra board's manual? What if they dont say anything about ECC in the mobo manual?

It would be glad to hear from people who run unbuffered ECC with AM2 or 939, and what mobo.

Thanks!


P.S. I could use socket 940 but AMD has not lowered Opty's prices, so Opty is no go. (Socket AM2 may also leave a chance for the future K8L upgrade)

 

[Peter]

The official plan for ECC support is that you'll have to use Opterons. Opteron 1xx are available for socket-939. And yes, with those you'll have to use unbuffered ECC DIMMs.

 

[alex123]

Originally posted by: Peter
The official plan for ECC support is that you'll have to use Opterons. Opteron 1xx are available for socket-939. And yes, with those you'll have to use unbuffered ECC DIMMs.

Thank you, Peter.

My problem with 939 Opteron is that:

a) here in Canada Opty 165 sells for $395 CAD. Compare it to X2 3800 which is priced $180 CAD.

b) 939 is a dead end in terms of CPU upgrade.


So I could give up on ECC and use AM2. But before I do that, I would carefully evaluate what INTEL has to offer... There should be 775 mobos that will support ECC.

 

[Peter]

On Intel's architecture, the RAM controller (and consequently, the ECC capability or lack thereof) is in the chipset northbridge, not the processor.
Now Intel follow the same kind of market segmentation between desktops and server/workstation - only without offering any midway-inbetween solutions like AMD's Opteron 1xx were.

If I recall correctly from what's been in the press so far, we're going to see AM2 platform Opteron 21xx models to match the previous strategy.

 

[alex123]

After looking at INTEL, it seems that 975X chipset DOES support ECC. So I searched for 975-based mobos:

INTEL BADAXE mobo DOES support ECC, and it has 8 RAIDed SATA
ASUS P5WDH - no ECC
MSI's 975 mobo - no ECC
GIGABYTE DQ6 - no ECC

So I am seriously considering getting INTEL BADAXE + Core 2 Duo 6400 + 4G ECC RAM + 8 SATA drives in order to build a simple database server on a budget.

- will try to see if there is any other 975X boards with ECC support
- I hate that AMD did not lower Opty 165 prices, so 939/940 is not an option
- AM2 Opterons are rumored for Q1 2007, so AM2 is not an option either
- could do it on a Pentium D 9xx, since there is plenty of cheap server / workstation boards for LGA 775 from Supermicro, Tyan, but decided to use Core 2 Duo

Comments or ideas are welcome

 

[Talcite]

What raid are you planning on running? I would SERIOUSLY recommend against software raid 5 or 6. It's not worth it at all. You'll have tons of problems, plus the performance is going to be kissing the floor.

Any raid that requires rebuilds from parity data should be used with standalone raid controller cards with dedicated microprocessors.

 

[alex123]

I was going to have 3 arrays, 2 RAID1's and 1 RAID01. No RAID 5 or 6 ...

 

[Talcite]

Then you shouldn't have any problem. Have fun with the boards. I just ordered an XBX with a C2D 6300. If you can wait 2 weeks I'll tell you how it runs. Won't have any info on ECC or RAID though.

Server boards are rather difficult to work with because of their nature. You'll have less than phenomenal user to user support, seeing as so few people use these boards.

 

[imported_kenyee]

As you've found out, AMD chips have a built-in memory controller and it supports ECC natively. However, the motherboard's BIOS also has to support this.
I'm running a $90 Asus A8N CSM motherboard (socket 939) w/ 2GB of Kingston ECC memory and Linux software RAID1 w/o problems...

 

[Peter]

... and is it actually /using/ the ECC capability of your DIMMs?

 

[alex123]

Originally posted by: kenyee
As you've found out, AMD chips have a built-in memory controller and it supports ECC natively. However, the motherboard's BIOS also has to support this.
I'm running a $90 Asus A8N CSM motherboard (socket 939) w/ 2GB of Kingston ECC memory and Linux software RAID1 w/o problems...

Not 100% sure, but it is most likely that your system is not using ECC, e.g. it is just running your ECC memory as usual non-ECC memory, ignoring parity bits. This is my impression based on how many times for a last week I have seen mobo manuals for 939, AM2, even 775, that explicitely states "non-ECC memory", and only a few for 775 socket that states "ECC or non-ECC".

 

[Talcite]

Yeah, if there's no option in your system bios that says use ECC memory or whatnot... then chances are you're not running the ECC memory in ECC =o. What a waste of cash lol.

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: alex123

Originally posted by: kenyee
As you've found out, AMD chips have a built-in memory controller and it supports ECC natively. However, the motherboard's BIOS also has to support this.
I'm running a $90 Asus A8N CSM motherboard (socket 939) w/ 2GB of Kingston ECC memory and Linux software RAID1 w/o problems...

Not 100% sure, but it is most likely that your system is not using ECC, e.g. it is just running your ECC memory as usual non-ECC memory, ignoring parity bits. This is my impression based on how many times for a last week I have seen mobo manuals for 939, AM2, even 775, that explicitely states "non-ECC memory", and only a few for 775 socket that states "ECC or non-ECC".

Try a google search...
Abit K9NAbit K9N on the first page...

Memory
- Four 240-pin DIMM sockets
- Supports Dual channel DDR2 800 ECC/non-ECC un-buffered memory

 

[alex123]

Thanks Viditor,

it is good to know that ABIT's Nvidea 590/570 AM2 boards state ECC support. I wonder if it is only for upcoming AM2 Opterons or X2 3800 are capable of running ECC as well.

 

[Viditor]

Originally posted by: alex123

Thanks Viditor,

it is good to know that ABIT's Nvidea 590/570 AM2 boards state ECC support. I wonder if it is only for upcoming AM2 Opterons or X2 3800 are capable of running ECC as well.

The upcoming Opterons are Socket F, not AM2...so I would say that X2 support is the go.