RDRAM

[Pyxis]

I have a Dell XPSB733r with 128MB of RDRAM.

I want to buy another 128MB and Mushkin has a special right now.

I don't know for sure but I think that the ram I have is ECC and the Mushkin is not. Can I mix the two types. I really don't care for the ECC anyway. Will it work or is it going to cause problems?

Is there a way to check if my RDRAM is ECC?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[dowxp]

you can check i think using sandra. if not, ctspeed. you need to put new ram in pairs, so you cant buy just one. you cannot mix ecc and non. i doubt the ram is ecc unless you are using a workstation. im not aware of that model #

 

[shathal]

Check in the BIOS as to whether your memory shows up as ECC or non-ECC. Some BIOS'es show this info.

Urm - is your board a P4 or a P3 board? All current P4 run with dual-channel RIMMs (that is - add RIMMs in pairs of two). If you have a P3 RIMM-based system, it may be one or two-channel (one channel == 2 slots. two channel == 4 slots).

 

[Windogg]

Also check the speed of your memory. Many OEM include PC600 RDRAM as opposed to the higher performance PC800.

 

[Pyxis]

This is the memory I have installed on my comp.

I'm pretty sure it's PC800, at least that's what Sisoft says.

I'll check the bios right now to see if it's ECC or not.

And are you guys sure that I can't mix ECC with NonECC. I thought if you mixed it just wouldn't use the ECC.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[mdXtreme3d]

my Dell 420 Workstation here at work (i840) came with 2 128mb ECC RIMMs, and I just added 2 of the Mushkin 128mb RIMMs (the $48 ones). They work fine together, but the ECC functions of the one pair of RIMMs are not used. I'm guessing this is mobo dependant, but mine didn't specifically say to use one type or the other

 

[Pyxis]

I just checked the BIOS.

It is PC800 and it is ECC.

But there is an option in the BIOS to turn on and off ECC checking. I'm not running a server or anything so ECC wouldn't do anything for me anyway, right?

 

[majewski9]

Nope! Ecc would not help you much if you aren't running a server. I guarantee someone will disagree with me, but I don't see the benefits of eec during non-server use.

 

[Pyxis]

Sweet

So then I could buy the nonECC one and just turn off the option for ECC in the BIOS right?

I just want to make sure. I don't want to buy and have to return it later.

 

[Wingznut]

From the AnandTech FAQ:

What is ECC RAM? Should I buy this instead of normal SDRAM?

 

[tigerbait]

<< So then I could buy the nonECC one and just turn off the option for ECC in the BIOS right? >>




I have a Dell XPS B600r that came with 128 MB PC700 ECC (Samsung).

I just added 128 MB PC800 non-ECC (NEC). No problems so far. It says 256 MB at 356 Mhz (PC700). The ECC option in the BIOS has been disabled, but I had it turned off before anyway.

 

[Pyxis]

Just ordered it.

Thanks for all the fast replies