Ryzen Laptop + ECC ?

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
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Has anyone tried this yet ?
I'm considering the lenovo a485 and was wondering if this might work with ecc.

thanks
 

Soulkeeper

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Nov 23, 2001
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Ok, I ordered the a485 with the Ryzen 7 Pro 2700U and 2x samsung 2400 16GB ecc
I'll update with my test results once I get the parts incase someone else is wondering the same thing (it could take awhile).
 

killster1

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Mar 15, 2007
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what is your use for the ECC? they should overclock nicely and correct single bit error, but they wont halt the system like ECC should when a 2bit error is detected ya?
Sounds great interested in your results and what type you picked up.
 

Soulkeeper

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Nov 23, 2001
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Yeah, it'll mostly just report the errors if it works. My desktop ryzen works this way.
I guess that is because the motherboard has the extra traces for the 72-bit and the bios isn't specifically disabling it.
Hopefully the laptop works the same way. If not then i'll have to find another use for the ecc mem.
Or if it works regularly just without ecc then I could just leave it in the laptop.
 

Soulkeeper

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Nov 23, 2001
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I got the laptop and installed the memory.
It detects all the capacity and passes memtest86 fine.
I'll have to install an OS to test if ecc works, but I have a problem as there is no M.2 2280 support :(
i'll report back once I get the caddy/cable to install the ssd.
 

starshipeleven

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Dec 27, 2018
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I'll have to install an OS to test if ecc works, but I have a problem as there is no M.2 2280 support :(
i'll report back once I get the caddy/cable to install the ssd.
If you want to find out asap (I'm also curious) you can use a live-cd (live-USB actually) of a distro using a modern kernel (Antergos or Manjaro maybe?). Even just looking at the dmesg from the terminal should tell if the EDAC driver sees the ECC error reporting subsystem or not.
 
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Soulkeeper

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Nov 23, 2001
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edac module refuses to load "ECC disabled in the BIOS or no ECC capability, module will not load."
I guess that solves this question, figures lenovo would skimp on this.
The laptop plastic case actually tore in half while trying to open it to install new memory, the build quality is fragile and overrly complicated.

Atleast the memory works as regular non ecc ...
I can always get a xeon laptop or some kinda server/nuc thing that can use it.
 
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Soulkeeper

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The thing is I got the ECC memory cheaper from ebay/china than non ECC would have cost from lenovo atleast.
 

starshipeleven

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Dec 27, 2018
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edac module refuses to load "ECC disabled in the BIOS or no ECC capability, module will not load."
I guess that solves this question, figures lenovo would skimp on this.
Thanks for checking and reporting back. I was strongly suspecting it would not work.

It's kind of sad as afaik for DDR4 there should not be any electrical difference between ECC/non-ECC sockets so it's a thing only decided by the firmware.
 

getnikkoo

Junior Member
Apr 9, 2020
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edac module refuses to load "ECC disabled in the BIOS or no ECC capability, module will not load."
I guess that solves this question, figures lenovo would skimp on this.
The laptop plastic case actually tore in half while trying to open it to install new memory, the build quality is fragile and overrly complicated.

Atleast the memory works as regular non ecc ...
I can always get a xeon laptop or some kinda server/nuc thing that can use it.


I am going to buy xmg apex 15 base model or 3700x(depending in price) after pandemic cools down

i was searching on google for laptop and mobile workstation with ECC memory, and i found this thread , i saw it was from 2nd gen ryzen series in 2018, but if you still read this and know something and share it as you have researched on it.

Requirement Background:
I use odyssey ,lattepanda and other SBC as micro servers and my 7700HQ (24GB Raid m.2) Msi laptop With centOS 7 KVM to manage and bridge between services.
It mostly stays in command line mode with me accessing management from my mobile,
and i can switch to GUI whenever i want (mostly run file explorer for copy or web browser for setup/installation and servicing/maintenance (copy command direct from browser to terminal)).

(it most of time runs containers with screen brightness low) using 6 out of 8 threads

Problem:
I keep my laptop turned on for months atleast, it crashes if i connect some USB storage with interrupt error but not always, it starts to happening after 17 or more days for sure(was previously using windows server same thing happened with memory error blue screen tried replacement a couple of times till warranty allowed),
i did a lot of digging and understood that laptop memory are not designed to keep working continuous for very long period without reboot. unless you have xeon mobile workstation with ECC memory, they are not quite affordable performance wise, and there are none epyc mobile workstations, and epyc embedded systems don't have ECC and not fit my requirements

Question:
what i understood with your trial and searching on internet is you motherboard didn't supported ECC memory even if your mobile processor did(if it did).

I just want to know if you found any way to check/know if the motherboard supports ECC memory or not ? OR will xmg apex 15 support as its desktop processor in a laptop, its motherboard would have brought ECC support with it ?
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
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All ryzen cpu's support ECC in hardware, it's just a matter of the motherboard having the traces for it and bios to enable it.
The only way to know is if you contact the manufacturer and they confirm ecc udimm support.
I'm not aware of any laptops or small/NUC type ryzen systems that have confirmed ecc support.
This is unfortunate, but of course I havn't looked into it further.
 

chane

Member
Apr 18, 2010
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All ryzen cpu's support ECC in hardware, it's just a matter of the motherboard having the traces for it and bios to enable it.

The only way to know is if you contact the manufacturer and they confirm ecc udimm support. I'm not aware of any laptops or small/NUC type ryzen systems that have confirmed ecc support.This is unfortunate, but of course I havn't looked into it further.
A Dell agent told me and i read elsewhere that only ryzen pro cpus support ECC RAM. And it looks like here too

In any case, I would be using Windows 10 in this new laptop, but which now given the global electronics parts shortage may not happen until next year, said an HP agent.

But whether Linux or Windows-and assuming any ECC RAM installed will work at all- won't the BIOS or other system info utility confirm if the ECC RAM's parity bit error detecting/correcting is operational?
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
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Technically the Dell person would be right, the agesa/bios only can officially support the pro with ecc (and many don't).
But all ryzen cpu's still have the hardware support(unofficial). It's just a matter of if the system manufacturer wants to do the work to enable/test it ie: dell, acer, etc.
My acer ryzen pro laptop, with ecc installed, don't enable it.
ECC support on laptops seems to be a very low priority for the manufacturers, perhaps this will change with ddr5.

memtest86 or the linux utility edac-util can confirm if your ecc is enabled.