X58 i7 DDR3 module compatibility - 8GB & 16GB DIMMs

[mvrx]

I'm building my i7 system in a couple weeks. I'm lucky enough to be getting some early 8GB DDR3 sticks. In a couple months I may even be able to get samples of the 16GB single sticks...

From the Motherboard reviews, it looks like they currently only support 2GB (and maybe 4GB) modules but plan future BIOS releases to support the larger modules. Quote from the above article "Certification for 24GB and 48GB is coming".

So my question is, if I put 8GB modules in the current revision of the X58 boards, will they still work and just address 2GB or 4GB of it until the BIOS upgrade? Or am I going to get a big error during post?

My long term goal is either 6*8GB (48GB) or 6*16GB (96GB).

(and please don't reply telling me I will have no use for 48GB-96GB. I do.)

A few links showing 8GB and 16GB modules.

 

[masteryoda34]

That's a lot of RAM.

 

[Quiksilver]

It probably will crap out during POST.
So what exactly are you doing that needs this gigantic amount of ram? Running a server?

 

[papaTRIX]

imho
if the board only supports 2/4Gb modules per slot then its pretty safe to assume that an 8/16Gb module might prevent the board from POST-ing. (which is what quicksilver states above).

system
im using 6 x 2Gb of triple channel ram for my i7 and i only use about 15% of it even during the heaviest of load - video translation / audio decoding / graphic rendering.

 

[aka1nas]

There is no retail availability yet for 4GB+ DDR3 sticks, and it appears that no vendor has had an opportunity to test them yet. There is a chance that they may work, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Most of the articles on google regarding larger DDR3 sticks are from several months to a year ago, so I wouldn't take them all that seriously as we still have not seen a shipping product.

 

[shempf]

crucials lists some on their website for retail...which makes sense with the current capacity rating(s).

 

[Umbongo]

I think your bigger issue will be that 8GB and 16GB DIMMs may be ECC only, which will not work with Bloomfield processors.

 

[DocDoo]

Originally posted by: Quiksilver
It probably will crap out during POST.
So what exactly are you doing that needs this gigantic amount of ram? Running a server?

For example...

CS4 Premier Pro:
3GHz quad core
8GB Ram (minimum!)
Vista x64
Striped RAID

Rendering HD data without the above as a minimum isn't too productive. If you deal with RED (@ 1K), then double the ram.

I spend lots of time with RAW files (batch) and my new setup makes it a snap. If you aren't a power user, then you certainly will not notice a difference in large memory or the i7 for that matter.

 

[mvrx]

Originally posted by: papaTRIX
system
im using 6 x 2Gb of triple channel ram for my i7 and i only use about 15% of it even during the heaviest of load - video translation / audio decoding / graphic rendering.

Originally posted by: Quiksilver
It probably will crap out during POST.
So what exactly are you doing that needs this gigantic amount of ram? Running a server?

Dang. I really wanted to do 6*8GB, perhaps I'll have to go 6*2=12GB to start, and when the motherboard gets a BIOS update for 4GB sticks I'll do an upgrade to 24GB, or better yet 6*8GB=48GB.

I run all sorts of things VMWare virtual machines, video editing, Skype s4pg.us game chat rooms, tons of the usual stuff (browsers, RDP sessions, large outlook mailboxes, etc). I just can't seem to get enough processing power and memory.
update edit 1.29.2009 - I just installed WS2008 R2 beta this morning, I'm really impressed. I'm actually considering making it my main VMWare host OS. Check out this complete guide to running WS2008 as your workstation.

Everyone needs to remember, windows will use the majority of unused ram for such things as SuperFetch
Prefetcher (more Prefetch info here) .

For example, look at one of my WS2008 boxes with 8GB of ram, it shows windows is using 4017 of it for what I assume is HD caching.

[---Physical Memory (MB)---]
| Total: 8180MB . . . . . . . . . . |
| Cached: 4017 . . . . . . . . . . . |
| Free: 287 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . |
[-----------------------------------]

I want to give prefetch and SuperFetch huge amounts and see just how fast it makes my system. I'd like to experiment with writing prefetch script that loads my entire game into memory (all the map files) and see how it performs. But more so, I want mass memory for VMware, WS2008, and just overall system performance.

I also run Vista Ultimate terminal servers in a lab where 20-30 users RDP into a Vista machine at once, I'd like to build a dual or quad i7 box with 48GB-96GB and see just how many users I can effectively support on a single box (I'm doing what nComputing kind of does).

It would be nice if windows Index/search could have lots of memory to play with too for huge media stores.

 

[mvrx]

Been doing some googling on the 24GB+ x58 support/compatibility issue.

3 things to note;

1. I found some talk of utilities and code modules/API usage being toyed with allowing the user to modify Vista/Win7/WS2008 to prefetch specific data utilizing spare system ram. This is the memory being used in taskmanager listed as "Cached". So, for example, you have method to pre-load entire game folders into the cache before running you game. An example where this would be useful is games that load new maps/textures/data as you go into different worlds, or maps (like in the RTS Lord of the Rings: BFME - ROTWK, you join 8 other players in a host room, map is chosen, game starts, and it does a ton of IO to grab the map) - much or all of the data will be preloaded providing quicker loads.

2. I found a few threads and reviews talking about x58 boards that already claim 24GB capacity (thus 6*4GB modules).
* A thread discussion if 24GB+ can offer SSD like performance for read operations
* A news post about the first i7 server product supporting 24GB
* and of course, the article that started me wondering Anandtech's x58 round up. Which is seemed to be echoed across the web with the same statement "....Certification for 24GB and 48GB is coming, but that's absolutely ridiculous on a desktop motherboard...." - really wish that attitude wasn't promoted. :disgust:

3. Gainestown (i7 xeon) news seems to be slowly trickling out.
* the 2009 Gainestown Mac Pro: everything we know
- Release date: probably June-ish
- Dual Xeon E55xx / Xeon E55xx | 4 HT cores = 16 threads.
- Dual 1GbE or dual 10GbE (oh man I'd love 10GbE)
- 2 risers with 12slots for ECC:frown: DDR3 ram. 96GB capable at release

I'd still appreciate anyone with more firm knowledge posting a reply here if they know if larger modules will work in slots that don't have the BIOS revision (or just plain support for) larger than 2GB modules.

Also - if there is any early reports of X58 MB's that are planning 9+ DIMM sockets (or does the chipset/i7 onboard memory controller only support 6 for non-server)??

 

[TridenT]

Seriously, 8GB or 16GB DIMMs? I think 8GBs is overkill... 4x8GB... 32GB? 4x16GB, 64GB?! I know eventually we will use up that much ram, but right now... ???? That socket and ram will die out before we start using 16GB.

 

[mvrx]

Originally posted by: TridenTBoy3555
Seriously, 8GB or 16GB DIMMs? I think 8GBs is overkill... 4x8GB... 32GB? 4x16GB, 64GB?! I know eventually we will use up that much ram, but right now... ???? That socket and ram will die out before we start using 16GB.

Yes seriously. Windows Vista/Win7/WS2008 are finally using memory decently. If you think those are overkill, it's likely you have never had the need for the level of computing that others need.

Pretty sure DDR3 sockets and DIMM size won't die out before even you have a use for it m8. ;-)

 

[shempf]

so these sticks you got for R&D are non-ECC ?

 

[mvrx]

Originally posted by: shempf
so these sticks you got for R&D are non-ECC ?

Not allowed to talk about them till release. sorry.

From what you can find on the web however, both ECC and non-ECC will be available. Check This Google Search for for all sorts of 8GB and 16GB DDR3 DIMM talk.

 

[exar333]

Sound's like you might benefit from waiting for the server versions of Bloomfield to utilize all that RAM. I just don't see most MB companies testing and supporting 8GB and 16GB sticks of DDR3 until they are available in the mainstream...like umbongo said, they probably will be ECC anyway and you would need the server board anyway.

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: mvrx


1. I found some talk of utilities and code modules/API usage being toyed with allowing the user to modify Vista/Win7/WS2008 to prefetch specific data utilizing spare system ram. This is the memory being used in taskmanager listed as "Cached". So, for example, you have method to pre-load entire game folders into the cache before running you game. An example where this would be useful is games that load new maps/textures/data as you go into different worlds, or maps (like in the RTS Lord of the Rings: BFME - ROTWK, you join 8 other players in a host room, map is chosen, game starts, and it does a ton of IO to grab the map) - much or all of the data will be preloaded providing quicker loads.

Also - if there is any early reports of X58 MB's that are planning 9+ DIMM sockets (or does the chipset/i7 onboard memory controller only support 6 for non-server)??

Would you mind posting the link for item 1? I am really interested in being able to tweak Superfetch.

During the last IDF, Intel said that I7 on X58 explicitly had support for up to 3 DIMMs on each of the 3 channels.

 

[n7]

Hmm, good info.

I'd love to be able to manually set what Superfetch caches, particularly in regards to specific applications/games.

Or if it's still impossible to manually toy with Superfetch settings, are there any other applications out there that allow you to program what gets cached in your RAM & still work harmoniously with the OS?

I honestly find it really frustrating that what i am proposing is considered impossible right now...there are so many ways to utilize huge amounts of RAM, if we only had the software to do so.

 

[mvrx]

Originally posted by: ExarKun333
Sound's like you might benefit from waiting for the server versions of Bloomfield to utilize all that RAM. I just don't see most MB companies testing and supporting 8GB and 16GB sticks of DDR3 until they are available in the mainstream...like umbongo said, they probably will be ECC anyway and you would need the server board anyway.

I have a feeling, or at least hope, that you are wrong. Just a gut instinct, I think it's only a matter of time before 8GB then 16GB dimms will be supported on consumer x58. But maybe I'll email the MB manufacturers and see if I can get any kind of response.. The 8GB and 16GB modules are coming in both ECC and non-ECC. So I don't think these are server world only.

FYI everyone, just came across this news item

However, the new memory can be also be produced in 8GB unbuffered DIMMs for workstations and desktop PCs, and 8GB small outline DIMM (SODIMM) for laptops. By applying dual-die package technology, Samsung can create modules up to 32GB, which is twice the capacity it was able to do previously on its 2GB DDR3 chips.

Cool - 6*32GB | 192GB. Finally, Office 2007 will run smoothly. ;-)

 

[mvrx]

Another interesting tid bit.

http://www.upi.com/Science_New...de/UPI-16371234130551/

"The South Korean company said mass production of the 1-gigabit DDR3 DRAM chip, which uses 44-nanometer technology, will begin in the third quarter of this year, Yonhap News Agency reported."

I think this is more news that 8GB and 16GB DDR3 DIMMs will become common over the coming 1-2 years.