Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know most people
don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they just don't know if
their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a critical bit and Windows just
dies)
jseyb wrote:
>
> Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know
> most people don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they
> just don't know if their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a
> critical bit and Windows just dies)
The critical factor is the chip set used. You'll just have to
check the manufacturers data sheets. My machine has an Intel
se440bx MB, which is ECC capable, but did not come equipped with
ECC memory. It is now.
--
Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
Available for consulting/temporary embedded and systems.
<http://cbfalconer.home.att.net>
"jseyb" <DoNotReply@jseyb.info> wrote in message news:mhyDi.5808$es2.2071@trndny09...
> Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know most people
> don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they just don't know if
> their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a critical bit and Windows just
> dies)
Both the Asus SK8V, and the Arima HDAMB support Chipkill ECC,
which is an advanced form of ECC that is a step beyond normal ECC.
Both of these mainboards may be a little dated now, but for the most
reliable computations, I would still recommend one of those. I'm hoping
that AMD's Barcelona chip will support Chipkill and that there will be
a Chipkill supporting mainboard to go with it.
jseyb wrote:
> Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know most people
> don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they just don't know if
> their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a critical bit and Windows just
> dies)
>
> thanks
> jseyb
>
>
If you tell us the processor type you have in mind, it makes a
response easier to prepare. For example, if you have a Core2 Duo
processor in mind, then look for a 975X chipset. Any motherboard
with the 975X would do as a candidate, and you don't have to buy
the motherboard from Intel. This is just an example.
With Athlon64, Opteron etc, the memory controller is inside the
processor, and ECC is available in hardware. All it takes is
BIOS and OS support to make it work (and for the engineer to
join the wires from the ECC pins on the DIMM slot, to the pins
on the processor :-) )
Most server boards will offer ECC as part of the package, because
server buyers are more aware of the need for ECC.
"jseyb" <DoNotReply@jseyb.info> wrote in message
news:mhyDi.5808$es2.2071@trndny09...
> Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know most people
> don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they just don't know if
> their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a critical bit and Windows just
> dies)
I have an Asus P5W DH Deluxe, which is a pretty complex enthusiast's
motherboard, with the Intel 975X chipset, and can take ECC memory.
If you wanted a high-end Intel based desktop motherboard, I'd wait until the
975X replacement comes out, which is due about now: the X38 chipset.
"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in message
news:T9-dnf_oappp70LbnZ2dnUVZ8tWnnZ2d@bt.com...
> "jseyb" <DoNotReply@jseyb.info> wrote in message
> news:mhyDi.5808$es2.2071@trndny09...
>> Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know most
>> people don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they just don't
>> know if their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a critical bit and
>> Windows just dies)
>
>
> I have an Asus P5W DH Deluxe, which is a pretty complex enthusiast's
> motherboard, with the Intel 975X chipset, and can take ECC memory.
>
> If you wanted a high-end Intel based desktop motherboard, I'd wait until
> the 975X replacement comes out, which is due about now: the X38 chipset.
I'm leaning towards a Core2 Duo, but still looking for options and trying to
select a motherboard. I did see that the Asus PSWD2-E used a 975X chipset,
and appeared to support ECC - but I haven't been able to find out what
degree of support for ECC is actually provided by the board. On the other
hand, if the Athlon64 takes the ECC all the way into the CPU, that could be
a major advantage for reliability.
thanks
jseyb
"Paul" <nospam@needed.com> wrote in message news:fbmkla$o5j$1@aioe.org...
> jseyb wrote:
>> Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know most
>> people don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they just don't
>> know if their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a critical bit and
>> Windows just dies)
>>
>> thanks
>> jseyb
>
> If you tell us the processor type you have in mind, it makes a
> response easier to prepare. For example, if you have a Core2 Duo
> processor in mind, then look for a 975X chipset. Any motherboard
> with the 975X would do as a candidate, and you don't have to buy
> the motherboard from Intel. This is just an example.
>
> "Support for ECC and non-ECC memory"
> http://www.intel.com/products/mother...XBX2/index.htm
>
> With Athlon64, Opteron etc, the memory controller is inside the
> processor, and ECC is available in hardware. All it takes is
> BIOS and OS support to make it work (and for the engineer to
> join the wires from the ECC pins on the DIMM slot, to the pins
> on the processor :-) )
>
> Most server boards will offer ECC as part of the package, because
> server buyers are more aware of the need for ECC.
>
> Paul
The X38 does sound interesting, but I haven't seen anything close to enough
information to know if it will be anything more than just interesting.
Reliability (including ECC) and the capabilities of the motherboard mean
much more to me than the chipset -- but I am inexperienced in picking
motherboards and chipsets.
thanks for the info and the reference. The XbitLabs site seems very useful
and informative.
jseyb
"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in message
news:IbSdnT0ld4Hs6ULbnZ2dnUVZ8q-rnZ2d@bt.com...
>
> "Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in message
> news:T9-dnf_oappp70LbnZ2dnUVZ8tWnnZ2d@bt.com...
>> "jseyb" <DoNotReply@jseyb.info> wrote in message
>> news:mhyDi.5808$es2.2071@trndny09...
>>> Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know most
>>> people don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they just don't
>>> know if their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a critical bit and
>>> Windows just dies)
>>
>>
>> I have an Asus P5W DH Deluxe, which is a pretty complex enthusiast's
>> motherboard, with the Intel 975X chipset, and can take ECC memory.
>>
>> If you wanted a high-end Intel based desktop motherboard, I'd wait until
>> the 975X replacement comes out, which is due about now: the X38 chipset.
>
>
> More info:
>
> http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/chipset...816101317.html
>
> ss.
>
I just read on the XBitLAbs site that Gigabyte has announced that their new
GA-5BXWV-RH is scheduled for September, using unbuffered ECC memory. Does
anyone have experience with Gigabyte motherboards?
"Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in message
news:IbSdnT0ld4Hs6ULbnZ2dnUVZ8q-rnZ2d@bt.com...
>
> "Synapse Syndrome" <synapse@NOSPAMgomez404.elitemail.org> wrote in message
> news:T9-dnf_oappp70LbnZ2dnUVZ8tWnnZ2d@bt.com...
>> "jseyb" <DoNotReply@jseyb.info> wrote in message
>> news:mhyDi.5808$es2.2071@trndny09...
>>> Any recommendations for a motherboard with ECC support? I know most
>>> people don't bother with ECC, but it seems likely that they just don't
>>> know if their RAM has errors (unless it happens in a critical bit and
>>> Windows just dies)
>>
>>
>> I have an Asus P5W DH Deluxe, which is a pretty complex enthusiast's
>> motherboard, with the Intel 975X chipset, and can take ECC memory.
>>
>> If you wanted a high-end Intel based desktop motherboard, I'd wait until
>> the 975X replacement comes out, which is due about now: the X38 chipset.
>
>
> More info:
>
> http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/chipset...816101317.html
>
> ss.
>
"jseyb" <DoNotReply@jseyb.info> wrote in message
news:ny5Ei.14877$tB2.12313@trndny05...
> The X38 does sound interesting, but I haven't seen anything close to
> enough information to know if it will be anything more than just
> interesting. Reliability (including ECC) and the capabilities of the
> motherboard mean much more to me than the chipset -- but I am
> inexperienced in picking motherboards and chipsets.
A motherboards capabilities are heavily defined by the chipset it is built
around. If you want tried and trusted reliability, you'd have to get an
older 975X based board (as far as Intel based computers are concerned).
While I am sure that all the premium boards coming out with the X38 will not
be shoddy, they will be unproven at this stage.
> thanks for the info and the reference. The XbitLabs site seems very useful
> and informative.
You're welcome. Anandtech is a very good site for hardware news as well.
They have an early look at the X38 chipset too:
motherboard with ECC support 
Linear Mode
