What and how to check when determining if a memory stick will be compatible with a particular server

eccmemory

We recently needed to add more RAM to our vCenter Server (Dell PowerEdge 860 server). We checked from the Kingston memory search what kind of memory the server accepted.

Then we found a listing of 4x 2GB DDR2-667 PC2-5300 ECC Registered Memory HP ProLiant DL180 G5 240-PIN on eBay. This looked like it would work. But when we received the sticks and sticked the sticks in, the server just beeped.

Here's how the sticks look like:
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Can someone explain why these stick don't work in PowerEdge 860? I.e. bring out the reason what exactly makes them incompatible with this server? Is it because these sticks are not unbuffered as Kingston told they should be? Or are they? How to tell?

Best Answer

You need unregistered, ECC RAM for this server. Often, registered memory will work on systems that officially only support unregistered memory, however combinations of registered memory and unregistered memory almost never work.

If your existing memory is unregistered, adding registered memory almost definitely won't work.

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