halp! memory not working? Corsair ECC registered

[elysium]

Hi all,

 

I've just got an ASUS M4A77TD PRO mboard which suggests that it supports ECC ram.

 

So I bought a bunch (3) of Corsair cms4gx3m1a1333c9 4gb sticks.

These are listed as 4gb 2rx4 pc3-10600R-9-10-E 1

 

And they don't work!

 

I can't post or see BIOS at all, no PC speaker beeps.

 

Replacing the ram with some other DDR3 that I had lying around works fine.

 

Are these sticks DOA or have I just got the wrong type of RAM for my motherboard?

 

The ASUS website has a list of qualified vendors, but none specify if they are ECC or not.

 

Furthermore, there doesn't seem to be any listing for this type of ram anywhere on the corsair website or in these forums! (cms4gx3m1a1333c9)

 

please help :)

[RAM GUY]

Let's get them replaced, please use the On Line RMA Request Form and we will be happy to replace them. Be sure to check the box that says “I've already spoken to Technical Support and/or RAM Guy.”

[elysium]

Good plan.

 

I purchased them in NZ, so i'll get the replaced via the supplier I bought them from.

 

Cheers.

[elysium]

additionally, can you confirm this type of ram SHOULD work with the motherboard in question?

(Or would I need to ask ASUS that question?)

[RJLeong65]

Hi all,

 

I've just got an ASUS M4A77TD PRO mboard which suggests that it supports ECC ram.

 

So I bought a bunch (3) of Corsair cms4gx3m1a1333c9 4gb sticks.

These are listed as 4gb 2rx4 pc3-10600R-9-10-E 1

 

And they don't work!

 

I can't post or see BIOS at all, no PC speaker beeps.

 

Replacing the ram with some other DDR3 that I had lying around works fine.

 

Are these sticks DOA or have I just got the wrong type of RAM for my motherboard?

 

The ASUS website has a list of qualified vendors, but none specify if they are ECC or not.

 

Furthermore, there doesn't seem to be any listing for this type of ram anywhere on the corsair website or in these forums! (cms4gx3m1a1333c9)

 

please help :)

 

You bought the wrong memory for your AMD platform. Current AMD processors for Socket AM3 do not support registered memory at all. Those modules are actually designed for Intel Xeon 3500 and 5500 series processors (these processors use Socket 1366 - the same socket as the i7-9xx series processors), whose memory controllers support registered memory. (The 3500 series can use unbuffered or registered memory while the 5500 series requires registered memory - and both series of Xeon processors require the proper BIOS support if they are to be installed on a "consumer" 1366 motherboard.) There is no current unbuffered ECC DDR3 memory module from Corsair at the moment (nor will there be one for the foreseeable future). Note the "S" in "CMS", which clearly indicates that the memory that you got is server memory. Your motherboard, on the other hand, is a higher-end "consumer/enthusiast" motherboard for an AMD platform although the CPU's memory controller dictates which type of memory the system supports.

 

And although the AMD memory controller can theoretically support the use of 4GB memory modules, Corsair does not currently make an 8GB dual-channel kit or a 16GB quad-module kit that's "compatible" with AMD platforms (or more specifically, these 4GB modules have not yet been tested by Corsair on such a platform).

[RJLeong65]

You bought the wrong memory for your AMD platform. Current AMD processors for Socket AM3 do not support registered memory at all. Those modules are actually designed for Intel Xeon 3500 and 5500 series processors (these processors use Socket 1366 - the same socket as the i7-9xx series processors), whose memory controllers support registered memory. (The 3500 series can use unbuffered or registered memory while the 5500 series requires registered memory - and both series of Xeon processors require the proper BIOS support if they are to be installed on a "consumer" 1366 motherboard.) There is no current unbuffered ECC DDR3 memory module from Corsair at the moment (nor will there be one for the foreseeable future). Note the "S" in "CMS", which clearly indicates that the memory that you got is server memory. Your motherboard, on the other hand, is a higher-end "consumer/enthusiast" motherboard for an AMD platform although the CPU's memory controller dictates which type of memory the system supports.

 

And although the AMD memory controller can theoretically support the use of 4GB memory modules, Corsair does not currently make an 8GB dual-channel kit or a 16GB quad-module kit that's "compatible" with AMD platforms (or more specifically, these 4GB modules have not yet been tested by Corsair on such a platform).

 

Sorry that I didn't make it clear. Registered and/or ECC memory support on the Intel Xeon 1156/1366 platforms also depends on the chipset and BIOS used on the motherboards. For example, most existing BIOSes on X58 and P55 motherboards support neither - they support only unbuffered non-ECC memory. Thus, the Xeon 3500/3666 and 5500/5600 series CPUs can be used on these consumer motherboards - but only with unbuffered non-ECC memory. Registered and/or ECC memory support on these processors requires the use of a motherboard based on a server chipset. (Some higher-level new-model Xeons require registered memory - but they all use a completely different socket than the 1156 or 1366 that consumer i-series processors use.) As a result, the Xeons that I mentioned have memory controllers which can use unbuffered or registered memory, with or without ECC.

 

Thus, the CMS4GX3M1A1333C9 is meant to be used on an Intel Xeon 3500/3600 or 5500/5600 platform - and only if the motherboard that those processors reside on supports the use of registered memory. Current AMD processors do not support registered DDR3 memory - and the only AMD processors which support (or in this case require) registered memory all use the server Socket F, which uses only DDR2 memory.