How to install & configure Mixed Memory in PowerEdge R510

Hello Artemis

The R510 has a very odd memory configuration. It is a trichannel configuration with two banks. What makes it odd is that one bank is 3 slots and the other bank is a single slot. This should be the best configuration for the DIMMs you have:

Slot 1 - 2GB
Slot 2 - 2GB
Slot 4 - 16GB

One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot mix unregistered/unbuffered DIMMs with registered/buffered DIMMs. The 16GB DIMMs are definitely RDIMMs. If your 2GB DIMMs are UDIMMs then you can't use them together, and your current configuration of populating slot 1 with 16GB DIMMs is your best configuration.

Thanks

Daniel (& Artemis),

I was really pleased to see this posting, as I've been struggling for a long time with our R510 memory configuration. It's great to find someone who can help explain what we need to do.

We have an R510 with 16GB, and the current configuration is as follows: (naming as per OpenManage)

• DIMM_A1: 4GB 2Rx8 RDIMM
• DIMM_A2: 4GB 2Rx8 RDIMM
• DIMM_A3: (empty)
• DIMM_A4: (empty)
• DIMM_B1: 4GB 2Rx8 RDIMM
• DIMM_B2: 4GB 2Rx8 RDIMM
• DIMM_B3: (empty)
• DIMM_B4: (empty)

We want to upgrade the server to have a total of 32GB, so I (possibly incorrectly) purchased two 8GB 1Rx4 RDIMM's. My intention was to put these into slots DIMM_A4 and DIMM_B4... but the server didn't like this.

Can you please help? What's the best route to doubling the RAM capacity ('best' ideally meaning utilising the two new DIMMs!). Also, what setting should I put into the BIOS option to do with RAM configuration (I can't recall the label)? What can be mixed in terms of the 'rank' of the DIMMs in an R510?

Many thanks in advance for any help you can provide. If it helps to have a service tag, let me know.

Simon

Hi Daniel,

I have checked and 2GBs DIMMs were UDIMMs so 2x16GB was the best option for me indeed.

This is to say thank you for your help and I very much appreciate.

Arthur

Hello Artemis The R510 has a very odd memory configuration. It is a trichannel configuration with two banks. What makes it odd is that one bank is 3 slots and the other bank is a single slot. This should be the best configuration for the DIMMs you have: Slot 1 - 2GB Slot 2 - 2GB Slot 4 - 16GB One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot mix unregistered/unbuffered DIMMs with registered/buffered DIMMs. The 16GB DIMMs are definitely RDIMMs. If your 2GB DIMMs are UDIMMs then you can't use them together, and your current configuration of populating slot 1 with 16GB DIMMs is your best configuration. Thanks

Simon,

I believe this will work for you:

• DIMM_A1: 4GB 2Rx8 RDIMM
• DIMM_A2: 4GB 2Rx8 RDIMM
• DIMM_A3: (empty)
• DIMM_A4: add 8GB RDIMM
• DIMM_B1: 4GB 2Rx8 RDIMM
• DIMM_B2: 4GB 2Rx8 RDIMM
• DIMM_B3: (empty)
• DIMM_B4: add 8GB RDIMM

Good Luck!

Artemis

Hello Simon

Let me briefly explain how the banks and channels are configured on an R510.

There are 2 banks and 3 channels. The first bank are slots 1,2,3 and the second bank is slot 4. You can't mix memory within a bank, so if you have 4GB DIMMs in slots 1,2 then the only DIMM you can add to slot 3 is a 4GB of the same specifications. You can mix memory within a channel, and the channel configuration is as follows:

Channel 0 - slots 1,4
Channel 1 - slot 2
Channel 2 - slot 3

So, if you are mixing memory then your only option for unlike memory is slot 4. You have it populated correctly, so there must be something about the memory that is not compatible. UDIMMs are available in sizes up to 4GB, so it is possible the 4GB DIMMs are UDIMMs. The 8GB DIMMs are RDIMMs. You can't mix UDIMMs with RDIMMs, so this is the first thing I would check.

Thanks

Artemis: Thanks for your reply; what you've suggested is exactly what I tried, but with no joy.

Daniel,

Thanks for your reply, too. I've double checked our Dell invoice and it certainly states RDIMMs, as are the two RDIMMs that I've purchased. Would the RDIMM's rank have anything to do with it? How does rank impact the situation?

The original 4GB RDIMMs are dual rank, and the 8GBis single rank. Could that be causing an issue?

As before, many thanks for any advice you can offer.

Simon

The original 4GB RDIMMs are dual rank, and the 8GBis single rank. Could that be causing an issue?

Rank wouldn't be an issue unless they were quad rank. Most systems have reduced population capacity with quad rank DIMMs. I don't think the R510 does though.

Test the two 8GB DIMMs by themselves in slot 1(A1,B1). The DIMMs themselves may not be compatible. If they still don't work then give me a part or model number of the DIMMs so I can review specs.

Thanks

Hi Daniel,

Thanks again for your help. Good suggestion re trying the RAM on it's own first: that might be the issue here! I'll let you know if I hit any headaches.

Simon

The memory configuration for the R510 is pretty special!  Can y'all help me with the memory upgrade I'm about to do?  So for each set of 4 DIMM slots I have 2 x 16GB, 1 x 4GB and 1 x 2GB.  All registered ECC.  Thank you very much!

Hi my r510 has 8x4gb so 32gb in total i have 2x16gb and 2x8gb from my previous server what is best config to put in

to get it 64gb wothout mem cofig errors