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2115

September 6th, 2018 07:00

T410 RAM Issues - single/dual ranks

Hi,

I've inherited a T410 which came with 2x8GB RAM RDIMMS, in slots A1 and B1. The server was happy with this. Dual CPU configuration.

I wanted to add more RAM so I thought it simplest to add another 2x8GB RDIMMS. These came but there is a very minor difference, they are dual rank while the originals are single rank. The hardware manual says you can mix single and dual ranks, but doesn't give guidance about where to put them. It suggests slots A1/A2 and B1/B2 should be filled in this configuration for 'optimizer' mode

Every possible configuration of single and dual rank (each CPU has single or dual, split single/dual to have identical configurations per CPU etc etc, different slots) all give various errors either 'sub-optimal' or 'unsupported configuration'

If I use A1/B1 Dual rank and A2/B2 single rank it says 'unsupported, DIMM geometry should match A1/A2 and B1/B2'

If I use A1/A2 dual rank and B1/B2 single rank it says unsupported: CPU config should match

If I use A1/B1 dual rank and A4/B4 single rank it says 'non-optimal, something about a mismatch

Can someone please tell me what configuration of 4x8GB (2 SR and 2 DR) should be used for maximum support/compatibility? I understand an error might persist since technically geometry doesn't match, but if I could be advised which error is 'best' that would be good. Should I try to make each CPU identical or put all the single on one CPU and all the dual on another?

Thanks

12 Elder

 • 

6.2K Posts

September 6th, 2018 10:00

Hello

The T410 has an odd memory layout. It is tri-channel with four channels. Slots 1,2,3 are a memory grouping and slot 4 is a grouping. Memory should not be mixed within a grouping, that is why you keep getting geometry warnings. Also, you typically want to install memory in pairs at a minimum. Because of all of these guidelines there is not a good population for mixed memory in the T410.

Your best population would be to put the higher rank modules in slots 1 and the lower rank modules in slot 4. Also, flexible memory is a feature that was added with our 12th generation servers. We added this feature to some of our 11th generation servers with BIOS updates. Make sure your BIOS is up to date. If the flexible memory configuration feature was added with a BIOS update then it will allow you to run a lot more memory configurations. You can find downloads and manuals on the server support page.

http://www.dell.com/support/

Thanks

September 7th, 2018 13:00

Thankyou

When I run a higher rank in slot 1 and a lower rank in slot 4 I get a warning about a non-desirable population of DIMMS and that I should populate slots A2 and B2 instead.

I take it this is a 'lesser' error than the non-supported geometry error?

I am currently at BIOS 1.12.0 which I believe was the last 'feature update' BIOS and further have been security only. Nonetheless, I will update to 1.14.0 now

 

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