s about ECC and server RAM
s about ECC and server RAM
I start by sharing that I've assembled and maintained numerous computers throughout my career, but I've never handled actual server parts—just consumer devices I've customized for a NAS setup. Recently, I acquired a refurbished server from one of those shops and it should arrive soon. The model is a Dell PowerEdge R730XD 14B LFF with two Intel Xeon E5-2660 processors. I'm excluding the RAM because I intend to pull it from my existing 64GB Plex NAS. I've heard standard gaming RAM might work, but I'm uncertain now. The Intel site indicates my CPU only supports DDR4 variants up to 2400, while my RAM is G-Skill 2666—so I'm concerned it might cause issues from the start since it's unsupported. I'm considering purchasing ECC RAM from the same refurb shop, but for a gaming rig I usually opt for 32GB (two 16GB modules). For a server, should I choose many small 8GB modules or just a few larger ones? The store offers ECC 8GB sticks for $15 and 16GB sticks for $19. I plan to compare prices at other used server shops before deciding, in case I really need to buy. My old NAS suffered a failure (still unclear what caused it), and I managed to recover only about 99.99% of the data—around 350,000 files lost, with 28 files missing. I'm convinced the storage array and boot drive were affected, though the troubleshooting process was inconsistent. I'm starting fresh now, with data backed up on a separate drive temporarily.
Opt for faster RAM that matches the CPU's supported speeds. These Xeons support quad-channel memory, so fill each CPU with four DIMMs for optimal performance. Ensure both CPUs have matching sockets and at least one DIMM is installed. Use a rear 2.5" bay for your boot drive to avoid using a smaller, lower-capacity drive. ECC 32 GB DDR4-2400 modules are affordable on the used side, and I’d purchase a few of them.
The system doesn<|pad|> to handle XMP without built-in support, so you'll need manual configuration or the board using slower JEDEC profiles. Many budget ECC memory units are registered, but not all servers do, and specific technical details aren't available for this model.
I'm picking up some interesting details after purchasing the server. The documentation mentions needing 1rx8 sticks for 64GB with dual CPUs, but after reaching 128GB it switches to 2rx8 sticks. It seems there might be a reason for that change—maybe compatibility or performance considerations. You noticed 1rx8 sticks aren't available, but 2rx8 sticks are affordable around $100 for the same capacity and come with ECC protection, which matches the spec in the manual.