[SOLVED] ECC memory not working on Dell Optiplex 7010?

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May 2, 2020
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For a couple of years, I have been using a Dell Optiplex 790 with 32 GB of ECC memory that I recovered from an old workstation. Although it's treated as regular, non-ECC memory, it simply works.

Recently, I got my hands on a Dell Optiplex 7010 (for free), which mounts a processor one generation ahead. Not a big change, but it was free, so I decided to migrate everything to this other computer. However, when I replaced the memory with the 32 GB from my previous computer, it failed to boot. I thought at first that the 8 GB DIMMs could be an issue, but I have read other people on the internet using 32 GB on that same system. Therefore, my conclusion is that it does not accept ECC memory (i.e. the computer won't boot with it).

The weird thing, though, is that it worked flawlessly on the Optiplex 790, which is extremely similar. And that makes me doubt about my conclusion. Does anyone have a clue? Did Dell suddenly decide to block the use of ECC memory? Is there any possible way I can fix it?
 
May 2, 2020
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Okay, thanks a lot for checking. I am just surprised that the previous generation of Dell Optiplex worked just fine with non-ECC, but I guess I will have to accept it
 
This is interesting. Generally, the Dells will work very well with ecc memory running as standard memory. I don't think it is a problem with the memory being ecc, but some other attribute about the module design making it incompatible.

One option that you have is to swap the processor in that newer 7010 to a xeon that will work with ecc memory (if the ecc is truly the culprit). Even though there is typically no official support for xeons in the bios, there usually is xeon support built-in since the same bios base is used for the Dell xeon workstations.
 
May 2, 2020
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Thanks for the suggestion. I don't have access to a Xeon right now, but I might be able to get hands on one as soon as I go back to the office. Maybe that will shed some light on the matter.

The four modules are Kingston 1333 Mhz DDR3, there's nothing special about them as far as I can see.
 
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