Question Phenom II X4 960T support for unbuffered DDR3 ECC?

[pippirippi]

I cannot find any definitive answer on the Internet. Do Phenom II X4 CPUs support unbuffered ECC DDR3 RAM? My own CPU is a 960T model.
For whatever reason ECC modules sell for lower prices than regular unbufferd non-ecc ram, so I was thinking of buying that. Has anyone here ever run a Phenom II X4 with ECC ram and can confirm if they work or not?

 

[jeremyj_83]

Do you know what motherboard you have?

 

[pippirippi]

GA-770TA-UD3

 

[pippirippi]

FWIW my best find is this old datasheet with a section titled "Integrated Memory Controller" where it says "ECC checking with double-bit detect and single-bit correct" sooo... maybe it's a yes? Nobody has ever used an X4 with ECC before and willing to share their experience?

 

[jeremyj_83]

According to your motherboard manual, https://download1.gigabyte.com/Files/Manual/mb_manual_ga-770ta-ud3_e.pdf , the motherboard supports ECC as long as the CPU does. However, the Zosma CPU core does not have ECC support https://www.techpowerup.com/cpu-specs/phenom-ii-x4-960t-be.c745

 

[pippirippi]

In that case, is there any chance that the motherboard will run the ECC memory with ECC disabled? Or it's most likely that it won't boot at all?

 

[jeremyj_83]

In that case, is there any chance that the motherboard will run the ECC memory with ECC disabled? Or it's most likely that it won't boot at all?

If you disable the ECC in BIOS then it should act like a normal UDIMM. That is something I have never done but it could be worth a shot.

 

[SamirD]

ime, generally ddr3 ecc udimms act like regular udimms when installed in a system that doesn't support the ecc. Try it and just make sure you can return it!

 

[pippirippi]

OK I've tried the ECC ram and the PC boots up correctly. The ram works but there is a problem... I cannot enter the BIOS when the ECC ram is installed, only when the non-ecc is. I've never seen this issue, any idea what's going on??

This is what happens: I power up the PC. If I do nothing, it boots up correctly to the OS. If I hit DEL during the POST screen, I see the message "Initializing setup utility..." (or whatever that was, I don't remember) and then it stops at a black screen with a white blinking cursor; it won't start the BIOS.

 

[SamirD]

OK I've tried the ECC ram and the PC boots up correctly. The ram works but there is a problem... I cannot enter the BIOS when the ECC ram is installed, only when the non-ecc is. I've never seen this issue, any idea what's going on??

This is what happens: I power up the PC. If I do nothing, it boots up correctly to the OS. If I hit DEL during the POST screen, I see the message "Initializing setup utility..." (or whatever that was, I don't remember) and then it stops at a black screen with a white blinking cursor; it won't start the BIOS.

Try resetting your cmos/bios. If it's working, I have a feeling it's just a bios fart that has to clear.

 

[pippirippi]

This didn't work 🙁
I hit DEL and still see the same thing, a black screen with a white cursor blinking.

 

[SamirD]

This didn't work 🙁
I hit DEL and still see the same thing, a black screen with a white cursor blinking.

Huh--well I guess ecc is supported to boot but interferes with the bios in some way.

I would install just one module of your old ram and upgrade/downgrade your bios and try again with the ecc memory after you confirm the bios updated with the old memory.