Can you put server RAM in a desktop computer?

[DrQuickDroqqed]

Looking to buy some cheaper DDR3 ram, can I put server ram in my desktop computer. Dell optiplex 790, core i5-2400.

[Kenpachi1985]

Since its 99.9% ECC RAM from the server - no. If its non ECC, then it should work.

[DrQuickDroqqed]

1 minute ago, Kenpachi1985 said:

Since its 99.9% ECC RAM from the server - no. If its non ECC, then it should work.

Do you want ECC ram in your computer? Or is it straight up not usable?

[Kenpachi1985]

2 minutes ago, DrQuickDroqqed said:

Do you want ECC ram in your computer? Or is it straight up not usable?

Its not compatible, unless you have some exotic Xeon CPU with a specific motherboard. So its straight up non useable. *edit* its also important to knwo if its "registered" ECC or "unregistered" ECC. unregistered might work. But its delicate to try it out and i would not suggest trying it since there are a lot of cheap and good normal alternatives out there.

[DrQuickDroqqed]

2 minutes ago, Kenpachi1985 said:

Its not compatible, unless you have some exotic Xeon CPU with a specific motherboard. So its straight up non useable.

So any non ECC ram is usable in my optiplex 790 correct?

[Vishera]

Just now, DrQuickDroqqed said:

So any non ECC ram is usable in my optiplex 790 correct?

DDR3 1333 CL9 is pretty cheap,I have tons of those in my closet.

[Windows7ge]

17 minutes ago, Kenpachi1985 said:

Since its 99.9% ECC RAM from the server - no. If its non ECC, then it should work.

I could be wrong with it being older Intel processors but ECC does not determine if a desktop will work with server memory. Most newer Intel platforms (like 2010 and later at least) will accept ECC memory just that it won't useilize the ECC feature. That will be disabled.

 

What WILL determine if a desktop system will work with server memory is weather or not it is registered/unbuffered.

 

Most desktops will work with UDIMM ECC memory (the ECC feature won't work though)

Most desktops will not accept at all RDIMM modules.

 

Edit:

You will also have to pay attention to the Rank of the modules. (R2x4, R1x4, etc) these ranks can also affect if the system will work with the sticks. Most popularly you'll wan single rank or dual rank. A desktop system may not work with quad or higher.

[DrQuickDroqqed]

12 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

a

 

12 minutes ago, Vishera said:

DDR3 1333 CL9 is pretty cheap,I have tons of those in my closet.

bro hmu

[Kenpachi1985]

13 minutes ago, Windows7ge said:

I could be wrong with it being older Intel processors but ECC does not determine if a desktop will work with server memory. Most newer Intel platforms (like 2010 and later at least) will accept ECC memory just that it won't useilize the ECC feature. That will be disabled.

 

What WILL determine if a desktop system will work with server memory is weather or not it is registered/unbuffered.

 

Most desktops will work with UDIMM ECC memory (the ECC feature won't work though)

Most desktops will not accept at all RDIMM modules.

 

Edit:

You will also have to pay attention to the Rank of the modules. (R2x4, R1x4, etc) these ranks can also affect if the system will work with the sticks. Most popularly you'll wan single rank or dual rank. A desktop system may not work with quad or higher.

As i said, yes

[Windows7ge]

2 minutes ago, Kenpachi1985 said:

As i said, yes

*suspicions intensify*

I'm interpreting you post as the system will not POST with ECC memory. Not that it will still POST but not utilize the ECC feature.

[The_Prycer]

Does your CPU and Mobo support ECC RAM? If yes, happily continue, if no, then sorry.

[DrQuickDroqqed]

51 minutes ago, The_Prycer said:

Does your CPU and Mobo support ECC RAM? If yes, happily continue, if no, then sorry.

Its an i5-2400

[DrQuickDroqqed]

32 minutes ago, Genwyn said:

Y’all need to just google “optiplex 790” some times and you would know everything needed to answer OPs question.

Theres a massive community of people who build and mod those things.

 

They do not support any ECC server memory. Doesn’t matter the type, doesn’t matter the speed, ranking, registered or not, it exclusively takes regular DDR3. 
1333mhz is ideal, 1600mhz will work but it will limit to 1333mhz, stock 1866 will do the same. Anything faster likely won’t even downclock and other people talking about it confirm things like 2400mhz DDR3 will cause a failure to post.

 

Get regular 1333mhz ddr3

I'm looking at 1600 ddr3 and it is a good amount cheaper than ddr3 1333. Probably because more of it is on the market. I think that 1600 will be the way to go in terms of price, its ok if it will be limited to 1333mhz

[The_Prycer]

1 minute ago, DrQuickDroqqed said:

Its an i5-2400

the i5 does not support ECC RAM, so even if your mobo did, it probably wouldn't work.

[DrQuickDroqqed]

1 minute ago, The_Prycer said:

the i5 does not support ECC RAM, so even if your mobo did, it probably wouldn't work.

So non-ecc ram only. If there was server ram that was non-ecc, would it work in the build?

[The_Prycer]

Just now, DrQuickDroqqed said:

So non-ecc ram only. If there was server ram that was non-ecc, would it work in the build?

Generally speaking, all server RAM is ECC. If you were to have non-ECC RAM though, it would work just fine.

 

 

[DrQuickDroqqed]

Just now, The_Prycer said:

Generally speaking, all server RAM is ECC. If you were to have non-ECC RAM though, it would work just fine.

 

 

Ok thank you

[DrQuickDroqqed]

I think my problem has been solved, thanks to all who have helped me out. Cheers!

[Zando_]

1 minute ago, DrQuickDroqqed said:

So non-ecc ram only. If there was server ram that was non-ecc, would it work in the build?

"server RAM" is ECC, that's why it's used in servers. ECC-unbuffered/non-registered should work, it just won't use ECC functionality. That RAM isn't much cheaper than mainstream DDR3 though. The really cheap sticks are ECC registered/buffered and only work with mobo/CPU combos that support ECC. 

[Smackaroy]

If it's not a server motherboard than no it won't work