HP Proliant ML110 G6 - 32GB?

HP state that the maximum memory for the ML110 G6 is 16Gb, however for some reason (it was late) I decided to buy 4x 8GB RDIMMs as I read somewhere that the HP Proliant ML110 G6 Intel 3420 chipset with an upgrade to a Xeon X3450 should handle 32GB with registered dimms, although only at the reduced speed of 800Mhz.

The memory is: Kingston KVR1066D3Q8R7S/8GI (8GB PC3-8500 Parity Reg CL7 ECC Quad Rank TS Intel)

The server post beeps 4-3-3-1 with the memory in any combination. I assume from this that the memory is not compatible, unfortunately I cant return it.

Is there any evidence of someone having successfully installed 32GB of memory into a ML110 G6?

If it is anything like the G5, only 8GB was supported but after inserting 16GB it worked just fine - although not supported by HP. My guess is the G6 model would be the same.

Maybe it does support 32Gb? I just had the wrong 8gb RDIMMs?

I bought 4x Kingston KTH-PL313E/4G - 4GB 1333MHz ECC
And they seem to work fine (not installed OS yet)

Now I'm kind of stuck with £200 worth of 32Gb with no home.

Hi,

Jez is correct, the intel chipset should support 32Gb at 800mhz, this is what I gleaned off the internet also.

However, it only seems to support certain DIMM configurations, and I dont know if Quad Ranked DIMMS (whatever that actually means) are fully supported.

I use Kingston RAM in mine, and I would like to have 32GB also, and I see 800mhz as making no real world difference to performance either.

EDIT:- jez I think you have nailed it.... I think the chipset supports 16Gb of UNRegistered memory and 32gb of Registered.

http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/hyperx_us/modelsinfo.asp?SysID=57886

I think I understood it was the other way round ie.
4x 4Gb UDIMMs @1333 or,
4x 8Gb Quad Rank Registered DIMMS

Intel limitations on RDIMM:
- No support for LV DIMMs.
- 256Mb/512Mb technology, x4 and x16 DRAMs on RDIMM are NOT supported.
- No mixing of registered and unbuffered DIMMs.
- 1066MHz RDIMMs run at 800MHz

I've found a couple of examples where my exact RDIMMs product work on other Intel 3420 chipsets, I wonder if I should I try another set of ram? I could replace the HP motherboard with a supermicro but that kind of defeats the object of buying a built server.

Yeah Jez...

Check your memory.... its QUAD RANKED...

This is the registered version of the memory I have....

http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KVR1333D3D4R9S_8G.pdf

And you can see its clearly marked as dual ranked... I think this is the problem.

In addition..

This supermicro board has the same config as the HP server.... 3240 chipset and 4 DIMM slots...

dont forget, some of these folks have the 3240 chipset with 6 DIMMS and that still only supports 32GB max.

Edit:- Memory banking support from Supermircro here:- http://www.supermicro.com/products/Memory/3400_support.cfm?pname=MBD-X8SIL&DIMM=4

Thanks.
According to both those links, I should have the correct memory (quad rank, 8Gb, registered, ECC). Dual ranked 8Gb isnt supported, but yours obviously works in your ML110 G6. Very strange.
I found this link, where someone used the same mem as mine and got 32Gb, then further down, someone else bought the same kit and it didn't work:
Scroll down a bit: http://arstechnica.com/civis/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=1152914

The 'I' at the end of my product code, I understand denotes compatible with Intel boards. ?

Sorry Jez I should have been clearer.

I only have 16Gb, Dual ranked, and was also looking for a 32Gb route.

I misunderstood the specs, but now I agree with you, that it looks like you need Quad Ranked ECC registered RAM to populate the 4 DIMMS.

I Dont know if you saw, but Supermicro had a list of tested Memory Modules for that Chipset.... Mainly Micron and Hynix I think.

Shame really as I am a Kingston man at heart... and would love to get 32Gb crammed in there...

In addition, the G7 again says 16 is the limit, however, all the documentation on the C202 or whatever chipset is in it says 32... so the same situation is there with the G7, so upgrading to that isnt a definite solution either....

EDIT:- sigh, I fail...

Here is the link to the 4 DIMM supermicro motherboard...

http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon3000/3400/X8SIL.cfm?IPMI=N

The tested memory is there. If you could be bothered, you could always look up the exact spec of the DIMMS that they tested and found to have worked, and compare that to the specs of the RAM you have.

I just compared the specs of the supermicro tested ram with mine and I couldn't see any difference.

Then looked at MATX motherboards that would be compatible with my memory:
Asus P7F-M
Asus P7F-M WS
Supermicro MBD-X8SIL-F
Supermicro MBD-X8SIL-V
...all cost around £150 inc VAT

I could either sell my 4x 8Gb, or get a '7day' refund for my 4x 4Gb and replace my HP's motherboard with one of those above.

No more progress on this Jez?

Been tempted by the G7s?

I cant handle these little 1U DL120 jobs, no expansion at all.

You cant beat these little HP servers for expandability, 32Gb and all the available Pcie slots would be a mean little server for sure.

The ML110 G7 is only officially listed as taking 16GB, though IIRC Intel list the C200 chipset as going to 32GB.

I gave up and bought a Supermicro MBD-X8SIL-F and another X3450, there is a bit of a lead time on these items so will likely try with my RDIMMS next week.

So, I'll have three physical servers to divide between office and home (assuming it all works)
SM X8SIL-F, X3450, 32Gb
HP ML100G6, X3450, 16Gb
HP Microserver N40L, 8Gb
...but thats for another thread.

arrgh!

I came accross this thread from the internets.

I bought some KVR1333D3Q8R9S/8G Kingston sticks and get the same beeps.

These two documents says the RAM is the correct stuff..

http://cache-www.intel.com/cd/00/00/43/26/432686_432686.pdf

http://www.siliconmechanics.com/files/LynnfieldInfo.pdf

Exactly the same as you Jez, beeps, 4,3,3,1....

Sigh, if the memory controller is on the CPU, how can the motherboard stop this RAM from working ?

Could HP have disabled 8Gb RDIMMS in the BIOS?

Im gutted.

HP must have disabled them

I bought the additional motherboard & CPU straight after my previous post, and it is still sitting behind me in unopened boxes :-/

...16Gb HP ML110 G6 is running nicely though
annoyingly, I think the software I bought (HP ROK Microsoft SBS 2011 standard) is BIOS locked by HP to the machine!
I've set up ESXI with Open Indiana for ZFS passthrough (the hard bit), but not installed SBS yet.
A 32Gb machine would have been ideal for a ZFS + SBS all-in-one!

Thing is though jezz,

if you do a bit of googling even HP have the DL120G6 listed in some docs as being 32gb ram capable.

I wouldnt mind, but its identical in almost every way to the ML.

Even more annoying with the supermicro guys having both our modules work.

Did you try them in pairs instead of on their own?

Tried them in pairs, individually, in different sockets, all sorts.
Maybe someone has tried a different brand?

jess did u try any of the list of BIOSs on the HP site?

what version do u have on the one that didnt like the ram?

I only tried one BIOS, I downloaded it only a few weeks ago, so assume it is the latest. Have you tried others?
4331 means 3rd party or OEM problem or something, sounds HP intentional, sounds like someone needs to modify it
Jez

i gotta admit

im desperate to get it working, but there are so few options in the bios..

i did notice that one of the bios's added support for a micron stick of ram and another support for an i3 cpu

so maybe it really is just the bios. we both know and the whole world knows the supermicro boards work, the xeon works, the memory works, its gotta be the hp bios..

it totally totally sucks..