From owner-freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Mar 29 10:52:31 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 681BC16A4CE for ; Mon, 29 Mar 2004 10:52:31 -0800 (PST) Received: from schlepper.zs64.net (schlepper.zs64.net [212.12.50.230]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id D1F4543D31 for ; Mon, 29 Mar 2004 10:52:30 -0800 (PST) (envelope-from cracauer@schlepper.zs64.net) Received: from schlepper.zs64.net (schlepper [212.12.50.230]) by schlepper.zs64.net (8.12.10/8.11.1) with ESMTP id i2TIqS7D038942; Mon, 29 Mar 2004 20:52:29 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from cracauer@schlepper.zs64.net) Received: (from cracauer@localhost) by schlepper.zs64.net (8.12.10/8.12.9/Submit) id i2TIqSl3038941; Mon, 29 Mar 2004 13:52:28 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 13:52:28 -0500 From: Martin Cracauer To: Rob Ellis Message-ID: <20040329135228.A38644@cons.org> References: <20040326183405.GD34158@web.ca> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.5i In-Reply-To: <20040326183405.GD34158@web.ca>; from rob@web.ca on Fri, Mar 26, 2004 at 01:34:06PM -0500 cc: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Motherboard w/ ECC? X-BeenThere: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion of FreeBSD hardware List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 29 Mar 2004 18:52:31 -0000 Rob Ellis wrote on Fri, Mar 26, 2004 at 01:34:06PM -0500: > How important is ECC ram for a FreeBSD server? We've gone with Asus > motherboards in the past, but most new ones don't support ECC... > > If ECC is important, any recommendations for a motherboard that supports > AMD Athlon + ECC? The Intel 875 chipset supports it, 865 and below do not. I have this mainboard in my server: ASUS P4C800-E DELUXE and two Kingston KVR400X72C3A/512 modules. Runs fine in dual-channel and ECC. Very satisfied with that board. Also has non-PCI (CSA) gigabit Ethernet and a lot of other junk, e.g. a SATA controller supported by FreeBSD-4.9 (the in-chipset one, the additional one on the board needs FreeBSD-5.x). http://usa.asus.com/products/mb/socket478/p4c800-e_d/overview.HTM As for needing it: the error rate of intact modern RAM is very low, there is certainly less need for ECC than there was 10 years ago. I am still using ECC to guard myself against the hardware getting old, e.g. a piece of dust in the socket after fiddling with it turning bits. Plus ECC RAM is basically the same price. I have a question for those in the know: if my module corrects a one-bit error, will FreeBSD report that? Martin -- %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Martin Cracauer http://www.cons.org/cracauer/ No warranty. This email is probably produced by one of my cats stepping on the keys. No, I don't have an infinite number of cats.