Does HP Z420 support Registered ECC RAM?

[jaash8]

Hello,

I would like to know if the HP Z420 supports Registered ECC RAM. I couldn’t find a answer on the internet.

[DGroves]

your not looking all that hard now are you?

the HP z420 "quickspecs" document found on the HP site has the answer (google hp z420 quickspecs)

https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03277050

the HP documents lists ram types for the z420 under the hp websites z420 available documents page

https://h20331.www2.hp.com/hpsub/downloads/z420_memory_configurations.pdf

this forum has numerous previous posts/replies regarding z420 ram (use the forums "search" feature)

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/RAM-upgrade-for-an-HP-z240/td-p...

kingston and crucial websites (makers of dimm memory modules) list all available ram types/capacities that work with the z420

https://www.crucial.com/compatible-upgrade-for/hp-compaq/hp-z420-workstation

https://www.kingston.com/en/memory/search/model/93852/hp-hpe-workstation-z240-tower-sff

https://www.kingstonmemoryshop.co.uk/workstation/hp/z-series/hp-z420-workstation

google has hundreds of z420 ram type links shown

[SDH · Accepted solution]

Here is what HP says in the Z420 online link that was provided to you:

Memory type supported

DDR3, UDIMM (Unbuffered), ECC

"Supported" means more than you might think. It means that HP has done extensive conformance testing on the supported parts and proven them to be reliable for enterprise level use. If they tried something and that failed it will obviously not be in the supported category. However, if they did never ran the conformance testing on a part it will not be in the supported category. In the case of ECC buffered memory in the Z420 they did not try (or tried only with the version 1 Z420 and it failed in that). HP conformance testing is exhaustive, expensive, and is done on parts that HP considers reasonably matched to a workstation at time of its release. The Z420 was originally considered to be a somewhat stripped-down entry-level box. We have found the Z420 v2 can be much more.

We only run version 2 Z420 and version 2 Z620 workstations, running fast 1866 MHz v2 processors. All our v2 Z420s run ECC Buffered 1866 MHz RAM just as well as our v2 Z620s. I'm the guy who initially built all of those (over 35 for one project) and then taught our IT guys exactly what to use. I've posted on the specific recycled server 1866 MHz memory that we use, here in the forum. Our particular needs result in 32GB or 64GB builds using either 4 or 8 matching 8GB ECC buffered sticks in the v2 workstations mentioned above. However, I also have tested the 16GB version of these same sticks in both and that works fine too. I always add in best cooling including the optional HP front case fan in such circumstances. I also use the double-cooling-capacity Z440 processor heatsink/fan in our souped up Z420 and single-processor Z620 workstation builds (749554-001, posted about here), and also add in the passive Z420 front airflow guide that fits in the Z420 v1 and v2 workstations (663070-001).

So, we did our own conformance testing, and we consider this 1866 ECC buffered RAM to be "supported" here. Of interest it also works fine in my home v2 Z600 (but not in my home v2 Z400). I keep those going for fun, and all run great on W11. Go read up on the v1 vs v2 issue for the Zx20 family of workstations, figure out what version you have, and then if you have a v2 you can go find my posts here on exactly what we use. Google often finds my old posts here better than our forum's search feature.

[Virginia311]

Thanks everyone for sharing your thoughts and helping us. -Mymorri