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HP Recommended
Z400

Hello,

 

I recently bougth HP Z400 Workstation (Intel Xeon 3680) without memory so obviously wanted to buy some. I found some information on the Internet that it supports PC3-10600E 1333 MHZ ECC DIMMs (here) and wanted to ask if PC3-10600R is ok as well, because I found it cheap and I don't know what is the difference between "buffered" and "unbuffered".

 

 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
HP Recommended

UPDATE:  THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH DOING "UNSUPPORTED" THINGS WITH THE HP WORKSTATIONS..... SOME RISKS ARE INVOLVED.  USE OF THE MEMORY BELOW HAS RELIABLY WORKED IN THE SIX VERSION 2 Z600s I HAVE DONE THIS WITH.  I HAVE ONE VERSION 2 Z400 FOR WORK THAT THIS WORKED FOR, BUT THE OTHER VERSION 2 Z400 I JUST TESTED HERE AT HOME DOES NOT ACCEPT THESE MEMORY STICKS.  It gives 5 beeps, pause, 5 beeps, and on.  So, I must raise the concern that it may not work for all version 2 Z600s also.  Each of these workstations has the latest BIOS and updates.  No unusual high powered video cards, etc.  The Z600s have been working fine with these sticks for months now.  These same sticks also worked very well in the one Z620 version 1 workstation I tried them in.  So far we have had 100% success in the version 2 Z600 doing this, however.

 

 

 

It is not that simple...... The first reply gives you an old Z400 QuickSpecs that is very early, not a more recent one that covers your "version 2" Z400 workstation.  My latest Z400 QuickSpec version is v58..... the later ones focus on the version 2 Z400 that both you and I have.

 

There are two versions of the Z400, and the later better version has 6 instead of 4 memory slots, and also has a later boot block date that you can easily confirm in BIOS (11/10/09).  You can even see on the silver outside serial number label where a version 2 Z400 will have "HP Z400 6-DIMM Workstation" at its bottom left corner.

 

The differences are based on which stepping of the Intel 5520 Chipset (Intel I/O Hub) is present.  The base chipset is the 5520, codenamed Tylersburg-36D.  This has an earlier stepping (B3, which is in the v1 motherboard) and a later stepping (C2, which is in the v2 motherboard), each with individual sSpec codes. This information is from both HP and Intel documents.

 

Why is this important?  The v2 is later, better and lets you use unbuffered memory and in the case of the Z400 2 more memory slots, and more.  The v1 motherboards do not let you use unbuffered memory.  The v2 motherboard can support both the 55xx and 56xx Xeon processors, and thus you must have a v2 given that you're running a W3680 (the correct name for your processor).  The v1 Z400s can only properly support the 55xx Xeon processors.

 

Both versions want ECC memory.  The v1 wants unbuffered memory too (it wants both ECC and unbuffered).  The v2 wants ECC and can take both buffered or unbuffered.  Don't mix buffered and unbuffered.  "Buffered" = "Registered", etc.

 

This memory and version stuff all applies also to the Z600 and Z800 workstations.  Same boot block date for the v2 Z800, but 1/7/10 boot block date for the v2 Z600.

 

Regarding buffered ECC RAM, you can search eBay for 500203-061 and 500203-561 to see the sticks I'm using that are buffered and ECC in my Z600s and my Z400s.  I've even seen a bit faster memory performance results from the buffered ones, but only by a bit.  More important is to fill all 6 slots with identical RAM.  The buffered RAM is cheaper, however.

 

I like to only buy HP memory with the HP holographic sticker if buying from eBay.... some vendors get other stuff and put on their own plain white sticker using the HP  part number, but this is not from a trustworthy vendor (in my view).

 

I always have to add..... update to the latest BIOS version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View solution in original post

24 REPLIES 24
HP Recommended

Hi,

They are not supported, if you look at this document on page 7 you can see that it states that only unbuffered memory is supported:

 

http://www.hp.com/canada/products/landing/workstations/files/13276_na.pdf

 

Hope it helps,

David

 

Please click on thumbs up for thanks

Please click on accept as solution if answered your question

HP Recommended

UPDATE:  THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH DOING "UNSUPPORTED" THINGS WITH THE HP WORKSTATIONS..... SOME RISKS ARE INVOLVED.  USE OF THE MEMORY BELOW HAS RELIABLY WORKED IN THE SIX VERSION 2 Z600s I HAVE DONE THIS WITH.  I HAVE ONE VERSION 2 Z400 FOR WORK THAT THIS WORKED FOR, BUT THE OTHER VERSION 2 Z400 I JUST TESTED HERE AT HOME DOES NOT ACCEPT THESE MEMORY STICKS.  It gives 5 beeps, pause, 5 beeps, and on.  So, I must raise the concern that it may not work for all version 2 Z600s also.  Each of these workstations has the latest BIOS and updates.  No unusual high powered video cards, etc.  The Z600s have been working fine with these sticks for months now.  These same sticks also worked very well in the one Z620 version 1 workstation I tried them in.  So far we have had 100% success in the version 2 Z600 doing this, however.

 

 

 

It is not that simple...... The first reply gives you an old Z400 QuickSpecs that is very early, not a more recent one that covers your "version 2" Z400 workstation.  My latest Z400 QuickSpec version is v58..... the later ones focus on the version 2 Z400 that both you and I have.

 

There are two versions of the Z400, and the later better version has 6 instead of 4 memory slots, and also has a later boot block date that you can easily confirm in BIOS (11/10/09).  You can even see on the silver outside serial number label where a version 2 Z400 will have "HP Z400 6-DIMM Workstation" at its bottom left corner.

 

The differences are based on which stepping of the Intel 5520 Chipset (Intel I/O Hub) is present.  The base chipset is the 5520, codenamed Tylersburg-36D.  This has an earlier stepping (B3, which is in the v1 motherboard) and a later stepping (C2, which is in the v2 motherboard), each with individual sSpec codes. This information is from both HP and Intel documents.

 

Why is this important?  The v2 is later, better and lets you use unbuffered memory and in the case of the Z400 2 more memory slots, and more.  The v1 motherboards do not let you use unbuffered memory.  The v2 motherboard can support both the 55xx and 56xx Xeon processors, and thus you must have a v2 given that you're running a W3680 (the correct name for your processor).  The v1 Z400s can only properly support the 55xx Xeon processors.

 

Both versions want ECC memory.  The v1 wants unbuffered memory too (it wants both ECC and unbuffered).  The v2 wants ECC and can take both buffered or unbuffered.  Don't mix buffered and unbuffered.  "Buffered" = "Registered", etc.

 

This memory and version stuff all applies also to the Z600 and Z800 workstations.  Same boot block date for the v2 Z800, but 1/7/10 boot block date for the v2 Z600.

 

Regarding buffered ECC RAM, you can search eBay for 500203-061 and 500203-561 to see the sticks I'm using that are buffered and ECC in my Z600s and my Z400s.  I've even seen a bit faster memory performance results from the buffered ones, but only by a bit.  More important is to fill all 6 slots with identical RAM.  The buffered RAM is cheaper, however.

 

I like to only buy HP memory with the HP holographic sticker if buying from eBay.... some vendors get other stuff and put on their own plain white sticker using the HP  part number, but this is not from a trustworthy vendor (in my view).

 

I always have to add..... update to the latest BIOS version.

 

 

 

 

 

 

HP Recommended

Based on everything that you said it seems that I have v2 motherboard and buffered/registered memory should work, so I bought 6x4GB PC3-10600R, tried to use it and got "RDIMMs or METARAMs detected. UDIMMs ONLY FOR THIS SYSTEM" message.

Is there anything that could help with that (like updating the BIOS) or it won't work even though according to you it should?

HP Recommended

Hey Scott,

after reading your post I ordered six modules of buffered RAM (500203-061).

For some reason my workstation refuses to POST, even with only one module installed, just puts out the five beep diagnostic code. Even a CMOS reset (battery was pulled) did not help.

 

my Z400 specs

Xeon W3690

Boot block date 11/10/09

Bios 786G3 v 3.60 (latest)

 

12 GB RAM (ECC unbuffered at the moment)

6x Micron MT18JSF25672AZ-1G4F1

2GB 2Rx8 PC3-10600E-9-10-E0

 

and these are the new modules

6x Hynix HMT151R7BFR4C - H9 D7 AA - C

4GB 2Rx4 PC3-10600R-9-10-E1

 

any ideas ?

HP Recommended

UPDATE:  THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH DOING "UNSUPPORTED" THINGS WITH THE HP WORKSTATIONS..... SOME RISKS ARE INVOLVED.  USE OF THE MEMORY BELOW HAS RELIABLY WORKED IN THE SIX VERSION 2 Z600s I HAVE DONE THIS WITH.  I HAVE ONE VERSION 2 Z400 FOR WORK THAT THIS WORKED FOR, BUT THE OTHER VERSION 2 Z400 I JUST TESTED HERE AT HOME DOES NOT ACCEPT THESE MEMORY STICKS.  It gives 5 beeps, pause, 5 beeps, and on.  So, I must raise the concern that it may not work for all version 2 Z600s also.  Each of these workstations has the latest BIOS and updates.  No unusual high powered video cards, etc.  The Z600s have been working fine with these sticks for months now.  These same sticks also worked very well in the one Z620 version 1 workstation I tried them in.  So far we have had 100% success in the version 2 Z600 doing this, however.

 

Guys,

 

Sorry, missed your two responses.  Gabor.... I don't know what is wrong with that setup (EDIT... see above).  I'm going to copy/paste below from my rough notes of a bunch of experiments I've done.  I usually only want to buy used memory if it has the HP holographic label on it.  I have run the faster HP ECC registered memory meant for a Z620 in my Z600... even that faster RAM will auto-downregulate to the Z600's slower max speed.  I have run the slower ECC Registered memory you'll see below that matches the fastest a Z600 can do in a Z620, but it can't upregulate to the faster speed that the Z620 can run at, of course.  The memory regulators thus can accept faster rated RAM than the machine can run at and also down regulate faster RAM if a slower processor is in place.

 

I foucused on the 4GB sticks as you'll see because in the Z600 6 x 4GB is more than enough for our needs.

 

I have bought some of the same exact memory which came from IBM servers, and that works fine too, but I like the HP stuff best because HP bins it to higher HP specifications. I don't know if IBM does binning too.

 

FOR ALL:  THESE EXPERIMENTS INVOLVE RUNNING RAM THAT IS NOT "SUPPORTED" BY HP AND ONLY WILL WORK ON THE VERSION 2 OF THE WORKSTATIONS NOTED.

 

Not all memory is the same..... "ECC Buffered" ones are not all identical, but I'm giving you the HP part numbers that I have used.  I'll focus on the 4GB ones I mention that always come with the HP heat spreader (500203-061 is the number on the HP holographic label).  Don't get ones with a vendor's generic white label with that number on it.  I don't trust that approach from a vendor.

 

Here's my paste from my Notepad notes, edited for clarity:

 


Memory speeds:

 

PC3-8500R = 1066 Mhz RAM

 

PC3-10600R = 1333 Mhz RAM  Z600 tops out at this.  Spare parts for Z600 has 10600E, but
it does not list the R version (but that works fine, but only in the version 2 Z400 and
Z600.  This ECC R memory also works fine in a Z620 I tested with, but the Z620 can also
run the faster PC312800R memory (assuming that it has a faster processor to match that
higher speed).

 

I also have run PC3-12800R ECC Registered HP memory from the Z620 fine in my Z600, which
has HP part number on the sticks of 647648-071 as an experiment for months now.... 6
sticks of 4GB each.  The Z600 Will not benefit from using those faster sticks but I had
spare ones to test available.

 

PC3-12800R = 1600 MHz RAM  Z620 runs this, but can run 1333 instead, as in my Z600 noted
above.  Spare parts for Z620 has both the 12800 ECC and 12800 ECC R

 

PC3-14900E = 1866 MHz RAM.  The Z620 can run this also.

 

From my source 12/16 for getting IBM memory that works in the V2 HP Z600 workstations,
with careful shopping you can find the 4GB modules used at about 1.00 USD/GB, shipped.

 

For example:
Elpida 32GB (8x4GB) DDR3 2Rx4 PC3-10600R EBJ41HE4BAFA
Hynix 32GB (8x4GB) DDR3 2Rx4 PC3-10600R HMT151R7BFR4C

500203-061 or -561 are the HP part numbers for the equivalent 4GB sticks, and many are
available used on eBay.  These are from retired HP servers.  All of the HP 4GB 500203-061
4GB have had heat spreaders but some of the 500203-561 4GB have not.

 

Examples of Z600 (version 2 only) memory that is both ECC and registered (buffered):

MT36JSZF51272PY-1G4D1BA  0928   Micron Technologies
4GB 2RX4 PC3-10600R-9-10-JP  =  IBM P/N 43X5047, and have seen exactly this also with HP
500203-061

NT4GC72B4NA1NL-CG is the 4GB Nanya with green heat spreader and I have seen this in HP
500203-061

500203-061 (=xxxxxxx-xxx) = 4GB ECC Reg memory for servers and ZX00, and at least v1 Z620.


Example:  Micron MT36JSF51272PZ-1G4G1FE         4GB 2Rx4 PC3-10600R-9-11-J0
All of the HP 4GB 500203-061 have had heat spreaders but some of the 500203-561 have not.

 

500202-061 (= 501533-061) = 2GB ECC Reg memory for servers and ZX00, and at least v1 Z620.
= MICRON       MT18JSF25672PDZ-1G4G1FE        2GB 2Rx8 PC3-10600R-9-11-B0


Have not seen any of the 2GB sticks with heat spreaders.

 

MT36JSZF51272PY-1G4D1AB and the 6x one  38.00 vs 25.00

Hynix HMT151R7BFR4C-H9 DB AA-C

Samsung M393B5170EH1-CH9

Elpida EBJ41HE4BDFA-DJ-F  1010AXC0013A

HP Recommended

 

 

UPDATE:  THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH DOING "UNSUPPORTED" THINGS WITH THE HP WORKSTATIONS..... SOME RISKS ARE INVOLVED.  USE OF THE MEMORY BELOW HAS RELIABLY WORKED IN THE SIX VERSION 2 Z600s I HAVE DONE THIS WITH.  I HAVE ONE VERSION 2 Z400 FOR WORK THAT THIS WORKED FOR, BUT THE OTHER VERSION 2 Z400 I JUST TESTED HERE AT HOME DOES NOT ACCEPT THESE MEMORY STICKS.  It gives 5 beeps, pause, 5 beeps, and on.  So, I must raise the concern that it may not work for all version 2 Z600s also.  Each of these workstations has the latest BIOS and updates.  No unusual high powered video cards, etc.  The Z600s have been working fine with these sticks for months now.  These same sticks also worked very well in the one Z620 version 1 workstation I tried them in.  So far we have had 100% success in the version 2 Z600 doing this, however.

 

 

 

I wanted to add a bit more......  I always update my BIOS to the latest version.  That might play a role in what memory sticks you can use, so do that first.  HP uses different  vendors for their memory.  I like to use the same vendor's sticks in a workstation, but supposedly you can mix and match assuming that they have the same part number on the stick and are from HP.  Given that HP bins their memory to be better than general specs for each stick I think it is best to stay with HP memory sticks, and only get ones with the holographic labels, examples of which you'll see below.  HP engineering input is that the same sticks occupying all slots lets the memory controller provide you with the very best memory performance.  Some of my memory testing showed a bit better performance from the ECC Buffered than from the ECC Unbuffered 4GB sticks.  The main difference here is in the cost.... buffered ECC cheaper.  These are from the HP Proliant servers originally.

 

There was a recent post from someone who bought non-HP RAM that had heat spreaders that were extra tall, and it kept him from being able to properly place the memory fan/shroud down over that RAM.  The heat spreaders that are on the 4GB HP and IBM sticks I've noted in the post above are standard issue types, and the memory fan/shroud on my Z600s Z400s fits fine over all of these sticks.

 

Here are some pictures from eBay of the HP 500203-061 4GB ECC Buffered (Registered) ones, and my favorite color now is at the top (but I have not got any of those yet).  You can't see these until a moderator releases them:

 

HP Nanya 4GB 10600R ECC.jpg

 

 HP Elpida 4GB 10600R ECC.jpgHP Hynix 4GB 10600R ECC.jpg

 

 HP Micron 4GB 10600R ECC 3.jpg

 

 

 

HP Recommended

Hello,

 

I've Z400 with V2 motherboard and I expect to buy additionnal RAM. I'm looking for cheap RAM so  HP 500203-061 buffered RAM seems to be a good choise but if I understand, HP 500203-061 buffered RAM is randomly compatible with Z400 with V2 motherboard ?  Is it worth it to risk it?

 

Thank you

HP Recommended

I bought two of the v2 recenty for $39 on eBay.  I also picked up a pair of supermicro X8DTL-iF but not as cheap.  AFAICT the v2 take only unbuffered ram.  The ram I bought for the X8DTL-iF was Kingston KVR1066D3Ss4R7SK3 (2G) and also  HP 500203-061 MT36jSZF51272PZ (4g).   Neither of these chips worked in the Z400.  Buffered and registered ram are the same.

 

What did work was 500209-562 or Hynix HMT125U7TFR&C which are 2gb unbuffered ECC sticks.  For that matter, non-ecc sucha s Corsair TW3X4G1600C9D or Gseries LPG834G1600ELKA also work but I wanted ECC and my understanding is there is a problem loading all 6 slots with non-ecc ram especially 4k sticks

 

The v2 includes SLIC 2.1 in the bios which allows a no-cost install of windows 7 pro if you use the HP license & key which can be found using google.

 

I am running ubuntu on the supermicro dual xeons but win7pro could be run at no cost the same way.

 

 I gave up looking for inexpensive 4g ECC sticks and ordered 6 samsung 2g sticks M391B5673FH0-CH9 .  The picture from the vendor shows 500209-562 so I assume they will work fine.  They were 12.95 a pair.

 

 


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HP Recommended

Hello, i am werry sorry, if i ask the same question about RAM for Z400, because my english so bad.

 

i have

'Z400' v2 6-DIMM Workstation

CPU w3520

Bios 3.61

6Gb 3*2 DDR3 ECC unbuffered RAM

 

the old memory I took from the computer and want to install 3*4 DDR3 ECC Registered RAM, but it don't work. 

the new memory is (mt36jszf51272pz-1g4f1ab) with a sticker  HP (500203-061)

 

What could be the problem? should I change the processor for X56**?

 

Thank you for your help!

 

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