16 gb ram for N36L v.s. N40L

[viloun 0]

I also have the "Patriot Gamer2 PGD316G1333ELK" and my system doesn't always see 16GB of RAM. What I find that works for me is on a new boot, go straight into the BIOS, and then to the Chipset screens to verfiy the memory and make sure that it shows 8GB in each bank. After that, I just restart my system by exiting out of the BIOS to reboot, and the system will see 16GB almost every time. Obviously this isn't always a good trick if the machine is headless. Perhaps someone knows the right BIOS setting to make it work everytime?

Edited November 19, 2012 by viloun

[ikon 439]

In my past experience, I found that a combination of slightly higher voltage to the RAM modules, and a small increase (i.e. slowdown) in the timing delays was the most effective way to get RAM to be stable.

 

Basically, it tells the system to wait a bit longer for the RAM to respond to requests and also makes sure the RAM has enough juice to run at full speed.

[Kojak 0]

Hi guys. This is my first post on the forums so Hello to all.

 

I just wanted to add my input to this discussion. I too bought the Patriot Gamer2 PGD316G1333ELK and suffer from the intermittent 8GB/16GB thing.

 

What I find is that by toggling a setting in the (modified) BIOS (parity checking I think it was) and then rebooting (power off), my N40L sees 16GB but after another reboot, it sees only 8GB. If I repeat the toggling, it again sees 16GB and then 8GB after a further power reboot. Hope that's clear

 

Basically it is not reliably seeing the 16GB. I can force it to see it as above but should the server be rebooted for any reason, I'm back to 8GB. The Memory section in the BIOS always sees two DIMMs though but the memory checker at boot-up sees 8Gb/16GB/8GB....

 

I can't complain really as HP only state it will see 8GB. I went on advice from several internet posts stating the Patriot G2 pack worked ok. Oh well.

Edited November 20, 2012 by Kojak

[ikon 439]

You ever get the feeling that HP was going to say that it supports 16GB but gave up and stated it supports 8GB because they couldn't get it to properly recognize 16GB?

[Joe_Miner 254]

Hi guys. This is my first post on the forums so Hello to all.

 

I just wanted to add my input to this discussion. I too bought the Patriot Gamer2 PGD316G1333ELK and suffer from the intermittent 8GB/16GB thing.

 

What I find is that by toggling a setting in the (modified) BIOS (parity checking I think it was) and then rebooting (power off), my N40L sees 16GB but after another reboot, it sees only 8GB. If I repeat the toggling, it again sees 16GB and then 8GB after a further power reboot. Hope that's clear

 

Basically it is not reliably seeing the 16GB. I can force it to see it as above but should the server be rebooted for any reason, I'm back to 8GB. The Memory section in the BIOS always sees two DIMMs though but the memory checker at boot-up sees 8Gb/16GB/8GB....

 

I can't complain really as HP only state it will see 8GB. I went on advice from several internet posts stating the Patriot G2 pack worked ok. Oh well.

 

Hi Kojak and welcome to the Forums. Sorry to hear about your problems with the Patriot Gamer2's.

 

If you get a chance check out the HSS Podcast #205 http://homeservershow.com/the-home-server-show-205.html where Chris Kenney talks about his MicroServer 16GB upgrade. He used the same RAM sticks as SBSDiva (who's been on a couple of Dave's Podcasts too) http://msmvps.com/blogs/bradley/archive/2012/10/30/hp-microserver-will-indeed-hold-16-gigs-of-ram.aspx?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter while I'm using (only semi-sucessfully) the G.Skill RAM sticks http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231556&name=Desktop-Memory

[ImTheTypeOfGuy 54]

You ever get the feeling that HP was going to say that it supports 16GB but gave up and stated it supports 8GB because they couldn't get it to properly recognize 16GB?

 

I get that feeling with almost everything HP does.

[ikon 439]

 

I get that feeling with almost everything HP does.

 

[Joe_Miner 254]

It looks like another set of 16GB of RAM has been found to run in the MicroServer => Kingston 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM ECC Unbuffered DDR3 1333 Server Memory Model KVR1333D3E9SK2/16G

 

Found by Onggie at OverClockers Australian Forums.

[Distorted Vision 0]

Hi,

 

I bought two Corsair CMX8GX3M1A1333C9 8Gb for my N40L running modified BIOS version 041. However, it shows 8Gb in the BIOS at power on. Windows reports:

 

Installed memory 16.0Gb (8.00 Usable).

 

If I run DXDIAG it shows 16Gb. I previously had two Kingston KVR1333D3N9/4G and it always worked perfectly showing 8Gb.

 

Any suggestions as I don't understand what method peter.j.k used to get it working. I can’t see any settings to change in the BIOS?

 

Many thanks for your help!

[cskenney 155]

Hi,

 

I bought two Corsair CMX8GX3M1A1333C9 8Gb for my N40L running modified BIOS version 041. However, it shows 8Gb in the BIOS at power on. Windows reports:

 

Installed memory 16.0Gb (8.00 Usable).

 

If I run DXDIAG it shows 16Gb. I previously had two Kingston KVR1333D3N9/4G and it always worked perfectly showing 8Gb.

 

Any suggestions as I don't understand what method peter.j.k used to get it working. I can’t see any settings to change in the BIOS?

 

Many thanks for your help!

We have tried to educate everyone who is considering using 16GB of RAM in their Microserver that they may have mixed results.  Some users have reported no problems at all while others have experiences similar to yours.  There does not appear to be anything to adjust or change that will make it work.  It either works or it doesn't and your box seems to fall into the latter of not working.  No one knows for sure why some work and some don't but we all know that HP stated that the Microserver was made for 8GB of RAM max.

 

Edit: I forgot to mention.  I have that exact same Corsair RAM and it boots to 16GB every time in my N40L.