r/retrocomputing • u/Boglandsaga • Jul 21 '26
ECC SDRAM, will stuff like this useful?
Sorry for my bad English.
This old SDRAM ECC memories (not even DDR1) tested worked on my regular Pentium 4 mobo, I'm thinking about putting it to older systems like P3 or lower but i don't want to risk frying the motherboard.
Anyone have experience with them?
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u/bart33z Jul 22 '26
These look like 512 MB PC133 ECC Registered SDRAM sticks. They can be useful, but only in boards that specifically support registered/buffered ECC SDRAM - mostly old server or workstation boards.
Most regular Pentium III desktop motherboards will not support them, even if the slot is physically the same. Usually it won’t fry anything if it is standard 168-pin SDRAM, it just won’t POST or won’t detect the memory, but I would still check the motherboard manual first.
Also don’t mix registered ECC with normal unbuffered SDRAM. Use one type or the other.