ECC vs non ECC, whats the difference?

[barmyget]

As the title says, about to buy 512 MB or 1 gig (depending on price ) of ddr 2100 ram (2100 to suit my mobo) and i want to make sure I get the best stuff for the job so I have a few questions since you've all been helpful before

1) Whats the difference between ecc and non ecc, and which do i want?

2) The main stress for this ram will be playing a 3d mmorpg, is there a best brand (won't be oc'ed)?

3) Whats unbuffered and do I want it?

4) Any good places to buy (Uk)?

Thanks in advance

[ukulele]

You have to buy the type of ram recommended for your motherboard. You can use faster ram then recommended but not another type. Check the specs before you buy.

[Vampiel]

ECC= Error Correction Control (something like that)

If your motherboard does not require ECC, do not buy it. It's mainly for servers.

[Midknyte]

1. Error Checking and Correction. you don't need ECC unless you're running a professional workstation or server.

http://www.corsairmemory.com/main/trg-ecc.html

2. Dunno about where you are, but Crucial is pretty good for the price. OCZ, Corsair, Geil, and Mushkin are solid.

3. Unbuffered is fine. Otherwise, it would be Registered. You would only need Registered ram for AMD64FX boards or servers.

http://www.corsairmemory.com/main/trg-reg.html

[Bovon]

Good links Midknyte... here is one more, more "educational" than some others.

http://www.corsairmicro.com/main/tecc.html

[barmyget]

Thanks all, its for a Shuttle ak32l mobo at 266mhz, thats why the pc2100 and I'll try find out if i need ecc. I havent read the links yet but they look useful. Sysopt crew come up with the goods again

[Midknyte]

I highly doubt you need ECC, especially on a shuttle. Unless it's an 875P chipset or something, it probably doesn't even support ECC.

[barmyget]

No i just read the manual and i can enable (if i havent already) L2 cache and that then gives me a choice whether to enable or disable ecc checking, but I dont think i need ecc ram as you all say as its only a home and (1) game machine

I am wondering about buffering though as I read that if you want 1 gig or more (board will take 2 gig ) or to use 2 sticks then buffering is good?

Chipset is Via 4-1 (kt something something something...)

[Midknyte]

Originally posted by barmyget
No i just read the manual and i can enable (if i havent already) L2 cache and that then gives me a choice whether to enable or disable ecc checking, but I dont think i need ecc ram as you all say as its only a home and (1) game machine

I am wondering about buffering though as I read that if you want 1 gig or more (board will take 2 gig ) or to use 2 sticks then buffering is good?

Chipset is Via 4-1 (kt something something something...)

That's not the system ram ECC, it's the CPU cache ECC. Two different things.

It would be Registered DIMMS, not Buffered anymore. Please read the links I provided. You can get 1GB DIMMs, but they are crazy expensive.

[barmyget]

I stand corrected on the ECC

I read the articles, understand most of it and am now happy to go non ecc, 'unbuffered' ram, 512MB will do to start as my budget stretches to 3 kids a wife and my pc .

Thank you guys

[sm8000]

A few months back there was a sticky on the differences:

http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthre...hreadid=138190

[joshgeezy]

i am also having the problem. here is my log.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 6:25:59 PM, on 5/24/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccProxy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\gearsec.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ezSP_Px.exe
C:\program files\support.com\client\bin\tgcmd.exe
C:\WINDOWS\AGRSMMSG.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\iTouch\iTouch.exe
C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mm_tray.exe
C:\WINDOWS\wt\updater\wcmdmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Optimizer\optimize.exe
C:\docume~1\no\locals~1\temp\msbb.exe
C:\Program Files\Logitech\MouseWare\system\em_exec.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\P2P Networking\P2P Networking.exe
C:\Program Files\Common files\updmgr\updmgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\CMEII\CMESys.exe
C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mmtask.exe
C:\Program Files\Winamp\winampa.exe
C:\WINDOWS\sysupd.exe
C:\Program Files\ClearSearch\Loader.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM95\aim.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\GMT\GMT.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
C:\Program Files\Bargain Buddy\bin\bargains.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\no\Local Settings\Temp\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.yahoo.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.sony.com/vaiopeople
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{00D6A7E7-4A97-456f-848A-3B75BF7554D7} - (no file)
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{CFBFAE00-17A6-11D0-99CB-00C04FD64497} - (no file)
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - _{5D60FF48-95BE-4956-B4C6-6BB168A70310} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: IE Agent - {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000221} - C:\Program Files\ClearSearch\CSIE.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {000006B1-19B5-414A-849F-2A3C64AE6939} - C:\WINDOWS\bi.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {00000762-3965-4A1A-98CE-3D4BF457D4C8} - C:\Program Files\Lycos\Sidesearch\sidesearch1400.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {00000EF1-0786-4633-87C6-1AA7A44296DA} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\ATPART~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: NavErrRedir Class - {00D6A7E7-4A97-456f-848A-3B75BF7554D7} - C:\PROGRA~1\PERFEC~1\BHO\PERFEC~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: myBar BHO - {0494D0D1-F8E0-41ad-92A3-14154ECE70AC} - C:\Program Files\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: NavErrRedir Class - {5D60FF48-95BE-4956-B4C6-6BB168A70310} - C:\PROGRA~1\INCRED~1\BHO\INCFIN~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {71ED4FBA-4024-4bbe-91DC-9704C93F453E} - c:\progra~1\iesearchbar\iesearchbar.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {83DE62E0-5805-11D8-9B25-00E04C60FAF2} - C:\WINDOWS\2_0_1browserhelper2.dll (file missing)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {8F4E5661-F99E-4B3E-8D85-0EA71C0748E4} - C:\WINDOWS\wsem218.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {9C691A33-7DDA-4C2F-BE4C-C176083F35CF} - C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\bridge.dll (file missing)
O2 - BHO: Web assistant - {9ECB9560-04F9-4bbc-943D-298DDF1699E1} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\AdBlocking\NISShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: Url Catcher - {CE31A1F7-3D90-4874-8FBE-A5D97F8BC8F1} - C:\Program Files\Bargain Buddy\bin\apuc.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {F7F808F0-6F7D-442C-93E3-4A4827C2E4C8} - C:\WINDOWS\nem216.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: IE Search Bar - {71ED4FBA-4024-4bbe-91DC-9704C93F453E} - c:\progra~1\iesearchbar\iesearchbar.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ezShieldProtector for Px] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ezSP_Px.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VAIOSurvey] c:\program files\sony\vaio survey\surveysa.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ZTgServerSwitch] "c:\program files\support.com\client\bin\tgcmd.exe" /server
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\System32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AGRSMMSG] AGRSMMSG.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IS CfgWiz] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\cfgwiz.exe /GUID NIS /CMDLINE "REBOOT"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [URLLSTCK.exe] C:\Program Files\Norton Internet Security\UrlLstCk.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSConfig] F:\XPutils\MSCONFIG.EXE /auto
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [zBrowser Launcher] C:\Program Files\Logitech\iTouch\iTouch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Utility] Logi_MwX.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MMTray] C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mm_tray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [wcmdmgr] C:\WINDOWS\wt\updater\wcmdmgrl.exe -launch
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AceGain LiveUpdate] C:\Program Files\AceGain\LiveUpdate\LiveUpdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Windows Services] wsz32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RunDLL] rundll32.exe "C:\WINDOWS\Downloaded Program Files\bridge.dll",Load
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Bargains] C:\Program Files\Bargain Buddy\bin\bargains.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Internet Optimizer] "C:\Program Files\Internet Optimizer\optimize.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [msbb] c:\docume~1\no\locals~1\temp\msbb.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ojgvcdwb] C:\WINDOWS\ojgvcdwb.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [P2P Networking] C:\WINDOWS\System32\P2P Networking\P2P Networking.exe /AUTOSTART
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [updmgr] C:\Program Files\Common files\updmgr\updmgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CMESys] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\CMEII\CMESys.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [mmtask] C:\Program Files\MUSICMATCH\MUSICMATCH Jukebox\mmtask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [gvcdub] C:\WINDOWS\gvcdub.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinampAgent] C:\Program Files\Winamp\winampa.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SysUpd] C:\WINDOWS\sysupd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Belt] C:\WINDOWS\Belt.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ClrSchLoader] C:\Program Files\ClearSearch\Loader.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [updater] C:\Program Files\Common files\updater\wupdater.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [Windows Services] wsz32.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\Program Files\AIM95\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Steam] C:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe -silent
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Windows Services] wsz32.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\SNDMon.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: GStartup.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\GMT\GMT.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~3\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Sidesearch (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Research (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: AIM (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Related (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Show &Related Links (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Messenger (HKLM)
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.sony.com/vaiopeople
O16 - DPF: {166B1BCA-3F9C-11CF-8075-444553540000} (Shockwave ActiveX Control) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/s...irector/sw.cab
O16 - DPF: {1D6711C8-7154-40BB-8380-3DEA45B69CBF} (Web P2P Installer) -
O16 - DPF: {39B0684F-D7BF-4743-B050-FDC3F48F7E3B} (FilePlanet Download Control Class) - http://www.fileplanet.com/fpdlmgr/ca...C_1_0_0_41.cab
O16 - DPF: {9C691A33-7DDA-4C2F-BE4C-C176083F35CF} (brdg Class) - http://www2.flingstone.com/cab/2000XP/CDTInc/bridge.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/s...sh/swflash.cab

[Midknyte]

That is not related to ECC. I feel that the questions have been answered. closing thread.