RAM recommendations for Supermicro X10 LGA1150 motherboards

RAM recommendations for Supermicro X10 LGA1150 motherboards

Ericloewe

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Messages
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A note of warning: I was misled by Supermicro's website. The X10SLL+-F is, according to its manual, an X10SLM+-F with the cheaper C222 PCH. I have changed my conclusions accordingly - now Supermicro having two lists makes a bit more sense, but it's still weird.

In any case, I retract my earlier statement that there was seemingly no connection between the boards in each memory list.
 

JayG30

Contributor
Joined
Jun 26, 2013
Messages
158
I'm looking at building a new server using the Supermicro X10SLM+-LN4F motherboard. So I looked up the board on Crucial per the recommendation in this thread. As mentioned there part numbers are really annoying. The recommendations I see listed in the first post don't seem to match what the crucial website is telling me. It says that I should use one of these part numbers;

CT4485113 (1 x 8GB 1.5V PC3-12800)
CT4485099 (1 x 8GB 1.5V PC3-14900)
CT4485098 (1 x 8GB 1.35C PC3-12800)

The part numbers listed in the first post;
Code:
Examples of Crucial motherboard-specific model numbers for
Crucial "universal" model number
CT2KIT102472BD160B (Kit of two 1.35V DDR3 1600 8GB ECC UDIMMs)
Supermicro X10SLM+-F - CT4486353
Supermicro X10SL7-F  - CT4484984
Supermicro X10SLL-F  - CT4485018

Aren't listed for my motherboard. This makes me hesitant to use the recommended crucial sticks in this motherboard since they don't seem to be the correct ones. However I really don't understand why they would be different. And I have no idea how to cross-reference the different part numbers that crucial provides.

Anyone who can help?

EDIT: OK I think I get it. Hopefully someone can confirm. It seems that crucial just keeps using different part numbers for each board but that doesn't mean they are really different. They all reference back to the same CT2KIT102472BD160B part number it seems. Is there any way for us to look these part number cross-references up?
 
Last edited:

Ericloewe

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I'm looking at building a new server using the Supermicro X10SLM+-LN4F motherboard. So I looked up the board on Crucial per the recommendation in this thread. As mentioned there part numbers are really annoying. The recommendations I see listed in the first post don't seem to match what the crucial website is telling me. It says that I should use one of these part numbers;

CT4485113 (1 x 8GB 1.5V PC3-12800)
CT4485099 (1 x 8GB 1.5V PC3-14900)
CT4485098 (1 x 8GB 1.35C PC3-12800)

The part numbers listed in the first post;
Code:
Examples of Crucial motherboard-specific model numbers for
Crucial "universal" model number
CT2KIT102472BD160B (Kit of two 1.35V DDR3 1600 8GB ECC UDIMMs)
Supermicro X10SLM+-F - CT4486353
Supermicro X10SL7-F  - CT4484984
Supermicro X10SLL-F  - CT4485018

Aren't listed for my motherboard. This makes me hesitant to use the recommended crucial sticks in this motherboard since they don't seem to be the correct ones. However I really don't understand why they would be different. And I have no idea how to cross-reference the different part numbers that crucial provides.

Anyone who can help?

EDIT: OK I think I get it. Hopefully someone can confirm. It seems that crucial just keeps using different part numbers for each board but that doesn't mean they are really different. They all reference back to the same CT2KIT102472BD160B part number it seems. Is there any way for us to look these part number cross-references up?

Exactly.

The direct way is to ask in their forums (some have already been asked and show up on google searches.
You can also go to the generic model's page and check from that page if it's compatible.
 

DJABE

Contributor
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Messages
154
I think that we should be confident with Crucial/Micron, they state their specific modules are 100% compatible (and hopefully tested?) with selected motherboard(s).
It's simple, if it ain't working, you can RMA RAM to them..
 

purduephotog

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Jan 14, 2013
Messages
73
This is very hard to follow as SuperMicro's website keeps 'blocking' my requests- dotdefender. I don't seem to get it anywhere but at home, and sometimes I get all of a page into the QVL before it goes.

I have one very well running supermicro setup but need another for backup. Wanted to go AMD until I read this thread here- but there seems to be a mix of support and problems. Such is everything.
 

Ericloewe

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This is very hard to follow as SuperMicro's website keeps 'blocking' my requests- dotdefender. I don't seem to get it anywhere but at home, and sometimes I get all of a page into the QVL before it goes.

I have one very well running supermicro setup but need another for backup. Wanted to go AMD until I read this thread here- but there seems to be a mix of support and problems. Such is everything.

Well, as a substitute (at least for X10 LGA 1150 motherboards), just use the information in this sticky to choose your RAM. Supermicro's website doesn't have any more information, unless you're looking for 1.5V DIMMs.
 

Z300M

Guru
Joined
Sep 9, 2011
Messages
882
I see that Kingston now (since November 2014) shows new 8GB modules (using Hynix chips) for which compatibility with the X10SL7 motherboard is claimed:

http://www.kingston.com/us/memory/search?DeviceType=7&Mfr=SMI&Line=X10SL7-F&Model=84337

http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KVR16E11_8HB.pdf (1.5V)

and

http://www.kingston.com/dataSheets/KVR16LE11_8HB.pdf (1.35V)

But I would still view these with great caution: even if someone else is the guinea pig and finds that they work, what guarantee is there that the same thing won't happen as happened with the KVR16E11/8EF modules?

They are not on Supermicro's recommended list.
 

danzi

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Dec 10, 2014
Messages
8
Dear FreeNAS users,

I am about to build my FreeNAS box. I have read through all requirements and suggestions. No AMD, No Kingson, use ECC Unbuffered with Supermicro... etc etc.

Now I am getting frustrated and somewhat confused RAM-wise.
Here is my choice of mobo and CPU:

MOBO: Supermicro X10SLL-F (or some sites have it listed as X10SLL-F-O)
CPU: Intel Core i3-4370 3.8 GHz 1150 BOX
USB: 2x KINGSTON DataTraveler 100 G3 16Gb
Chassis: Bitfenix Phenom
PSU: Thermaltake Paris 650W gold


Asked the shop I am about to order from about Samsung and Hynix RAM, but they don't have any of those brands, so they pointed me to Kingston's website:

http://www.kingston.com/en/memory/search?DeviceType=7&Mfr=SMI&Line=X10SLL-F&Model=84341

They recommend the below from their own shop's site:
http://ipon.hu/webshop/product/kingston_4gb_ddr3_1600mhz_cl11_ecc_kvr16e11s8_4kf/712552

But I am quite reluctant to go for it.

(also it seems that Intel's C222 chipset on the X10SLL-F Mobo does not support HD Video, but I guess the Mobo's 'BMC integrated Aspeed AST2400' would work just fine:
http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/xeon/c220/x10sll-f.cfm)

BTW: Supermicro's website lists 1.35 1600 RAM only Hynix:
MEM-DR340L-HL03-EU16 H5C2G83EFR







MEM-DR340L-HL04-EU16 H5TC4G83BFR








Many thanks for any advice in advance!
 

Ericloewe

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Messages
20,175
Dear FreeNAS users,

I am about to build my FreeNAS box. I have read through all requirements and suggestions. No AMD, No Kingson, use ECC Unbuffered with Supermicro... etc etc.

Now I am getting frustrated and somewhat confused RAM-wise.
Here is my choice of mobo and CPU:

MOBO: Supermicro X10SLL-F (or some sites have it listed as X10SLL-F-O)
CPU: Intel Core i3-4370 3.8 GHz 1150 BOX
USB: 2x KINGSTON DataTraveler 100 G3 16Gb
Chassis: Bitfenix Phenom
PSU: Thermaltake Paris 650W gold


Asked the shop I am about to order from about Samsung and Hynix RAM, but they don't have any of those brands, so they pointed me to Kingston's website:

http://www.kingston.com/en/memory/search?DeviceType=7&Mfr=SMI&Line=X10SLL-F&Model=84341

They recommend the below from their own shop's site:
http://ipon.hu/webshop/product/kingston_4gb_ddr3_1600mhz_cl11_ecc_kvr16e11s8_4kf/712552

But I am quite reluctant to go for it.

(also it seems that Intel's C222 chipset on the X10SLL-F Mobo does not support HD Video, but I guess the Mobo's 'BMC integrated Aspeed AST2400' would work just fine:
http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/xeon/c220/x10sll-f.cfm)

BTW: Supermicro's website lists 1.35 1600 RAM only Hynix:
MEM-DR340L-HL03-EU16 H5C2G83EFR







MEM-DR340L-HL04-EU16 H5TC4G83BFR








Many thanks for any advice in advance!
You should start your own thread, but Crucial's Online store is probably your best choice.
 

Z300M

Guru
Joined
Sep 9, 2011
Messages
882
Dear FreeNAS users,

I am about to build my FreeNAS box. I have read through all requirements and suggestions. No AMD, No Kingson, use ECC Unbuffered with Supermicro... etc etc.

Now I am getting frustrated and somewhat confused RAM-wise.
Here is my choice of mobo and CPU:

MOBO: Supermicro X10SLL-F (or some sites have it listed as X10SLL-F-O)
I think the "-O" simply indicates that it is a retail-packaged board rather than a "bulk" one.
CPU: Intel Core i3-4370 3.8 GHz 1150 BOX
USB: 2x KINGSTON DataTraveler 100 G3 16Gb
Chassis: Bitfenix Phenom
PSU: Thermaltake Paris 650W gold


Asked the shop I am about to order from about Samsung and Hynix RAM, but they don't have any of those brands, so they pointed me to Kingston's website:

http://www.kingston.com/en/memory/search?DeviceType=7&Mfr=SMI&Line=X10SLL-F&Model=84341

They recommend the below from their own shop's site:
http://ipon.hu/webshop/product/kingston_4gb_ddr3_1600mhz_cl11_ecc_kvr16e11s8_4kf/712552

But I am quite reluctant to go for it.

I'm not sure that Kingston ever recommended those latter modules for the X10 series.

When I bought my Kingston KVR16E11/8EF and then discovered that it was no longer on their recommended list, Kingston told me that if I had any trouble with it (or if I had any trouble getting it to work with any other memory that I added later) they would refund the purchase price -- but if you are dealing with the importer rather than with Kingston directly that could be more of a problem. But if the new Hynix-chip Kingston modules are readily available in Hungary, maybe that's what you should get. But have you checked to see if you could buy the Supermicro-recommended Hynix modules from a US or other supplier and import them yourself? E.g., Amazon, NewEgg, Memory America (where I got my Hynix modules), SuperBiiz?
(also it seems that Intel's C222 chipset on the X10SLL-F Mobo does not support HD Video, but I guess the Mobo's 'BMC integrated Aspeed AST2400' would work just fine:
http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/xeon/c220/x10sll-f.cfm)

It's a server you're building; why would you want HD video? I don't use my server's video at all -- except indirectly via IPMI.
BTW: Supermicro's website lists 1.35 1600 RAM only Hynix:

MEM-DR340L-HL03-EU16 H5C2G83EFR

MEM-DR340L-HL04-EU16 H5TC4G83BFR

Don't bother about 1.35V RAM: the power saving would be minimal.
 

marbus90

Guru
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Messages
818
We've got 2x X10SLL-F running, fully equipped with CT2KIT102472BD160B Crucials. Didn't show any issues after a month of high I/O load in a ZFS box and an ESXi.

New in is a X10SLM+-LN4F which is for the moment equipped with a single CT2KIT102472BD160B. We fired it up less than 24 hours ago, but well, it boots at least. :)
 

DJABE

Contributor
Joined
Jan 28, 2014
Messages
154
I'm glad Crucial (Micron) is well supported and working fine with X10 series :) I'm also satisfied.
@marbus90: note that your Hypervisor machine and NAS box are connected in async mode. Beware not to lost power during write... use UPS on both sides.
P.S. how many VM's are you running over iSCSI on ESXi server? Are you using MPIO?
 

marbus90

Guru
Joined
Aug 2, 2014
Messages
818
They're independent. The ZFSonLinux box runs an I/O-intensive application server with a L2ARC SSD, the ESXi is on it's own with 1x HDD and 1x SSD. The ZFS-box was now moved to the X10SLM+-LN4F, after the event I'll have to evaluate clustered hypervisors without ~$21k in licensing fees only. No FreeNAS for the primary storage due to SPOF considerations.
 

cattledog

Dabbler
Joined
Nov 1, 2013
Messages
36
Supermicro's LGA1150 X10 motherboards are probably the most popular around here. Unfortunately, there have been some RAM issues that have left people a bit worried, paying more attention to Supermicro's Tested Memory List (also known as the QVL or simply "memory list"). This list contains very specific DIMMs, which can be hard to find (particularly in Europe) and may carry a noticeable premium.

This sticky is meant to help (prospective) owners of Supermicro X10 LGA 1150 motherboards make informed choices about what memory to get.

Before we move on to the recommendations, a few warnings:

All information presented here has been compiled from real user experiences on these forums, in addition to my own experience and manufacturer indications. While I do try to make this as accurate as possible, I can provide no guarantees - only past experiences. I will attempt to keep this information up to date should any new developments happen.

Pricing and availability are only general statements. Be sure to check your favorite memory seller for all recommended RAM, as you may spot a good deal. I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned or their resellers, but I use Crucial memory in my FreeNAS server.

This guide is meant for Supermicro X10 motheboards based around LGA1150 CPUs and associated DDR3 RAM. Motherboards based on the LGA2011-3 socket (Haswell-E/Haswell-EP CPUs) require DDR4 RAM, so this guide does not apply to them.

I will focus on 8GB DIMMs, since 4GB DIMMs are typically considered a bad choice, given FreeNAS' memory requirements. Information on 4GB DIMMs is also a lot more limited and pricing is not particularly favorable.

From this point on, all DIMMs will be 8GB, unless otherwise noted.


Since all consumer-grade Intel CPUs only take UDIMMs, Registered DIMMs are beyond the scope of this guide. To reiterate:

Do not buy Registered DIMMs! You need Unbuffered DIMMs.

Please note that Supermicro's QVL isn't as uniform as previously believed.
If you own one of the following models (possibly other niche models as well):
  • X10SAE
  • X10SLL-F (including X10SLL-SF and X10SLL-S)
  • X10SLM-F
Please read the section titled "Alternate Tested Memory List" as it contains information about your motherboard's QVL.


Kingston RAM

DO NOT BUY KINGSTON!!!

With that warning out of the way, here's an explanation:

Around December 2013, people started complaining about Kingston DIMMs not working on Supermicro X10 motherboards when used in groups of four (totaling 32GB). The DIMMs in question had been listed by Kingston as compatible with the Supermicro X10 series... until they suddenly weren't any more. Kingston removed any recommendations regarding Supermicro X10 motherboards without acknowledging an issue.

It should be mentioned that Supermicro never listed any of the affected DIMMs as compatible (general belief is that they never listed any Kingston RAM for the X10 series).

Some affected forum members figured out that Kingston had quietly changed the supplier of the DRAM chips without changing the model number. This meant that newer DIMMs with the same model number no longer worked properly in Supermicro X10 motherboards. Kingston's latest Supermicro compatibility list (2014-09-04) does not include a single X10 motherboard. This contrasts with an older QVL that did include X10 motherboards.

In e-mail conversations with affected forum members, Kingston stated that using two Kingston DIMMs in the second pair of slots along with two of the Supermicro-verified Hynix DIMMs in the first pair of slots allowed for 32GB to be used.
I do not recommend this solution for anyone and am frankly surprised Kingston suggested it. However, those who have tried it say it works. If you are on a tight budget, currently own 16GB of Kingston RAM and would like to step up to 32GB, consider this solution.

After a few months, Kingston pulled a similar maneuver with some SSDs of theirs, further hinting at the fact that they were the ones at fault in the Supermicro X10 debacle.

Personally, Kingston was my default RAM choice. Since then, I have not bought any Kingston products and probably won't for a while.

tl;dr:

DO NOT BUY KINGSTON!!!


16GB UDIMMs

Recently, 16GB DIMMs started appearing on the market in limited quantities and at insane prices.

These will not work with Supermicro X10 motherboards - or any motherboard that takes a socketed Intel processor and DDR3, as Intel's DDR3 Integrated Memory Controller only supports UDIMMs with sizes up to 8GB. This is a hard limit set in silicon and applies to all Intel processors with DDR3 except the Atom Avoton line. Haswell Refresh and Devil's Canyon do not fix this limitation.

I personally do not expect the limitation to be fixed in the upcoming Broadwell processors, since they will probably be the last family to use a DDR3 controller. DDR4 IMCs will almost certainly lift this restriction, but since they will need new memory, current 16GB UDIMMs are a fool's errand.

tl;dr:

DO NOT BUY 16GB UDIMMs!!!


Recommended RAM

Finally, we come to the interesting part.

I will focus on 1.35V 1600 DIMMs, since these have the largest selection to choose from and are the default option for most of us.

Supermicro's Tested Memory List (Link leads to the X10SLM+-F list, but is valid for all models named below as "List A", including the X10SL7-F) has three manufacturers with one DIMM model each: Hynix, Samsung and Micron

Hynix and Samsung can be acquired as Supermicro parts - with the associated premium.

In their retail versions, Samsung is typically easier to acquire than Hynix. However, neither is particularly easy to find, especially at reasonable prices.

At first glance, Micron is even more difficult to find than Hynix and Samsung. There is good news, however:

Crucial is Micron's consumer brand, and Crucial memory is very easy to find (and can be bought directly from Crucial on their website, at reasonable prices and low or no shipping fees).

Particularly, Crucial has the following DIMM model:

CT102472BD160B (Single DIMM)
CT2KIT102472BD160B (Two DIMMs)

Which turns out to be just a rebrand of Micron's

MT18KSF1G72AZ-1G6E1

(Special thanks to Mynorx for confirming my findings. This post of his includes photographic evidence.)

Which you'll notice is the same DIMM listed by Supermicro!

Now, in addition to this "universal" model number, Crucial has specific model numbers for each motherboard they claim compatibility with. These are only useful on Crucial's website and can all be traced back to the "universal" model number (the one used by third party sellers) and represent the exact same hardware.
A few selected examples:

Code:
Examples of Crucial motherboard-specific model numbers for 
Crucial "universal" model number
CT2KIT102472BD160B (Kit of two 1.35V DDR3 1600 8GB ECC UDIMMs)

Supermicro X10SLM+-F - CT4486353
Supermicro X10SL7-F  - CT4484984
Supermicro X10SLL-F  - CT4485018

Please note that the accuracy of this information depends on Crucial's business practices. If they pull a Kingston, this information could very well no longer be valid. If they conduct honest business, this information will be valid as long as these model numbers are available for purchase.

In addition, keep in mind that there is no guarantee that all of these DIMMs, be they Samsung, Hynix or Crucial/Micron, will always work flawlessly. However, they have been used by many forum members without problem. Only occasional issues have happened in individual cases - in fact, I believe none of these issues has been positively traced back to the memory used (if anyone has proof to the contrary, please say so!). In any case, no systematic issues have been observed. Most of us are happy with their memory (unless they have Kingston).


Alternate Tested Memory List

It has come to my attention (Special thanks to odoyle) that not all Supermicro X10 motherboards have the same Tested Memory List. Specifically, there are at least two different lists, that apply to the following motherboards (niche models have been disregarded):

List A
  • X10SLL+-F
  • X10SLM+-F
  • X10SLM+-LN4F
  • X10SLH-F
  • X10SL7-F
List B
  • X10SAE *
  • X10SLL-F and its cut-down variants (X10SLL-SF and X10SLL-S)
  • X10SLM-F
All previous information applies normally to motherboards with List A, as this QVL includes the aforementioned Micron/Crucial modules.

However, List B does not list these modules, instead listing an additional form factor for the Hynix modules (along with obsolete DDR3 1333 ECC modules). The QVL for the X10SAE adds non-ECC RAM, but is otherwise identical to List B.

A visual inspection of pictures of all these motherboards shows no obvious common factor.
The X10SAE is radically different from all other models, as it is a workstation board.
The X10SLM-F seems to be an X10SLL-F with an additional USB 3.0 header and the PCH upgraded to a C224.

The remaining List A motherboards all seem to share a similar power distribution layout.
The X10SLL+-F, X10SLM+-F, X10SLM+-LN4F and X10SLH-F seem identical, save for a C226/C222 PCH on the X10SLH-F/X10SLL+-F and additional two Intel i210 GbE controllers on the X10SLM+-LN4F (all models are silkscreened for four of these controllers, the X10SLM+-LN4F is silkscreened for a second PCI-e x8 slot).
The X10SL7-F has a unique layout, based off that of the other boards.

Bottom line:

For the extra-cautious, it might be a good idea to either avoid these specific models or to acquire the recommended Hynix or Samsung RAM.

It should be noted that Crucial recommends the very same modules for all motherboards listed above.



tl;dr

The following model numbers are known-good:

Hynix HMT41GU7AFR8A-PB (from the QVL)

Samsung M391B1G73QH0-YK0 (from the QVL)

Micron MT18KSF1G72AZ-1G6E1 (from the QVL)

Crucial CT102472BD160B (same as Micron above)

Care should be taken with List B motherboards and the Micron/Crucial DIMMs.



Update 2014-09-04 - Clarified Kingston's e-mail conversation and their current claims of compatibility (Special thanks to Z300M for the info!) and clarified only DDR3 Intel processors are affected by the 8GB UDIMM limitation.
Update 2 2014-09-04 - Clarified that Supermicro never listed Kingstom RAM as compatible (Special thanks to jgreco for the reminder and confirmation!), minor rewording of the intro and corrected ambiguous sentence regarding Crucial model numbers.
Update 2014-09-09 - Added section on alternate Tested Memory List for certain motherboard models and minor formatting improvements.
Update 2 2014-09-09 - Due to the release of Haswell-EP, added clarification that this guide applies only to standard Haswell motherboards. (Special thanks to diehard for the heads-up!)
Update 2014-10-23 - I was deceived by Supermicro's illustration of the X10SLL+-F. Its manual reveals it's actually an X10SLM+-F with a C222 PCH instead of the C224. Conclusions altered accordingly.
Update 2014-12-23 - Added two variants of the X10SLL-F to List B, for added clarity; added warning to tl;dr; added note regarding older QVL
Supermicro's LGA1150 X10 motherboards are probably the most popular around here. Unfortunately, there have been some RAM issues that have left people a bit worried, paying more attention to Supermicro's Tested Memory List (also known as the QVL or simply "memory list"). This list contains very specific DIMMs, which can be hard to find (particularly in Europe) and may carry a noticeable premium.

This sticky is meant to help (prospective) owners of Supermicro X10 LGA 1150 motherboards make informed choices about what memory to get.

Before we move on to the recommendations, a few warnings:

All information presented here has been compiled from real user experiences on these forums, in addition to my own experience and manufacturer indications. While I do try to make this as accurate as possible, I can provide no guarantees - only past experiences. I will attempt to keep this information up to date should any new developments happen.

Pricing and availability are only general statements. Be sure to check your favorite memory seller for all recommended RAM, as you may spot a good deal. I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned or their resellers, but I use Crucial memory in my FreeNAS server.

This guide is meant for Supermicro X10 motheboards based around LGA1150 CPUs and associated DDR3 RAM. Motherboards based on the LGA2011-3 socket (Haswell-E/Haswell-EP CPUs) require DDR4 RAM, so this guide does not apply to them.

I will focus on 8GB DIMMs, since 4GB DIMMs are typically considered a bad choice, given FreeNAS' memory requirements. Information on 4GB DIMMs is also a lot more limited and pricing is not particularly favorable.

From this point on, all DIMMs will be 8GB, unless otherwise noted.


Since all consumer-grade Intel CPUs only take UDIMMs, Registered DIMMs are beyond the scope of this guide. To reiterate:

Do not buy Registered DIMMs! You need Unbuffered DIMMs.

Please note that Supermicro's QVL isn't as uniform as previously believed.
If you own one of the following models (possibly other niche models as well):
  • X10SAE
  • X10SLL-F (including X10SLL-SF and X10SLL-S)
  • X10SLM-F
Please read the section titled "Alternate Tested Memory List" as it contains information about your motherboard's QVL.


Kingston RAM

DO NOT BUY KINGSTON!!!

With that warning out of the way, here's an explanation:

Around December 2013, people started complaining about Kingston DIMMs not working on Supermicro X10 motherboards when used in groups of four (totaling 32GB). The DIMMs in question had been listed by Kingston as compatible with the Supermicro X10 series... until they suddenly weren't any more. Kingston removed any recommendations regarding Supermicro X10 motherboards without acknowledging an issue.

It should be mentioned that Supermicro never listed any of the affected DIMMs as compatible (general belief is that they never listed any Kingston RAM for the X10 series).

Some affected forum members figured out that Kingston had quietly changed the supplier of the DRAM chips without changing the model number. This meant that newer DIMMs with the same model number no longer worked properly in Supermicro X10 motherboards. Kingston's latest Supermicro compatibility list (2014-09-04) does not include a single X10 motherboard. This contrasts with an older QVL that did include X10 motherboards.

In e-mail conversations with affected forum members, Kingston stated that using two Kingston DIMMs in the second pair of slots along with two of the Supermicro-verified Hynix DIMMs in the first pair of slots allowed for 32GB to be used.
I do not recommend this solution for anyone and am frankly surprised Kingston suggested it. However, those who have tried it say it works. If you are on a tight budget, currently own 16GB of Kingston RAM and would like to step up to 32GB, consider this solution.

After a few months, Kingston pulled a similar maneuver with some SSDs of theirs, further hinting at the fact that they were the ones at fault in the Supermicro X10 debacle.

Personally, Kingston was my default RAM choice. Since then, I have not bought any Kingston products and probably won't for a while.

tl;dr:

DO NOT BUY KINGSTON!!!


16GB UDIMMs

Recently, 16GB DIMMs started appearing on the market in limited quantities and at insane prices.

These will not work with Supermicro X10 motherboards - or any motherboard that takes a socketed Intel processor and DDR3, as Intel's DDR3 Integrated Memory Controller only supports UDIMMs with sizes up to 8GB. This is a hard limit set in silicon and applies to all Intel processors with DDR3 except the Atom Avoton line. Haswell Refresh and Devil's Canyon do not fix this limitation.

I personally do not expect the limitation to be fixed in the upcoming Broadwell processors, since they will probably be the last family to use a DDR3 controller. DDR4 IMCs will almost certainly lift this restriction, but since they will need new memory, current 16GB UDIMMs are a fool's errand.

tl;dr:

DO NOT BUY 16GB UDIMMs!!!


Recommended RAM

Finally, we come to the interesting part.

I will focus on 1.35V 1600 DIMMs, since these have the largest selection to choose from and are the default option for most of us.

Supermicro's Tested Memory List (Link leads to the X10SLM+-F list, but is valid for all models named below as "List A", including the X10SL7-F) has three manufacturers with one DIMM model each: Hynix, Samsung and Micron

Hynix and Samsung can be acquired as Supermicro parts - with the associated premium.

In their retail versions, Samsung is typically easier to acquire than Hynix. However, neither is particularly easy to find, especially at reasonable prices.

At first glance, Micron is even more difficult to find than Hynix and Samsung. There is good news, however:

Crucial is Micron's consumer brand, and Crucial memory is very easy to find (and can be bought directly from Crucial on their website, at reasonable prices and low or no shipping fees).

Particularly, Crucial has the following DIMM model:

CT102472BD160B (Single DIMM)
CT2KIT102472BD160B (Two DIMMs)

Which turns out to be just a rebrand of Micron's

MT18KSF1G72AZ-1G6E1

(Special thanks to Mynorx for confirming my findings. This post of his includes photographic evidence.)

Which you'll notice is the same DIMM listed by Supermicro!

Now, in addition to this "universal" model number, Crucial has specific model numbers for each motherboard they claim compatibility with. These are only useful on Crucial's website and can all be traced back to the "universal" model number (the one used by third party sellers) and represent the exact same hardware.
A few selected examples:

Code:
Examples of Crucial motherboard-specific model numbers for 
Crucial "universal" model number
CT2KIT102472BD160B (Kit of two 1.35V DDR3 1600 8GB ECC UDIMMs)

Supermicro X10SLM+-F - CT4486353
Supermicro X10SL7-F  - CT4484984
Supermicro X10SLL-F  - CT4485018

Please note that the accuracy of this information depends on Crucial's business practices. If they pull a Kingston, this information could very well no longer be valid. If they conduct honest business, this information will be valid as long as these model numbers are available for purchase.

In addition, keep in mind that there is no guarantee that all of these DIMMs, be they Samsung, Hynix or Crucial/Micron, will always work flawlessly. However, they have been used by many forum members without problem. Only occasional issues have happened in individual cases - in fact, I believe none of these issues has been positively traced back to the memory used (if anyone has proof to the contrary, please say so!). In any case, no systematic issues have been observed. Most of us are happy with their memory (unless they have Kingston).


Alternate Tested Memory List

It has come to my attention (Special thanks to odoyle) that not all Supermicro X10 motherboards have the same Tested Memory List. Specifically, there are at least two different lists, that apply to the following motherboards (niche models have been disregarded):

List A
  • X10SLL+-F
  • X10SLM+-F
  • X10SLM+-LN4F
  • X10SLH-F
  • X10SL7-F
List B
  • X10SAE *
  • X10SLL-F and its cut-down variants (X10SLL-SF and X10SLL-S)
  • X10SLM-F
All previous information applies normally to motherboards with List A, as this QVL includes the aforementioned Micron/Crucial modules.

However, List B does not list these modules, instead listing an additional form factor for the Hynix modules (along with obsolete DDR3 1333 ECC modules). The QVL for the X10SAE adds non-ECC RAM, but is otherwise identical to List B.

A visual inspection of pictures of all these motherboards shows no obvious common factor.
The X10SAE is radically different from all other models, as it is a workstation board.
The X10SLM-F seems to be an X10SLL-F with an additional USB 3.0 header and the PCH upgraded to a C224.

The remaining List A motherboards all seem to share a similar power distribution layout.
The X10SLL+-F, X10SLM+-F, X10SLM+-LN4F and X10SLH-F seem identical, save for a C226/C222 PCH on the X10SLH-F/X10SLL+-F and additional two Intel i210 GbE controllers on the X10SLM+-LN4F (all models are silkscreened for four of these controllers, the X10SLM+-LN4F is silkscreened for a second PCI-e x8 slot).
The X10SL7-F has a unique layout, based off that of the other boards.

Bottom line:

For the extra-cautious, it might be a good idea to either avoid these specific models or to acquire the recommended Hynix or Samsung RAM.

It should be noted that Crucial recommends the very same modules for all motherboards listed above.



tl;dr

The following model numbers are known-good:

Hynix HMT41GU7AFR8A-PB (from the QVL)

Samsung M391B1G73QH0-YK0 (from the QVL)

Micron MT18KSF1G72AZ-1G6E1 (from the QVL)

Crucial CT102472BD160B (same as Micron above)

Care should be taken with List B motherboards and the Micron/Crucial DIMMs.



Update 2014-09-04 - Clarified Kingston's e-mail conversation and their current claims of compatibility (Special thanks to Z300M for the info!) and clarified only DDR3 Intel processors are affected by the 8GB UDIMM limitation.
Update 2 2014-09-04 - Clarified that Supermicro never listed Kingstom RAM as compatible (Special thanks to jgreco for the reminder and confirmation!), minor rewording of the intro and corrected ambiguous sentence regarding Crucial model numbers.
Update 2014-09-09 - Added section on alternate Tested Memory List for certain motherboard models and minor formatting improvements.
Update 2 2014-09-09 - Due to the release of Haswell-EP, added clarification that this guide applies only to standard Haswell motherboards. (Special thanks to diehard for the heads-up!)
Update 2014-10-23 - I was deceived by Supermicro's illustration of the X10SLL+-F. Its manual reveals it's actually an X10SLM+-F with a C222 PCH instead of the C224. Conclusions altered accordingly.
Update 2014-12-23 - Added two variants of the X10SLL-F to List B, for added clarity; added warning to tl;dr; added note regarding older QVL
 

cattledog

Dabbler
Joined
Nov 1, 2013
Messages
36
Supermicro's LGA1150 X10 motherboards are probably the most popular around here. Unfortunately, there have been some RAM issues that have left people a bit worried, paying more attention to Supermicro's Tested Memory List (also known as the QVL or simply "memory list"). This list contains very specific DIMMs, which can be hard to find (particularly in Europe) and may carry a noticeable premium.

This sticky is meant to help (prospective) owners of Supermicro X10 LGA 1150 motherboards make informed choices about what memory to get.

Before we move on to the recommendations, a few warnings:

All information presented here has been compiled from real user experiences on these forums, in addition to my own experience and manufacturer indications. While I do try to make this as accurate as possible, I can provide no guarantees - only past experiences. I will attempt to keep this information up to date should any new developments happen.

Pricing and availability are only general statements. Be sure to check your favorite memory seller for all recommended RAM, as you may spot a good deal. I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned or their resellers, but I use Crucial memory in my FreeNAS server.

This guide is meant for Supermicro X10 motheboards based around LGA1150 CPUs and associated DDR3 RAM. Motherboards based on the LGA2011-3 socket (Haswell-E/Haswell-EP CPUs) require DDR4 RAM, so this guide does not apply to them.

I will focus on 8GB DIMMs, since 4GB DIMMs are typically considered a bad choice, given FreeNAS' memory requirements. Information on 4GB DIMMs is also a lot more limited and pricing is not particularly favorable.

From this point on, all DIMMs will be 8GB, unless otherwise noted.


Since all consumer-grade Intel CPUs only take UDIMMs, Registered DIMMs are beyond the scope of this guide. To reiterate:

Do not buy Registered DIMMs! You need Unbuffered DIMMs.

Please note that Supermicro's QVL isn't as uniform as previously believed.
If you own one of the following models (possibly other niche models as well):
  • X10SAE
  • X10SLL-F (including X10SLL-SF and X10SLL-S)
  • X10SLM-F
Please read the section titled "Alternate Tested Memory List" as it contains information about your motherboard's QVL.


Kingston RAM

DO NOT BUY KINGSTON!!!

With that warning out of the way, here's an explanation:

Around December 2013, people started complaining about Kingston DIMMs not working on Supermicro X10 motherboards when used in groups of four (totaling 32GB). The DIMMs in question had been listed by Kingston as compatible with the Supermicro X10 series... until they suddenly weren't any more. Kingston removed any recommendations regarding Supermicro X10 motherboards without acknowledging an issue.

It should be mentioned that Supermicro never listed any of the affected DIMMs as compatible (general belief is that they never listed any Kingston RAM for the X10 series).

Some affected forum members figured out that Kingston had quietly changed the supplier of the DRAM chips without changing the model number. This meant that newer DIMMs with the same model number no longer worked properly in Supermicro X10 motherboards. Kingston's latest Supermicro compatibility list (2014-09-04) does not include a single X10 motherboard. This contrasts with an older QVL that did include X10 motherboards.

In e-mail conversations with affected forum members, Kingston stated that using two Kingston DIMMs in the second pair of slots along with two of the Supermicro-verified Hynix DIMMs in the first pair of slots allowed for 32GB to be used.
I do not recommend this solution for anyone and am frankly surprised Kingston suggested it. However, those who have tried it say it works. If you are on a tight budget, currently own 16GB of Kingston RAM and would like to step up to 32GB, consider this solution.

After a few months, Kingston pulled a similar maneuver with some SSDs of theirs, further hinting at the fact that they were the ones at fault in the Supermicro X10 debacle.

Personally, Kingston was my default RAM choice. Since then, I have not bought any Kingston products and probably won't for a while.

tl;dr:

DO NOT BUY KINGSTON!!!


16GB UDIMMs

Recently, 16GB DIMMs started appearing on the market in limited quantities and at insane prices.

These will not work with Supermicro X10 motherboards - or any motherboard that takes a socketed Intel processor and DDR3, as Intel's DDR3 Integrated Memory Controller only supports UDIMMs with sizes up to 8GB. This is a hard limit set in silicon and applies to all Intel processors with DDR3 except the Atom Avoton line. Haswell Refresh and Devil's Canyon do not fix this limitation.

I personally do not expect the limitation to be fixed in the upcoming Broadwell processors, since they will probably be the last family to use a DDR3 controller. DDR4 IMCs will almost certainly lift this restriction, but since they will need new memory, current 16GB UDIMMs are a fool's errand.

tl;dr:

DO NOT BUY 16GB UDIMMs!!!


Recommended RAM

Finally, we come to the interesting part.

I will focus on 1.35V 1600 DIMMs, since these have the largest selection to choose from and are the default option for most of us.

Supermicro's Tested Memory List (Link leads to the X10SLM+-F list, but is valid for all models named below as "List A", including the X10SL7-F) has three manufacturers with one DIMM model each: Hynix, Samsung and Micron

Hynix and Samsung can be acquired as Supermicro parts - with the associated premium.

In their retail versions, Samsung is typically easier to acquire than Hynix. However, neither is particularly easy to find, especially at reasonable prices.

At first glance, Micron is even more difficult to find than Hynix and Samsung. There is good news, however:

Crucial is Micron's consumer brand, and Crucial memory is very easy to find (and can be bought directly from Crucial on their website, at reasonable prices and low or no shipping fees).

Particularly, Crucial has the following DIMM model:

CT102472BD160B (Single DIMM)
CT2KIT102472BD160B (Two DIMMs)

Which turns out to be just a rebrand of Micron's

MT18KSF1G72AZ-1G6E1

(Special thanks to Mynorx for confirming my findings. This post of his includes photographic evidence.)

Which you'll notice is the same DIMM listed by Supermicro!

Now, in addition to this "universal" model number, Crucial has specific model numbers for each motherboard they claim compatibility with. These are only useful on Crucial's website and can all be traced back to the "universal" model number (the one used by third party sellers) and represent the exact same hardware.
A few selected examples:

Code:
Examples of Crucial motherboard-specific model numbers for 
Crucial "universal" model number
CT2KIT102472BD160B (Kit of two 1.35V DDR3 1600 8GB ECC UDIMMs)

Supermicro X10SLM+-F - CT4486353
Supermicro X10SL7-F  - CT4484984
Supermicro X10SLL-F  - CT4485018

Please note that the accuracy of this information depends on Crucial's business practices. If they pull a Kingston, this information could very well no longer be valid. If they conduct honest business, this information will be valid as long as these model numbers are available for purchase.

In addition, keep in mind that there is no guarantee that all of these DIMMs, be they Samsung, Hynix or Crucial/Micron, will always work flawlessly. However, they have been used by many forum members without problem. Only occasional issues have happened in individual cases - in fact, I believe none of these issues has been positively traced back to the memory used (if anyone has proof to the contrary, please say so!). In any case, no systematic issues have been observed. Most of us are happy with their memory (unless they have Kingston).


Alternate Tested Memory List

It has come to my attention (Special thanks to odoyle) that not all Supermicro X10 motherboards have the same Tested Memory List. Specifically, there are at least two different lists, that apply to the following motherboards (niche models have been disregarded):

List A
  • X10SLL+-F
  • X10SLM+-F
  • X10SLM+-LN4F
  • X10SLH-F
  • X10SL7-F
List B
  • X10SAE *
  • X10SLL-F and its cut-down variants (X10SLL-SF and X10SLL-S)
  • X10SLM-F
All previous information applies normally to motherboards with List A, as this QVL includes the aforementioned Micron/Crucial modules.

However, List B does not list these modules, instead listing an additional form factor for the Hynix modules (along with obsolete DDR3 1333 ECC modules). The QVL for the X10SAE adds non-ECC RAM, but is otherwise identical to List B.

A visual inspection of pictures of all these motherboards shows no obvious common factor.
The X10SAE is radically different from all other models, as it is a workstation board.
The X10SLM-F seems to be an X10SLL-F with an additional USB 3.0 header and the PCH upgraded to a C224.

The remaining List A motherboards all seem to share a similar power distribution layout.
The X10SLL+-F, X10SLM+-F, X10SLM+-LN4F and X10SLH-F seem identical, save for a C226/C222 PCH on the X10SLH-F/X10SLL+-F and additional two Intel i210 GbE controllers on the X10SLM+-LN4F (all models are silkscreened for four of these controllers, the X10SLM+-LN4F is silkscreened for a second PCI-e x8 slot).
The X10SL7-F has a unique layout, based off that of the other boards.

Bottom line:

For the extra-cautious, it might be a good idea to either avoid these specific models or to acquire the recommended Hynix or Samsung RAM.

It should be noted that Crucial recommends the very same modules for all motherboards listed above.



tl;dr

The following model numbers are known-good:

Hynix HMT41GU7AFR8A-PB (from the QVL)

Samsung M391B1G73QH0-YK0 (from the QVL)

Micron MT18KSF1G72AZ-1G6E1 (from the QVL)

Crucial CT102472BD160B (same as Micron above)

Care should be taken with List B motherboards and the Micron/Crucial DIMMs.



Update 2014-09-04 - Clarified Kingston's e-mail conversation and their current claims of compatibility (Special thanks to Z300M for the info!) and clarified only DDR3 Intel processors are affected by the 8GB UDIMM limitation.
Update 2 2014-09-04 - Clarified that Supermicro never listed Kingstom RAM as compatible (Special thanks to jgreco for the reminder and confirmation!), minor rewording of the intro and corrected ambiguous sentence regarding Crucial model numbers.
Update 2014-09-09 - Added section on alternate Tested Memory List for certain motherboard models and minor formatting improvements.
Update 2 2014-09-09 - Due to the release of Haswell-EP, added clarification that this guide applies only to standard Haswell motherboards. (Special thanks to diehard for the heads-up!)
Update 2014-10-23 - I was deceived by Supermicro's illustration of the X10SLL+-F. Its manual reveals it's actually an X10SLM+-F with a C222 PCH instead of the C224. Conclusions altered accordingly.
Update 2014-12-23 - Added two variants of the X10SLL-F to List B, for added clarity; added warning to tl;dr; added note regarding older QVL


Hi...What I am want to know is there a particular ram that you would use with the board as pasted below.

1 x Supermicro X10SLL-F LGA 1150 Motherboard

http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/xeon/c220/x10sll-f.cfm


2 x Crucial CT102472BD160B 8GB PC3L-12800 ECC Unbuffered 240-pin DIMM

1 x Intel i3-4160 3.60GHz 2C 3M FCLGA1150

So would this be a decent combo for a home freenas system?
 

Ericloewe

Server Wrangler
Moderator
Joined
Feb 15, 2014
Messages
20,175
Hi...What I am want to know is there a particular ram that you would use with the board as pasted below.

1 x Supermicro X10SLL-F LGA 1150 Motherboard

http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/xeon/c220/x10sll-f.cfm


2 x Crucial CT102472BD160B 8GB PC3L-12800 ECC Unbuffered 240-pin DIMM

1 x Intel i3-4160 3.60GHz 2C 3M FCLGA1150

So would this be a decent combo for a home freenas system?

That should be ok, but please make your own thread for such questions.
 

floptry

Cadet
Joined
Sep 27, 2014
Messages
1
I initially bought 2 x 8 GB Kingston ValueRam KVR16E11/8 for my Supermicro X10SLF-7 before discovering this thread.
I live in a lovely country with a law called "the distance law" which gives me the right to try a product bought online and if I am not satisfied of it, I may return it for a full refund (with the exception of software and some other products).
Anyway, I decided to buy two more of the same model from the same online store and I am amazed that it actually worked.
Now my setup has 4 x 8 GB Kingston ValueRam KVR16E11/8 Xeon 1231V3.
Just wanted to share my experience.
 

Ericloewe

Server Wrangler
Moderator
Joined
Feb 15, 2014
Messages
20,175
I initially bought 2 x 8 GB Kingston ValueRam KVR16E11/8 for my Supermicro X10SLF-7 before discovering this thread.
I live in a lovely country with a law called "the distance law" which gives me the right to try a product bought online and if I am not satisfied of it, I may return it for a full refund (with the exception of software and some other products).
Anyway, I decided to buy two more of the same model from the same online store and I am amazed that it actually worked.
Now my setup has 4 x 8 GB Kingston ValueRam KVR16E11/8 Xeon 1231V3.
Just wanted to share my experience.

Interesting data point. Thanks.
 

Tywin

Contributor
Joined
Sep 19, 2014
Messages
163
These will not work with Supermicro X10 motherboards - or any motherboard that takes a socketed Intel processor and DDR3, as Intel's DDR3 Integrated Memory Controller only supports UDIMMs with sizes up to 8GB. This is a hard limit set in silicon and applies to all Intel processors with DDR3 except the Atom Avoton line. Haswell Refresh and Devil's Canyon do not fix this limitation.

I personally do not expect the limitation to be fixed in the upcoming Broadwell processors, since they will probably be the last family to use a DDR3 controller. DDR4 IMCs will almost certainly lift this restriction, but since they will need new memory, current 16GB UDIMMs are a fool's errand.

FYI: although not a socketed processor, evidently Broadwell-U supports 16 GiB SO-DIMMS, according to the internets.
 

Ericloewe

Server Wrangler
Moderator
Joined
Feb 15, 2014
Messages
20,175
FYI: although not a socketed processor, evidently Broadwell-U supports 16 GiB SO-DIMMS, according to the internets.

Again, goddamned ark is spreading misinformation. All Broadwell processors on ark are listed as 16GB max (2x 8GB DIMMs, I assume).

I think that 16GB UDIMMs are impossible on LGA 1150, as current processors don't even have the address pins required to address more than 8GB per DIMM. Unless, of course, the socket has pins in reserve (unlikely).
 
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