Kingston 4 x 8GB RAM problem

[Sir.Robin]

Supermicro couldn't give me an answer and Kingston is just giving me bs.

 

[Rilo Ravestein]

So what should be the best 32GB option for a X10SLH-F now that the Kingston modules seem like a risk?

Would 2x Crucial CT2KIT102472BD160B be a good idea?

 

[cyberjock]

The best option is anything on the HCL...

 

[Rilo Ravestein]

Duh...
But the Kingstons, (subject of the starting post of this topic) were not in the HCL for this mobo either. The mobo used to be in the HCL of that memory though. The Crucial memory I mentioned should also be compatible....according to the Crucial website. My question was if anyone knows if this is the best option now. Maybe someone can confirm (by experience) or give some other/better advice, since the 8GB modules listed as "tested" with this board on the Supermicro site are not available here (except the Samsung module which is availabe at some unknown webshop, charging WAY too much).

 

[Z300M]

Duh...
But the Kingstons, (subject of the starting post of this topic) were not in the HCL for this mobo either. The mobo used to be in the HCL of that memory though. The Crucial memory I mentioned should also be compatible....according to the Crucial website. My question was if anyone knows if this is the best option now. Maybe someone can confirm (by experience) or give some other/better advice, since the 8GB modules listed as "tested" with this board on the Supermicro site are not available here (except the Samsung module which is availabe at some unknown webshop, charging WAY too much).

But what will be the ultimate cost of buying the Crucial modules, finding that they do not work well in that motherboard, then returning them (if allowed) and "eating" a restocking fee, or simply selling them at a loss, and having to buy the Samsung modules anyway?

By the way, the KVR16E11/8EF "Server Premier" modules that Kingston used to recommend have now been discontinued and replaced by KVR16E11/8KF (K for Kingston rather than E for Elpida), but the Supermicro X10-series boards are not on the list of compatible systems for those either.

 

[Rilo Ravestein]

What i meant to say is that the modules are not available here. ;)

 

[Z300M]

What i meant to say is that the modules are not available here. ;)

Wherever "there" is, can't you buy the Samsung modules (seem to be cheaper than Hynix) from a US vendor anyway? Or would import duties be a major problem?

 

[Rilo Ravestein]

Not sure about import duties....Anny suggestions on a trustworthy vendor?

Anyway.....I don't get is anymore... First it's all about Kingston. Now Kingston dropping support and suddenly the advice is to only use the Supermicro tested memory? What am i missing here? Is the risk really that high? (sorry, i'm not an expert)

 

[jgreco]

Different people have different opinions and different tolerance levels for dealing with crap.

Buying the SuperMicro stuff is the route that's most likely to work, but as I've said elsewhere SuperMicro provides you with the manufacturer part numbers for their modules so you can also buy the modules without the SuperMicro branding.

In theory you should be able to select random generic ECC DDR3 and stick it in and it should work.

Quite frankly, we used to deal with memory compatibility issues all the time in this industry, and it is only in recent years that it has become somewhat unusual for problems like this to pop up. That may be due in part to the decrease in the number of vendors for the chips.

 

[Z300M]

Not sure about import duties....Anny suggestions on a trustworthy vendor?

Anyway.....I don't get is anymore... First it's all about Kingston. Now Kingston dropping support and suddenly the advice is to only use the Supermicro tested memory? What am i missing here? Is the risk really that high? (sorry, i'm not an expert)

http://www.superbiiz.com/query.php?s=M391B1G73BH0-CK0

I haven't purchased anything from them, but others have spoken well of them. No idea whether they ship outside the USA. And look at their home page for a coupon code that gets you a 10% discount.

 

[Rilo Ravestein]

Thanks jgreco and Z300M for the advice. I guess the best way is to go with the Samsung memory then? Or maybe i can find the "old" KVR16E11/8EF somewhere? (Would that be a good option? Are those better than the Crucial modules that are advertised as compatible on the Crucial website?). Sorry for all the questions, but i have no experience with memory compatibility at all, and i really want to make the right choice here, since i've been saving money for this for quite some time now.

BTW. Superbiiz does not ship internationally, but i'm sure i'll find another reseller that does. I usually do :)

 

[jgreco]

The set that I have that's exhibiting trouble is Elpida, so I'm thinking Elpida is what to avoid, not what to get.

We've bought Crucial in the past and I am not hearing any warning bells go off in my head.

Samsung makes good memory but I do not think warrants the memory to the end user, so if a warranty is important to you, pay attention. Be sure to save your receipt as proof of purchase and be sure to buy from an authorized reseller. I've heard that Kingston in particular has gotten prickly about their warranty from a few people over this latest episode.

 

[Rilo Ravestein]

Thank you. I'll stick with the Samsung modules. Found a Dutch reseller that has a ton of great reviews:

http://mmcshop.nl/p/205221/ram-ddr3l-8gb-pc1600-ecc-samsung

Price is a litthe high, but i think reliability (and peace of mind) is woth it.

 

[Satam]

Is there some official statement of Kingston I could link to? The trouble is that I live outside the US and Kingston does not allow warranty claims directly with them from outside the US. I need something to show my reseller. I just can't give them the link to this thread, they won't believe it.

All I could find was this:
http://www.kingston.com/us/memory/search/DisContinuedPartNumbers/Default.aspx?PartId=KVR16LE11/8EF
"(Discontinued) - Replaced by KVR16LE11/8KF"

http://www.kingston.com/us/memory/search/Default.aspx?DisPartId=KVR16LE11/8EF
"Show all systems that work with this memory
No Results Found."

The Kingston's email customer service web form doesn't work either, it gives me the cryptic error message
"An error occurred on the server when processing the URL. Please contact the system administrator."

PS: Oh, I just checked my emails... the support request did get through. Three times. ;) I hope I get these replaced somehow with updated modules KVR16LE11/8KF or get an official statement which will allow me to get a refund from my reseller. Because then I'd rather buy the Samsung modules.

PPS: I just noticed that the X10xxx-x boards aren't listed as supported for the 8KF modules either.:(

 

[Z300M]

Is there some official statement of Kingston I could link to? The trouble is that I live outside the US and Kingston does not allow warranty claims directly with them from outside the US. I need something to show my reseller. I just can't give them the link to this thread, they won't believe it.

I know of no public statement by Kingston. The only public information is that if you search on their Web site for memory compatible with any of the Supermicro X10 motherboards that can use four RAM modules, all you will find are 4GB modules, so if you buy 8GB modules and they do not work, Kingston can say that they never claimed that they would work and probably would deny a warranty claim.

I saved the transcript of my chat session with one of their Tech Support people the same day that the 8GB modules disappeared from their list of recommendations; I was told that they were trying to resolve the problem in cooperation with Supermicro, that if I had problems with the two 8GB modules I had ordered when they were still on the compatible list, they would replace them, and that if I had problems if I later added more modules, they would replace the original ones. But someone else wrote that Kingston tried to tell them that there had never been an 8GB recommendation for these motherboards.

Why would you even want to use RAM whose manufacturer makes no claim of compatibility?

 

[Satam]

Gah, dirty tricks. Kingston never again. I feel cheated.

 

[Z300M]

I posted a review of the Kingston KVR16E11/8EF modules on Newegg.com and received an emailed response from Kingston, which is viewable on the Newegg site. The relevant part of that response is:

"We found in our testing that X10 Supermicro boards require the first two slots to be populated with Hynix A DRAM modules (slots A1 /B1) then any other type DRAM can be inserted into the remaining two slots. When installing just two 8GB modules any DRAM type is acceptable. We do not currently manufacture Hynix A DRAM modules due to lack of available components. Currently we can only support the X10SL7 with 4GB modules."

 

[Satam]

Thank you for sharing this information, Z300M!

"We found in our testing that X10 Supermicro boards require the first two slots to be populated with Hynix A DRAM modules (slots A1 /B1) then any other type DRAM can be inserted into the remaining two slots.

I wonder if they have tested Samsung DRAM, too.

 

[Z300M]

I posted a review of the Kingston KVR16E11/8EF modules on Newegg.com and received an emailed response from Kingston, which is viewable on the Newegg site. The relevant part of that response is:

"We found in our testing that X10 Supermicro boards require the first two slots to be populated with Hynix A DRAM modules (slots A1 /B1) then any other type DRAM can be inserted into the remaining two slots. When installing just two 8GB modules any DRAM type is acceptable. We do not currently manufacture Hynix A DRAM modules due to lack of available components. Currently we can only support the X10SL7 with 4GB modules."

Googling "Kingston 'Hynix A'" (without the double quote marks) shows only Registered modules. And how was it that they originally claimed that their KVR16E11/8EF (Elpida F) modules had been tested by an independent laboratory and found to be compatible? Did they never test four modules at once?

 

[Satam]

I decided to RMA my two modules with Kingston directly before I bought two extra modules. It worked. After some brief email conversations with several support people I finally got the full price refunded that I originally payed for the modules.

Now I got four Samsung modules (M391B1G73BH0-CK0) instead. The ones that are recommended by Supermicro and they work without problems.