Help with motherboard and CPU for new FreeNAS build

[rskoss]

Okay, so I see that this is 64GB 2Rx4 (2Rx4 is also listed as DRx4 some places..like the manual for your motherboard). You have a 4110 CPU, so you need to look at the memory population chart labeled "DDR4 Memory Support for 81xx/61xx/51xx/41xx/31xx Platform" on page 33 of the motherboard manual. If I read that right, RDIMM Dual Rank x 4 (DRx4) only works in Capacities of 16 & 32GB (look in the DIMM Capacity columns).

Dude, you said a mouthful there

For my education, when you say 2Rx4, or DRx4, are those just different ways of saying DDR4? Also, where did you get RDIMM from the product description? Way too many letters and numbers to sort through.

A side question about the memory I bought - can I use it in a 2019 Mac Pro? Here's the spec page: Mac Pro (2019) memory specifications

My reading says it should work (but I've proven that I don't know what I'm doing).

 

[Rand__]

It should work, but its still not the correct choice for your current CPU





Also, you dont want 4 but either 3 or 6 for Scalable in order to maximize memory bandwith.

 

[Rand__]

Dude, you said a mouthful there

For my education, when you say 2Rx4, or DRx4, are those just different ways of saying DDR4? Also, where did you get RDIMM from the product description? Way too many letters and numbers to sort through.

A side question about the memory I bought - can I use it in a 2019 Mac Pro? Here's the spec page: Mac Pro (2019) memory specifications

My reading says it should work (but I've proven that I don't know what I'm doing).

2Rx4 (or Dual Rankx4) is about memory Ranks, see eg A Quick Guide to Memory Rank

2933 should work in Mac pro (from a specification point of view). If its vendor compatible you'll have to try (it should though).
However, here also you have Memory Channels to look for, i.e. use 3 or 6 or 12 modules for best performance

https://www.supermicro.com/support/resources/memory/x11_memory_config_guide.pdf

 

[rskoss]

It should work, but its still not the correct choice for your current CPU

View attachment 17036

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Also, you dont want 4 but either 3 or 6 for Scalable in order to maximize memory bandwith.

So DDR4-2400 is the key? Then this should not only work, but it should also be the correct choice: Samsung M393A4K40BB1-CRC 32GB DDR4-2400 LP ECC Reg Server Memory at Amazon.com

Thanks for the tip on maximizing bandwidth for scalable processors. 96GB will be fine.

 

[Rand__]

Well its the correct choice based on your CPU.
O/c usually faster works too and is more future proof, but since you don't want to experiment, the 2400 should be the safe bet

 

[rskoss]

2933 should work in Mac pro (from a specification point of view). If its vendor compatible you'll have to try (it should though).
However, here also you have Memory Channels to look for, i.e. use 3 or 6 or 12 modules for best performance

An Apple support page says 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12. IAE, I'm screwed. I don't need more than 128GB in a Mac Pro so having 2x64GB sticks isn't doing me any good.

 

[rskoss]

Well its the correct choice based on your CPU.
O/c usually faster works too and is more future proof, but since you don't want to experiment, the 2400 should be the safe bet

What are you saying - that I should go ahead and get the 2666 instead of the 2400?

You made a comment in this thread that you have some memory modules that work most of the time. That's a non-starter for me.

 

[Rand__]

My memory modules are 8R 128G modules, they are not representative of your everyday modules, so no worries re that.

Re Apple - afaik (no Apple expert) they use XeonW CPUs in that Mac Pro. Thats a Scalable CPU; " Mac Pro has a 6-channel memory controller ". Its unlikely that it actually can use 4 modules in best performance mode, but who knows.
If you want to be sure, get 6 modules.

 

[rskoss]

My memory modules are 8R 128G modules, they are not representative of your everyday modules, so no worries re that.

Re Apple - afaik (no Apple expert) they use XeonW CPUs in that Mac Pro. Thats a Scalable CPU; " Mac Pro has a 6-channel memory controller ". Its unlikely that it actually can use 4 modules in best performance mode, but who knows.
If you want to be sure, get 6 modules.

Okay, so **if** I get a MacPro, I'll get 6 modules (not from Apple). I probably will, I routinely peg the CPU and the 64GB of memory I have in this iMac.

But back to my server build, should I get 3 of the 2666: Samsung M393A4K40BB2-CTD 32GB DDR4-2666 LP ECC REG DIMM at Amazon.com

or should I buy 3 of the 2400: Samsung M393A4K40BB1-CRC 32GB DDR4-2400 LP ECC Reg Server Memory at Amazon.com

Thank you for your time and help.

 

[Rand__]

Well initial cost and resale value is lower on the 2400 modules. If you don't plan to replace that CPU anytime soon with a Gold or second gen CPU then I'd say go for the 2400 one.

 

[rskoss]

Well initial cost and resale value is lower on the 2400 modules. If you don't plan to replace that CPU anytime soon with a Gold or second gen CPU then I'd say go for the 2400 one.

I think I would more likely build another box with a Gold, needing it's own ram. Okay, 2400 ordered. Amazon says I'll have it by 10pm Friday (what happened to next day delivery for Prime?). Saturday morning I hope to be staring at the bios screen.

 

[Rand__]

Next/Same day delivery only for own stock articles, not for get it from any seller via Amazon isn't it?

 

[Markess]

Dude, you said a mouthful there

For my education, when you say 2Rx4, or DRx4, are those just different ways of saying DDR4? Also, where did you get RDIMM from the product description? Way too many letters and numbers to sort through.

Well, there's a lot to take in and I tend to be verbose

I think @Rand__ covered Ranks pretty well.

As for RDIMM, I didn't get it from the product description. Its just another darn thing that either has multiple names, or nicknames, or people assume you already know! So I knew that "ECC Registered" from the Amazon description equaled "RDIMM" in the Supermicro motherboard manual.

DIMM (Dual In-Line Memory Module) is the physical layout of the memory "stick". Most memory these days is a variety of DIMM. Your motherboard can take Registered DIMMs (RDIMM) or Load Reduced DIMM (LRDIMM) or Non-Volatile DIMM (NVDIMM).

The difference between types is another conversation (or google search) entirely. But the important part is simply knowing that what you had were RDIMMs (and not LRDIMMs or NVDIMMs) so you'd know which line of the memory chart on page 33 of the manual you needed to be looking at for the memory you had.

Cheers

 

[rskoss]

RAM came last night. Put it in this morning and no longer get memory errors. Gave myself a high-5. Plugged a cable into the IPMI port, got a Supermicro page at the address I found in my network switch, and I did a little happy dance.

Now stuck on getting logged in. Seems Supermicro changed the ADMIN/ADMIN to something unfriendly to people with a house full of Macs. So currently digging into this IPMI config utility business.

 

[Rand__]

the password should be on a sticker on the board I think?

 

[rskoss]

the password should be on a sticker on the board I think?

Really?? That would be cool. I'll get out a magnifying glass and search.

 

[rskoss]

the password should be on a sticker on the board I think?

No joy. Couldn't find anything on the motherboard but the box the motherboard came in has a sticker that says unique password. Using that with 'admin' or 'ADMIN' username doesn't work.

 

[rskoss]

No joy. Couldn't find anything on the motherboard but the box the motherboard came in has a sticker that says unique password. Using that with 'admin' or 'ADMIN' username doesn't work.

DUDE!!

The unique password on the box must be to send hackers down the wrong path - which I followed. Some more googling said that the cpu cover on the board has the password. So used that and I'm in.

<< happy dance >>

I don't know what to do next..... but my bios is booted!!!

I guess the next thing to do is to set the boot order to boot from a usb and to install proxmox.

 

[Rand__]

Yay.
Well, Bios and IPMI updates could be done first, but then OS installation sounds reasonable

 

[rskoss]

Yay.
Well, Bios and IPMI updates could be done first, but then OS installation sounds reasonable

Setting an ntp server sounded reasonable as well

I did see firmware updates in the bios menus so downloaded the latest update. The firmware update ipmi page had a place to upload a file. It said I couldn't upload a .zip, only a .bin. Fine, so I unzipped the download but there wasn't a .bin. There was a readme that started talking about yet another utility and I just wasn't in the mood to go down another rabbit hole.

Proxmox downloading....