topic Re: What is Independent Channel Mode? in Intel® Xeon® Processor and Server Products

What is Independent Channel Mode?

idata — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:23:36 GMT

In the Intel Server Board S1200BT Service Guide on page 14, there is a paragraph, in the Memory section that reads:

The Independent Channel Mode is the default Maximum Performance Mode preferred for Intel Xeon Processor E3-1200 Series based platforms. All two channels may be populated in any order and have no matching requirements. All channels must run at the same interface frequency, but individual channels may run at different DIMM timings (RAS latency, CAS latency, and so on).

I'm trying to determine why I'm getting unstable memory performance when I have 2 DIMMs installed, but not when I have 1 single one. Each one can run independently in slot DIMM_A1 but if I try to use two of them in DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B2, I get kernel panics after about four days of operation. Memtest86+ shows no errors after days of operating also.

But from what I read in the manual apparently it doesn't matter what memory slots I use at all. I'm using a Xeon E3-1265L V2 cpu.

So is Independent Channel Mode *not* Dual Channel Symmetric? Does this paragraph mean I ignore table 4 completely, which shows which order to populate the DIMMs?

Re: What is Independent Channel Mode?

DSilv11 — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 06:00:51 GMT

Are you using a S1200BT"R" mother board?

Re: What is Independent Channel Mode?

idata — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:58:48 GMT

The carton and website said S1200BTLR, but now when I look at the IPMI web page all it says is Product Name: S1200BTL. The Part/Model Number says E98681-352

Re: What is Independent Channel Mode?

idata — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:24:57 GMT

I should also add, that it's not clear to me whether or not this CPU (E3-1265L V2) is actually compatible (although it appears to work fine for the 4 days before it starts crashing).

This link shows that it is listed as a compatible CPU

http://ark.intel.com/products/67494/Intel-Server-Board-S1200BTLR ARK | Intel&# 174; Server Board S1200BTLR

This link does not show that it works with this motherboard:

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/CS-032414.htm Server Products - Tested processor list

The page for the CPU itself lists the S1200BTLR as compatible:

http://ark.intel.com/products/65728/Intel-Xeon-Processor-E3-1265L-v2-8M-Cache-2_50-GHz ARK | Intel&# 174; Xeon&# 174; Processor E3-1265L v2 (8M Cache, 2.50 GHz)

Re: What is Independent Channel Mode?

DSilv11 — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:13:24 GMT

OK, right mother board.

Original question - Independent Channel Mode as apposed to Mirrored (redundancy) channel mode.

Each one can run independently in slot DIMM_A1 but if I try to use two of them in DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B2, I get kernel panics after about four days of operation

Buzzzzzz

you have 2 memory channels A & B

Slot 1 in any channel needs to be populated first. (It should not even see the DIMM in B2)

Ideal population is A1 & B1 (what DImms are you using? Are they the same type and size or different ?

Try A1 & B1 first then as a test you can try:

A1 & A2

Then

B1 & B2

Depending on the memory type it will run slower with 2 DImms per channel

Re: What is Independent Channel Mode?

idata — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:27:52 GMT

Sorry, typo in my original post. I am using DIMM_A1 and DIMM_B1 when I get kernel panics. I've been testing DIMM_A1 alone with each piece of memory to confirm there are no errors on each individual piece of memory.

The DIMMS I am using are Kingston KVR13E9/8I - DDR 1333 ECC Unbuffered CAS Latency 9. The only reason I chose this memory is because it's listed on the compatible memory page for this motherboard. The memory came in a kit with 2 identical pieces.

The motherboard has also been updated using the Bios, FRU, SDR and ME package 1.16.