Re: a few simple questions about AMD64 version of Debian
On Mon, Dec 18, 2006 at 09:52:13AM -0800, Freddie Cash wrote:
> Depending on the motherboard chipset, AMD64-based systems can have up to
> 64 GB of RAM (that's the highest I've seen so far, in theory it can
> address a lot more than that). This is highly chipset-dependent, though,
> and you'll find that only the highest-end server boards can do this.
> Low-end server and workstation boards tend to handle up to 16 GB of RAM,
> and desktop boards tend to only support 8 GB. The type of RAM varies as
> well (unbuffered ECC RAM, buffered ECC RAM, non-ECC RAM, etc), and
> depends on the socket (939, 940, AM2).
It is actually not at all chipset dependant. After all the AMDs have
the memory controller built in to the CPU. So it is CPU type dependant,
along with limited by the number of slots the mainboard happens to have.
> Get a Socket AM2 motherboard that can handle up to 16 GB of RAM.
> Preferably a dual-socket board if you can afford it. That way, you can
> start with a single-core Athlon64, move to dual-Athlon64s, to dual-core
> Athlon64 X2s, without changing motherboards. Go from 1 to 4 to possibly
> 8 cores all with the same mobo. :)
So far most AM2 boards I have seen can take 8GB (4 x 2GB). Any dual
socket board should allow 16GB (2 cpus x 4 x 2GB).
> We did this with our servers, although on Socket 940 boards as AM2 wasn't
> out yet. We have dual-Opteron systems with 8 GB RAM running Debian etch
> amd64. Upgrade plans for next year are dual-core CPUs and another 8 GB
> RAM. These systems also have 5 TB of disk space hanging off a 3Ware
> Escalade 9550SX-12, with another 12 empty drive bays (we're waiting for
> the price of the 750 GB drives to drop before putting them in the
> box). :) These are storage and Xen boxes.
--
Len Sorensen
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