[Gllug] Error correcting memory

[Mike Brodbelt]

On Mon, 2003-05-26 at 19:53, Chris Bell wrote:
> Hello,
>    I am setting up a Digital Prioris XL Server, and also have a Hewlett
> Packard NetServer E60, both of which have 9-chip error correcting SIMMs. Can
> someone please tell me which errors can be corrected? Are they limited to
> errors inherent to the SIMMs, or the whole system, perhaps including disc
> errors?

ECC memory is capable of correcting single bit errors. Where a memory
cell in the SIMM becomes corrupted, normal memory will provide invalid
data to the CPU when the cell is read, ECC memory will notice the
checksum for that byte is incorrect, and transparently correct it. This
is most often specified for servers and systems where reliability is
key. Memory can become corrupted due to background radiation, degrading
electronics, etc.

ECC cannot correct errors anywhere other than in the memory modules -
CPU/disk errors are entirely unaffected.

Mike.



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