HPE ProLiant servers record memory problems in detail through iLO, and HPE's troubleshooting guides give a short, specific action for each message. Start from the log rather than the hardware: the message tells you which DIMM, whether the error was corrected, and what HPE wants you to try first. This guide covers where ProLiant reports memory errors, what the common messages mean, the memory protection features that keep a server running, and when to replace a module.
Collect the logs first
HPE's Gen11 troubleshooting guide starts every investigation the same way: download the Active Health System log before you change anything. Then read these:
- Integrated Management Log (IML) in iLO: memory events with the processor and DIMM slot.
- iLO Event Log: management events, useful for timing.
- iLO, System Information, Memory: Advanced Memory Protection status, total memory and the status of every slot.
- POST messages: population and initialization problems at boot.
Common messages and HPE's fixes
| Message | HPE's steps |
|---|---|
| Correctable memory error threshold exceeded | Update the system ROM. If the event continues, replace the DIMM. |
| Uncorrectable memory error | Reseat the DIMM. Update the system ROM. Replace the DIMM if it returns. |
| Unsupported DIMM configuration detected: Processor X DIMM Y violates DIMM population rules (Gen11 Intel) | Correct the layout: white slots first, channels identical, modules split evenly across processors. |
| Mixed DIMM configuration is not supported in this system (Gen11 Intel) | Remove the mix: no RDIMM with LRDIMM, no x4 with x8. |
| New memory not recognized | Check the IML, confirm type and population, update the system ROM, and test the DIMM in a known-good server. |
One caution on threshold messages: HPE published an advisory that the BIOS on some Gen10 systems logged "Correctable Memory Error Threshold Exceeded" incorrectly, fixed by a firmware update. Update the system ROM before you replace hardware.
Step-by-step troubleshooting
- Download the Active Health System log and note the IML message, processor and slot.
- Update the system ROM and iLO firmware.
- Run Embedded Diagnostics. System Utilities, Embedded Applications, Embedded Diagnostics: the quick memory test takes about 10 minutes, the extensive test 2 hours or more.
- Reseat the flagged DIMM with the server powered down and unplugged, holding it by the edges.
- Check the population against HPE's rules for your generation. See how to install RAM in an HPE ProLiant server.
- Isolate the module. HPE suggests testing each channel by removing the other DIMMs. A quicker route is a swap: move the flagged DIMM to another populated slot and swap in an identical module. If the error follows the DIMM, replace it.
- Replace and verify. After replacement, confirm the slot shows Good in iLO and watch the IML for a few days.
Memory protection that keeps the server running
- Advanced ECC, the default on Gen10 Plus, corrects single-bit errors and errors within one 4-bit device.
- Advanced Memory Error Detection notifies you when a DIMM is degrading, before it fails.
- HPE Fast Fault Tolerance, HPE's version of ADDDC, can survive two DRAM device failures. HPE requires HPE SmartMemory in x4 organization for this mode.
- Mirrored memory keeps a full copy at the cost of half the capacity.
These modes are set in RBSU, Memory Options. Corrected errors are logged to the IML either way. For how correctable and uncorrectable errors differ, see how to troubleshoot ECC memory errors.
Older Gen9 POST codes
Gen9 servers report memory problems with numbered POST codes. You may still see these on older ProLiant servers:
| Code (Gen9) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 207 | DIMM configuration errors |
| 209 | Memory protection mode not supported by the installed DIMMs |
| 223 | Memory error |
| 229 | DIMM configuration error, with processor and DIMM number |
| 232 | Memory initialization error |
| 234 | DIMM initialization error |
| 239 | Mismatched DIMM types |
About third-party memory
iLO shows "HPE Memory: No" for any module that is not HPE SmartMemory, and HPE's troubleshooting guides list third-party memory as something to remove while isolating a fault. A swap test with a known-good module of the same type settles the question either way. NEMIX RAM modules are researched, matched, and compatibility-tested by NEMIX RAM for each ProLiant generation and backed by a lifetime warranty.
Replacement memory
- HPE memory upgrades and the HPE memory hub.
- Examples: DL380 Gen10 Plus, DL380 Gen11 and DL385 Gen11.
- More on failing modules: how to identify a failing server DIMM and when to replace a server memory module.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find memory errors on an HPE ProLiant?
In the iLO Integrated Management Log (IML), the iLO Event Log and the Active Health System log. iLO, System Information, Memory shows the status of every DIMM.
What should I do about "Correctable memory error threshold exceeded"?
HPE's Gen11 troubleshooting guide says to update the system ROM and then replace the DIMM if the event continues. Check for known firmware fixes first: HPE has issued an advisory about false threshold reports on some Gen10 systems.
What should I do about an "Uncorrectable memory error"?
Reseat the DIMM, update the system ROM, and replace the DIMM if the error returns.
How do I run a memory test on a ProLiant?
Open System Utilities, Embedded Applications, Embedded Diagnostics. The quick test takes about 10 minutes and the extensive test can take 2 hours or more.
Why does iLO show HPE Memory: No?
iLO's Memory Details report "No" in the HPE Memory field for any module that is not HPE SmartMemory, including third-party memory. It identifies the module source; it is not an error.
What do ProLiant POST errors 207 and 229 mean?
On Gen9 servers, 207 is a DIMM configuration error and 229 names the processor and DIMM with the configuration error. Gen10 and Gen11 servers report population problems as text messages, such as "Unsupported DIMM configuration detected".
Buying for more than one system
IT teams and integrators that maintain ProLiant fleets can standardize on one kit per model. Request a quote with your models and quantities, or send us your system model and we will confirm the right module before you order.
Steps and rules are summarized from the vendors' published documentation; follow the guide for your exact model.