Does Windows Server 2019 require ECC memory?

Question

I am planning to upgrade a system running Windows Server to Windows Server 2019. The CPU (Intel i7-950), motherboard, and RAM do not support ECC. This is a physical deployment, not a virtual deployment.

In the Windows Server 2019 system requirements, I see: "The following are the estimated RAM requirements for this product: Minimum: ... ECC (Error Correcting Code) type or similar technology, for physical host deployments." (Italics added by me.)

At first, I interpreted this to mean that ECC is required, which would require a new CPU, motherboard, and ECC RAM. But the use of the phrase "estimated RAM requirements" gave me pause. (I have never seen "estimated" before in a set of software requirements.)

While I understand the benefits of ECC, and have used it in other servers, I want to determine if ECC is actually required for Windows Server 2019, or if it is just recommended, to decide whether or not I actually require new hardware, or can decide on the trade-off between hardware cost and ECC benefits.

Answer 1

While I understand the benefits of ECC, and have used it in other servers, I want to determine if ECC is actually required for Windows Server 2019, or if it is just recommended, to decide whether or not I actually require new hardware, or can decide on the trade-off between hardware cost and ECC benefits.

Microsoft indicates that Windows Server 2019 only requires ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory when being deployed onto a physical machine.

The following are the estimated RAM requirements for this product:

Minimum:

• 512 MB (2 GB for Server with Desktop Experience installation option)
• ECC (Error Correcting Code) type or similar technology, for physical host deployments

Source: Windows Server Requirements

A virtual machine running Windows Server 2019 does not require the host to support ECC memory. Since Windows Server 2019 can run within a virtual machine without ECC memory it means it can run on physical machine without ECC. However, this configuration is unsupported, and Microsoft strongly advises against it.

I was trying to figure out if it's really just a recommendation or an actual installation/execution requirement.

The requirement is not enforced but doing so is unsupported.

Tim Cerling - ret'd(MCC, MVP) once indicated the following:

That does not mean a system will not run without ECC; it just means that it is required for a supported system. The installer does not enforce it.

Source: ECC memory requirement