HPE ProLiant BL420c Gen8 Memory
Genuine HPE SmartMemory DDR3 for the HPE ProLiant BL420c Gen8, new and refurbished. The blade carries 12 DIMM slots — six per processor, three channels at two DIMMs per channel — and the first thing to settle is which of the three DDR3 technologies is already in it, because Registered, Unbuffered and Load Reduced modules cannot be mixed in one server.
BL420c Gen8 Memory Specifications
- Type: HPE SmartMemory DDR3 Registered (RDIMM), Unbuffered ECC (UDIMM) or Load Reduced (LRDIMM), in PC3-12800 (DDR3-1600) and PC3L-10600 (DDR3-1333) low voltage kits
- Slots: 12 in total, six per processor across three channels; DIMMs only work where the matching processor is fitted, so a single-processor blade has six usable slots
- Maximum load reduced: 384GB, using twelve 32GB quad-rank PC3L-10600L modules at 1333MHz
- Maximum registered: 192GB, using twelve 16GB dual-rank modules — stocked here as PC3-12800R at 1600MHz and PC3L-10600R at 1333MHz
- Maximum unbuffered: 96GB, using twelve 8GB dual-rank UDIMMs
- Protection modes: Advanced ECC with single device data correction, Online Spare (rank spare) and Lockstep, which needs identical HPE part numbers in each paired channel
Twelve slots, three technologies, and no mixing between them. Registered DIMMs reach 192GB in this blade, Unbuffered stop at 96GB, and Load Reduced modules are the only route to 384GB — but converting from one technology to another means replacing every module in the machine. Check what is fitted before you order a single kit.
Which DDR3 technology should you fit?
| Registered (RDIMM) | Unbuffered (UDIMM) | Load Reduced (LRDIMM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum capacity | 192GB | 96GB | 384GB |
| Kit sizes stocked | 4GB, 8GB, 16GB | 2GB, 4GB, 8GB | 32GB |
| Largest module | 16GB dual rank PC3-12800R | 8GB dual rank PC3-12800E | 32GB quad rank PC3L-10600L |
| Mixing with another type | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported |
Registered is the default and the safe answer for most blades, and twelve 16GB modules is where it stops. Load Reduced is the only route past 192GB, but it is an all-or-nothing conversion: every module has to change, and the 32GB LRDIMM runs at 1333MHz. Unbuffered is worth buying only where the blade already runs it.
Choosing the Right BL420c Gen8 Memory
- Check what is fitted before ordering a single kit. RDIMM, UDIMM and LRDIMM are distinct technologies and cannot be mixed, so a wrong module means the blade will not post rather than simply running slower.
- The kit list follows the processor family. HPE documents separate memory options for E5-2400 and E5-2400 v2 blades, and the E5-2400 family cannot take 1866MHz or 1600MHz low voltage SmartMemory at all. The PC3-12800 and PC3L-10600 kits here are the E5-2400 list.
- The processor sets the speed ceiling. E5-2470, E5-2450 and E5-2450L blades reach 1600MHz; E5-2440, E5-2430, E5-2430L and E5-2420 stop at 1333MHz; E5-2407 and E5-2403 run at 1066MHz whatever is in the slots.
- Mixed voltages and speeds are allowed, within limits. RDIMMs rated 1.35V and 1.5V may be mixed in any order, but the blade powers all of them at the higher voltage, and modules of different speeds settle on one common speed.
- Memory from earlier generations will not do. HPE states it is not compatible with this blade, and each option kit is a single DIMM, so filling twelve slots means twelve kits.
Complete Your BL420c Gen8 Build
Memory speed is set by the processor as much as by the module — see the BL420c Gen8 processors before deciding on clock, and note that a second processor opens the other six slots. For the rest of the blade, browse BL420c Gen8 drives, storage controllers and networking adapters, or the full BL420c Gen8 parts listing. The sixteen-slot E5-2600 blade of this generation is the BL460c Gen8. Background reading: memory rank in HPE servers, the importance of memory speed and HPE parts by server model.
BL420c Gen8 Memory FAQ
What is the maximum memory in a BL420c Gen8?
384GB, reached with twelve 32GB quad-rank Load Reduced DIMMs in a two-processor blade. Registered DIMMs reach 192GB with twelve 16GB modules, and Unbuffered DIMMs reach 96GB.
How many memory slots does the BL420c Gen8 have?
Twelve, arranged as six per processor across three channels with two DIMMs per channel. With one processor installed, only six are available.
Can I mix RDIMM, UDIMM and LRDIMM in a BL420c Gen8?
No. HPE treats the three as distinct memory technologies that cannot be mixed within a server. Whichever is fitted today is what any upgrade must match, and converting means replacing every module.
Why does my BL420c Gen8 memory run slower than its rating?
The processor decides the ceiling. E5-2470, E5-2450 and E5-2450L blades support 1600, 1333 and 1066MHz; E5-2420, E5-2430, E5-2430L and E5-2440 support 1333 and 1066MHz; E5-2403 and E5-2407 run at 1066MHz only.
Does memory for a BL460c Gen8 fit a BL420c Gen8?
Not as a rule. The two blades take different processor families, and HPE lists a separate memory option set for each. The kits listed for this blade are the ones documented for Intel Xeon E5-2400 series processors.
Do HPE memory kits for this blade contain more than one DIMM?
No. Every DDR3 option kit listed for this server is a single DIMM, so filling all twelve slots means twelve kits.
✅ Looking for a specific BL420c Gen8 memory module? Browse our full selection below.
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