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I'm thinking about getting a cheap PC I can pack with lots of RAM and play with Hyper-V a little more at home rather than bogging down my main Windows PC, and since my other Windows PC is Home Edition. I saw a cheap priced HP 6300 Pro Small Form Factor with a 16 GB configuration and Windows 10 Pro on Amazon that looks sufficient.

According to the HP Compaq Pro 6300 Small Form Factor PC Specifications the HP 6300 Pro Small Form Factor PC contains 4 slots and shows an example in the chart of a 16 GB configuration but also states "Not all memory configurations possible are represented below".

Memory specifications

Slot 1 is black and must always be populated. Not all memory configurations possible are represented below:

Memory configurations

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Question

Can anyone confirm the other non-listed memory configurations that have worked with success with the HP 6300 Pro Small Form Factor running Windows 10 Pro?

  • I'm not looking for a full list of all configurations not listed in the chart since I'm more interested in configurations it'll support with over 16 GB of RAM. For example is it possible pack in two 8 GB or three or even four and what would not work slot wise, or what is working for someone else with this same specific make and model hardware and their greater than 16 GB configuration and any special UEFI/BIOS settings to make such a setup possible.
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  • This is a cheap refurbished machine by the way since its for nothing critical a 3-4 year protection plan and a cheap price is good enough in this case.
    – Hard Core Hard Wear
    Commented Mar 25, 2018 at 16:30
  • Can I just say that this documentation is pretty god awful 0_0. The memory configuration chart is really confusing. What I think that it is demonstrating is that any memory configuration should be possible, withstanding it not exceed 16 gb total. In addition, I want to mention that if you buy a really low end processor running multiple OS's at the same time is going to really slow down the system regardless of the gb of RAM installed.
    – Bennett Yeo
    Commented Mar 26, 2018 at 6:10
  • @BennettYeo Yes, I'll only be running VMs one at a time and not long term just when I want to test something I'm not too worried about process but I understand what you are saying, and I will look into upgrading processor or other machines on the market as well and think hard about it just in case. Damn the vendor's website of a specific model machine having an "awful" explanation with regard to that specific chart. It looks as if I overlooked a specific portion of the HP post which contradicts 16 gb total theory though.
    – Hard Core Hard Wear
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 4:10

1 Answer 1

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The telling part is in the last part of that little chart. Note that it displays an 8+4+4+4 dual-channel configuration, but in reality, you're only getting 16GB of the 20GB you install in that configuration.

That's normally a big sign that the 16GB RAM limitation is something tied to the motherboard chipset, and you're not going to get around it. In this case, I think it's just really lousy documentation on the part of HP. Be ready for contradiction. If you go to the actual HP support site, it says this motherboard's chipset can handle up to 32GB DDR3. That's a 4x 8GB. Another hint that the documentation you have is nuts is the fact that a configuration that reads 8+4+4+4 as dual channel is nonsensical. Memory won't run in dual channel mode unless the RAM capacitance is matched.

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  • So this means it supports up to 32 GB of DDR3 then, correct? That would be my interpretation of that link and the documentation there so just wanted to know if you feel the same. That document chart is awful though for sure. Let me know and I'll accept afterwards—thanks!!
    – Hard Core Hard Wear
    Commented Mar 29, 2018 at 23:23
  • Yup! I'd trust the site over the shoddy document you got.
    – CDove
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 0:47
  • CDove, just to be specific though, the "shoddy" document you refer to that I got has a URL of "https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03387773#AbT6" whereas the site you trust has a URL of "https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c03387773" so these are both from the exact same site apparently so this is really why I asked so what is your thought now knowing this? Still the same or what?
    – Hard Core Hard Wear
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 4:03
  • You say don't trust the chart, another person says the chart is awful.... jeez—I'm going to be doing more research for sure before I purchase anything but want your thoughts on this matter since I asked.
    – Hard Core Hard Wear
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 4:14
  • Further evidence CDove might be right: I checked each and every processor's official spec sheet on the "bad documentation" and they all support up to 32 GB. As far as more research you could consider contacting HP themselves and see if they can't clear up the confusion.
    – Bennett Yeo
    Commented Mar 30, 2018 at 5:13

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