This section defines minimum memory requirements for server systems.
Note: It is recognized that OEMs supply systems with specific feature requirements to corporations, which can include providing servers that do not include any memory pre-installed before shipping. However, for testing purposes, the system must include the minimum required components.
| Windows NT Server | Enterprise Edition | Small Business Server | |
| Basic Server: | 128 MB required | 256 MB required | 128 MB required |
| Enterprise: | 128 MB required | 256 MB required | 128 MB required |
| SOHO: | 128 MB required | 256 MB required | 128 MB required |
For multiprocessor systems, 256 MB is required for each processor.
All memory visible to the operating system as system memory must be cacheable. All system memory except for 4 MB must be completely available for the system to use at boot time and cannot be locked from use by the operating system.
This minimum requirement for memory available to the operating system does not preclude applications that use dynamically allocated memory for temporary uses.
Recommended: Larger installed memory configurations, which will increase performance.
| Windows NT Server | Enterprise Edition | Small Business Server | |
| Basic Server: | 512 MB required | 2 GB required | 512 MB required |
| Enterprise: | 512 MB required | 4 GB required | 512 MB required |
| SOHO: | 512 MB required | 2 GB required | 512 MB required |
Recommended: 8 GB for Windows NT Server/Enterprise Edition.
This requirement defines minimum RAM expansion capabilities. 256 MB is required for each processor in a multiprocessor platform. All memory visible to the operating system as system memory must be cacheable.
Basic server and SOHO systems being submitted for testing with Windows NT Server/Enterprise Edition must be supplied for testing with a minimum of 2 GB of installed memory; Enterprise class systems being so tested must be submitted with a minimum of 4 GB of installed memory.
Required
The system memory and cache must be protected with Error Correction Code (ECC) memory protection. All ECC RAM visible to the operating system must be cacheable. The ECC hardware must have the ability to detect at least a double-bit error in one word and to correct a single-bit error in one word, where “word” means the width in bits of the memory subsystem. A detected error that cannot be corrected must result in a system fault.
In platforms using 64-bit technology, the memory subsystem must be capable of at least 2-bit detection and a single-bit correction per word, where “word” is again defined as the width in bits of the memory subsystem.