Method of detecting error correction devices on plug-compatible memory modules

According to the preferred embodiment, a method is provided to electronically detect the presence of error correcting memory modules in a computer system in an easy and efficient manner. The method forces an error in the memory system and detects whether there is an error reporting output on the error active line. In the preferred method, the memory refresh for the memory system is turned off for a period of time sufficient to introduce errors in the memory. Then, a read is done while monitoring the error active line. If any bank of memory has an error line active go active during a read, than an error correcting memory module is installed. If not, than a standard memory module is installed.