Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

[sorry, I've by mistake posted it to comp.os.linux.hardware first]

Hello,

I've always wished to have a dual-CPU PC (to install OpenBSD on it)
and finally my employer gives me 3 HP Kayak XA-s 7/500 minitowers,
each carrying a single Intel Pentium III CPU (500/512/100/2.0V s1)
and having an "AMP"-thingie inserted into the 2nd CPU slot on the
motherboard.

As a quick test (I intend to buy 3 more CPUs on Ebay later) I have
inserted a Pentium from one minitower inplace of the AMP-thingie on
another minitower and the latter still boots fine, but doesn't
recognize the 2nd CPU. The PhoenixBIOS 4.0 6.0.J white screen prints

Processor 1: Pentium III
Processor 2: Not Present

1) Do I have to switch some jumper on the mainboard?

2) Where could I find the mainboard layout (is it Intel 440 BX)? At
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppo [...] esId=32579
I've only found the layout for a single-CPU mainboard sofar...

3) Will every Pentium III 500/512/100/2.0V s1 I see on Ebay work
there as the 2nd CPU?

4) What's the highest speed of P3 I could insert there, 600 MHz?
(I think I'll stick with 500 MHz anyway, but just of curiosity)

Thank you
Alex

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

I guess I'm missing a "VRM". I wonder, what type of VRM should I look
for?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

I'm looking for the VRM type which would fit into an HP
Kayak XA-s 7/500 MT (D7984N, Intel P3 500/512/2.0V s1)

Do I have to buy it from HP (I live in Germany) or are there
maybe any universal VRM's (and what should I watch for please)?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

The CPU's need to ahve matching Step (Look for the SLxxx designation at
the end of the CPU info). If I remember right, your BX Chipset Mobo will
take upto the 650MHz Slot one CPU's.

Dewaine

Alexander Farber wrote:

> I'm looking for the VRM type which would fit into an HP
> Kayak XA-s 7/500 MT (D7984N, Intel P3 500/512/2.0V s1)
>
> Do I have to buy it from HP (I live in Germany) or are there
> maybe any universal VRM's (and what should I watch for please)?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Not sure about max CPU speed. IIRC, the 600MHz 100MHz FSB Slot 1 Pentium III
has an operating voltage of 2.0v. Above 600MHz, the voltage drops off to
1.6-something or 1.7-something, which the motherboard will not likely support.

Intel always recommends that multi-processor systems use CPUs of the same
stepping, to guarantee the same timing of microcode inside the processors.
Rather than running a software utility to see the stepping, it is 1000% easier
to match up the S-code inscribed on the processor cartridge along with the speed
and cache information.

As for VRMs, they are somewhat generic, provided they support the voltage of the
processor. Unfortunately, VRMs for Pentium Pro, Pentium II, and Pentium III all
have the same pinout. IIRC, a VRM for a 2.0v processor is known as VRM 8.3.

.... Ben Myers

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 11:40:21 GMT, Dewaine Chan <"dchanNOSPAM"@NOSPAM
PLZZZnc.rr.com> wrote:

>The CPU's need to ahve matching Step (Look for the SLxxx designation at
>the end of the CPU info). If I remember right, your BX Chipset Mobo will
>take upto the 650MHz Slot one CPU's.
>
>Dewaine
>
>Alexander Farber wrote:
>
>> I'm looking for the VRM type which would fit into an HP
>> Kayak XA-s 7/500 MT (D7984N, Intel P3 500/512/2.0V s1)
>>
>> Do I have to buy it from HP (I live in Germany) or are there
>> maybe any universal VRM's (and what should I watch for please)?
>

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

Dewaine Chan schrieb:

> The CPU's need to ahve matching Step (Look for the SLxxx designation at
> the end of the CPU info).

No, it doesn't. Having the same stepping is _recommended_ by intel but
definitely not required...

> If I remember right, your BX Chipset Mobo will
> take upto the 650MHz Slot one CPU's.

The chipset doesn't limit the CPU, the i440BX can handle 1GHz and more
easily. Which CPUs work and which don't depends on the voltage
regulators (especially the ones that are soldered to the board) and the
BIOS...

IIRC the Kayak XA supports up to 2x 550MHz maximum...

Benjamin

Archived from groups: comp.sys.hp.hardware (More info?)

To be even more precise, the Intel 440BX chipset is designed to support up to
1GB of memory, and no more. See the following URL:

http://www.intel.com/design/chipse [...] 50_440.htm

Motherboard or BIOS design limitations may reduce the maximum amount of memory
supported by a system... Ben Myers

On Thu, 29 Sep 2005 16:20:51 +0200, Benjamin Gawert <bgawert@gmx.de> wrote:

>Dewaine Chan schrieb:
>
>> The CPU's need to ahve matching Step (Look for the SLxxx designation at
>> the end of the CPU info).
>
>No, it doesn't. Having the same stepping is _recommended_ by intel but
>definitely not required...
>
>> If I remember right, your BX Chipset Mobo will
>> take upto the 650MHz Slot one CPU's.
>
>The chipset doesn't limit the CPU, the i440BX can handle 1GHz and more
>easily. Which CPUs work and which don't depends on the voltage
>regulators (especially the ones that are soldered to the board) and the
>BIOS...
>
>IIRC the Kayak XA supports up to 2x 550MHz maximum...
>
>Benjamin