View Full Version : Question about Xeons
I'd search, but it seems I'm unable to . . . (am I being punished, or is this a forum-wide disabling?).
What exactly is wrong with the Prestonia Xeons (or is it a different one I'm thinking about?). I know that a specific Xeon is highly NOT recomended, and I'd like to know why. They sell very cheaply on eBay, and if I want a Xeon system, that seems a much cheaper option than NewEgg . . . What's up?
Z
dustybyrd
08-27-03, 01:09 AM
i believe there were some early xeons that did not have 512kb cache and might have been based on the .18 micron process...will check on that though
yeah...it looks like they had some 256kb cache versions in addition to the 512k and 1mb cache versions...
So is the trick to look out for the ones with 256k cache, or avoid the code-name alltogether? I saw a bunch of 512k cache Xeons on eBay.
Also, how safe would it be to buy these on eBay?
Second-to-lastly, are all of the Xeons available at Newegg good Xeons to buy? The 3.06s don't seem to have 1MB cache, even though I thought I remembered reading that they did . . . Will any of the 400MHz Xeons be good candidates for the 400->533 FSB upage?
Lastly, does the Vantec 520W Stealth do Xeons? I asked about wattage for MP use, but I don't know about Xeons. I assume wattage is okay, but . . .?
Z
EDIT** Looks like the SL5Z8 and up on this (http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/list.asp?ProcFam=528) chart are 512k cache .13 micron Xeons. I guess anything above that stepping is considered NOT bad? PLEASE VERIFY THIS.
Audioaficionado
08-27-03, 01:46 AM
I wouldn't get anything under 2.4/400 Xeons and the Dual Xeon speced Fortron 500+ PS at Newegg are good.
Check out 2CPU.com for duallie info on the best mobos and Xeons.
Is there any reason why you wouldn't go below 2.4? Not that I really intend to, but just curious.
Will a good 2.4 go straight to 533? That's a he** of an overclock if it can, so I'm thinking no. Does that mean I need a happy mobo with multi adjustments?
Also, are you saying my Vantec won't work, or just saying the Fortron is a good one?
Thanks
Z
the search is down for everyone. not just you ;)
there is a thread about it from skip in forum suggestions i think.
Now I feel better. . .
Thought that I was having my blue-ship restricted already!
Z
EDIT** I was doing a bit of early morning reading (4:16 AM), and I discovered a very unhappy thing. HT v1 really su**ed if used with non-HT enabled apps. It was turned off in the original P4 Xeon, enabled in the Foster core (which was the bad one, it turns out, unless I read it wrong) with v1. Then, updated it to v2, which doesn't suffer these problems. Now the question is, how do I know what HT version I have? I assume C1 steppings all have HT v2? What about the B0s? this (http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/list.asp?ProcFam=528&CorSpd=5371&ordType=ALL&SysBusSpd=5095&PkgType=ALL&btnFOS=Filter+on+selections) link states that all 400MHz 2.4 Xeons are B0s or C1s. The first two are C1s, the last two are B0s.
What's the DEALIO?
Something MORE:
Are the new 3.06s with the 1MB L3 cache significantly faster than those without it? Not that I can afford said processors, but I'm wondering if this is an Apple trick or not (try disabling the cache on a G4).
Z
Audioaficionado
08-27-03, 04:24 PM
Originally posted by zachj
Is there any reason why you wouldn't go below 2.4? Not that I really intend to, but just curious.
Will a good 2.4 go straight to 533? That's a he** of an overclock if it can, so I'm thinking no. Does that mean I need a happy mobo with multi adjustments?
Also, are you saying my Vantec won't work, or just saying the Fortron is a good one?
Thanks
Z
Yes the 2.4/400 can be OCed by changing the fsb jumper from 100 to 133 for an effective quad pump of 533. The 533 Xeons are being OCed on the Iwill DPI533 to 680. Over clocking Xeons isn't as easy as it could be. It's more a problem with mother board BIOS limitations right now. When Asus and Iwill get better OC BIOS out things should improve.
C1 stepping google results (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=mozclient&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=+BX80532KC2400D)
I don't know if the B0 steppings are the funky v1. C1 is good. C1 is easier to volt mod with the socket wire trick.
Newegg 2.4 Xeon (http://www.newegg.com/app/Viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=manufactory&catalog=343&manufactory=1157&description=&srchFor=2.4%20xeon) B0 stepping
Intel specs on newegg 2.4 Xeon (http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/details.asp?sSpec=SL65T&ProcFam=528&PkgType=ALL&SysBusSpd=5095&CorSpd=5371)
Dual Xeon Processor Overview (http://developer.intel.com/design/Xeon/prodbref/)
Fortron 550w dual Xeon PS (http://www.newegg.com/app/Viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&submit=manufactory&catalog=58&manufactory=1919&description=&srchFor=550)
Xeons suck up more power than XP/MPs do so your Vantec may or may not have the power or the power connectors required for a dual Xeon platform. Fortron is by far the best bang-for-the-buck PS brand out there.
OC-NightHawk
08-27-03, 04:41 PM
There are c1 stepping 2.4Ghz 400Mhz FSB 512L2 Cach xeons. Thats what I'm running at 2.93GHz 533MHz FSB on a DP533.
About the 256L2 cache, consider them the plague. Stay far away.
About the 3.06Ghz Xeon. There are two versions of the 3.06GHz 533MHz Xeon. One with 512L2 cache that is a bit cheaper (relative) and the new one with a 1mb of cache that is just insanely expensive.
Questions, questions, questions . . .
The box codes for the 2.4GHz Xeons only change depending on the FSB, not the stepping. If you check Intel's SSpec document linked above, you'll see that all 2.4GHz Xeons with 400MHz bus have the same box codes, regardless of whether they're C1 or B0 steppings, so there's no way to tell what I'd get at Newegg.
Vantec doesn't state anywhere on the website that it supports the Xeon, and neither does Newegg. I'll dig through my pile of boxxes and see if I can find my Vantec box and see whether or not the book says it supports Xeons . . .
If I set the jumper to 133, will I then be able to overclock higher than 133, as I would with a standard 533 Xeon (assuming extra voltage and such)? How easy is the volt-mod, and how dangerous is it?
What's the word on the Asus board? Looks like they're not overclocking champs (compared to the IWill, anyway). Is this fixable with a new BIOS, or will it come in a new revision? If I get caught in a crap revision again (!), I'm quitting computers, I swear.
If you were going to get 2.4 Xeons right now, where would you look for them? There weren't any on 2CPU.
Thanks
Z
Audioaficionado
08-27-03, 07:18 PM
Check my C1 google link.
You could overclock those 400s past 533 but you most likly will have to reduce the multiplier. That's good as a higher fsb will gain you higher memory bandwidth too. Xeons have downward multipliers unlocked but you can't raise it past stock.
If you're going to spend the bux for a dual Xeon platform, an $80 Fortron 550w Dual Xeon PS is just a drop in the bucket extra expense. You can contact Vantec and ask them if your PS will work on a dual Xeon server/workstation board. If it's less than 500w and doesn't have the correct power connectors for a dual Xeon board, you might have problems getting it to work.
OC-Nighthawk, what do you think?
I'm not trying to show you up or anything, but the code in that Google link is not C1-specific.
The code you typed was:
BX80532KC2400D
According to Intel's SSpec sheet online (available here (http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/details.asp?sSpec=SL65T&ProcFam=528&PkgType=ALL&SysBusSpd=5095&CorSpd=5371) ), the box code for any one of the four 2400MHz Xeons is ALSO BX80532KC2400D, regardless of stepping.
Am I missing something here?
Also, I'm not worried about spending more money on a PSU. I plan on keeping my existing system anyway, just because it can be used for something else (folding, render farm, file server . . .). I keep hearing good things about the Fortron, and I usually hear bad things about the Vantec. Maybe if I get one, I'll be able to tell the difference . . . Also, how close am I going to come to 500W, here? I mean, is that assuming RAID arrays, high-end video card(s), lots of fans, etc.?
How loud are the stock Xeon fans? I read on Newegg that they were really loud. If that's the case, what are my cooling options? I guess ANYTHING is an "option", but what's really a logical sollution?
Why don't Xeons overclock so well? Is it only to do with the BIOS/chipset? I can't imagine that Xeons and P4s are really that dissimilar . . . I'd think the Canterwood would be better at this. Is that the case, and the current BIOS in the Asus is just not a good one?
Z
Audioaficionado
08-27-03, 08:08 PM
NP, when I'm wrong, I like it to be pointed out so I can correct it.
I gabbed that code off the C1 stepping data sheet BX80532KC2400D. I guess we'll have to refine that seach to include C1 too. The C1 is 1.5v vs the others at 1.475v or 1.480v.
I tried to find C1 but nada except info. When I tried Xeon+1.5v I found some resellers. Make sure they have a good reseller rating before you deal with them.
I guess you don't know what my chances are going to be of getting a C1 from Newegg . . .?
Right now, I'm looking at the following:
(2) 2.4GHz 400MHz FSB 512k cache C1 Xeons
Asus PC-DL Deluxe (YIKES! :D)
Fortron 550 PSU
Not sure on RAM, as I don't know if I need ECC or Registered or neither.
Considering JBs or Raptors for RAID 0, since I want to do video encoding (Raptors are fast, but small . . . and twice as expensive)
Blue Chieftec case (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?description=11-125-210)
Looks like I'll blow my entire budget, but it'll be a viable system for many years . . . Though I'm still contemplating Opterons, since I ought to be able to slap in new ones down the road that compete well with the Xeons. If there's not a scheduled socket change for 90nm, that might be what I do . . .
We'll see . . .
Any thoughts? Recomendations? Improvements?
Should I just buy MPs?
Z
Audioaficionado
08-28-03, 01:29 AM
Here's my Asus PC-DL Delux dual Xeon wish list
AMS gTOWER Model#CF-1006SW (SILVER) MID-TOWER CASE W/ ACRYLIC SIDE PANEL WINDOW N82E16811180014
$120.00
Asus Xeon Intel 82875P Motherboard Model PC-DL Deluxe N82E16813131055
$279.99
MSI Ti4200-VTD8X (MS-8894-060) GeForce 4 Titanium 4200 DDR/SDRAM 128MB 8X AGP Video-in TV-out Dual VGA CARD N82E16814127070
$122.00
Fortron FSP550-60PLN 550W EPS12V PSU, Supports Dual Xeon CPU N82E16817104973
$86.00
Intel Xeon 2.4GHz 400MHz BUS, 512KB L2 Cache Part#: BX80532KC2400D N82E16819117009
$452.00
KINGSTON HyperX Series 184-pin 1GB Kit (2x 512MB) DDR400 (PC3200) DDR RAM modules, Model# KHX3200K2/1G
N82E16820144126
$271.00
SAMSUNG 1.44MB FLOPPY DRIVE Model# SFD321B/LEB N82E16821103202
$7.00
Western Digital Raptor 36GB SATA WD360GD 10,000 RPM 8MB Hard Drive N82E16822144200
$133.00
Samsung Internal Beige DVD-ROM/CDROM Model SD-816BEP N82E16827151026
$37.99
Total less shipping even after the Xeon update :eek:
$1,508.98
Plenty of room for upgrades like a second SATA Raptor, (2) 250Gb IDE drives, more RAM, DVD burner and a pro graphics card.
Is that only one Xeon, then? And why the Ti4200? Wouldn't a 9600 be a more future-proof card for similar pennies?
And why was that RAM so expensive???
My wishlist would be a whole lot of crap if I had no budget, but at ~1k, I can only afford the 2.4s, the PC-DL, case, PSU, RAM, and some HDs (the 80GB SEs from Western Digital). I'll have more than that, but I don't want to spend it all in one pop.
Looks like I'm waiting at least until Asus rights what never should have been wrong in the first place, though.
By Christmas, I ought to have a LOT more (assuming I get hired for the semester, as I'm hoping . . . Who's been a tech?)
Z
Audioaficionado
08-28-03, 01:50 AM
I'm not getting a gaming card but eventually a pro graphics card.
If Asus supports the upcoming 800fsb Xeons, I might need the PC3200.
My Iwill DPI533-SATA wish list is almost the same.
If I pare it down to the mobo, processors, RAM, case & PS plus some spare parts I'll strip out of my PPro200, I can get it close to a grand.
I was looking at Crucial PC3200, and it wasn't nearly that much, though it WAS only half the ammount, so I guess it makes sense afterall.
Didn't I read somewhere about moving a resistor on the Radeon9700 to turn it into a Fire series card?
I'll check around tomorrow, but I have to go read MaximumPC before it gets light outside :D :eek: hehehehe
Z
Audioaficionado
08-29-03, 04:46 PM
Originally posted by zachj
...I have to go read MaximumPC before it gets light outside :D :eek: hehehehe
Z
[off topic] Have you read CPU (Computer Power User) magazine?
It's one of the few news stand mags that doesn't bore me. W I R E D is another good one. [/off topic]
[on topic] Anyone hear if/when Intel is going to put out some 800fsb Xeon?[/on topic]
I've read a few issues of CPU magazine. Generally more interesting articles, as MaximumPC is usually just a review magazine with a few editorials and some interesting "Rigs of the Month". I usually don't make a habit of reading it, though, as if I read more than one magazine a month, I'd not have that much time on my hands . . . I read them slowly, since they only come out once a month.
On topic, I've not heard about any higher FSB Xeons yet. I assume that they'll be on the roadmap if they're coming, though I don't know where to find it, so I can't check. But the rumor mill is pretty stagnant at this point (from my end, at least). Looks like the PC-DL Deluxe's getting a new BIOS very soon, so look for better reviews from owners (not reviewers, who seem to actually HAVE said "overclocking" and "AI" functions).
Asus's site currently has no drivers or BIOS updates listed for the PC-DL, whereas they had them a few days ago, so hopefully that means something. . .
I know I'm just reporting a lot of info found at 2CPU, but for those that didn't read it . . .
Z
Ok, lets see if I can help out here, lemme know what I skipped.
2.4 C1s, with good cooling (Swiftech waterblocks or custom stuff), can hit 3.2 without super difficulty @ say 1.65v. HFU over at 2CPU has a rig like that, I think. Just buy new 2.4's and you should get C1s, since I would think Intel would only produce new steppings for new stuff.
The highest 400 chip Id go with short of phase change would be a 2.6; 3.5 isn't all that out of the ballpark.
800 Xeons will be Q2 04 Nocona (90nm), and supposedly mobos will come with all the new goodies, DDR2, PCI Express, etc.
The FireGL mod is on Xbit somewhere, you have to search their news section. Im aiming to give a Tyan that treatment a few months from now :)
GamePC has benches of Xeons vs Xeon 1MB vs Opterons vs AMPs, but there were some particulars with the systems tested, not really sure on that.
Id give links and find more detail, but I gotta run.
Audioaficionado
08-29-03, 10:15 PM
On the 400 Xeons, the C1 stepping or higher (only ones with 1.5vcore) are critical if you want to wire trick volt mod to OC 'em at 800fsb. The other steppings that have 1.475 & 1.480v won't work.
Or so I've been told by others at 2CPU.com forum.
They'll work if you do low level stuff, like when I did my 1.8 Xeon to 2.4 that was a B0 (that was mostly to test my pin mod anyway- went for the safe OC).
And you mean 533, not 800, right? ;)
Audioaficionado
08-30-03, 12:13 PM
No I meant 800. One of these days when Asus decides to open up that Canterwood i875 overclocking BIOS goodness on the PC-DL, we might be able to push 'em up that high.
Welp . . . A few things:
1. I found the link on XBitLabs' website, since I bookmarked it a long time ago (written in January)here (http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/display/news6109.html) .
2. If I get checkerboards on my 9500np, is there any way to turn this into a FireFL card that won't? I know there are different versions of the fire series, and I'm pretty sure there's a lesser one than the 9700-based one.
3. Volt-mods of the Xeon are just a wire trick, right?
4. Do we know anything about a socket change? I'd be FURIOUS if I purchase a Xeon system now, only to have it replaced by a new (incompatible) socket design for new chips. If the socket remains, I can (more :D) cheaply replace either the mobo or CPUs, instead of both simultaneously.
5. Are Nacona's going to have similar thermal properties to the Prescot? If so, I don't want one!
Z
Audioaficionado
08-30-03, 12:37 PM
We won't know until Intel makes their announcement on the 800 Xeons.
The more AMD succeeds with the Opteron rollouts, the faster Intel will move.
But AMD doesn't affect a socket change, so the only thing that will happen is that Intel speeds the 667 or 800FSB Xeons to market faster . . . I guess I'm probably waiting to build one anyway, since I won't be able to do it very easily at college . . . I was looking at Opterons, but a 1.4 is as much as a VERY expensive Xeon system. I could get a complete Xeon system for the price of just two 246 chips! That's a lot!
Z
Well, the 800s were based on Inq reports and roadmaps, so things could change. I just don't see how they'll put 103W in a rackmount, and the usually test the waters in the desktop market because most server admins seem anal-retentive about new hardware IMHO.
So when you say that you don't understand how they're going to put 103W in a rackmount (is that only for one, or is it two? I seem to remember Prescot was indicated to output 103W on its own . . .?), is that in relation to WHEN we'll see them, or at what SPEED we'll see them when we see them?
Also, I have a question about cooling:
How loud are the stock fans? I've decided I'm very unhappy with my current system's noise (and sitting here next to it, I can hear VERY well, so it's not that loud). I like to sleep in quiet, so this bothers me no matter what (I can't take it out of the room and I'd like to fold if I can . . .). A reviewer on Newegg said the stock fans were very loud. I assume that's, if not accurate, at least in the general realm of truth. I was thinking water cooling, but that's an expensive hobby (in ADDITION to dual Xeons, a much MORE expensive hobby). I know P4s run a lot cooler than similarly-rated XPs, so I doubt as much cooling will be required than on an MP rig, but how much is enough? Since we don't have a lot of dual Xeon users here, I don't know what kind of temps to expect.
And having never worked on a P4 or Xeon rig in my LIFE, HOW IN HE** DOES ONE MOUNT ANY COOLING TO IT? I JUST DON'T GET IT. I mean, I can guess, and I'm sure it's easy to figure out when it's sitting in front of you (with instructions to go with it), but I'm thoroughly(sp) confused at this point . . .
Guess that was off topic, but it's STILL about Xeons. :D ;)
Z
Audioaficionado
08-30-03, 07:56 PM
The stock Windtunnel fans that come with the Xeons can be replaced with third party fans and/or heatsinks. I'll probably just replace the fans at first, then maybe the HS later as I run into temp issues.
Sorry zachj, missed a post of yours up there. I have two stock windtunnels now (school and band make it a long time until I can replace it with phase change), and they are wicked loud. But they have temperature control, so if you have good case ventilation or good ambients its in the mid-range.
The Xeon mounts like S423 (the mounting system was the only good thing of that socket). There are 4 holes that make a rectangle roughly twice as long as its width, not like the spaced out holes of S478. Two frame things screw into these that just receive the bottom edge of the HS, its not like the full extending thing of S478. Two clips clip down the HS to these small frames, one on each end, and they give a wicked amount of force.
Volt-mods on Xeons are just a wire trick, but since they have VRMs (integrated, but still there), you can solder a dipswitch to them to adjust voltage. Rileydog posted it at 2CPU
The 9500 FireGL is the Z1, but I don't know if it won't checkerboard or otherwise F up if it does that already.
Nocona will have similar thermal properties to Prescott, as it is an SMP Prescott. However, it remains to be seen whether thats early Prescotts with a thermal issue or later Prescotts with it fixed, or both, or if Intel happens to fix the issues before Prescott's release. I believe that it is still S604, but that can always change and Im not too sure of that now anyway.
Oh, BTW, Swiftech makes an MCX603.
Will any P4 water block work on a Xeon board as well?
I imagine that if the Xeons are supposed to work in mission-critical environments and 1U racks, they're going to have to rectify the thermal issues before they release Nacona. If that's the case, I imagine we'll have the 800FSB Xeons for a while. And I imagine that the 800FSB (perhaps only 667) will be the same socket, since they don't have to do much to make a 667 or 800 Xeon.
I know the wind tunnel is different, but would replacing it with, say, a TT Smart FanII do anything? I'm not looking to improve cooling at this point, just to make it reasonably quiet. What about the noise of that Fortron PSU (I'm NOT going to open a PSU, so I'd like a quiet one if at all possible)?
And lastly, let me just ask so I can try and justify this expense (if I ever make the decision, that is. I'd like to sell the rest of my computers if I do this, because I certainly can't justify 4):
Would I be better off with MPs for CAD and encoding movies? I gather that CAD isn't too hefty an application, as my cousin (an architect) runs it on a Pentium (the original one!), which means PC66, PCI graphics at best, and the original IDE spec (I believe). But, my anticipated major is architecture at this point, so I figure I might as well make a good computer for it! The encoding I do is just Simpsons episodes (maybe more if I ever get a big enough hard drive and a DVD burner) that I record off of TV. I was recording them in MPEG, since my computer begged for mercy when I was try to encode on the fly to AVI. I think that's stopped (overclocking, more RAM at 166MHz, and NForce2), but encoding the MPEGs I have was going at like 15-16 frames per second, and I don't like that. I know MPs are good enough at it, but I just don't want to buy myself into a platform that's going nowhere. I wish they'd do an NForce2 MP platform, but that ain't happening. Opterons are too expensive, so Xeons are my only real choice, but if MPs can do it just as well (or better, which I doubt), I'd do that over Xeons.
Z
Audioaficionado
08-30-03, 10:06 PM
I've been pricing a base dual Xeon ~$1k (Iwill DPI533 or Asus PC-DL) vs the base MSI K7D Master L XP->MP dual platform ~$600.
I come up with a $400 difference. Base = bang for the buck CPUs, mobo and 2x512 PC2700 to PC3200 RAM. Depending on your base CPUs and RAM plus the rest of the hardware, the price percentage difference will get less as the total system price rises.
$400 will buy you some very nice extra goodies like a U320 15k SCSI drive or 10k SATA RAID 0. So is the dual Xeon platform worth the extra bux?
I think so but alot of others wouldn't.
I agree you get a lot more components for the same price with an MP rig, but I personally think you get a lot more performance from the Xeons, and will continue to do so. MPs are great because they're cheap, and because a lot of people only need to buy a new motherboard to make one. But it's going nowhere. Whether its getting there fast or not, that's up for debate, but nobody can argue that it's going anywhere but down.
On the other hand, I'm cheap. If an MP rig can do it, I might get one of those instead. I can't justify the price of an Opteron system, and Xeons are nearly twice as expensive as an MP system, but I also can't justify buying myself into a hole that I'll have to pay big bucks to get out of later. So I'm perfectly stuck.
But I'd still like to know some real-life performance numbers for a Xeon system to compare them with an MP system. Seems like Loner has a Xeon system. If that's the case, do you encode video on it or anything (and if so, what kind of FPS do you get out of it?). What other things do you do with it?
I think if I could get my sister to buy my current rig, I'd be a lot happier to justify the expense, as I'd have money left over and then some, and I wouldn't have so many computers! Too bad she probably won't, and certainly not for the price I'd ask! (rig in sig, maybe 3 or 4 hundred . . . that's how much I paid, and it's a very decent machine)
Z
UPDATE**
I found this (http://news.com.com/2100-1006_3-5067917.html?tag=fd_lede1_hed) linked on the front page (which has finally updated!). If that's correct, it looks like the XP (MP) has a little life left in it afterall.
My question, though (even though I doubt anyone will have an "answer" . . .) is whether or not this means we can expect any update to the MP platform (WHATSOEVER). I know AMD already has Opteron out there, but as a low-end server, it su**s a LOT. It's too expensive for Joe Server to go out and buy one. Is it even remotely possible that we'll get a new core-logic for them now?
Z
Audioaficionado
08-31-03, 05:08 AM
The XP/MP CPUs might get better but I don't know if the MP chipset will improve much past some BIOS updates. But with AMD you never know...
It looks like the Xeons will have a much better upgrade path to travel.
If money gets real tight for me, I might have to accept the AMD MP platform. One way or the other, I'll build a fast duallie this year.
You'd have to make some sort of adaptor for your P4 waterblocks.
We'll have 533 Noconas a while before 800s come out, I guess as a drop-in upgrade to current stuff before the next-gen motherboard stuff comes out.
The windtunnel fans are 60mm, so you'd have to do some minor modding to get 80's in there, like maybe duct-taping them in place :p. You could do it, but I haven't given it a try. Also, my Fortron 550 is really quiet :)
Modern ;) CAD is more resource intensive than I expected, Im teaching myself Solidworks right now, and it takes up a bit of RAM and HDD space. Don't know about CPU stuff, but Id guess that it depends more on your graphics than CPU, so MPs would be better. Encoding video is owned by Xeons, though, but I haven't done it yet. I plan on doing DCC on this rig under Linux (will have to build a cheap MP CAD rig cuz its Windows and Im not sacrificing folding for a dual boot :D), and also mostly music encoding. 2CPU has many Xeon vs MP benchmarks.
There were rumors of MP upgrades for a while, and a fabled NF2 chipset for it, but that's all air. With A64 coming out very soon, I don't see anything happening.
I do plan on a few MP systems myself, the CAD one I mentioned above, and a system at my mom's to replace the cheap Gateway crap there. That latter one is going to have some tricks up its sleeves :), but it'll probably be a while because Im swamped in real life (huh, what's that? ;) )
I'm glad to hear the Asus PC-DL won't be dead immediately upon arival of Nacona. MPs seem like a better option price-wise, but all other indicators say "go elsewhere".
I wish we'd get an NF2 chipset for MPs, but that's not happening, unless AMD realizes that the MP platform is the low-end, and Opteron can never fill it.
Z
Audioaficionado
08-31-03, 04:57 PM
I dunno... I see a few unhappy campers over at 2CPU.com forums that have been struggling with the Asus PC-DL trying to OC it.
If I don't see much progress in the next month and a half, I'll have to cross it off my short list.
I'd update my above post, since it's not very much of a post, but the thread wouldn't show that it was modified, so I'd have to bump it, so this will work similarly . ..
ANYWAY
It appears that the new 1002 BIOS is out, yet nobody can get to it. Somebody linked to it at the bottom of this (http://forums.2cpu.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=318889#post318889) page of the thread, and the link was to here (ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/Socket604/PC-DL/BIOS/PCDL002.zip) .
I tried going there, but the page doesn't seem to be working, though somebody claims to have gotten it and said the directory doesn't exist, though it could be a botched download or something else.
But this MAY or MAY NOT be good news . . .
*crosses fingers*
Z
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