• Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!

Reinstall Windows when changing cpu

Overclockers is supported by our readers. When you click a link to make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn More.

Henry Rollins II

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2001
Location
The North Pole
I have two XP1700´s/MSI K7D. One of them is going out tomorrow. I will be using a single cpu for a while and then replace it with two new cpu´s. Would I need to reinstall W2000 in order for it to once again recognize both cpu´s?
 
No need to reinstall. (search on the process at microsoft.com - I remember it like this..) BEFORE you take out the 2nd processor go in device mangler, expand "computer" at the top and do a properties on "ACPI Multiprocessor PC" and go to the driver tab and click "Update driver" | Next | Display a list so I can choose... and pick "ACPI Uniprocessor PC" | Next | Next | Finish. Then shut off the PC and take out the processor. Go through the same process BEFORE you put it back (picking the ACPI Multiprocesor driver of course) and it "should" be fine. Do a backup first and as always I am not responsible for and data loss yaddy yaddy ya...
 
I've been though this process with Win2K several times. Every time I have done it, I have simply removed the chip and started the computer. Windows 2000 automatically recognizes that it only has a single CPU and works accordingly. I've never actually gone through and changed hardware settings or anything. When I got another CPU, I pu it in, started the computer, and everything worked fine. Win2K is pretty nice about the process, it doesn't b%#@h and moan every time you change hardware, like Windows XP Pro does. Going from MP's to Durons, on the other hand, is a different story. You have to totally reinstall Windows if you do that.
 
cmcquistion said:
I've been though this process with Win2K several times. Every time I have done it, I have simply removed the chip and started the computer. Windows 2000 automatically recognizes that it only has a single CPU and works accordingly. I've never actually gone through and changed hardware settings or anything. When I got another CPU, I pu it in, started the computer, and everything worked fine. Win2K is pretty nice about the process, it doesn't b%#@h and moan every time you change hardware, like Windows XP Pro does. Going from MP's to Durons, on the other hand, is a different story. You have to totally reinstall Windows if you do that.

I agree with this for removing and replacing a CPU, I've done it several times. No need to make any changes just shutdown and remove the CPU...it'll be picked up by the OS when you add it again later.

I've never switched from XP's to durons so I can't confirm that part.
 
I'd be interested to know if the driver changed by itself or if it just works with the MP driver when there is 1 CPU in the system. After you take out the 2nd CPU could you look in device mangler and see if it is using the MP or uniprocessor driver? I switched to WXP on the dual system (better MP performance) and forgot how nice W2K can be to work with....
 
BillHenshaw said:
I'd be interested to know if the driver changed by itself or if it just works with the MP driver when there is 1 CPU in the system. After you take out the 2nd CPU could you look in device mangler and see if it is using the MP or uniprocessor driver? I switched to WXP on the dual system (better MP performance) and forgot how nice W2K can be to work with....

Good Point Bill, I never checked. It could just be using the MP driver with one CPU.
 
I have several times ran on 1 processor and reinstalled a second one later on never a problem with XP so long as XP was installed with 2 processors from the start......
 
Seems like I could just jack it out and go? I´m getting at least dual XP2400´s later on. Maybe XP2600 if it will drop some.

BTW: GF4 MX420 PCI graphics rock. 3Dmark2001 score: 2614 :D
 
When I was awaiting delivery on my 1.3 Durons I had a 1.2 TBird in my Tyan 2466 running XP. When the new cpus got here I pulled the 1.2 and added the 1.3's. XP noticed and changed the config on its own. Rebooted, and away I went!
No probs with it at all.
 
As I had to wait an extra week for my 2nd CPu to arrive, I decided to set up and run my PC with only on Xp1600+, till the 2nd arrived. So I did so. Then when I got the second one, I shut down and powered off, installed CPU #2 and rebooted. XP installed a load of stuff then said to restart. Restarted and it found both CPUs.

However, remember the K7D Master-L should be updated to 1.3 or 1.5 BIOS, as 1.1 has some issues which include XP/2k not seeing a 2nd CPU all of the time. One BIOS update to 1.5 fixed it.

David
 
My problems with Athlon XP's vs Durons has been with Win2K. I'm glad WinXP is a little nicer about it. 2K wouldn't even boot. The only thing I can think of that would cause this problem is the difference in the cache size?
 
Back