Windows not using both CPUs.

[David]

I have Dual XP1600+s in an MSI K7D Master-L Motherboard. They were working great, modded to MPs.

The BIOS sees two CPUs, and two CPUs are listed in XPs device manager, both working properly.

However, the task manager and WCPUID only see one CPU!

What happened a few hours ago was I was attempting to set up Motherboard Monitor 5. All of a sudden, CPU temp shot up to 98C (according to the sensors, I had open on Speedfan), and the PC started beeping loudly and quickly.

So I turned my PC off, then turned it back on. CPU temp was back to normal. But then WCPUID and the task manager only saw one CPU!

I tried a reinstall, and the second CPU came back. But when I installed the latest Nvidia drivers, and rebooted, I lost it again.

What is happening? Will a BIOS update help?

David

 

[David]

Hmm...rebooted and that fixed it.

David

 

[cmcquistion]

Turn on CPU Usage on MBM and see if it shows 2 CPU's in the Dashboard or 1.

 

[Mr B]

How's the battle going David??

Just finished installing W2K Pro on the MSI K7D myself... I'm logged in on that now...

Yippie ki yayyyyyy!!!

A bit of grid paint does wonders, eh my friend??

I've got a pair of "MP 2000+"'s here.... 12.5 x 133. Sweetness.

I'm gonna go install a couple of apps. (Sandra, etc...) So far, so good though. Fired right up, no hassles.

BTW...right now, they're on air. I still cannot find a pair of 1/2" plastic "Y" fittings to convert the H20 over for the dual processors. I've got the 2nd Maze 2 staring me in the face...

Cheers! (congrats on getting yours up and running too... )

B.

 

[cmcquistion]

Hey Mr. B, I've got a tip for your watercooling.

I use some aluminum fittings I got from Home Depot for splitters for my watercooling setup (dual XP's and a Geforce 4 waterblock.) They are for air compressors. These were made by Campbell and Hausfield. Best thing is, they are already threaded for air compressor hose barbs. Buy the hose barbs and thread them right in, no goofing around. They have a big input side and three outputs, all on about a 20-30 degree angle. Really ideal, almost no flow restriction.

I've got three MSI K7D Masters, now, and I am one happy camper. I've built dozens of systems over the last couple years, but these are, hands-down, the best, period. I've spent more on P4 systems that can't touch these duals. My home system is watercooled dual XP 1600's (AROIA) @1800 MHz and default voltage. My wife's system is dual XP1600's (AGOIA) @1533MHz (1.525 Volts) (very quietly air-cooled). My File Server at work is also quietly air cooled, dual XP1800's @ stock and 1.55 Volts.

Both of my air-cooled systems are running on $6 SVC GC68 heatsinks with Panaflo L1A fans on them. Damn near silent heatsinks and they perform pretty well, for the cost and noise.

Got a couple of those new Speeze model heatsinks Joe reviewed a little while back, Speeze 5R265B1H3. At $8/each, they are pretty dang good! A little louder than I prefer, but far quieter than most performing heatsinks, and kept my temperatures really low. (Lower than my SVC GC68/Panaflo combination, but I don't want the noise.)

 

[Audioaficionado]

How's the battle going David??

Just finished installing W2K Pro on the MSI K7D myself... I'm logged in on that now...

Yippie ki yayyyyyy!!!

A bit of grid paint does wonders, eh my friend??

I've got a pair of "MP 2000+"'s here.... 12.5 x 133. Sweetness.

I'm gonna go install a couple of apps. (Sandra, etc...) So far, so good though. Fired right up, no hassles.

BTW...right now, they're on air. I still cannot find a pair of 1/2" plastic "Y" fittings to convert the H20 over for the dual processors. I've got the 2nd Maze 2 staring me in the face...

Cheers! (congrats on getting yours up and running too... )

B.

So you made your own XP/MPs or did you just buy 'em?

What case did you put that mobo in and how does the cpu cooling fit with the HD racks?

Got room for a fully contained internal water cool setup?

How much of a stabile overclock do you think you can get?

When you installed w2k, did you have to do anything special to enable smp?

I'll have to have a nice big window case 'cause that MSI is just too pretty to hide.

 

[cmcquistion]

Hey Audioaficionado!

I've modded 8 XP's to MP's so far, and haven't had a problem with any of them.

I use an Antec 1240 Case @ home for my watercooling rig. I has enough room for 5 hard drives, motherboard with dual CPU's, Geforce 4, CDRW, DVD, and radiator all inside.

The MSI K7D Master seems to fit in any case I put it in. I've got one in a cheapo $22 Evercase, an Antec 1030 clone, and a Enermax case. I would highly suggest any Antec-style case (such as Chieftec) with TWO output fans. You will need the airflow, when you go dual.

As for overclocking, I have got several XP1600's and 1800's. This is what I have experienced.
I have two XP1600's AROIA, these are premium chips. They will do 1800 MHz @ default voltage. I have 6 XP1600's (AGOIA), these all top out around 1733 MHz, not bad, for a $54 CPU. All of these chips were purchased from Newegg. The AROIA chips, I got 4 or 5 months ago. Every chip I have got since has been an AGOIA. I have a pair of XP1800's AGOIA that top out around 1670-1700 MHz, don't waste your money of XP1800's.

If you get a couple XP1600's from Newegg, expect to be able to reach 1667 MHz easy. 1700-1800 is likely with good cooling. I have noticed that most chips have a sweet spot. Somewhere where they operate at good speed, but anything higher than that takes a ridiculous amount of voltage to obtain. My XP1600's @ home are a good example. They will do 1800 MHz at default voltage. To reach 1875, though, they need 1.85 volts, which raises my temperatures a good 7-10 degrees. It's just not worth it, to me. I like to overclock as high as possible at default voltage, or less.

One word of caution about windows. Motherboards and CPU's put out a lot of RF noise. This can screw up stereo equipment, garage doors, do weird stuff. Dual CPU machines put out more of this noise than concentional computers. Metal computer cases absorb most of this noise and keep it from getting out, but plexiglass does NOT! Be warned.

 

[Mr B]

So you made your own XP/MPs or did you just buy 'em?

What case did you put that mobo in and how does the cpu cooling fit with the HD racks?

Got room for a fully contained internal water cool setup?

How much of a stabile overclock do you think you can get?

When you installed w2k, did you have to do anything special to enable smp?

I'll have to have a nice big window case 'cause that MSI is just too pretty to hide.

From the top....

Made. they are actually XP1600+ AGOIA's (Y 0213). Closed the L1's and the L5 bridges with window defogger grid paint.

At the moment, it's in a generic mid-tower. 4x CD bays, with a 4x floppy/HDD cage below that. Very tight fit. But it's temporary....

In this case no....but in this case I will.

I had the two chips running seperate for a while, and one got 1750, the other 1800 (12.5 x 140/144 respectively) Right now, the dual rig is running at 140FSB @ 1.85v. That's 1750 each, 3.5GHz total. I don't think it's gonna make 144...I tried. It booted and started loading W2K, and almost made it but rebooted itself. If I had an option for 142, perhaps. But 140 is what I've got.

No.

Check the link above...I've got the window all ready to show off this gleaming red beauty.

Cheers!

cmcquistion ...I scoured Home Depot, but didn't find those. Perhaps they were out of them that day....I'll try again this weekend. Thanks!

B.

 

[Audioaficionado]

Hey Audioaficionado!

One word of caution about windows. Motherboards and CPU's put out a lot of RF noise. This can screw up stereo equipment, garage doors, do weird stuff. Dual CPU machines put out more of this noise than concentional computers. Metal computer cases absorb most of this noise and keep it from getting out, but plexiglass does NOT! Be warned.

I think I might have an idea that should work. I'll install a fine almost transparent conductive coating or wire mesh on the window to block the RF. They've got to have something at McMaster/Carr that'll work. Whenever I've run my PPro200 with the case open, I never noticed any interferance in my household electronics. It's a fairly RF noisy computer.

Check the link above...I've got the window all ready to show off this gleaming red beauty.

Cheers!

B.

Nice case Brian!

I have a mid tower I got on ebay that has over a dozen blow holes built in. I'll try two 120mm blowing in on the cpus and three 80mm (two in top back & one on top). Plus the two fans in the 430W PS. I'll add any extra fans needed to insure that air flows across the PCI cards too.

This case will most likely be temporary until I get a water cooling capable case.

 

[Spec_Ops2087]

David I know your problem


The thing with the CPU not showing in teh task manager and CPUID is a simple fix...get the BIOS update 1.3 atleast....that was a known bug and with that can be fixed so it ALWAYS shows 2 CPUs, not just when it wants to

With the mbm5....I get the same problem and have no clue on how to fix it



Spec

 

[David]

David I know your problem


The thing with the CPU not showing in teh task manager and CPUID is a simple fix...get the BIOS update 1.3 atleast....that was a known bug and with that can be fixed so it ALWAYS shows 2 CPUs, not just when it wants to

With the mbm5....I get the same problem and have no clue on how to fix it



Spec

Aha! A BIOS update it is then . Should I get the 1.5 or 1.3?

David

 

[David]

Well, about Overclocking.

My CPUs are both AGIOA, and one is definately an AGIOA 'Y' 0213.
I tried unlocking one of them, but I think I got glue on the contacts so I will need to try again.

David

 

[cmcquistion]

I've used both BIOS 1.3 and 1.5. Both have worked perfectly for me. I'm running WinXP Pro on one and Win2K on the other. BIOS 1.5 was supposed to fix some Linux problems, I believe.

 

[Audioaficionado]

That MSI dually and modded XP1600s sounds like 'da bomb' in smp.

I can hardly wait 'til I can put one together.

 

[David]

That MSI dually and modded XP1600s sounds like 'da bomb' in smp.

I can hardly wait 'til I can put one together.

Cheap and b*tch fast, I would recomend it

David

 

[Audioaficionado]

How about this case?

[color=ff9999]Even better.[/color]

Is the XP1600 AGOIA or AROIA core the best for both unlocking/smp enabling and will they still be available in a few months when I get some bux?

 

[cmcquistion]

I would recommend the Chieftec case. They are really designed well.

Here's one at Directron w/ no window for $42 (two intake fans, two exhaust, no room for watercooling, but a great case for air-cooled. (I have one like this and it is great.)

http://store.yahoo.com/directron/mx01w.html

Here's the full tower version for $62 and enough room for a watercooling setup. (This is the case I use at home for my watercooled rig.)

http://store.yahoo.com/directron/ma01w.html

I don't think AROIA cores are available much anymore. AGOIA cores are very common and are very good overclockers. How long they will be available is anyone's guess, but I'd guess it will be a while, XP1600's will probably end up being AMD's budget chip.