netserver lh3 upgrade to Dual CPU

[Joseph_20]

I purchased 2 600mhz 512kb cache genuine intel cpu's and an extra hp part vmu to replace the factory 450mhz 512kb cache single cpu. I have windows 2k advance server
with MPS uniprocessor in the device manager. Installation of the both new cpu's' placing the correct dip switch settings as per HP downloaded PDF file and upgrading the bios to the newest firmware 4.06.43. The startup at poweron show Dual processor initialized and win2k starts up perfectly fine with no problems and much faster. Here is the problem: As soon as I change in the device manager MPS uniprocessor to MPS multiprocessor and restart, upon after logon the system halts and freezes. I've tried re-installing each single new cpu and vmu as a single processor system in different combinations and also in each slot on the mainboard to make sure that they work correctly and it all works fine as long as I don't place both cpu's and MPS multiprocesser in device manager. I even installed winnt 4.0 and system crashes upon installation with both cpu's installed. Can someone please help? What am I missing here?
Thanks In Advanced.

[Marino Meloni_1]

hi,

be sure both processors are similare, read on the top of them, check fsb, and cache, run diagnostic tool wich can check all detail.
bye
marino

[Joseph_20]

I've already ran the basic tests of the Diagnostic tools 2.36 disk and shows on both processors PASSED and Multiprocessors PASSED in fact the basic tests all PASS.
Both new processors are the same Pentium III 600mhz 512kb cache and 100mhz fsb. They were both purchased the same day at the same store. I wish I had extra processors to test but my budget won't allow this. This is very frustrating. Is their any other way of troubleshooting this problem?

[Marino Meloni_1]

hi
I'm not sure but in the past there was a roll up in the mother boards, the first one support processor until 550 Mhz, Try to investigate in this way, If I found more info I will post it here.
bye
marino

[Marino Meloni_1]

hi again, I have checked and the linitation was only due to the firmwae, so with last relelease, you should be ok, be sure to perform a clear Cmos after FW upgrade, perform also a reset managment (disconnecct all cable from server for a few minuts) and check in the SEL (system Event Log) if there is some info.
bye
marino

[Joseph_20]

Thank You for your response. I'll try clearing the bios and reseting then I'll repost the results.

[Joseph_20]

Okay, I cleared Cmos after FW upgrade, and a reset managment (disconnected all cables from server for a few minutes). Powered on and the server still freezes.

[Joseph_20]

Any other ideas? Anyone? Can someone please help?
Thanks In Advanced.

[Marino Meloni_1]

hi Joseph,
first of all you need to be sure thath the problem is always related to the same problem,
you said
-error when enabling MPS on w2k
-error installing NT$
-no errror in diagnostic tools or SEL

I suggest you to investigate in the NT4 installation if the error code is related to the module multiprocessor or related to a driver or other, this can be the way to understand your problem.
bye

marino

[Joseph_20]

Thanks for your quick response. When I installed nt 4.0 with dual cpu on I would get freezes and could not continue. Now when I installed nt 4.0 with a single cpu on either slot with its factory termination board, would not have any problems (works fine). Then I would intalled the second cpu and start NT 4.0 and again no problems until I use the utomp from the resource kit to change to MPS Hal then freezes begin. I also installed Red Hat Linux 7.2 as a test with both cpu's with i686 smp startup and would not have any problems. I am not a Linux savy and would have to learn Samba and VPN well for my business needs, but I just can't get into that now. I love using Microsoft and would like to continue using 2000 server as I know how to use it very well. I would like to know if others had success with this type of upgrade.

[Timothy Ma]

Hello Joseph,

I'm actually in some ways in the same boat. I found after using NT 4.0 server, for some reason either when we re-staged the server or serviced packed it, the dual processor OS stopped. Upon bootup, the message at the blue screen says "1 Processor ..." and since it's not very often I reboot the server and when I do would not normally notice the state of the OS. Anyway, I also want to update NT to make use of the second CPU. The utility that you used ...uptomp.exe... from what I read has some problems and can lead to an unstable NT OS. There are some detailed instructions for doing this with uptomp.exe but not without some fiddling around. Go to the Microsoft support site and find the "HOW TO MANUALLY ADD SUPPORT FOR A SECOND PROCESSOR (Q156358) ...I would be trying this myself but this is a work computer for the moment needs to be up. There are other related articles regarding uptomp.exe. Please do me a big favour and let me know if this works for you.

[Gregg OBanion]

Please also let me know as I have the same machine and am considering a dual 600 MHz processor upgrade with Windows 2000 Anvanced Server.
Thanks Gregg
gobanion@netscape.net

[BR_5]

Did anyone get this to work? I'm in the same boat. Dual PIII 600s look good in HP Status screen, but Win2k3 doesn't like it. 2k3 splash screen runs for 6-9 minutes. The only way I found to load the OS was to put in the single P2 450, load the OS, patches, etc. and then change CPUs to P3 600s. OS never loads with dual or single P3 600s. Not 2k3 std, 2k3 enterprise or 2000. Please help!

[Mark Young_2]

Hi,

Just a thought, but on Windows 2000, if you don't choose the multiprocessor option during install and then later install a 2nd processor, the OS won't recognize the dual processors. The only fix in this case is to reinstall Windows 2000 and be sure to choose the dual processor support.

I'm not really an NT 4 man, but I wonder if this would be the case as well? Something to consider.

[BR_5]

GOT IT WORKING!!! Thank you Rich.

Here is how it worked.
1) Upgraded System BIOS (4.06.43 PL), NetRAID FW (3.03), Backplane FW(B.01.26) & HDD FW.
2) Loaded Win 2003 Server Ent. with single P2 450 processor to RAID 1 logical drive.
3) Applied all critical OS updates, etc.
4) Loaded NetRAID Util for 2003. (optional)
5) Shut down. Installed 1 P3 600 processor & changed dip switch setting.
6) Booted to Win2k3.
7) Shut down. Installed 2nd P3 600 processor. Boot to Win2k3, login & let windows find new hardware. Requests restart - Say NO & shut down!
8) Upgrade system BIOS again to 4.06.43 PL.
9) Power up and enter BIOS with F2. Save and exit saving new changes to BIOS.
10) Clear CMOS. (power off, unplug AC, flip dip switch #5, wait 1 minute, power on)
11) Accept clearing of CMOS by powering down again, unplug AC, flip dip switch #5 back to off, wait 1 minute, power on)
12) Power up and enter BIOS with F2. Save and exit saving new changes to BIOS.
12) Boot normally!

These exhaustive steps are what did it for me. I hope this helps others.