PII vs. PIII vs. 450 Zion need help

[Mark Pilkinton]

I am trying to add a second CPU to a Proliant 800 server. The server had one PII 450MHz CPU when I purcahsed it. I found a PIII 450 with all numbers the same 450/512/100/2.0V S1 Costa Rica and also picked up a second Power Modual. I placed the PIII in slot one and moved the PII to slot two. The bios says CPU in slot 1 failed, but will boot on the PII in slot two. When I took out the PIII and put the PII back in slot one, the system will no longer boot. If I put the PII in the second slot, the bios says CPU in wrong slot. Hope I did not screw up my board or CPU when trying to run two CPU's. Any ideas? I did not change any jumpers or switches.

I was also wanting to know about the 450 Zion CPU's. I thought I was purchasing the slot one CPU like I need in the Proliant, but after receiving the Zion...it is not what I need. Of course I had to buy two of these things. There huge and both are new, still in shrink wrap, but I can't use them. Are motherboards for the Zion CPUs hard to find?

Thanks,
Mark

[Oleg Koroz]

PL800 will not supported CPU Mixing. You need Identical Pair. With your Processor Board you can go high as PIII500. Xeon are not supported in PL800, to find another system Board equal to find another Server where they will be supported. Also you won't screw your system Board just by Plug-in different speed CPU.
Image how your Processor should looks
http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/showphoto?partnumber=179780-001
one that you can use
http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/showphoto?partnumber=114525-001

A PIII 450 CPU not used in PL800

PII
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10304_na/10304_na.HTML
PIII
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10539_na/10539_na.HTML

[Mark Pilkinton]

Thanks for the reply. I read on the PDF files I had that the CPU's would need to be the same. That is why I ended up purchasing two of the Xeon CPU's. They had all the same specs as mine "450/512/100/2.0V S1" listed on Ebay. I thought for $5.00 bucks each I would give it a try. My first time dealing with the Xion CPU's...live an learn. I found the PIII at a local used computer store. The guy there said the PII and PIII should be the same if they have the same specs, but not sure what the differance is...anyway, it won't work. That was my main question about the differance in a PII & PIII if both are 450/512/100/2.0V S1?

Thanks,
Mark

[Mike Stevens_2]

Mark,

As a quick way to tell if your processors are the same, you will look at the last group of letters and numbers. This is the stepping code. For example, If my memory serves me correctly, I think the Costa Rica PII 450 cpu's I have in my proliant 1600 are "SL2U7" stepping. As long as this last set of digits match, then you're good to go.

Hope this little tidbit makes it easier to understand,

Mike Stevens

[Mark Pilkinton]

Thanks for the info...so the stepping info is the key. I thought they were the same...could not see the last digt, because of the heat sink clip. I had to remove it...and of course it is not exact. The PII has the stepping code as SL358 and the PIII is SL35D. Oh well, another $10.00 bucks! I thought I was doing so well by only having to invest $10.00 bucks for the Proliant 800. Now I have added another $10.00 bucks for the PIII and $20.00 bucks for the two Xion CPU's. I hope to find a motherboard for the Xion CPU's. They are new and never opened, so I can move them if I can't find a cheap motherboard. Guess I will need to invest another $10.00 bucks or so for the correct CPU. Are most PII CPU's going to have the same stepping code if everything else matches...such as this part (450/512/100/2.0V S1 Costa Rica)? I can find these pretty easy on Ebay, but have not tried to match the stepping code. Also, can't remember if I needed to change a jumper to add the second Power Module & CPU. Can't figure why the system will no longer boot with the original 450 PII.

Thanks,
Mark

[Mike Stevens_2 · Accepted solution]

If I remember correctly, they made multiple different steppings of each PII and also PIII processor. In the description of the processor look for something about the stepping code. If it's not listed I would move on to another auction. Ebay is where I found my second processor for my 1600 and it took me a while to find the stepping I was looking for but I did find it. I paid a bit more for it but it was worth it. As far as a Xeon board, I have had good luck with the Intel C440GX+ board and I also have a set of Xeon's sitting at home doing nothing. I haven't bought a board for them because of the cost of the board. Yes, Xeon boards are pricey but if that's what you want to run then you will have to pay the piper one way or another.

As for the system not booting, I would look at resetting the bios and starting over with the machine. That's gonna be the easiest way of getting the operating system to "see" the 2 processors.

Hope this helps...

Mike Stevens

[malvin drakley]

Hi Mark, I'd just like to throw in my 2 pennyworth. I had stepping problems a few years ago on a netserver ansd was sent a document explaining what went with what by HP. I am attaching it in case it is any use to you cheers
malvin

[Thorsten Jalas]

PLEASE do not waste time and money to change the motherboard of the PL800 !
Just sell your Xeon processors and your PII 450.
Buy another identical PIII 450 and plug it into the PL800 with the existing motherboard.

It will work and you´ll be happy.

If you urgentyl want to use the Xeon performance sell the PL800 and search for a whole server supporting these CPUs.

best regards
Th. Jal

[Mark Pilkinton]

Thanks Th Jalâ ¦. Iâ ve tried the one PIII 450 CPU, but it will not work as a single CPU like the PII 450 will. Is there something I need to do to make the single PIII CPU work so I know it will work with two PIIIâ s? I still do not know the difference in a PII or PIII CPU when they are both 450 MHz and all the other info is the same, both are (450/512/100/2.0V S1 Costa Rica ), but have a different stepping code. I will most likely sell the two Xions, but thought if I could find a cheap motherboard, I would build another system to resell. I have many old systems and parts and always know of people that want a cheap system and if I can get a dual Xion 450 up and running for less than $100.00 dollars it would not be a bad investment. I have not priced the motherboards new or used for the Xion CPUâ s and may not be able to purchase a MB for the price I want. I was not planning to change the motherboard in the Proliant, but I hope to use what I have and just purchase a second 450 CPUâ ¦. I have several larger SCSI hard drives and CD ROMâ s and an older server case with about 6 SCSI hard drives and tape back up. I canâ t find any info on the Sun Exabyte case with SCSI hard drives and tape backup. A friend had it left from a rental home and gave it to me. It has 68 pin SCSI connectors and I was hoping to try it with the Proliant when I get it up and ru

[malvin drakley]

Hi Mark,
Have you tried this search site for your sun info?

http://sunsolve.sun.com/pub-cgi/show.pl?target=home

I use this all the time for my Sun info
cheers
malvin