[olug] sorta OT: P3 / Xeon processor compatability

[Phil Brutsche]

OBrien, Timothy (Omaha Linux Users Group - OLUG) wrote:

> Ok, fellow hardware geeks
> 
> I have three server motherboards with around P400's or P450's. Talking
> with a friend of mine, he has two Xeon 800 from a Gateway (aka Junkway)
> server that he can let me have.
> 
> Looking over these xeon processors tonight at his place before heading to
> our Linux User's Group meeting, and they have two 'breaks' in connector
> for the processor slot, creating three 'teeth'. Any of the Pentium slot
> ones I have seen only have one 'break', creating two 'teeth'. Am I to
> assume that the processors are not interchangeable on the motherboards
> (unless the motherboards were specifically designed for cross
> compatibility between the processors)?

Correct - your PIIs are Slot 1 processors, those 800MHz Xeon processors 
are Slot 2.  They're about as interchangable as a Socket 370 PIII and a 
Socket A Athlon.

> If so, does anyone have some high end slot one Pentium processors so I can
> upgrade my file & game servers?

Matched pair processors are hard to come by and can be quite expensive, 
particularly the units that need a 100MHz FSB.  They are highly 
sought-after by many people in your situation.

But before you go off and get some processors, you should check your 
motherboard compatibility first - best case: it'll just work, worst 
case: you have the wrong motherboard revision for anything faster than 
550MHz and will blow up the motherboard and/or processors if you try it 
(different voltage requirements).

Be prepared to flash your BIOS.

-- 

Phil Brutsche
phil at brutsche.us