Re: ***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****

From: R. McCarty (PcEngWork-NoSpam__at_mindspring.com)
Date: 09/01/04 

Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2004 19:05:08 GMT

Intel offers a tool that for Processor Frequency testing and in the
tool is an CPUID option that will show processor specifics in the
Processor Classification fields (You'll have to cross reference)
The fields will be CPU Type, Family, Model, Stepping & Revision.

http://www.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/sb/CS-007620.htm

"Bob Eyster" <reyster1@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:Os$m7QFkEHA.3148@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Thanks for all the replies. Now how can you tell which one you have. I
> know it isn't the Prescott. So it's a toss up between the Williamette and
> Northwood, leaning towards Northwood.
>
> I have a P4 3.2 GHz with HT. Not sure of the FSB.
>
> Again thanks for the replies.
>
> Bob Eyster
>
>
> "Barry Watzman" <WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:413223A9.1010406@neo.rr.com...
>> "Prescott" is the latest (3rd) internal core design of Intel Pentium 4
>> processors [the 1st was Willamette, the 2nd, still being sold, was
>> Northwood]. Prescott is relatively new, and is most easily evidenced by
>> an 800 MHz front side bus (but some 800 MHz FSB processors are
>> Northwoods).
>>
>> There is a problem with SP2 and some motherboards that have Prescott
>> processors installed on them. The problem isn't actually SP2 per se, or
>> Prescott CPUs either, but that the BIOS' on the motherboards in question
>> have an old version of the Intel Pentium 4 microcode. Intel had released
>> fixed microcode some time (months) ago. But both because not all
>> motherboard makers put out new BIOS', and/or because not all computer
>> owners keep the latest BIOS version installed on their computers, there
>> are, in fact, a lot of people having problems with the combination of SP2
>> and Prescott processors.
>>
>> The fix is go into the BIOS setup program and disable all cache memory on
>> the CPU chip, which will allow the system to boot and run (slowly). Then
>> boot up, download the latest BIOS, install it, turn cache memory back on
>> and reboot. An obvious requirement here is that the motherboard maker
>> has released a BIOS for the motherboard in question that contains the SP2
>> compatible version of the Pentium 4 microcode. This will generally be
>> the case, but there may be cases in which it's not.
>>
>>
>> Bob Eyster wrote:
>>
>>> OK, here is a dumb question! What is a "Prescott's"
>>>
>>>
>>> Bob Eyster
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> "NoNoBadDog!" <mypants_bjsledgeATpixi.com> wrote in message
>>> news:Oo1oN77hEHA.3928@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
>>>
>>>>Both were on Prescotts, with the caches enabled. What revision number
>>>>is the mobo you are using? If it is an early revision, it may have
>>>>issues with Prescotts.
>>>>
>>>>Bobby
>>>>
>>>>"cquirke (MVP Win9x)" <cquirkenews@nospam.mvps.org> wrote in message
>>>>news:25gei0pq1fk9n4o01kdjpgng7amri3p1gr@4ax.com...
>>>>
>>>>>On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 12:56:26 -1000, "NoNoBadDog!"
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I have installed SP2 on two....an 865 based laptop and an 875 based
>>>>>>desktop.... Both installations went seamlessly and the machines have
>>>>>>thus far exhibited no issues.
>>>>>
>>>>>What processors?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Have you made sure that you have the latest BIOS and chipset drivers
>>>>>>for
>>>>>>your mobo?
>>>>>
>>>>>Yes; the mobo had a July 2004 BIOS update to handle Prescott. Before
>>>>>that, it worked, other than exiting CMOS after saving changes would
>>>>>save changes and then lock up.
>>>>>
>>>>>There are no newer BIOS updates for the mobo; I checked today, in case
>>>>>there was a "use this for SP2" update.
>>>>>
>>>>>Then again, consider; an OS is supposed to work on the hardware as the
>>>>>hardware is. Once the hardware has to have special changes for the
>>>>>benefit of one particular OS, it's rolling down a slippery slope from
>>>>>being an OS-agnostic platform to a Windows-only toy.
>>>>>
>>>>>After about 4-5 hours, I've got my PC back to life. It took that long
>>>>>to run XP and uninstall SP2, once L1 and L2 cache were disabled.
>>>>>Disabling these caches was the only way to get back in.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>------------ ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
>>>>>
>>>>> Our senses are our UI to reality
>>>>>
>>>>>>------------ ----- ---- --- -- - - - -
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: ***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****
    ... Intel offers a tool that for Processor Frequency testing and in the ... >> There is a problem with SP2 and some motherboards that have Prescott ... but that the BIOS' on the motherboards in question ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: ***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****
    ... Intel offers a tool that for Processor Frequency testing and in the ... >> There is a problem with SP2 and some motherboards that have Prescott ... but that the BIOS' on the motherboards in question ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.basics)
  • Re: ***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****
    ... Intel offers a tool that for Processor Frequency testing and in the ... >> There is a problem with SP2 and some motherboards that have Prescott ... but that the BIOS' on the motherboards in question ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.accessibility)
  • Re: ***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****
    ... >the BIOS fixes those problems or that Windows is dependent on the type ... One reason SP2 might care about Intel CPU details (noting that these ... >after knowing about the Prescott issue. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support)
  • Re: ***** sp2 bREAKS eVERYTHING!!!!! *****
    ... >the BIOS fixes those problems or that Windows is dependent on the type ... One reason SP2 might care about Intel CPU details (noting that these ... >after knowing about the Prescott issue. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware)