Re: Need Computer Help This Time

From: Terrible Tom (silvereightynine@aol.com)
Date: Thu Nov 27 2008 - 00:40:50 EST


Dustin Williams wrote:

> Does the CPU require drivers that aren't included in the install? I
> know Windows XP requires drivers to be able to properly handle my
> Athalon 64 X2. It's possible that your Linux distribution has support
> for one or two cores, but not for four.

Well Ubuntu 8.10 (Sorry Jason for my version number faux pau!... must be
a parts counter-guy thing.. I tend to drop unnecessary digits off part
numbers - if a brake rotor is a 488xxxx series rotor I basically ignore
the first three digits - heh)....

Ok my inserted comment there totally derailed my reply about teh quad
cores.. as I was saying, Ubuntu 8.10 seems to have no problems seeing
all 4 cores. System Monitor recognizes all of them. And I have 4
instances of SETI crunching away as there should be.

The problems stem from throttling the CUP up to a full speed of 2.83 Ghz
- its native and marketed speed.

>
> I also know that Intel has temperature sensors that will scale down
> and even shut down the CPU if it over heats. Higher frequency means
> more heat. More heat would shut down the CPU.

True - more heat would - but I can physically verify that the CPU is not
running hot... the Zalman CPU cooler unit I installed is a big honkin
hunk of copper and its cool to the touch. This quad core runs far
cooler than my AMD X2 Dual core 3.0Ghz (125w) 90nm CPU.

Jason mentioned that thermal sensors are known for inaccuracy.. but I
think they give a good enough idea of the thermal level of the CPU - and
yes the sensors that are reporting are CPU Core sensors. I know the
amount of thermal paste used can have an effect on how the heat is
conducted - but I'm confidant that it was applied correctly. I applied
a consistant thickness - not too much, not too thin... you might be able
to tell - but I've been 2nd guessing myself at every turn.

> Another idea that comesto mind is a faulty CPU.

True - I cannot rule out a defective CPU at this time.

>
> I'd check on quad core support in the distribution your using, then
> try a different distribution, next try Windows, if you have the same
> results on each RMA the CPU.
>

I discovered that the DRAM settings in BIOS was set to a "turbo" mode...
even though I loaded the failsafe defaults when I updated to the current
BIOS version. I'm wondering if that turbo setting might have been
screwing with the memory. I rechecked all the settings and as best as I
Could tell they seem ok. Most are on default "auto" settings. I
verified that the CAS Latency and timing values were all set to where
the DRAM specs at.

I'm running it at full clock now, going to see if the tweak I did fixes
anything. Next step is to try a different app.. its possible that
somethign with BOINC/SETI is causing a problem. If it locks up again
I'm going ot shut down SETI and run Prime torture test to see if that
causes a freeze. If that causes a freeze, then I'm trying another
distro of linux... it was suggested Fedora on a live CD boot... if I
get a freeze then.... Im not sure what else to do... I dont want to just
start RMA'ing parts at random.

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