SMP Problems

foodog wrote:
>
> John Albee wrote:
> >
> > I have heard of something of it being better when setting up a duel cpu
> > system to buy them both at the same time. Is this true? Can buying them
> > seperatly at differnt times cause problems? (with different batches and
> > all)

The processors should be of the same 'stepping rate' and L2 cache size.
This is sometimes easier to achive if you buy them both at the same
time.

Intel states for some of their motherboards that stepping rate may be up
to one unit of difference between the processors. The stepping rate is
expressed as part of a code marked at the top edge of pentium II and
pentium !!! processors.

See : http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/SMP-HOWTO-3.html

I have read that the 'same stepping and cache size' requirements are
just a myth. I cannot confirm this since all of my boxes have had
identical L2 caches and at most one increment of difference in stepping.
When playing with the BIG intel chips (Xeons) w/ 1MB or more L2 cache,
it would seem that things get more critical. Once again, I can't say for
sure since my Xeons match. (They were purchased at the same time.)

Consult the manual for your MB in the section on processor
installation/selecting.

--
Kevin O'Connor

She can kill all your files;
She can freeze with a frown.
And a wave of her hand brings the whole system down.
And she works on her code until ten after three.
She lives like a bat but she's always a hacker to me.
                -- Apologies to Billy Joel