Dell Precision 620mt Trouble!!!!!

[Wh4len]

Hi!

First post here.

I didn't know where to put this thread, but since int's a cpu problem maybe the section is ok?

Well, it's like this:
I got a dell precision 620 mt. System specs:
-512mb 400mhz rambus
-2 Intel Xeon P3 Cpus (the problem)
- Nvidia Quadro
- 18gb SCSI drive

This setup is quite nice for a dell actually.

Well the problem: The cpus is Slot connected (Xeon Slot or something)
On the top it says 1000/133/256 - I suppose that is cpu speed/fsb/cache
The thing is that the BIOS and windows both recognize bothe cpus but at 266mhz.

So the cpu runs at 266/133/256 .... this is utterly wrong to me because it screws up the whole system.

I was thinking that perhaps someone at this forum can help me???

Thanks in advance/Wh4len

 

[RichPLS]

The memory bus is a quad pumped 133mhz bus.

 

[Wh4len]

Well, i've never heard of Pentium3 Xeons running at 266mhz frequency

Didn't the P3 start of at 450mhz?

 

[julius]

what speed is the cpu supposed to be? it uses the 133 fsb times w/e multiplier it has, so it could be set wrong in the bios.

 

[Wh4len]

well, as said. On the toip it says 1000/133/256

My guess is that it should be at 1ghz

 

[liquidpaper007]

jumpeR?

 

[Wh4len]

gonna take the board out and examine it closely.....

but the overview of the mobo on the inside of the casing doesn't show any jumpers.

Wh4len

 

[xxsk8er101xx]

The memory bus is a quad pumped 133mhz bus.

Its a pentium 3 not a pentium 4 - its actually "double pumped"

the 133mhz is a 266 rating.

 

[Wh4len]

checked cpu-z today.... the multiplier is 2x

I know the pentiums are cranky with the mulitpliers.
Can i change it at all. My old p4 system ran at 800mhz after
a CMOS reset. But a save in BIOS gave the right speed.

Tried clockgen, couldn't change multiplier.

And dell BIOS settings isn't really known for being generous.
The same thing can be said here.

Anyone know if i can get a hacked bios image to reflash it with?

 

[Zoron]

It's not even "double-pumped". Intel didn't do the DDR thing for their FSB. They went from 133MHz on the PIII to 400MHz (100MHz "quad-pumped") for the P4.

 

[Crashman]

I'm not sure if P3 Xeons are "unlocked", I'm fairly certain P4 Xeons are, which is one more thing to set them apart from desktop CPU's.

 

[Wh4len]

Actually, the fsb is doublepumped.
Confmirms in bios and cpu-z

Well if it's unlocked it would be great to change
it back to the original position

 

[Crashman]

Nope. PIII ALL used 100 or 133MHz single-date-rate CPU bus, although VIA did release a chipset that supported double-data-rate RAM. I guess it's possible to have a dually board with a VIA chipset and DDR SDRAM running at DDR266. At least in theory, I've never seen such a board.

Intel never used a DDR CPU bus for any desktop or server CPU. Never. That was AMD's territory, Intel decided to jump over AMD's coveted DDR CPU bus with their own QDR CPU bus. Using DDR RDRAM.

And most people don't even know that RDRAM uses DDR!

 

[Wh4len]

well, does the bios recognize the combined bus speeds for the cpus then?
Cause both in bios and cpu-z it says 266fsb.
But i guess it shows both cpus bus speed because the multiplier is at 2x.

 

[Zoron]

The bus speed is 133MHz.

The mulitpliers is 2x.

That suggests your Xeons are running at 266MHz, instead of 1GHz. Your multiplier should be 7.5x for 1GHz, not 2x. (Obviously)

Run dxdiag and tell us at what speed it reports the processors running. It could be that CPUz or whatever you're using doesn't like that Dell machine you're trying to run it on. If dxdiag shows at least 997MHz... then you know that CPUz really doesn't like your Dell.

Also, as Crash said, I don't know if those Xeons have locked multipliers or not... if they do, then CPUz is obviously misreporting your speeds. If not, then there HAS to be a way to change the multiplier. There is no way Dell sold 1GHz processors and underclocked them to 266MHz.

 

[Wh4len]

well i think its strange to.

but i checked with Dxdiag.... it reports 2 xeon cpus, combined speed ~520mhz = 266mhz for each cpu

as said cpu-z reported a 2x multi. And as tou said i felt this was strange and did som calculations. 7.5x probably is the right multi.

The question remains.... what made the board clock down the cpus and how can i reset the multipliers?

 

[Hoang]

Hi !
Your Dell is OK now ?
I have too Dell Precision 620 with the same problem.
Can you help me ?
Hoang.

 

[EntityAnomly]

This looks to be the answer you are looking for:

SuprFreq Utility Program
SuprFreq is an MS-DOS utility program used to correctly set the processor(s) core frequency based on a multiplier ratio of the front side bus (FSB) frequency. The SuperFreq program provides options for selecting the correct multiplier ratio that the input/output (I/O) controller hub provides to the processor(s) to set the speed.

CAUTION: Before you complete following procedure, it is important for your personal safety and for protection of your equipment that you make sure the AC power has been completely removed from the system board. Turn off and unplug the computer from the electrical outlet and wait 15 to 30 seconds, see Safety First—For You and Your Computer, and make sure the standby power light-emitting diode (LED) on the system board has turned off (see Figure 1 for the location of the LED).
When the SuprFreq Utility Program is Required
Run the SuperFreq utility program if your system's processor(s) core frequency is set incorrectly (see Determine System Processing Speed). Incorrect settings can occur when you do one of the following:
• Upgrade your Dell system processor(s).
• Replace the system board.
• Lose the system CMOS nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM) settings because of a bad coin-cell system battery.
Determine System Processing Speed
1. Enter System Setup (see Entering System Setup).

The System Setup screen displays the current setup and configuration information and optional settings for your system.
2. Read the system processor(s) speed listed below the system name at the top of the System Setup screen.
Determine Processor(s) Maximum Core Speed
See Safety First—For You and Your Computer before completing the following steps.
1. Unplug the computer system.
2. Remove the computer cover (see Removing the Computer Cover).
3. Using a Phillips-head screwdriver, remove the four large thumbscrews in the processor retention bracket.
4. Press and release the release latch on the processor retention bracket and rotate the retention bracket to its raised position (see Figure 12).
5. Read the identification label on the top of the processor cartridge(s) to determine the maximum core speed.

For example: The number 800 in the identification label "80526KZ800256 2.8V" indicates an 800 megahertz (MHz) core speed (the 256 and 2.8V portion of the identification label represents 256 kilobytes [KB] of cache and a 2.8-volt processor cartridge, respectively) (see Figure 14).
Figure 14. Processor Cartridge Label

Compare System Processor(s) Speed with Processor(s) Maximum Core Speed
Run the SuprFreq utility program if the system processor(s) speed does not match the processor(s) maximum core speed.

NOTE: No action is required if the system processor(s) speed matches the processor(s) maximum core speed.
Downloading the SuprFreq Utility Program
1. Go to http://support.dell.com.

If you have not created a profile for your specific system, do so now by creating a system profile in step 1. Enter the system service tag or the express service code, or select the Dell system model number from the dropdown menu. Click Go! in step 3 to proceed to your system's support page.

NOTE: The file format as listed in the support page consists of diskette images that must be downloaded to your hard-disk drive, and then extracted onto diskettes. The installation is then done from the diskettes.
2. Click Downloads on the menu bar at the top of the page.

Enter the file name sprfrq2.exe in the Search For Files by Exact File Name option, and click Retrieve.
3. Download the SuprFreq utility application program to your hard-disk drive.
4. Insert a formatted diskette into drive a:.
5. Double-click the SuprFreq self-extracting application.
6. Click Setup in the dialog box, and follow the steps in the DOS window to extract the utility files to the diskette.
Running the SuprFreq Utility Program
1. Insert the diskette containing the SuprFreq utility files.
2. Boot the system using the utility diskette.

The following menu appears.

NOTE: Menu instructions may vary depending on the processor speed.
3. 1. Dell WS620 with 733 MHz Processor(s).

2. Dell WS620 with 800 MHz Processor(s).

3. Review the readme file.

Choose your processor(s) speed[1,2,3]?
4. Type 3 to view the readme.txt file.

To reset your system's processor core frequency, type 1 or 2 depending on your processor's maximum core speed, and press <Enter> (see Determine Processor(s) Maximum Core Speed).
NOTICE: If you select a faster speed option than the speed of your processor(s) and you reset the system, your system will not boot. You will have to reset the processor(s) speed manually (see Resetting the Processor Speed Manually).
4. After a speed selection is entered, the following message appears:

***Update Successful***
5. Remove the diskette from drive a: and turn off your system. Wait 15-30 seconds, and reboot the computer.
6. To verify the operation, see Determine System Processing Speed.
Resetting the Processor Speed Manually

CAUTION: Before you complete the following procedure it is important for your personal safety and for protection of your equipment that you make sure the AC power has been completely removed from the system board. Turn off and unplug the computer from the electrical outlet and wait 15 to 30 seconds, see Safety First—For You and Your Computer, and make sure the standby power LED on the system board has turned off (see Figure 1 for the location of the LED).

1. Unplug the computer.
2. Remove the computer cover (see Removing the Computer Cover).
3. Place a jumper shunt (bypass) on the RTCRST jumper (see Figure 2).

Make a copy of your system configuration information in the System Setup. Refer to your written or printed copy of the system configuration information to restore the correct settings after resetting the processor speed.

NOTE: The RTCRST jumper resets the real-time clock and the NVRAM settings when jumpered.
4. Remove the coin-cell system battery.
Pry the battery out of its socket with your fingers or with a blunt, nonconductive object such as a plastic screwdriver (see Figure 15).
5. Turn the system battery over (plus [+] side down) and reinstall.
6. Remove the system battery.
7. Turn the system battery over (plus [+] side up) and reinstall.
8. Remove the jumper shunt on the RTCRST jumper.
9. Boot the system to DOS using your system's DOS diskette.
10. Run the SuprFreq utility program to set the correct frequency for the processor(s) (see Running the SuperFreq Utility).
11. Enter the System Setup program, and confirm that the battery is operating properly.
Enter the correct time and date through the System Setup program's Time and Date options. Also, restore the correct settings for the system configuration information using the copy made in step 3.
12. Boot your system.

The system's processor(s) core frequency is reset to the speed option selected.

 

[Wh4len]

Whoa.

Thanks a lot dude....

Sw33t, gonna try this tomorrow. And maybe i don't need to buy a new mobo

Thanks alot