Identifying CPU precisely
Community Forums/General Help/Identifying CPU precisely
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| So, the CMOS battery died in my PC and wiped all the BIOS settings. I've replaced it but now need to identify precisely what CPU I have (it's a DIY rig that I didn't build myself), so that I can set the clock frequency and multiplier correctly. I tried CPUID but that simply tells me it's an Athlon XP with a 'Barton' core. I need to know what verion of Athlon XP it is. Can this be done with software or will I need to remove the heatsink and read off the CPU ID? Beforehand, it was running at 1.1Ghz but strangely, there doesn't seem to be a version of 'Barton' that runs at this speed, looking at wikipedia. I'm not interested in overclocking, I simply want to run the CPU at the rated clock frequecy and muliplier, whatever that may be. |
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| Try SIW. It tells you revision, original clock, original multiplier and more. |
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| Thanks James, but unfortunately it lists all the specs I need as 'unknown'. Looks like a handy tool, though. I guess I'll just have to take off the heatsink and have a butchers. :/ |
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| Don't know is this is useful but Xors3D gives some system info. BBDECL const char *BBCALL xCPUName () Returns a string which shows CPU name. BBDECL const char *BBCALL xCPUVendor () Returns a string which shows CPU vendor name. BBDECL int BBCALL xCPUFamily () Returns a number which shows CPU family. BBDECL int BBCALL xCPUModel () Returns a number which shows CPU model. BBDECL int BBCALL xCPUStepping () Returns a number which shows CPU stepping. BBDECL DWORD BBCALL xCPUSpeed () Returns a number which shows CPU frequency in MHz. Jim |
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| I'm guessing those functions wouldn't be able to return the required information since both CPUID and SIW are unable to do it with my particular CPU, for some reason. Thanks anyway. I might just run it at the lowest specs for a 'Barton' CPU to be on the safe side, since this will be better than the 1.1Ghz it was running at, anyway. I'm intrigued to know what it is now, though. Might whip off the heatsink tomorrow, if I have time. :) |
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| Whip out the CPU and google the serial number. (You'll need some thermal paste and TIMclean or similar so you can cleanly put it back) |
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| Yeah, my first idea is always to check the hardware for printed serial numbers and whatnot. |
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| Yeah, I was just hoping there was a way to do it in software. |
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| I don't envy you having to take of the heatsink >.< Make sure you have some heatsink compound for when you reassemble it. |
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| Heatsink compound?? As in, some kind of substance to stick in between the CPU and the sink? Odd, I've been swapping about half a dozen CPUs AND their sinks about for about three years without anything like that, and none of them have failed me yet... >.> |
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| Odd, I've been swapping about half a dozen CPUs AND their sinks about for about three years without anything like that, and none of them have failed me yet... >.> Then you've been extremely lucky.Thermal compound helps the CPU heat to dissipate into the heatsink and away from the CPU. If you don't use any compound then its a miracle that you haven't fried something. |
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| Agreed. Think I have some Artic Silver knocking around somewhere... |
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| Interesting. Well, for one thing they're not high-end CPUs, like the best is a 1GHz PIII, so they prolly don't generate as much heat. Also, there is some sort of substance already under the heat sink, looks like a little gum wad, I just never put anything fresh in there. :p |
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| Thermal compound helps the CPU heat to dissipate into the heatsink and away from the CPU. If you don't use any compound then its a miracle that you haven't fried something. - The OEM CPU + heatsink combos tend to already have a pad of heatsink compound already applied to them, so no extra necessary - Most of the installs seems to use *too much* compound, so if there's less present when re-using it it's often still more than enough. All the heatsink compound needs to do is to fill the microscopic cracks and valleys of the metal surfaces -- very little gives the best performance. Many installers appear to think that the more the better -- which is far from the truth. Too much compound is worse than none at all. |
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| I like the pads. Can't really put too much or too little on. I had to fit a guys fan and heat sink back on to his computer. This thing was a monster, and reallllly hard to get back on. Way way over sized for what CPU he actually had. Usually the heatsink and fan that come with the processor are more than enough! |
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| The OEM CPU + heatsink combos tend to already have a pad of heatsink compound already applied to them, so no extra necessary Ah, that'd be the "gum wad" I mentioned then. Explains why I haven't had any meltdowns. ;) Glad I found this out before I started messing around with an unpadded sink though. XD Also, the fan I've got in my main personal rig, the PIII homebrew in my room, is a beast in and of itself. Sounds like a small jet engine when it's on, but it sure does the job, and my speaker setup (also homebrew, using an epic retrotech amp from 1980) can easily drown out the noise. ;D |
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| Yeah, those pad things that come on some heatsinks do the same job. Explains why you've had no meltdowns. :) I tend to remove those things and use some proper thermal paste myself, though. |
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