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Date:      Fri, 15 Nov 1996 07:04:31 -0800 (PST)
From:      "Rodney W. Grimes" <rgrimes@GndRsh.aac.dev.com>
To:        chuckr@Glue.umd.edu (Chuck Robey)
Cc:        michaelv@MindBender.serv.net, smp@csn.net, FreeBSD-hardware@FreeBSD.org
Subject:   Re: CPU heatsinks
Message-ID:  <199611151504.HAA25257@GndRsh.aac.dev.com>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.OSF.3.95.961114183218.11012A-100000@skipper.eng.umd.edu> from Chuck Robey at "Nov 14, 96 06:35:59 pm"

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> On Thu, 14 Nov 1996, Michael L. VanLoon -- HeadCandy.com wrote:
> 
> > 
> > >Oh, one other thing, b4 you do appply it record ALL the numbers & wordage
> > >you see on the top of the chip (& bottom while your at it).  As you will
> > >be helping with the SMP kernel we may want to know these for checking
> > >against errata sometime in the future (you did volunteer to walk on the
> > >bloody edge, didn't you?)
> > 
> > >From what I've seen, the top only says "Intel Pentium Pro".  All the
> > important information is on the bottom (stepping, speed, cache size,
> > etc.).

On the Pentium and Pentium PRO all the good stuff is on the top, on
later Pentiums they have duplicated it on the bottom as well, just for
your and my convienence :-)

> 
> Well, I didn't take it out of the socket, but the top had this
> information:
> 
> KB80521 EX166 Q935 512K
  ^       ^     ^    ^
  |       |     |    |--  Internal Cache size
  |       |     |
  |       |     |--- Intel S-Spec number (See Below)
  |       |
  |       |--- Internal maximum clock allowed
  |
  |--- Intel official part number for a Pentium PRO processor
       (Really te KB80521EX166 is the complete part number and
       the space before the EX is not there.)

> L619006Q-0238
  |
  |--- Intel Serial Number

> 
> It was sold to me as 166MHz e/w 512K cache, which seems likely, even tho
> I don't know how to decode the gobledegook I just typed.  Rod doubtlessly
> does, but I'm not sure I want to know if I've been had.  Perhaps I'd be
> happier not knowing 8-)

Well, I told you what the diffent parts mean, I didn't tell you what the
S-Spec value and Serial number with a Q in it mean :-) :-)

But I am going to spill the beans, it is really not that bad, you have
a Q/A Sample.  This means this chip came from a run that was really meant
for doing Q/A testing of the fabrication and packaging.  Often if the lot
of chips pasts all the testing Intel will ship them to distribution. 

I don't have a PPRO S-Spec book so I can't give you the specifics as to
what mask set and stepping the chip is, and what known bugs it has, but
given this is a 166Mhz part the Q's don't really bother me, infact they
may have found that the Q/A parts where so good they never tweaked the
process and told them to run a few 10,000 more off the line to fulfill
the Back Orders.

Intel S-Spec numbers are used when order parts from OFFICIAL INTEL
distribution channels (large OEM's and Master Distributors deal only
with REAL part numbers and S-Spec's.).   You use the S-Spec to be
sure you get the stepping and other special characteristics you need
for your design.  ASUS is about the only motherboard manufacturer I
have seen that has S-Spec data in thier FAQ's about requirements for
things like SMP on certail model boards, and voltage settings.  

One last little detail... does your chip say in big black bold letters
``Pentium PRO'' accross the heat spreader (the big copper colored thing
on top of the chip.)  If so then this chip has automatic Voltage Identification
(VID) and is of more recent vintage.  Chips that do not have this on them
are very early runs, and you have to manually set the MB to the correct
voltage.

-- 
Rod Grimes                                      rgrimes@gndrsh.aac.dev.com
Accurate Automation, Inc.                   Reliable computers for FreeBSD



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