Asus P2L97 - need some info, help with

[garebo]

Asus P2L97 - need some info, help with

I have this computer with an Asus P2L97. It was donated to my charity. I refurbish units and they go to schoolkids who dont have one at home and never would, if you know what i mean.
I was told the hard drive was on the way out and sure enough i can see that but all else seems to be fine so i will put another h drive in her and send her out to a needy
kid(s) as soon as its ready to go.
However, when i cracked the case i noticed it has a P 266 slot 1 cpu but there is another slot 1 connector, so its a dual-processor mobo.I looked the mobo up at Asus and, of course, it says its a dual-cpu mobo. But looking around a bit i seem to get the feeling that it could be that some of these mobos may be dual and some not, even though the connection is there for a second cpu. Not even sure why at this point, but reading a bit at Asus site led me to that conclusion a while back and i got busy and put the computer away for a look at it later. Now its later, lol. So instead of inquiring at Asus I would rather take my chances here for the info i need! So while i get this computer cleaned up and ready to go, i'm hoping to learn some more!

Does anyone have experience with this mobo or others like it? If they come with the extra slot does that mean they are dual for sure or not? I have a few extra slot 1 cpu's so the next question would be, is it worth installing another cpu? Cost of the extra cpu isnt an issue of course as these oldies arent worth much so i am asking how much more performance will this puppy give some kid if i can put an extra cpu in it?
I would imagine i would have to put the exact same cpu, right? The website says it will go up to 333, I have an extra 266 and 2 - 300's.

thanks in advance



Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[rvnguy]

Back in the days.....these Slot 1/Slot A (Intel vs AMD) were used in low level servers ()dual Proc) the main advantage ws only to applications that could utilize multiple proc's i.e. NT Server/NetWare. Standard apps like WP Spreadsheet and the like are not coded to take advantage of multi's and most peple can not input faster than a single can process.
If you want to experiment, the proc's should be matched and the BIOS should allow for mem allocation I.E. proc "0" or proc "1".

To my recollection these boards all supported dual proc's no need to go to the expense of placing a socket on the board that is dead. But it has been quite some time since I have tangled with one of these.

I think that the slot architecture was a great idea but would have limited mobo sales so out it went. Now we have "BLADE".

 

[garebo]

Thanks,rvnguy, for the info. Does that mean one would have to install extra ram, since you said : "the BIOS should allow for mem allocation", almost seems as though you are saying each cpu uses ram separately?

Also, although i basically understood what you said, i dont quite understand this part :"o need to go to the expense of placing a socket on the board that is dead." Do you mean dead as in old? I'm not clear on that statement.
I guess, from what you are saying, i might as well leave the cpu situation just as it is, or maybe just put a single 333 in it, as i have a single 333 and the mobo will handle up to 333 mhz.

thanks


Good advice + great people = tek-tips

 

[rvnguy]

Sorry for being somewhat unclear;

RAM: Yes, this was not a shared ram environment, I have not looked specifically at this board (we used TYAN mobo's) but in general banks would be allocated to specific proc's.

EXPENSE: Sorry, trying to be a Smart A??, what I was attempting to point out is that in the corp world where $0.001 cents difference can make or break a product, the company would not place a slot 1 socket on the mobo without it being functional(these dual proc's mobo's were at the time quite expensive), as I believe they are now. It will run with a single cpu. If you have two proc's, you might install the OS with both cpu's installed, as the OS kernel(multi-threading OS i.e. XP) is somewhat different, and then remove one cpu. It will still boot and run and if there is an instance where the additional cpu is desired the OS does not require re-installation.
Hope this clears it up

 

[garebo]

I gotcha now, thanks.
About the second socket, you just gotta ask as you never know. But you make a lot of sense with the cost-sensitive approach. These sockets likely cost $1 or 2 at the time and that is a heck of a lot when multiplied by, say, 50,000 to 200,000!

Anyone else wirh knowledge of these mobos?
thanks


Good advice + great people = tek-tips