Re: PWS333i+ upgrades

From: Rich Jordan (jordan_at_ccs4vms.com)
Date: 08/01/04 

Date: 1 Aug 2004 10:23:52 -0700

ben_myers_spam_me_not @ charter.net (Ben Myers) wrote in message news:<410c14e4.1399928@news.charter.net>...
> Rich,
>
> Sad but true, but not a surprise. The major impediment to processor upgrades
> with slotkets and similar hardware in recent years has been failure of a BIOS to
> recognize the faster CPU, even when the voltages are all aligned properly with a
> slotket or voltage regulator.
>
> Another frequent cosmetic side effect is that the faster processor will run OK,
> but the BIOS will not recognize its speed and/or type correctly.
>
> I forget. Does the PWS333i+ have an Intel 440LX (probable) or an Intel 440BX
> chipset? If it's a 440BX, then you can probably install and run a pair of
> 500MHz Pentium II CPUs without any problem. There are also Pentium III CPUs
> which are voltage-compatible, running at 2.0v and 600MHz, but that may be
> pushing it... Ben Myers
>

Ben,
     its the 440LX board. The BX was the PWS350i and 400i (and
rumored, documented, but never seen 450i). I heard from one person
that his 350i was trivially upgrade to dual P2/450s (I didn't know
they ever made P2/500s), and that he was able to use a Powerleap
upgrade (which does voltage regulation) to run a faster P3, but it
wouldn't do duals. I've tried upclocking the dual 333s to 366 and 400
using the CPU board switches, etc. but that doesn't work either. I
can't remember if the P2s were 'locked' to only work at their rated
speed though, which might be the problem.

     I guess the sellout to compaq came at the worst possible time for
the PWSi systems; they were dropped like hot potatoes, and support and
upgrades (and bios fixes) never happened. A shame because as peecees
go they were pretty nice. Nonetheless this one will make a decent
linux box for playing around with, with the dual processors, UW SCSI
for speed, and the ability to use some AGP cards for faster graphics.

     Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Rich

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