question re: Good dual cpu mobos...

[GrefMofovich]

Help please! I have two Duron 1 GHz processors that I bought a long time ago for good money and that now aren't worth a dime. Is there a dual-athlon mobo I can get that would let me use them in tandem? That's Duron, not MP, so I get the feeling I'm scroo'd. Thanks for any advice you can give!

-GM

[sm8000]

Durons can be used in an SMP configuration, though they may require some modification. Here's an article:

http://www.2cpu.com/Hardware/tiger_mp/

Also start by checking this site:

http://www.2cpu.com/

[Bigjakkstaffa]

Unless your runnign a server you really will see hardly any benefit from running a dualie system, you would be better off finding a cheap yet solid Socket A mobo and bulding two seperate machines built around 1ghz Duron's

--Jakk

[Sterling_Aug]

I prefer dual systems over single ones.

Win2k/WinXP/ Win2003 Server/ and Linux all benefit from the stability of a dual processor motherboard.

Linux works great on a duallie. I have two dual 2400+ systems right now.

[sm8000]

Dual Durons would make a great low to midrange workstation. Durons can be used as (modded into?) duallies, and they can also be modded into Athlons - I wonder if Duron-turned-Athlons can be used as duallies? I know the Athlon XP can be modded for use in SMP, so I guess it all depends what core, etc these Durons are (Spitfire or Morgan).

Here is a partial list of apps that take advantage of SMP:

http://www.denniskarlsson.com/smp/

[GrefMofovich]

Thanks, I'll be sure and check those websites out. I also heard that dual processor setups won't give the full benefit of 2 cpu's to programs that don't support smp. here's what I'm wondering though: each program has it's own thread, correct? so wouldn't this smp setup of two 1GHz durons give more or less a 2 GHz equivalent to someone who uses several programs simultaneously that aren't by themselves very cpu-intensive, but there are a lot of them?

also when I said I needed a dual duron board, I should have mentioned that it has to be on a ghetto budget, ie around $100. I'm probably dreaming at this pt, so feel free to smack me awake.

-GM

[BipolarBill]

Dreaming. Dually mobos cost $200 and up.

BTW - two CPUs = more heat and more noise. I think that dual CPUs are silly for home use.

[Sterling_Aug]

A used Tyan S2460 mobo goes for under $90 on ebay.com

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=44941

[sm8000]

Two 1.0 cpus do not equal 2.0 GHz of cpu power, they equal two 1.0's. That list I linked to is some programs that are not only multithreadable, but benefit from dual cpus. I'm running Windows 2000 and I currently have 24 processes running (including Task Manager which I use to check) but 202 threads.

[causticVapor]

Put it this way - you can always upgrade to a 2600+ 266FSB or some MP barton down the road if you need to. If you're running distributed computing, dual CPUs are a huge boost - you can run the application on two threads. If you run multiple distributed computing apps, it results in less overhead than trying to alternate threads on a single processor.

Plus, you get an added benefit when encoding, winraring, and the like. It's worth it, if you're willing to put up with the added needs (strong, possibly EPS12v PSU and additional cooling, as well as more RAM).

[GrefMofovich]

Well, this has certainly been educational. Thank you all! I will gather up some funds as soon as I can and grab a tyan tiger off ebay (budget constraints ). Even if the durons don't work out, a couple mp's would make a pretty sweet first dual system. Not sure what's EPS12v, but I've heard good things about Sparkle psu's, so that's what I use. I'll muddle through, just shoot me a message if you think a non EPS12v psu would make my chips explode or something !

Thanks again
GM

[sm8000]

What is EPS12V?
EPS12V is a special, non-ATX standard adopted by the Server System Infrastructure (SSI) group to provide a more powerful and stable environment for critical server-based systems and applications. EPS12V equipment is not compatible with standard ATX or ATX12V PCs found in homes and offices. Power supplies built to the EPS12V standard include a 24-pin motherboard power connector and an 8-pin +12V connector. However, since some server motherboards also use other connectors, TruePower 550EPS12V comes with 4-pin and 8-pin +12V and 6-pin Aux. power connectors for wide SSI / EPS12V motherboard compatibility and user versatility.

Features:

Designed for compatibility with motherboards designed to the Server System Infrastructure (SSI) EPS12V spec.

Dedicated output circuitry for each voltage output, overcomes the limitations of combined output of traditional design. Get all the power you need when you need it most.

Voltage Feedback to maintain accurate voltage to all components: adds stability to your system
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't let the description above fool you into thinking you only need EPS12v for servers - it's a power spec helpful for dual cpus. So whichever PSU you buy, consider having this as a feature.

[GrefMofovich]

Anyone knowing any other good dual mobos besides tyan tiger, please share, and if you happen to know the ballpark price, list that too.

BTW I'll probably use my current psu for the durons since it's 300 W and durons aren't power eaters, as I understand, nor will 1 extra fan break my pc's power grid. Why buy new when you already got a good thing, heh? The psu doesn't say EPS12v anywhere and has only a 20 pin main connector, but it also has a 4 pin and a funny looking 6 pin connector as well. I say it looks like one slick monkey!

[Bat25]

Originally posted by Sterling_Aug
I prefer dual systems over single ones.

Win2k/WinXP/ Win2003 Server/ and Linux all benefit from the stability of a dual processor motherboard.

Linux works great on a duallie. I have two dual 2400+ systems right now.

Want stability, get a 3 phase power board and run a Forton PSU.