Dual Pentium II or Single Pentium III?

[DaCurryman]

Hello everybody. I know this may sound stupid, but I have two PII 400MHz CPUs and a PIII 450MHz CPU lying around the house. I need a cheap system just as a file server. I was wondering what would be faster. A dual PII-400 setup or a single PIII-450 setup. Assume all else is the same. Thanks in advance.

 

[myocardia]

The dual 400mhz system would kill a single 450mhz system, especially as any type of a server.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: myocardia
The dual 400mhz system would kill a single 450mhz system, especially as any type of a server.

As long as you're using Windows 2000 or Windows XP

 

[DaCurryman]

Originally posted by: myocardia
The dual 400mhz system would kill a single 450mhz system, especially as any type of a server.

Why do you say especially as a server? And does it matter that the dual 400MHz system is only PII while the single 450MHz system is a PIII?

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
As long as you're using Windows 2000 or Windows XP

Why only under those Operating Systems? I was planning on running XP, but I was just curious as to why.

Now to head to eBay to get a cheap dual PII mobo.

 

[gwag]

2000 and xp pro support 1-2 CPU's . xp home, 98, etc support 1CPU . 2000 server 1-4CPU

 

[vegetation]

A file server? Either is total overkill.

 

[Kryai]

I think that Win98 SE will support duel cpus. I was just studying an A+ cert program and one of the questions regarded this topic. Can anyone support of deny this perhaps i'm thinking of something different?

 

[vegetation]

Originally posted by: Kryai
I think that Win98 SE will support duel cpus. ?

Nope. It will run fine, but the extra cpu is completely ignored.

 

[DaCurryman]

Originally posted by: vegetation
A file server? Either is total overkill.

I figured as much, but I have the CPUs lying around and they're not going to be used for anything else, so I thought it'd be fun.

 

[TGHI]

Make sure that the CPUs are identical - different steppings might throw off performance.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181

Originally posted by: myocardia
The dual 400mhz system would kill a single 450mhz system, especially as any type of a server.

As long as you're using Windows 2000 or Windows XP

Oops, yeah, as long as you have an OS that supports two processors.

edit: Windows NT also supports dual processors.

 

[DaCurryman]

Originally posted by: TGHI
Make sure that the CPUs are identical - different steppings might throw off performance.

I'll definitely try and check on that. What would happen if I put the PIII 450 and one of the PII 400 in the dual setup? Would that just blow up the machine or what?

 

[xenos500]

Originally posted by: TGHI
Make sure that the CPUs are identical - different steppings might throw off performance.

no, it wont matter. Almost all Intel CPUs p2/p3s will work fine will all different steppings. Only a certian few steppings are not compatable.

 

[xenos500]

two 400s is way better than one 450

You have this hang-up with P2 vs P3 but really they are almost the same.

Your P2s are the 2nd to fastest P2s and the P3 is the slowest and first P3 ever.

Both have 100mhz fsb
Both have 512KB cache EXTERNAL (.5 multiplier)
the P2s are secc1 and the P3 is secc2 (single edge contact cartridge) (no real change in 1 vs 2...looks)

THE only thing that the P3 might have in its favor is that its possibly lower voltage and consumes less power
Oh...it also uses SSE3 instructions


basicly im saying it doesnt matter that its a P3, its nearly the same as the P2.

Take the two 400s if you can get a decent dual mobo to support that. Run 2k or XP....without question.

 

[DaCurryman]

Thanks a lot everyone! You guys are awesome. Now if only I could get somebody to help me get a stock heatsink off a P3 CPU.