Sempron 3000+ Socket A Information?

[OCedHrt]

I just got a Sempron 3000+ for socket A from Fry's today. The cpu looked used, but I tried it anyways and it seems to work fine at rated speeds. However, my MB is identifying it as a Athlon MP and not a Sempron.

CPU-Z gives the following information:
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/3786/cpu19994gj.png

And CrystalCPUID shows that it's original speed is 1600Mhz:
http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/6083/cpu1fx.png

Does this mean that it's not actually a 3000+ Sempron and I should get it exchanged? (Even though it does seem to work at 2 Ghz) Anyone know the correct family/stepping information for the 3000+ Sempron? All I found from AMD's site is that it is stepping A, so it seems to be the right chip in this regard.

Thanks

 

[helle040]

this is not a sempron, ihave one and cpu-z recognize it as a sempron and not as a athlon mp!

 

[hurtstotalktoyou]

Well, it has the right instruction sets, and it has the right size L2 cache. It has pretty close to the right voltage--the small variation is probably due to the motherboard. OEM CPUs have a tendency to look used, even when they are new, so I wouldn't worry about that.

On the other hand, both utilities report it as an Athlon MP, and one gives a specific frequency of 1.6 GHz.

Here's the kicker, though: The Athlon MP 1900+, which is the one that runs at 1.6 GHz, has a 256 KB L2 cache. Yours clearly has 512 KB. Is there an Athlon MP that runs at 1.6 GHz and has a 512 KB L2? Maybe, but I've never heard of any such CPU.

Next, we have feasability of the plan. You're saying Fry's took a used MP 1900+ and remarked it as a lowly Sempron? That doesn't make much sense, considering MP processors cost quite a premium.

Finally, we know that Semprons were added late in the life of Socket A. That means they may be remarked by the manufacturer (kind of like Thortons were Bartons that didn't cut the mustard). It also means older BIOS versions may not be able to identify the new Semprons.

To be sure, try the following: reset your BIOS to default settings, and see if the CPU still comes up as 2.0 GHz. Also, try updating your BIOS.

If it is an Athlon MP, I wouldn't return it. I'd sell it for more than you bought it for.

 

[Fern]

Originally posted by: OCedHrt
Anyone know the correct family/stepping information for the 3000+ Sempron? All I found from AMD's site is that it is stepping A, so it seems to be the right chip in this regard.

Thanks

Try THIS chart.

Fern

 

[OCedHrt]

Originally posted by: hurtstotalktoyou
Well, it has the right instruction sets, and it has the right size L2 cache. It has pretty close to the right voltage--the small variation is probably due to the motherboard. OEM CPUs have a tendency to look used, even when they are new, so I wouldn't worry about that.

On the other hand, both utilities report it as an Athlon MP, and one gives a specific frequency of 1.6 GHz.

Here's the kicker, though: The Athlon MP 1900+, which is the one that runs at 1.6 GHz, has a 256 KB L2 cache. Yours clearly has 512 KB. Is there an Athlon MP that runs at 1.6 GHz and has a 512 KB L2? Maybe, but I've never heard of any such CPU.

Next, we have feasability of the plan. You're saying Fry's took a used MP 1900+ and remarked it as a lowly Sempron? That doesn't make much sense, considering MP processors cost quite a premium.

Finally, we know that Semprons were added late in the life of Socket A. That means they may be remarked by the manufacturer (kind of like Thortons were Bartons that didn't cut the mustard). It also means older BIOS versions may not be able to identify the new Semprons.

To be sure, try the following: reset your BIOS to default settings, and see if the CPU still comes up as 2.0 GHz. Also, try updating your BIOS.

If it is an Athlon MP, I wouldn't return it. I'd sell it for more than you bought it for.

Well, there was definitely some thermal paste left on it, plus the box was completely open and taped together with packaging tape. I'm not saying Fry's modded it, but possibly someone bought it, modded it, didn't like it, and returned it.

And, 1.6->2.0 is just a question with the FSB. 12x133 = 1.6, 12x166 = 2.0. The extra cache could possibly have been unlocked with a mod too. But if I remember correctly, you can't mod these chips anymore..so I guess that is highly unlikely.

My bios recognized it as 12x133. I set the FSB to 166 and it seems to be running just fine.

Thanks for all the help, seems like we're gonna keep it for now. If anything happens we can call up AMD on that 1 year warranty.

 

[Budman]

probably just needs a bios update for the board to identify it correctly.

 

[OCedHrt]

But how the board identifies it shouldn't have anything to do with how CPU-Z and CrystalCPUID identifies it? The bios is dated late 2004, but there is a beta bios from this year. I suppose I could give it a try.

 

[Furen]

It could be that someone modded it. K7s used external bridges to designate mobile/server/regular CPUs, so it could be that some random person modded it and unlocked the multiplier then tried overclocking and couldnt hit the frequency he wanted so returned it... there's some people who actually do things like this.

 

[OCedHrt]

Totally forgot about this thread.

I believe the chip was manufacturered this year, and I don't think they're moddable anymore? I'm not 100% sure though. But that was what I was afraid of.

 

[weeber]

OCedHrt,

You may want to review this site Text it talks alot about turning AthlonXP CPUs into MPs to allow for voltage and multiplier changes on the fly. If your CPU looks like what's discussed here, then there's a good chance Furen is correct and you got a modded K7 that somebody returned.

BTW, sorry, the site I linked loads slow, but it has loads of information about modding XPs to MPs and thought it might be relevant to your case.