Upgrade P4 3.2 to P4 3.2EE

[hahahehe]

I got a P4 3.2 CPU, but it's neither prescott or northwood version, comparing to the picture of them (Pictures of P4 3.2 Prescott and Northwood). From the picture of P4 3.2EE (Picture of P4 3.2EE), my CPU is perfectly same as the one in the picture, with 30 cache chips.

I've tested the CPU using several CPU testing software, but all of them told me it's a P4 3.2 Northwood regular CPU, not 3.2EE, since there is no level 3 cache.

Is there anyway that I can enable the level 3 2MB cache using software? My motherboard is Intel 875p.
Thanks a lot.

 

[2hotP3s]

No.

 

[zodder]

lol. If you could just enable it via the BIOS or someplace for a Northwood, why the hell would Intel have rushed out the EEs?

 

[hahahehe]

You didn't get my point.
The CPU already has the 2MB cache available, not like other regular 3.2 without those extra 2MB physical cache chips.
but I need to find a way to enable it.

Originally posted by: zodder
lol. If you could just enable it via the BIOS or someplace for a Northwood, why the hell would Intel have rushed out the EEs?

 

[sonoran]

Those little things aren't cache, the cache is inside the chip with the CPU core. But that's neither here nor there...

As to your real issue - have you updated your BIOS to the latest version? It might be that you have a BIOS that doesn't recognize the P4EE?

 

[LTC8K6]

You can't see the cache. You probably just have a different stepping of a regular P4 3.2.

I recall some discussion of different arrangements of the SMD's* on different steppings.

*Surface Mounted Devices.

 

[Shimmishim]

When the new stepping for the 2.4 and 2.8's were released back in ... september? of last year... the M0's

they had the same resistor layout as the EE's...

so it's possible that there is an M0 stepping of the 3.2's now...

just one man's opinion


and there is no way of enabling the L3 cache...

 

[canadianpsycho]

Why not just look at the cache size on the heatspreader?

It has to be one of the three...

EDIT: And no, you can't change it.

 

[daos]

yes, my 3.2c is also an AEP which has the new 8 layer substrate. the complete underside of the chip is covered in smd's just like the EE, and m0 stepping's. most of intel's chips will be going to this new style of packaging known as AEP.

 

[Fricardo]

There is no way that you can enable that cache man. I'm pretty sure it's not even there. Intel wouldn't build 2 MB of cache (which is extremely expensive) into their mainstream chips if it wasn't even going to be used. That cache is why the EE costs almost a grand. No can do man.

 

[Shimmishim]

sometimes, they'll take 3.2EE's that they failed out to get 2 meg L3's and downgrade them to 2.4 or 2.8's and disable the L3 cache...