# Upgrade to Dual Intel Xeon Processor with Windows 7 x64



## ExcelentEnginer (Oct 2, 2008)

Afternoon all,

I have a question about upgrading my Dell Precision T5400 workstation running Windows 7 x64 Professional (upgraded from Windows Vista Business x64). The mainboard in the system can support two CPU's. The workstation came with a single Intel Xeon E5405 Quad Core 2.0Ghz sket 771LGA Processor and have recently aquired a second matching processor that I bought on e-bay. I have two problems. The first is to do with the now excessive noise levels with the second CPU installed. The second is that Windows 7 won't start with the second CPU installed. 

The first problem I think is relaively simple to sort. The heatsink that came with the second processor is fairly wimpy compared to the one fitted on top of the original processor. The processors do not have fans but rather there are 150mm diameter fans on either end of the case pulling air in one end and out the other. This has always been the quietest PC I've ever owned up until now where it sounds like a full Category 5 hurricane with a few tornados thrown in for good luck. I had to remove it almost straight away because it would have driven everyone in the office dimented. I have since sourced a matching heatsink (had to cave and go through Dell) so that will hopefuly resolve that problem.

The second relates to Windows 7 not starting. I know there are issues with Windows 7 when installing second CPU's if they don't match exactly but I am 100% positive they do. I checked in the BIOS before I attempted to boot the system to verify. I think this is the first time I've had problems with Windows 7 after hardware changes. The odd part is, the system has Windows XP Professional x64 installed on it and I managed to boot into that no problems. As I said, I had to remove it until my new heatsink comes so the system is working fine again but it would be nice to have a few a list of things to try before I have to go back at it again.

Thanks Everyone
Tony


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Did you put fresh thermal past on the cpu before mounting the heatsink after cleaning the old paste off?

As far as I know only the server versions of windows i.e NT4, 2000 and 2003, 2008 will only work with multiple CPUs the other versions of windows work with multiple core CPUs but not multiple CPUs.


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## ExcelentEnginer (Oct 2, 2008)

greenbrucelee said:


> Did you put fresh thermal past on the cpu before mounting the heatsink after cleaning the old paste off?
> 
> As far as I know only the server versions of windows i.e NT4, 2000 and 2003, 2008 will only work with multiple CPUs the other versions of windows work with multiple core CPUs but not multiple CPUs.


Thanks for your quick reply. I somehow doubt this is the case seeing as when I bought it, I had the option of getting it with Windows XP x86, Windows XP x64, Windows Vista x86 and Windows Vista x64 with two processors. Also, if you go to the Workstations on the Dell website, you can opt for multiple Intel Xeon CPU's with Windows 7 Professional x64. Also, since my system boots as far as Windows XP Professional x64 (admittadly I didn't check in task manager to see if it recognised all 8 cores) then I find it hard to believe that if a dinosaur like Windows XP Professional x64 will work with it but the sleek and Modern Windows 7 Professional x64 wont.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

only ulitame x64 supports multi cpu No multi physical cpu support! - Windows 7 Forums


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## ExcelentEnginer (Oct 2, 2008)

greenbrucelee said:


> only ulitame x64 supports multi cpu No multi physical cpu support! - Windows 7 Forums


I beg to differ.

Windows 7 Product Editions: A Comparison

Edit:

If you read reply 8 to the forum you referenced, it states "I suggest you might want to look at an Anytime Upgrade to Professional as the minimum spec to use both Processors."


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

well we will have to wait until a Microsoft expert comes online but it did use to be that only server versions would with with two physical cpus.

Knowing how crummy dells are maybe your psu isn't powerful enough to handle two cpus.


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## ExcelentEnginer (Oct 2, 2008)

greenbrucelee said:


> well we will have to wait until a Microsoft expert comes online but it did use to be that only server versions would with with two physical cpus.
> 
> Knowing how crummy dells are maybe your psu isn't powerful enough to handle two cpus.


As I said, it was an option when I bought it originally but the budget didn't allow for it at the time.

You are dead right in your assertion that legacy editions of desktop versions of Windows did not support multiple CPU's but having done a bit more research on the subject, all the references I have found have stated that Windows 7 Professional x64 does is the minimum spec that supports multiple CPU's.


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## mjones1 (May 25, 2008)

Why wait for an MS member when you could just research it yourself...

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...multiple/00126990-d259-4bb4-9599-3d0566ca0282

Pro DOES support multiple physical CPUs. I know this not only from the aforementioned article, but because we have a dual CPU machine in our office running 7 pro.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

I may have a solution

go to run type MSCONFIG and select multi processors to enable it.


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## ExcelentEnginer (Oct 2, 2008)

mjones1 said:


> Why wait for an MS member when you could just research it yourself...
> 
> What versions of Windows 7 support multiple physical Processors? - Microsoft Answers
> 
> Pro DOES support multiple physical CPUs. I know this not only from the aforementioned article, but because we have a dual CPU machine in our office running 7 pro.


Thanks for clearing up the confusion



greenbrucelee said:


> I may have a solution
> 
> go to run type MSCONFIG and select multi processors to enable it.


I have checked that setting and yes, it is configured to accept only one processor. Unfortunately, I will need to wait for the proper heatsink to arrive before I see if it works. I will post the results. In the meantime, if anyone else can think of possible causes please post them so I can have a list of possible fixes that I can try when I get the second processor back up and running.

Regards the problem with the excessive noise, i'm quite confident that the proper heatsink designed to work with the workstation will sort the problem. As I said, it is hands down the quietest PC I've ever owned and it has frequently been running flat out across all four cores for days on end. 

Thanks again for the input.


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## ExcelentEnginer (Oct 2, 2008)

greenbrucelee said:


> I may have a solution
> 
> go to run type MSCONFIG and select multi processors to enable it.


Thank you greenbrucelee for your suggestion. I can now boot up Windows 7 Professional with dual physical processors although Task Manager shows only two processors whereas previously it showed four cores (presumably showing only two because there are two physical processors and there wouldn't be enough room to show all eight cores???). 

However, my problem with excessive fan noise persists. I have managed to salvage a matching Dell JD 210 heatsink from another machine, installed it and started the machine. However, almost as soon as I start the machine, the fan still reves to almost full speed albeit not as bad as with the heatsink that was supplied with the additional Xeon Processor. Has anyone any other suggestions?

Tony


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

is the fan down properly?

is the right amount of thermal paste applied? or is the thermal pad (if one) had the film removed?


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## ExcelentEnginer (Oct 2, 2008)

greenbrucelee said:


> is the fan down properly?
> 
> is the right amount of thermal paste applied? or is the thermal pad (if one) had the film removed?


There are no fans mounted directly to the CPU but rather there is a double-blade, 150mm diameter fan mounted to the front of the case with the two heatsinks directly in front of it. Air is drawn in from the front of the case, blows over the two heatsinks and out the back. I removed the fan and cleaned out the dust but it did little to improve it.

As for thermal paste, I have since removed the second procesor (yet again) until I find a solution simply because it is too noisey to have in a office with 90 other people. When I removed the heatsink, it was clear there was a nice even film of paste across the top to the processor/bottom of the heatsink so it was definitely down properly and the thermal paste had been applied in the correct amount. I had also previously remover thermal paste from the previous heatsink prior to re-applying it when I installed the new one.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

I would suggest you actually need fans on the heatsinks attached to the cpus as the heatbuild up will be casuing the fan you have to rev hard to compensate.

You should be able to control the fan speed in the bios though if you wish to turn it down.


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## ExcelentEnginer (Oct 2, 2008)

greenbrucelee said:


> I would suggest you actually need fans on the heatsinks attached to the cpus as the heatbuild up will be casuing the fan you have to rev hard to compensate.
> 
> You should be able to control the fan speed in the bios though if you wish to turn it down.


Thanks for the pointers. I did think about those options. I'd rather let the BIOS control the fan. I'm sure it is not revving the fan to full speed for no reason. I'll take a noisey fan over two burnt out processors any day. I will do some research to see if I can locate any suitable fans that can be mounted to the heatsinks. I suppose there is also the the expensive but guaranteed to work option of water cooling the processors. I did some research on this before when I was building a Pentium 4 system a few years back. It is an option although for a high-end and relatively uncommon processor like the Xeon, I'm sure it will be a hell of alot more expensive.

There is also room for two 60mm fans at the rear of the case. I could perhaps install fans there and have them blowing in the same direction as the inlet fan. It would perhaps help vent the exhaust although they would be a long way from the heatsinks so it is questionable as to whether they will be of any significant benefit. Anyway, I'll start simple by mounting fans to the tops of the heatsinks.

Thanks Again
Tony


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

noise is better than heat.

I have 3 120mm fans at the front, a 200mm fan at the top and 2 120mm fans at the back and a tuniq tower heatsink with has an 80mm fan attached. all running at low having it at high is very noisey though.


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