Check the Crucial site for 4 MB DDR2-800 DIMMs. Last time I checked they were about $104 each...goes off to look..here's the part number CT51272AF80E 4GB, 240-pin DIMM but the price is $130. Still not too bad, though... I tested with one for my Tom's story and it works great!

--Ed--

Ed Tittel 2443 Arbor Drive, Round Rock, TX 78681-2160
Bio, resume and list of pubs at www.edtittel.com
Contributing Editor, Tom's Guide
Expert Q'n'A/content for 6 TechTarget.com Web sites

Whoops: good catch! I just checked the part number in the machine and its actually CT51264AA667 which is a 4GB DDR2-667 part (not DDR2-800). This one is non-ECC and costs $190. Ouch!

For a while there, Newegg had some 4GB non-ECC modules from ADATA available for about $105, but they've been on backorder ever since they surfaced. In another 6 months, though, this stuff will be commonplace.

Sorry about the initial mix-up.
--Ed--

PS [Added 5/4]: I have actually used this module in the EX475 so I'm pretty sure it will also work in the EX48* modules. Good thing memory speed doesn't matter as much on a server as on a desktop, eh?

Ed Tittel 2443 Arbor Drive, Round Rock, TX 78681-2160
Bio, resume and list of pubs at www.edtittel.com
Contributing Editor, Tom's Guide
Expert Q'n'A/content for 6 TechTarget.com Web sites

About temps in HWMonitor:

For some reason the CPU core temps in the MSS tend to read low on multi-core CPUs (they're the same as the console readings for single-core models). I noticed the same thing on the EX47* models after installing dual-core CPUs into that machine as well. Given the option, the most accurate readings come either from the health monitor in the BIOS (but since that isn't available at runtime, only when booting, who cares?) and from the MSS console itself. I have also used Alfred Comparetti's SpeedFan (http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php) on MSS models with good results.

HTH,
--Ed--

Ed Tittel 2443 Arbor Drive, Round Rock, TX 78681-2160
Bio, resume and list of pubs at www.edtittel.com
Contributing Editor, Tom's Guide
Expert Q'n'A/content for 6 TechTarget.com Web sites

Generally, different temps reported take the same readings and use different TJMax values to calculate actual temperatures. Read my TJMax blog to get a sense of how this can happen and what it generally means to the real temps in your device. My guess is that the "real temperature" is most likely to be properly reported in the console as long as you use the stock processor (which you aren't using here...;-) because they can provide very specific information about TJmax values. As soon as you change the processor, you'll want to do some research and learn TJMax values for your new proc (for most of those Intel processors, they're 95 degrees C BTW) and adjust accordingly. I believe there are options in both Speedfan and HWMonitor where you can adjust this data...

HTH,
--Ed--

Ed Tittel 2443 Arbor Drive, Round Rock, TX 78681-2160
Bio, resume and list of pubs at www.edtittel.com
Contributing Editor, Tom's Guide
Expert Q'n'A/content for 6 TechTarget.com Web sites

This usually means the MSS won't boot with the chip you've installed. Which chip did you insert? the 5200? We observed during extensive postings with the EX47* models that some people could get higher-TDP chips to work in their boxes, and yet the same chips wouldn't work in others. This may be what's happening to you. If the status light just keeps blinking and the box never boots, you're going to have to revert to your original CPU to get the unit operational again. Sorry!

The 5200 is a 65W TDP part. I personally had zero success in getting 65W AMD parts to work in a 475, and observed the symptoms I describe in the previous paragraph first-hand (with a non-low-wattage 3800+, in fact).

HTH,

--Ed--

Ed Tittel 2443 Arbor Drive, Round Rock, TX 78681-2160
Bio, resume and list of pubs at www.edtittel.com
Contributing Editor, Tom's Guide
Expert Q'n'A/content for 6 TechTarget.com Web sites

No, there isn't, and if experience with the LE-16xx processors on the EX47* models is any indication, other 45 W Celeron procs will work well and deliver a painless performance boost, if a modest one. For many MSS hackers, multi-core CPUs have become a bit of a holy grail, and I have to speculate that's why they always attract lots of buzz and experimentation when new models come out.

I'm still waiting on an E4300 and an E5200, trying to score a Xeon L3110 (3 GHz, 45 W, dual core, 1333 MHz FSB, 6 MB L2 Cache), and plan to spend $40 on a Celeron 450 (also 45 W). I don't recognize the E1500--goes off to look--it's a 65 W part and may run too hot to work in the box (I'm expecting issues with the E4300 and E5200 for the same reason in fact). I feel like I have to try because some users here have reported success with the E5200, which naturally begs the question if a slow, cooler model (the E4300, in other words) might also work.

HTH, and good luck with your experiments. Please keep us posted on the results.

Best,
--Ed--

Ed Tittel 2443 Arbor Drive, Round Rock, TX 78681-2160
Bio, resume and list of pubs at www.edtittel.com
Contributing Editor, Tom's Guide
Expert Q'n'A/content for 6 TechTarget.com Web sites

My advice then would be to go for the Celeron 450 instead of the E1500. The 450 is sure to work (same family and specs as the current chip, with same power envelope) and costs about the same as the 1500. I've found 'em for under $40 online.

HTH, and thanks for the clarification.
--Ed--

Ed Tittel 2443 Arbor Drive, Round Rock, TX 78681-2160
Bio, resume and list of pubs at www.edtittel.com
Contributing Editor, Tom's Guide
Expert Q'n'A/content for 6 TechTarget.com Web sites

Well it works, I can get into the BIOS, if you leave the keyboard and mouse connected and let the system boot it starts to go into a system recovery mode. However if you remove them it fires up as normal, I can see the desktop, but can't use the mouse and keyboard, but can use remote desktop to access the system. Not sure if there is any thing to change in the BIOS though. I saw that the memory speed can be altered slower and faster than 800Mhz... Any ideas? I also saw that the system has CPU speed stepping turned on.

WHS4u said:

techaholic said: Well it works, I can get into the BIOS, if you leave the keyboard and mouse connected and let the system boot it starts to go into a system recovery mode. However if you remove them it fires up as normal, I can see the desktop, but can't use the mouse and keyboard, but can use remote desktop to access the system. Not sure if there is any thing to change in the BIOS though. I saw that the memory speed can be altered slower and faster than 800Mhz... Any ideas? I also saw that the system has CPU speed stepping turned on.

I just got the VGA keyboard/mouse hook up cable too and the only thing that I'm going to change for now is the "CPU speed stepping" setting. For the record, I do not have any stability/connectivity/heat issues with the E5200. My only issue is that when I ran the OCCT stress test, the report is showing half of the speed frequency (1197MHz). I got into the BIOS and it reports 2500MHz. Now I just downloaded Intel's CPU ID (download here) and it also reports the CPU is running at half the speed... See image below: This is why I'm thinking that by disabling the "Speed stepping" in the BIOS it may bring the CPU to show full speed. Can you run the CPU ID program and see what reading you get? Keep us posted. Thanks

Is there any way to disable speed stepping without going into the BIOS? That would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath.

How are your temps now Marcos? Are you noticing any difference?

Is anyone interested in selling their used VGA cable? :)

Can the Processor do real time Software encoding?

Gib said:

jutley said: Is anyone interested in selling their used VGA cable? :)

Can anyone tell me where we can get these cables?

 Thanks

gib

Marcos posted these links for us on page 2 of this thread:

 Buy cable here:  http://www.mediasmartserver.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=3980

 Instructions to get into the BIOS here:  http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2009/01/09/how-to-unlock-the-ex487-bios/