I was hoping to have an Athlon XP 2400+ in the second server but it turned out (at least according to the BIOS) to be only an Athlon 1400+ (with less than a gig of power). I've decided to take a leaf out of Lifehacker's book and post it back to AMD with a covering letter in the hopes it'll be replaced. The letter I (hand) wrote is below (as I decided to type it up, to make sure they can read it once they receive it).
I'm also considering returning some failing RAM but it's non-descript stuff. I have, however, traced it to Winbond who seem to manufacture a lot of this sort of stuff. Unfortunately the nearest office they have is on the West Coast of the USA. It should still cost less than £2 to send but I certainly won't have the loyal customer angle... :P
I've been trying to get distcc running between the first server and my desktop to no avail, and I'm trying to work out what my problem is there. Once (or possibly before, if I can't be bothered to work it out) that is done, I'm going to try and work out how to boot these computers with only a network connection, so I'll never have to look at them again once they are hidden away in the loft.
And finally, I'll repeat again my request for any old computer stuff, most especially ATX cases (if you don't know what that means, that's the sort of case you have), as I have a whole motherboard going to waste ATM, and Socket A/462 cases, for the 1800+ mentioned in the letter below (and possibly the 2000+ if AMD are being nice).
83 Granville St.
To Whom It May Concern,
Peterborough.
PE1 2QL.
Enclosed you will find an AMD chip the identity of which is unknown to myself.
I have recently been attempting to build myself a server from all of the discarded bits of computers lying around my house. I found myself a Socket A/462 motherboard (well, several, but just the one working one) and had three AMD processors that would fit said board: an Athlon XP 1800+, an Athlon XP 2000+ and the enclosed. Not recognising the latter of these chips, I poked around on the Internet and found 2 sites. The first listed the product codes of various chips and the latter had pictures of various processors.
Imagine my delight upon discovering that both websites confirmed that I was holding an Athlon XP 2400+! Prising off the heatsink (a real pig BTW, could use a redesign) I removed the resident 1800+ and inserted my 2400+.
Imagine my dismay when the BIOS insisted that it had only a lowly Athlon 1400 (with a clock speed of less, even, than 1GHz). Refusing to believe the BIOS, I once again prised off the heatsink (narrowly avoiding totalling the RAM) and re-examined the unknown processor. Quite clearly on the label was the code AXDA2400DKV3C, which should mean, as I thought previously, a 2400+. Returning the chip to the motherboard in one last hopeful attempt, I was once again disappointed.
The server is now chugging along with the 2000+ powering it. However, compiling all my software as I do, the extra power I was hoping for is sorely missed.
I am not writing to you in the expectation of a replacement but in the hope. I am a great fan of AMD products (as the presence of 3 chips would suggest) and my current desktop set-up has an Athlon XP64 3000+ in and I am planning for my next machine also to have an AMD processor (and possibly an AMD/ATI graphics card?). I have never, thanks to the quality of your products, had to even call let-alone return anything to your Technical Support and, really, I am not doing so now. All I’m asking is that you do something cool for a loyal customer who will sing your praises for evermore if you do so.
Yours hopefully,
Daniel Watkins
email: [removed]
home phone: [removed]
P.S. The two sites, for reference, are:
a Wikipedia one
and:
a CPU World one
P.P.S. My handwriting isn’t great so find enclosed a typed version of this letter.
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