Okay let me start with specs :

MSI K7D Master-L motherboard
2 x Athlon MP 2100+
1 GB (2x512) Crucial PC2100 registered ECC
SCSI 10krpm hdd (adaptec 19160)


Built this setup Summer '02 and it worked fine for about a year. Then, I started having stability problems with intense 3d games, due to the cpu's overheating with the stock HSF's.

So I bought a pair of AX7 heatsinks with fans to replace.. well in the process, something went wrong with the secondary cpu, the system at first would not see both cpu's at POST, and it went downhill from there to where now it won't even POST at all with the secondary cpu installed. Tested this cpu on another board, and it wont post there.


So... I bought a used replacement cpu from ebay. However, it is different than my original. My original cpu's were retail processors ordered from newegg.com and are both GREEN colored pcb. The replacement howeve is BROWN. It does say MP2100 on the core though.

Anyway, the system will now POST with the new cpu installed secondary, and the bios recognizes 2 x MP2100, but any operating system when it tries to load an SMP kernel (have tried debian linux, fedora linux, Windows XP) the box instantly resets itself. The install procedures work perfectly but when it tries to finally load an SMP kernel, reboot.

I can run linux with a single cpu kernel (no smp) and everything is fine.


So
1) should I not expect 1 brown and 1 green MP2100 to work together nicely ? what is different about them besides color ?

2) since this was a retail cpu that died, it should be under 3 yr AMD warranty. However, did I void my warranty by using a non-retail HSF ? There is no sign of any overheating damage or any damage on the cpu it looks (and smells) good as new. So, might I expect AMD to replace my dead green MP2100 ? What if I cannot find the original HSF with the serial # on it ? can't they use the serial number on the cpu core itself ? and is it going to cost me anything

3) should I just forget this SMP crap and buy Intel next time

okay... looks like I finally have everything resolved

Was finally able to flash the bios on my motherboard.. it required me using jumpers to clear the cmos, and then downlock the FSB to 100mhz. I was then able to flash the bios.

once flashed, Debian 2.6.3-1-k7-smp kernel booted and everything is hunkey-dorey now !