xeon processors

[SteveD]

I was given a server with dual 3.2 giga hertz xeons. Are these processors useful for anything in comparison to the newer processors in performance.

[KeithAbbott]

Those processors are useful for nothing. Avoid environmental disposal fees by shipping to me immediately!

[Fuzzy]

The do make excellent space heaters... (those can chew through 110W a piece).

[paulbeers]

Hold on, what version of 3.2ghz Xeon processor is it? Stating you have dual 3.2ghz Xeon processors is like me stating I have a Sedan. It doesn't mean much unless we know the "make/model/year"....

Looking at wikipedia, there are almost 20 different versions of Xeon processors clocked at 3.2ghz (especially if you count 3.17 as 3.2):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...2_.28180_nm.29

If it is a the old NetBurst architecture ones (i.e. based on Pentium 4), then no it isn't worth keeping around. However, if it is Core, Penryn, Nehalem, then yes it is worth using (although I really doubt anyone's giving you a dual Nehalem based dual Xeon server!).

[SteveD]

According to cpuz, they are Nocona. I guess i will trash it. I didn't expect them to be able to compete with modern processors.

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by SteveD

According to cpuz, they are Nocona.

Yeah, NetBurst based then. At least it should have PCI-E, DDR2 and SATA ports on the motherboard and the Nocona Xeon's were the first with Intel's 64bit extension meaning you can run a 64bit based OS with it (AFAIK). So it isn't terrible, just not great.

Edit: Looks like you edited your post before I made my post....

[SteveD]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

Yeah, NetBurst based then. At least it should have PCI-E, DDR2 and SATA ports on the motherboard and the Nocona Xeon's were the first with Intel's 64bit extension meaning you can run a 64bit based OS with it (AFAIK). So it isn't terrible, just not great.

Edit: Looks like you edited your post before I made my post....

It has some weird slots that look like extended pci and some odd length slots that look like pci-e

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by SteveD

It has some weird slots that look like extended pci add some odd length slots that look like pci-e

Most likely what you are seeing are PCIX (the long PCI slots) and 8x PCIE slots. Nice thing about 8X PCIE slots is that you can dremel (carefully) out the back of the slot and slap a full 16X PCIE video card in the slot. I did this a couple of times to some old Dell Servers back in the day (you could buy them dirt cheap with out OS and dremel out the 8X PCIE slot, drop in a video card, and you had a decent gaming rig).