Z600 cpu upgrade with x5679

[Emilian616]

Hi all folks,

I'm thinkingto make an upgrade to my z600 hp which is the version 1 wokstation. So I want to buy a rev. 2 motherboard , and to put on it 2 cpu's - x5679 having:

Clockspeed: 3.2 GHz
Turbo Speed: 3.6 GHz
No of Cores: 6 (2 logical cores per physical)
Typical TDP: 115 W

and to add 48 gb of ram ecc registered. 

My question and wondering is, have and idea or clue if,  it is posibile to work x5679 cpu on rev .2 (C2) motherboard, that in the hp support say that cpu x5675, (TDP 95 w), is the maxim cpu. 

Thanks, best regards!

[SDH · Accepted solution]

First... upgrading the motherboard is a very good idea, and well worth the effort.  When I do that I use good lighting, am very careful during removal of the cables so nothing gets damaged, take notes if needed, and tape the cables up out of the case so that the original motherboard can be easily removed and the new one placed and cables reattached with least manipulation.  It is wise to put in a new motherboard battery.  It is handy to have the processor sockets protected by taping a piece of firm cardboard outside over the sockets to protect the pins until the last steps.

Second.... that almost certainly will not work.  That is a rare processor, and HP generally has had a "white list" of approved processors built into a part of BIOS code called the microcode.  If not on the list a processor generally will not run.  I say generally because there are a very few exceptions.  For example, the X5690 is not HP-certified but will run fine in a version 2 Z400, but will not run in a version 2 Z600.  But it is approved for and will run in the version 2 Z800.  You might choose to experiment with one and let us know.  If one will work with your new motherboard two will also.  You will not hurt anything by this experiment (except perhaps your wallet).

Processors running higher than 95W max TDP will need the "Performance" HP heatsink/fan over each, quite rare and expensive versus the "Mainstream" heatsink/fan which is common and cheap to find used (and you will already own one or two of those with your version 1 Z600).

If you use the Passmark archives you can see the total Passmark score for what you are running now, and what one or two X5672 (or X5675) processors will perform at.  If you never ran multithreaded software you might actually want X5672 processors that are quad core and run faster than the X5675 hexacores.....

Passmark scores for dual processors (which includes multithreading testing):

X5672  10075

X5675  12612

X5679  13618    (this score has no value to you if it won't run in a version 2 Z600)

Some of our business software has evolved to multithreading versions, and with W10 and your interest in this you probably should get two X5675s.  But it would be very nice to have you experiment with the X5679 and let us know.  I did that for the X5690 in the Z400 here, and that was worthwhile to document.  Take a look also at the X5677.  I did the work on the Z600 v2 with the X5690.... that is a definite no-go.

[Emilian616]

Hi, thanks for quick and the good argumentation. Yes, I'm in a dilema now, it can be found that the x5679 cpu is more expensive even than x5690. I was glad that I can achive the passmark benchmark note of x5690. Because is the chance that it may not work it think that i will tray x5675 cpu, this depend if i'll find a good price for x5679...thanks. I'll post if I succed with x5679 cpu upgrade. Thanks for all SDH!

[SDH]

Happy to help.  Just so we fully understand each other:

1.  I would recommend the motherboard upgrade fully.

2.  X5690 will never work in your upgraded Z600.

3.  X5679 will almost certainly never work in your upgraded Z600 and I would not recommend buying one of those unless you can get your money back or have deep pockets and are willing to lose that cash.  I personally would not do that experiment because my pockets have been emptied by my other recent experiments.

4.  I recommend you buy two of the X5675 and be happy with those.