HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF

[Sideshowbob10]

The drum roll xD It booted up didn’t even take me to bios. Now, when I go into task manager, it says I still have my intel xeon 1660v3. CpuZ registers my intel i7 6900k. 

What steps do I take now? 

[Sideshowbob10]

I mean to ask, what steps do I take to optimise my system with this new cpu? Should I go into bios and tinker? Would you be okay with me video calling you somehow? 

[NonSequitur777]

@Sideshowbob10,

I assume then, that you got your i7-6900K up and running?

Look, I would love to video-chat with you, but under the HP Community Expert's rulebook that is not allowed.

The only BIOS setting you should check -at least that comes to mind right now, is to make sure that Hyper-Threading is enabled.

Next, follow the optimization steps as suggested here: 🔧 How to Optimize Windows 10 For GAMING & Performance in 2019 The Ultimate Updated GUIDE. The only thing Panjno got wrong is that at timestamp 17:25, he says to input seven f's, but that should be eight (8) f's, like so: ffffffff.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Sideshowbob10]

No worries at all, I will run through the steps you kindly gave me and report back. Thank you very much i’ll post again soon

[Sideshowbob10]

How to I navigate the bios to find where hyperthreading is? 

No worries at all, I will run through the steps you kindly gave me and report back. Thank you very much i’ll post again soon. 

[NonSequitur777]

@Sideshowbob10,

My bad: I skipped the post before your most recent post!

So, it sounds like your system is still recognizing the microcode for the old Xeon E5-1660 v3 at the firmware level, but CPU-Z correctly identifies the i7-6900K. This is likely due to BIOS settings, Windows not updating properly, or lingering drivers from the previous CPU. Here’s how to resolve it:

Steps to Fix CPU Recognition in Task Manager & BIOS:

1. Perform a Full Power Reset:

• Turn off the system and unplug it.

• Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds to drain residual power.

• Clear the CMOS:

  1. Locate the CMOS jumper (JBAT1) on the Z440 motherboard.

  2. Move the jumper from pins 1-2 to 2-3 for 10 seconds, then return it to default.

  3. Alternatively, remove the CMOS battery for a few minutes, then reinsert it. (I would recommend this method)

This ought to force the BIOS to recognize the new CPU properly!

2. Check BIOS Version:

• Ensure that you got the latest Z440 BIOS version: 02.61 Rev.A is installed.

 

3. Load BIOS Defaults:

• Enter BIOS (F10 at boot)

• Navigate to Advanced > Reset BIOS to Default Settings

• Save and exit.

 

4. Force Windows to Re-detect the CPU:

If Task Manager still shows the old CPU:

1. Open Device Manager (devmgmt.msc).

2. Expand Processors > Right-click each entry and Uninstall device.

3. Reboot the system.

Windows should now properly recognize the i7-6900K.

5. Verify with Core Affinity & CPU-Z:

• Task Manager > Performance > CPU should now show the correct model.

• If issues persist, check if all CPU cores are enabled in msconfig:

  1. Run msconfig → Go to Boot > Advanced Options.

  2. Ensure "Number of processors" is unchecked.

  3. Reboot.

  4. Then go back to System Configuration (as also suggested by Panjno) and choose the biggest number (16) under "number of processors" (actually: threads).

---

Final Check:

• Run wmic cpu get name in Command Prompt.

• If issues persist, a clean Windows install may be required to eliminate old driver conflicts, but this contingency seems to me to be unlikely.

This should fully resolve the recognition issue!

Let me know how it goes.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Sideshowbob10]

I believe it’s on because task manager is showing all Logical processor’s (16). Task manager has also recognised my i7 after a restart!

[NonSequitur777]

@Sideshowbob10,

In order to enable Hyper-Threading (HT) on an HP Z440 Workstation, follow these steps:

Navigating BIOS to Find Hyper-Threading:

1. Turn on the HP Z440 and repeatedly press F10 to enter the BIOS setup.

2. Once inside the BIOS, navigate using the arrow keys.

3. Go to Advanced > Processor Configuration (or Advanced Options depending on the BIOS version).

4. Look for the Intel Hyper-Threading Technology option.

5. Set it to Enabled.

6. Press F10 to save changes and exit.

If Hyper-Threading is missing, ensure:

• The BIOS is updated to the latest version as I mentioned.

• The i7-6900K is properly recognized by clearing CMOS and resetting BIOS settings as instructed.

Let me know if you need additional guidance!

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Sideshowbob10]

I also check through the bios and it’s enabled! Everything’s going smoothly so far

[Sideshowbob10]

Hiya, 

Do you know any good cpu benchmarking software?