goldencamel

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Apr 9, 2010
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18,510
Hi There, first of thanks for the advice and help in advance.

I bought a used chip from a friend but it has no markings on it whatsoever..

We checked on cpu-z and it told me that it was a core 2 quad @ 3.2ghz with an FSB of 1600Mhz. The strange thing is the only processor i can find that matches these specs is a qx9770. Or could this chip be an ES? It doesn't come up as and engineering sample in cpu-z.

But here is the killer, this chip reports on cpu-z as E0 Stepping! so I am really stumped, can you please have a look and let me know exactly what it is that I have.

I have been searching and reading for the past 3 days solid now and cant get a definitive answer, I hope the community can help me out! :bounce:

here is the link to the online validation

http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1121550

Regards

 
Its the only Intel processor I could find that was E0 stepping that fits the description.

Happy Counting :lol:

It should technically work in a 775 board I dont think the pin outs are too much different if they are different at all maybe a few extra grounds or something.
 

goldencamel

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Apr 9, 2010
5
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18,510
well, Cool, its got 775 pin spots, also I could have saved myself lots of squinting if i went here ! ahhah! Shows a 771 alongside a yorkie and it would have been so much more pleasure just to look for 4 extra pin landings! Link below, the chip I have is identical to the one on the right.

As i mentioned first off this thing is driving me nuts.. haha.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.anandtech.com/reviews/cpu/intel/skulltrail/cpus.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.anandtech.com/print/2435&usg=__cEYQ0_IOh2MiZwh72ln31_HN1ZI=&h=285&w=550&sz=76&hl=en&start=34&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=TaZ3nIhGSH77AM:&tbnh=69&tbnw=133&prev=/images%3Fq%3D771%2Bprocessor%26start%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dgmail%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dgm%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1
 

The Core 2 series never had any L3, and the 1600MHz FSB is normal for the QX9770 (and a few Xeons).
 



Is the multiplier locked or unlocked? The Extreme editions are unlocked. I think the engineering samples are also, but CPUZ usually shows that.
 
Everything points to a QX9770 but the last stepping for that was C1 unless Intel planned a E0 stepping of it and never fully released it and that would probably be why the CPUz name doesn't show up.

http://processorfinder.intel.com/List.aspx?ParentRadio=All&ProcFam=2774&SearchKey=

There are two E0 CPUs. A Q9650 and Q9550s(the s was for a 65w low power version of the Q9550). Maybe this is a QX9770s?

Download and run this:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=7838&lang=eng

Its Intels CPU identification tool. Might be able to give us the truth behind it.
 


Even if it was overclocked, it would still be labled as a Q9650 or Q9550s due to is sSPEC number (like my Q6600 G0 is OCed to 3GHz but it still shows as a Q6600 G0 in CPUz, its sSPEC is SLACR).

Problem is as well, Intel has only released 2 official E0 parts the Q9650 and the Q9550s, and I am highly doubting they will release any more since 1. Core i7/i5/i3 are their main parts now and 2. 32nm is going to be ramped up this year for most FABs, so most FABs will be put into 32nm manufacturing.

If anything its as I said before, its is possibly a QX9770 that Intel had planned on releasing as a later stepping (E0) with improved thermals but when they did the Core i7 hit so it was pointless. Possibly some got out to the consumer end. If anything, the guy is super lucky if he paid a small price for it.