Q: Sony Vaio SZ90 - Crippled MPC support (Multi Processor Support)

Hi there,

I am starting a new thread about this because the subject (and original post) is nearly two years old and I cannot find it.


I am investigating the crippling of the second core of an Intel Core Duo 2.16Ghz chip inside my Sony Vaio SZ90 laptop. This started around 2005 or 2006 when Sony released the Vaio SZ.

I ran the programme Sandra SIS and it reports this information about the motherboard. It reports that the Mutli Processor Support is disabled. SUrely this means that the motherboard will never be able to use more than one CPU / more than one core?

Regards, kz.

Code:

Mainboard

Platform Compliance : Intel Centrino Mobile Technology
Manufacturer : Sony
Multi-Processor (MP) Support : No
MPS Version : 1.40
Model : VAIO
Version : N/A
Serial Number : N/A
Asset Tag : N/A

Here are the chip set results:
Chipset
Model : Sony 955XM/945GM/PM/GMS/940GML Express Processor to DRAM Controller
OEM Device Name : Intel 955XM/945GM/PM/GMS/940GML Express Processor to
DRAM Controller
Revision : A4
Bus : Intel AGTL+
Front Side Bus Speed : 4x 167MHz (668MHz)
Maximum FSB Speed : 4x 200MHz (800MHz)
Width : 64-bit
I/O Queue Depth : 12 request(s)
Maximum Bus Bandwidth : 5.22GB/s
Maximum Power : 7.00W

Additional m/b stuff:
*Computer* *Mainboard*
Manufacturer : Sony
Model : VGN-SZ90PS
Version : J001G09L
Serial Number : 28240602-1002528
ID : 204E7FC7-D9113C5B-0100A685-1AEBF64A

 

You have one processor. That processor has two cores. Check in Task Manager and see if there are two CPU usage graphs.

 

Nope it lists one CPU usage graph. The same is true for the O/Ses listed in the next paragraph.

Both cores are detectable by all operating systems (WinXP with multiprocessor HAL, Solaris 10, Linux 2.6 and OpenBSD) yet neither O/S would be able to use the second core. I have tried to force the cores by adding acpi options"acpi_apic_instance=2" to the kernel option for boot but this does not work; Well, technically the option does work, but the kernel then deactivates the second core because it is unable to use it.

I have been trying to sort this out since 2006 with either my own investigation or the reseller company I bought the notebook from (Dynamism.com) and neither of us have worked this out. 4 years later no luck

 

check bios settings.

 

Been there done that Sorry for the flippancy, but I do appreciate the suggestions.

The Phoenix BIOS was customised by Sony, and the cores cannot be disabled nor enabled in the BIOS. The BIOS has been pretty much stripped down to a bare minimum.

 

Anyways, my laptop (P8600 - 2x2.4GHz) also says 'Multi-Processor (MP) Support: No,' if that is one of the things you may have wanted to confirm.

 

OK. Interesting that yours states the same. Damn, I thought that I was onto something. Cheers for this bit of info.

 

How many processors are reported under 'Processor' in SiSandra?

I have two: 'CPU1 (Processor 0, Core 0, Thread 0)' and 'CPU2 (Processor 0, Core 1, Thread 0).'

 

Only Core0 is listed on the tab ; no Core1 is listed on the tab. One processor is listed.

SiSoftware Sandra

Code:

Processor:
*CPU 1 [Processor 0, Core 0, Thread 0]*

More details about the CPU from Sandra below:
Processor
Manufacturer : Intel
Model : Genuine Intel(R) CPU           T2600  @ 2.16GHz
Speed : 2.17GHz
Peak Processing Performance (PPP) : 3.25GFLOPS
Adjusted Peak Performance (APP) : 975WM
Cores per Processor : 2 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 1 Unit(s)
Type : Mobile, Dual-Core
Bus : Intel AGTL+
Package : FC µPGA479M (Socket M)
Maximum Speed : 2.16GHz / 4x 167MHz (668MHz)
Multiplier : 13x
Minimum/Maximum/Turbo Multiplier : 6x - 13x
Generation : G8
Name : CD1Y (Yonah) Mobile Core Duo 65nm 1.5-2.6GHz 0.85-1.3V
Revision/Stepping : E / 8 (0)
Stepping Mask : C0
Microcode : MU060E083D
Core Voltage Rating : 1.263V
Min/Max Core Voltage : 0.713V - 1.263V
Maximum Power : 29.25W
Maximum Physical / Virtual Addressing : 32-bit / 32-bit
Native Page Size : 4kB
Part Number : N/A
Asset Tag : N/A
Serial Number : N/A

 

In your report I see 2 cores per processor and 2 total threads. Looks ok to me??

 

In order to be cleared, I have attached a screenshot from SI Sandra.
Please note the section that reads:
Cores per CPU: 1 unit
I think that on a T2600 there should be 2 cores per CPU.

I noticed that I have copied and pasted an older SI report in my previous post.

 

That screen shot is very different from your report on the previous page. Make a config change? Different version of sandra? How many CPU's do you see in device manager?

 

Device Manager:
Processor
2 x Genuine Intel CPU T2600 @ 1.26Ghz

 

Then you're good?

 

No, because then the PC would use two CPUs, but it does not. However much I try to force any kernel I use to use the second core, it fails. Yes, it recognises that the 2nd core exists, but it is unable to do a lot with it. Very bizarre.

Thus, yep, there are two processors listed in Device manager, but (in WXP] whether there is a Uniprocessor HAL or Multiprocessor HAL loaded, the second is unused, and Task Manager shows _one_ cpu under the Performance thread.

However, I have found a company who can replace Sony SZ motherboards for a reasonable price so I shall take this route.

 

That's a very interesting problem. Are you 100% sure it's the MoBo? I mean, bad CPU's are VERY rare, but it's not something that has never happened. Have you tried reverting to other BIOS versions or updating whatever version you have?

 

I have tried to load other official Sony BIOSes for the SZ90 that I downloaded from the Sony Japanese web site, but the Sony BIOS programme cannot read the BIOS information, and fails. I have tried upgrades and downgrades.

This is why I think a problem lies with the BIOS.

The good thing about the company I found to replace the motherboard, is that they also place SZ5 motherboards into SZ1 cases. Interesting...

 

Since you are already to replace the motherboard anyhow have you considered forcing a bios upgrade? Meaning extract the bios file from the package, boot into dos, and flash it from there (bypassing sony's model check)?

Obviously it's quite risky but if you're going to replace the system board anyhow....