Intel killed my P3

zandor

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Dec 14, 2002
Messages
4,178
Just after 5:00 today I heard some sort of sharp crack out of the corner by my server box. I thought I'd just knocked something over at first, but then all of a sudden my network drive just quit working. I opened up the box and found this:
heatsink.JPG

One of the retention clips just snapped clean off & killed my dual P3 Linux box. Blasted cheap platic heatsink clip. I figured "It's a retail sink. It'll be fine." BZZT. Wrong.

Forced upgrade time I guess. I'd gotten a bit lazy about doing anything with the server since it was working just fine. At least I've got a spare AXP 2600+, mobo, and 1GB of PC2700 lying around doing nothing.
 
reasons like that are exactly why I keep spare parts around. just in case.
 
Ok, so the machine is back in working order with some upgrades. Sort of a CPU upgrade (2x1GHz -> 1x2GHz), twice the ram & more disk space.
I still need to get some data off it then wipe & reload the thing though. Might as well do this right- I've been meaning to upgrade it anyway. Fedora Core 2 is getting a bit old.
 
I tell you, those Intel HSFs aren't to be trusted. The one that came with my E6600 had so much thermal internaface on it that it actually insulated my CPU. It's running at ambient temperature now, thanks to my Zalman CNPS9500.
 
considering its plastic thats a reasonable failure life. Its a p3, after all.
You should have replaced it years ago if you were actually worried.
 
if it worked fine and got the task given to it done ...then no need to upgrade no matter how old . We still use a lot of p3 setups around here at work cause what is required of them is just checking email and typing out a few things , office type stuff ..

sorry you lost a classic chip :(

viva la p3!
:p

 
I just figured I'd upgrade the box as long as I had to take it apart to get enough room to work on it anyway. I was just using for a firewall, fileserver, and some light database stuff, so the P3s were fine. The main reason I switched boards instead of trying to get the P3 board back up is I had 1GB of PC2700 for the Athlon & mobo but only 512MB of PC133 for the P3. The P3 board can take 4GB & the 2-slot Athlon mobo's manual indicates it's limited to 1GB, but I'd shell out for a new mobo before I go & buy a bunch of PC133. That old stuff is f'n $$$$$.
I'm not sure it's even dead. P3s are supposed to have some sort of thermal protection. I'll slap another heatsink on it and bench test it after I finish rebuilding my server box. Basically just plug in a vid card, PSU, and monitor and see if it posts. If it does I'll keep it for spare parts in case the Athlon dies on me. If not, well, it'll be dumpster time.
 
If you still had a P3 running I'd say you got your money's worth even supposing you can't get it up again.
 
My wife's pc is a P3 850 Coppermine, Abit BXII, 384mb pc133 ram, GF4Ti4200
She uses MS Excel and surfs. That old PC hasn't missed a beat in years.
The son is using my old 1.2ghz Tualatin with another GF4 Ti4200.
I love those old P3's and can see why you're upset that it was killed. :(
 
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