I was using Windows XP (via Boot Camp) the other day, and I decided to run the Intel Processor Identification Utility (http://www.intel.com/support/processors/tools/piu/). Oddly enough, it said my Core Duo (not Core 2 Duo) processor was probably an engineering sample. Should I call Apple and ask them about this? Can anyone verify this?
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MacBook Core Duo processor
- Thread starter m1ss1ontomars
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Obviously. Windows XP SP2 predated Core Duo. That doesn't have anything to do with the Intel Processor Identification Utility from Intel's website.
Who cares? If it was a home-built laptop, then you'd have an issue because you couldn't get a warranty on the processor. However, since its a production laptop, your warranty is through Apple, not Intel. They don't care what chip is in it and it doesn't effect your coverage.
I don't care if it doesn't affect my coverage. I just want to know more about my situation.
Well, Apple did pull some strings to get Intel's help to get a very strong supply of Core Solo / Duo processors when they first launched -- as part of their negotiation to switch to Intel, they got a massive advantage at that time when these chips were relatively in short supply.
How early is your notebook? One possibility is that you have some artifact of those strings that Apple and Intel pulled to make the transition work. The other possibility is that there's just some coding error and your processor's lot code is not recognized as production by the utility, but ought to be.
I thought so too, but then I remembered that I got my MacBook about 4 days before the Core 2 Duo MacBooks came out. Also, I'm unafflicted by those mooing problems or case discolorations (at least I think so). The last possibility seems more reasonable, but I think the utility has been updated since the Core 2 Duo MacBooks came out.
Sorry, I meant that I was guessing (for the second possibility) that the Intel plant screwed up on a batch of processors and gave them funny date codes that the program doesn't understand? I don't know, it's interesting.... but then it would probably be good to make sure someone else who has one of these actually gets a different response from the program -- this is new to me. It's possible there's something about the Apple hardware that confuses the program?
From what I understand, the new SR laptops (windows/linux) are supposed to finnally be using EFI. There is a good chance the program see the EFI side (even though bootcamp supposedly uses BIOS). I guess we can wait till the SR systems show up. Intel should update the software.
It is my understanding that EFI was canned from the release of Vista with a promise to incorporate it in a service pack or other update at some point (source). Windows Server supports it now, but only on Itanium (same article). We'll have to see if, as you suggest, Santa Rosa does end up bringing EFI with it (ahh, what the hell, source).