When is a Socket A Athlon 1.1 gig processor not a T-Bird

[Major Kong]

I was always under the assumption that all Socket A Athlons were either T-Birds or Durons. Today I was thrown a curve ball. A neighbor has a Gateway 1100 system. It is a 1.1 gig Athlon Socket A processor on a MSI (Gateway special) motherboard using the KT133 (not Apollo) chipset. They had installed an internal IDE Zip 100 meg drive and it wasn't working so they ask if I would look at it. Well the installation seemed fine but it just wasn't being found. Then I remembered that certain VIA chipsets and 100 meg internal zip's don't get along. So going on the internet to Gateways site I was able to determine some info, but we called Gateway for some more information. According to the support person the processor is a 1.1 Gig Socket A Zif processor not a T-Bird. So I learned something new today - Not only are there Classic Slot A Athlons, but there are "classic" Socket A Athlons (I did not know that!).
Oh downloaded the new VIA 4 in 1 driver and all was well with the zip drive.

[Garak]

dont worry pak, i was under the same impression..

[JWW]

Take it from me, unless AMD are making special non-T-bird Athlons for Gateway only, your friend has a T-Bird processor. Now you know why Gateway are in trouble if this is the kind of information that they give out. Easiest way to make sure is to download WCPUID and check the Build & Stepping displayed or to remove the heatsink and check the code numbers on the CPU. If it ends with a B then you have a T-Bird, if it ends with a C then you have a 133Mhz T-Bird (which has obviously been underclocked on the FSB).

[Major Kong]

JWW my neighbor did't seem concerned, but if they ask I'll put WCPUID on a disk and find out. I would hazard the guess that your right it's probably an underclocked T-Bird C. Another thing that I thought was odd is that it has 128 meg of PC100 memory (they say that got a free 64 meg upgrade). I suggested, very highly, 256 meg of Crucial PC133 Cas 2 memory. It would make a difference. That they agreed to it, so I ordered it this morning.