P4-Prescott 2M stepping number?

[Gooserider]

I have a question on the importance of stepping numbers on a CPU as opposed to the other ID info...

I have a Dell Dimension 5100C shipped in 9/05. According to the build tag report, it has a "P/N W8400 Processor, 80547, Pentium4 Prescot Dt, 630, SKT-T, Male" - all seems to make sense except the "Male"... (any ideas on that?)

This info, plus various hardware diagnostics, seem to say that I have an HH or JM80547PG0802MM, Intel-Pentium 4 630 3.0 GHz - with a Prescott 2M core (I would have put the link to the page here, but guests aren't allowed to post links... )

I'm trying to build this machine into a Gentoo Linux box. I want to do a dedicated custom kernel, but I'm having trouble IDing the exact CPU, so that I can set the right values in my kernel menuconfig file. - I can boot off a generic "all processor" kernel, but want the smaller size and slightly better performance of a dedicated kernel. So far I haven't been able to compile a kernel that works...

This site and Wikipedia both point at the 2M Prescott P4, but say it is stepping N0 or R0, while my /proc/cpuinfo says it is Family 15, Model 4, Stepping 3 - which matches except the stepping number. However I noticed that your CPU ID tab also had a Stepping 3 not the N0 / R0 numbers - how much of a difference does this make, or do I have a match?

In addition, if anyone has any suggestions or pointers on the right kernel configuration settings to use for this CPU (in combination w/ an Intell 945G Express chipset) I would really appreciate it.

Thanks,
Gooserider

[gshv]

Family 15, Model 4, Stepping 3 is the same as "N0" core stepping.

Gennadiy

[Gooserider]

Many Thanks for the help. I had gotten the machine running with some other help from a Gentoo supporting person, but this does confirm what I was hoping and that I actually do have all the settings right in my kernel for good performance.

Gooserider