Can I mix two cpus with a different clock speed on a board?

Question

I have received an old server which has a xeon E5405 (2GHz) processor. I'd like to buy and add a more powerful cpu (something like Xeon X5492) which has a higher clock speed but the same LGA 771 socket. The aim is to improve the computational power with best bangs for bucks.

So I am am wondering whether it is technically possible to mix the cpus, and, if so, is it a good idea? That is, what are the possible downside of using the mix? Thanks

Why not call supermicro and get a definitive answer from them? — user9517, Aug 23 '12 at 07:23
I've not bought the server from supermicro. Do they answer these sort of questions? — alfish, Aug 23 '12 at 07:44
I've no idea but I'd call them and see what information I can get. — user9517, Aug 23 '12 at 07:45

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 23 '12 at 06:54

This could go either way, as the socket and stepping may be the same, but some systems are sensitive to the difference. E.g. I've inadvertently had "CPU mismatch detected!" errors on server systems with CPU's of slightly different specifications.

In your best-case scenario, your system will clock down to the speed of the slowest CPU. Worst case, the system will halt immediately.

Can I mix two cpus with a different clock speed on a board?

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