Hey all, I just got myself a PIII 600mhz SECCII Katmai processor. For those of you who don't remember, the Katmai's are the 512k cache/100mhz bus CPU's. In any case I picked up an OEM one for pretty cheap, minus a heatsink and fan. I figured I would eventually pick up a heatsink/fan, but I just wanted to get one to try it out and see if I wanted to keep it. Well, I put it in and my machine now freezes up while it's checking the RAM right after powering it on. Sometimes it'll get through 8-10mb of RAM, other time it'll get to 20mb of RAM before it completely locks up. I can't CNTL-ALT-DEL, I can't get into the BIOS, nothing. I have to manually reset or power off the machine to get out of it. I'm inclined to think it's an overheating problem, seeing as how I touched the CPU and it was hot to the touch. I'm just surprised that it would overheat so quickly, I mean it doesn't get anywhere near booting an OS before if locks up; it's never successfully completed a check of the RAM. Is it just overheating? I've got a Supermicro P6DGU mobo with the latest BIOS as well as 128mb of Corsair RAM. Any suggestions would be great. Also, if it is a heat issue... anyone recommend a good place to get a heatsink and fan?

Did you properly set the bus speed and multiplier before you installed the CPU? You may also want to verify that the CPU is seated properly. I doubt it is a heat problem after only a few seconds. I didn't have a CPU fan on my machine at work for months and my machine never locked up (it is a lowly Deschutes 350MHz).

Welp, turned out it actually was overheating, no wonder they decided to go to the Coppermines. Dang those Katmai's get hot! Anyways I put a heatsink/fan on there, and it came up 1st time no problems whatsoever. Man am I relieved! =)

That is pretty surprising to me. Like I said I went atleast 2 months (maybe even 3) without a CPU fan in my machine at work and I ran it 24/7. That make me wonder about the Katmai's. Glad to see you solved the problem though.