Updated to BIOS version 0402, even though it didn't have anything useful.
Then performed upgrade install....NO HELP.
I FINALLY figured it out by searching the Internet, and ironically finding some vmware links, using google.
The problem at hand:
MAX CPUID was set to <Enabled> in the BIOS.
MAX CPUID is meant to be set to enabled so that older operating systems do not see extra information when polling the CPU (that's paraphrased).
When I set to it to enabled it lost its extra cores.
But why did I set it to that you might ask? Because it gave me some other cryptic crash if it was disabled. That information was:
AP 4 prevented from starting
could not start pcpu 4
SO, I changed MAX CPUID back to <disabled> and then FIXED my original problem.
I found the solution to my original problem via this thread:
and this one:
http://communities.vmware.com/thread/181995
Basically, my CPU's had different stepping (same model) and/or insufficient thermal paste (I found both to be the situation).
CPU 1 (L5420 2.50GHz)
Core Stepping: C0
CPUID String: 10676h
SLARP
CPU 2 (L5420 2.50GHz)
Core Stepping: E0
CPUID String: 1067Ah
SLBBR
I found this information by burning an iso image of a utility at this link:
and verifying by checking my stepping codes at this link:
I switched (and repasted) CPU1 and CPU2 to OPPOSITE the configuration listed above.
Problem solved!!
Original readout:
Processor Sockets 2
Processor Cores per Socket: 1
Logical Processors 2
Final readout:
Processor Sockets 2
Processor Cores per Socket: 4
Logical Processors 8
