From: "Rich Gauszka" 


"Robert Comer"  wrote in
message news:412bacb4$1{at}w3.nls.net...
> The Prescott CPU has other problems too, it doesn't appear to be all that
> compatible.
>
> NT4 can't run on a Prescott at all, even if you try it in a VPC2004 VM...
>
> - Bob Comer
>
>

They did post a temporary workaround in the MS newsgroup
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Cari (MS-MVP) has posted a nice little snidbit on this that I would like to
share here.

--
The problem of SP2 not installing on Prescott/ Celerons) and Extreme Edition
CPUs has been identified.

It appears to be due to the machine's BIOS not installing a production level
microcode update.

To check whether the BlOS is at the correct level download the Intel
Processor Frequency ID utility from:

http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/

The microcode version is identified by this utility as "CPU Revision"

So for this CPU:

ù CPU Family = 15

ù CPU Model = 3

ù CPU Stepping = 4

The microcode revision should be at least 8 (if it is zero, then no
microcode update was installed at all):

ù CPU Revision = 8

If the revisions is not 8, then boot into Safe Mode. Rename the file
%windir%\system32\drivers\update.sys so that it does not load.

Reboot into 'normal' mode.  Apply the SP2 upgrade file and the failure to
boot should not recur. Check your motherboard manufacturers' website often
for updates to your BIOS as this is a temporary workaround and can cause
instability.

--- BBBS/NT v4.01 Flag-5