I am the Senior Systems Admin for a manufacturing firm. I administer a Windows network on a Novell server. We have had a few issues in relation to the Novell Client, currently 4.91 SP2, some are on 4.92 where we suspect the celeron procs. When a user is logged onto their workstation, rather than logging them off and using the “admin” account, we merely log onto the network with the Novell client. Machines with the C proc crash with a data dump error pointing to the client. Apparently the celeron proc cannot handle that type of instruction. That is only one issue, however.
My Finance Manager insists there is NO difference between the two processors aside from name and being less expensive. Despite our many discussions on the matter, explaining in layman’s terms the differences and, in my opinon, the P4 being more efficient, hence more suitable for an office environment running the Novell client, AS400 sessions as well as MSOffice apps and a proprietary asp program called DocLink. Not to mention Blotus Chokes (what we have lovingly dubbed Lotus Notes). It is my opinion that the Celeron is the primary source of our headaches where certain workstations are concerned.
My contention is that the Celeron is indeed an inferior processor, built with lesser quality and smaller cache size rendering it inappropriate for office use. Wasn’t this either based upon the Cyrix proc or actually purchased by Intel when Cyrix went belly-up? If memory serves, the advent of the Celeron was right around the time of Cyrix’s demise. It seems to me that Intel intended systems with this processor for the casual home user, hence the lower pricing. Please correct me if I am wrong because my FM intends to save a bundle of cash by buying the lesser expensive systems with the C chip.
That being the case, would beefing up the RAM make any difference? Rather than using 512, bumping it up a little to, say, 768M?
In my 12 years as an IT Professional, I have experienced more issues with the C proc than the Pentium or even AMD. Are the newer processors better these days?
Input greatly appreciated.
Thank you for your time,
Jesse
