Just upgraded my EX487 to an E5200 SLAY7. The CPU should be able go up to 2.5Ghz but is stuck at 1.2Ghz with a 6.0x multiplier in CPUz, even when I apply full load.

I even tried updating the PECI value to 1 in the bios but that didn't change anything, I'm trying to avoid turning off speed-step all together since the server is idle most of the time and running full speed all the time would generate unnecessary heat.
did I miss something? i thought E5200 SLAY7 was a simple drop in replacement with no bios modification.

The writeup that you and I both followed I assume tells us that the SLAY7 is a plug and play upgrade requiring no bios modification to get it to work. This statement is correct, but is misleading. As you have discovered, you were able to drop in the e5200 and it works, but it doesn't work 100%. You must modify the bios to disable speed stepping (it will still speed step) in order for the e5200 to increase its multiplier to 12.5. With the other e5200's (slbt9) you must update the bios for it to work at all, so the original guide is correct that the slay7 is plug and play, it should be revised to mention that if you want full performance, you will need to modify the bios. For me that means, I wish I had not bothered tracking down a used SLAY7 to avoid touching the bois and paying the same price as a new SLBT7 when in the end, I still had to modify the bios.

Oh well.

Th EIST profile may not be optimal but it does work. To check it just go into the power options on control panel(you must RDP into server) and hit change plan settings then hit change advanced properties, look for processor power management and change the minimum % to something like 50% or more and see if it affects your readings. You should be measuring with something like realtemp which shows fluctuation in ghz of the cpu. If you want it to run full speed just change from balance to performance and up minimum speed to 100%. You don't have to go into the bios to change things just do it in control panel. There also is a way to change the power profile but I haven't figured that out at all.

Edit: Sometimes I get confused since I'm operating multiple MSS units with different OS. The above directions are clearly for WHS 2011 which allows granular control within the operating system. If you are running Whs v1 go into power options in control panel and select a different power profile, some are always at 100% but some do vary with slightly different profiles than balance server profiles. The server profile on a EX485 seems to me to be heavily weighted in the low ghz range for the cpu upgrade.

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HP EX470, 4 GIG, 4200+ EE SFF, WHS V1, Production
HP EX485, 4 GIG, E5800, WHS 2011, Stablebit Drive Pool, Transfer Server, Backup Server
HP EX490, 4 GIG, Q9400S, WHS 2011, Stablebit Drive Pool, Mediaserver
HP EX485, 4 GIG, Q8200S, WHS 2011, ITUNES Server