Patent ID: 7478032

Claim:
A method of selecting a compatible processor for addition to a multiprocessor computer, the multiprocessor computer having at least one current processor and having at least one additional location in which a new processor can be added, the method comprising: storing processor compatibility information, the processor compatibility information identifying processors that are compatible with a plurality of processors that includes each current processor; executing a computer program on the multiprocessor computer directing each of the at least one current processor to execute at least one instruction that allows the identity of each current processor to be determined, the computer program providing identifying information indicative of the identity of each current processor; accessing the stored processor compatibility information to provide accessed processor compatibility information; executing a computer program comparing the identifying information for each current processor in the multiprocessor computer with the accessed processor compatibility information to determine the processors that are compatible with each current processor; and providing information identifying the processors that are compatible with each current processor before adding the new processor to the multiprocessor computer.