Quote Originally Posted by jcool View Post
Oh sure, misread you there. But sspec is the same as long as CPU model and stepping are identical, meaning any C0 E5410 will share sspec with yours - so how hard could it be finding one
That's true in terms of the E5410. However, other changes within the same stepping can lead to differing sSpec numbers. For example, these 5140's are the same stepping and clock speed, but their sSpec numbers differ due to a tweak in the multiplier:

SL9RW
SLABN

Perhaps I'm not too savvy when it comes to processor suppliers. It wasn't obvious to me that any online retailers were willing to guarantee the stepping I would receive. I decided to seek out a brick and mortar retailer that had a C0 in stock. Most retailers that I contacted didn't stock Xeon processors.