Optiplex 170L CPU Upgrade Questions

Question

So I have a 170L Celeron D #335 2.8Ghz,533FSB,256K.

Can someone clarify the socket type for this motherboard? Is it 478 pin or LGA775? Intel's site shows Celeron D #335 CPUs @ 2.8Ghz having both 478 pin and LGA775 variants, so I'm unsure.

- If it's a 478, will the P4 Extreme with a 478 pin layout work?
(See http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SL7CH)
- If it's a 478, then I'm relegated only to a 3.4Ghz CPU? :(
- If it's a 478, am I limited to cache size or will anything with greater than 256KB work fine?
- If it's a 775, will Pentium D CPUs work?
- If it's a 775, then I can go up to a 3.6Ghz CPU?
- If it's a 775, will things like Core 2 Duos, or Quad Cores work?

Thanks to all in advance.

Message Edited by jlixfeld on 08-28-2007 04:07 PM

Elsbeth. · Answer

jlixfeld, The 170L uses a socket N with a 400, 533, and 800 FSB. Refer to the Dell accessories site for the supported processors on that system. Go here and enter your service tag.

Elsbeth. · Answer

jlixfeld, As far as the documentation that I have, it will support up to a 3.2 Pentium 4 on a 800 FSB. It does not support the Pentium D or the dual of quad core processors.

jlixfeld · Answer

I did that before I posted, and it wasn't any help. The only CPU upgrade on that site is a 2.6Ghz Celeron with 128KB Cache - that is a downgrade to what I have now, not an upgrade.

Elsbeth. · Answer

jlixfeld,

I am using Dell internal documentation on the system specifications on the 170L. It doesn't give the pin count on the processor socket. It uses a Intel® Desktop Board D865GVHZ modified for Dell. What Dell calls the socket N is the 478 pin socket.

There may be a BIOS update for the system that allows faster processors, since the information I am using only covers the system at the time of release.

jlixfeld · Answer

What documentation are you looking at?

I can't find any reference to Socket N anywhere on Intel's site. The only references I can find on Intel's site are Socket 478 or LGA775? I'm starting to lean more towards the 170L as having a Socket 478.

That said, it appears that socket can handle the following:

Intel Pentium 4 (1.4 - 3.4 GHz)
Intel Celeron (1.7 - 2.8 GHz)
Celeron D (2.13 - 3.2 GHz)
Intel Pentium 4 Extreme Edition (3.2, 3.4 GHz)

But you mentioned your documentation shows it supports only 3.2, so I'd like to understand where the discrepancy lies and what the differences are between 3.2 and 3.4 that make the latter unsupported.

Message Edited by jlixfeld on 08-29-2007 09:40 AM

jlixfeld · Answer

I checked the motherboard, and it is indeed a Socket 478.

jlixfeld · Answer

Even a 0.13 Micron Pentium 4 Extreme (even thought the voltage is higher than a Pentium 4?)

Bobman101 · Answer

If the Dell BIOS for the 170L is up to date, the 865 chipset it uses can theoretically support any socket 478 CPU. Just remember to get a desktop CPU and not a mobile one (check the s-spec number with Intel's site to find out). Alot of people seem to be falling into that one lately. Keep in mind that the online manuals aren't always up to date on what CPU it supports. What the manual lists will be at least what it supports.

Bobman101 · Answer

I make no guarantees past what the documents confirm. I'm speaking strictly of the 865 chipset the 170L uses. It has support for any socket 478 CPU. As long as the latest BIOS Dell has supports it, I don't see why not. Voltage differences shouldn't be a major factor since Prescotts run in them and they run at different voltages than Northwoods.

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Optiplex 170L CPU Upgrade Questions

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