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kpson

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10284

November 22nd, 2006 10:00

Strange behaviour upgrading bios (on old R350)

Has anyone noticed the oddity with bios-upgrading a Dim XPS

Old bios + processor upgrade = OK but newer bios + processor uprade is not!

First we have an older bios with a PIII (!) 500MHz which the bios recognises as a PII (but XP recognises it as a PIII) - tests with PC-Check


Motherboard.Manufacturer = Intel Corporation
Motherboard.Product = SE440BX
Motherboard.Version = AA696071-408
Motherboard.Serial = 00025319124658BK009S

BIOS.Vendor = Intel Corp.
BIOS.Version = 4S4EB0X1.10A.0019.P09
BIOS.Release = 08/14/98

Processor 1.Manufacturer = Intel Corporation
Processor 1.Name = Pentium III
Processor 1.Type = Central processor
Processor 1.Socket = J4J1
Processor 1.Clock.Frequency = 497.83 MHz

then we do a bios-upgrade from A09 to A13 and lose the chance of using a PIII
with Dell Dimension XPS Rxxx A13 FLASH BIOS - whereafter PC-Check reports:

Motherboard.Manufacturer = Intel Corporation
Motherboard.Product = SE440BX
Motherboard.Version = AA696071-408
Motherboard.Serial = 00025319124658BK009S

BIOS.Vendor = Intel Corp.
BIOS.Version = 4S4EB0X1.10A.0035.P13
BIOS.Release = 09/21/99

Processor 1.Manufacturer = Intel Corporation
Processor 1.Name = Pentium II
Processor 1.Type = Central processor
Processor 1.Socket = J4J1
Processor 1.Clock.Frequency = 348.48 MHz

So is there any chance of getting a bios for this motherboard to make it work with PIII?

rgds kpson

Majestic

9.4K Posts

November 24th, 2006 16:00

My memory is a little rusty when it comes to the XPS R model, but I recall some folks had a problem with the A13 release.  At the time, the A12 version was the one recommended by other XPS R owners.  Although A12 is no longer available for download at Dell's site, it is still available at Bob Matthew's web site which can be found by click here.
 
In reviewing the BIOS history though there isn't anything documented in the A09 through A13 updates related to processors.  There was a version A10 that wasn't made available for download that may have made a change or two.  It's difficult to say. On Bob Matthew's web site he makes reference to the A03 version that works with the Katmai Pentium III processor which maybe what you have.
 
I would also suggest visiting some of the links available on Matthew's web site. The link to Robert Hancock's Dell Processor Upgrade web page would be the best.  Mr. Hancock kind of wrote the book on processor upgrades for the older Dell systems back when the XPS R and XPS T models were popular.

speedstep

9 Legend

 • 

47K Posts

November 24th, 2006 18:00

Max CPU supported is Pentium3 450 for that board due to limitations of the VRM on the motherboard. Later Bios versions enforce that

http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/SE440BX/

http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/se440bx/sb/cs-013624.htm

 

 

 

 

 

peterfelgate_ce40d3

1.3K Posts

November 26th, 2006 12:00

The socket 370 1.1GHz coppermine Celeron on a super slocket III has no problems on this motherboard with BIOS A12, so it isn't a timing loop speed inhibit....
 

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