x64 on Dell Optiplex 745 with Core Duo 2 Processor

Question

Hello All,

I am having a problem with my new Dell 745 Core 2 Duo Machine (x64 capable). I cannot install any x64 software on it. Windows XP x64 and Windows Server x64 both fail on it. I have an MSDN account and I know the discs are good because they work flawlessly in an HP Laptop. I checked through the BIOS of the 745 and there are no settings to turn x64 capability on, it just says that the CPU has x64 intel extensions in the BIOS.

I dont know what to do with this machine. Windows 2003 x32 installs just fine, but Longhorn Server x32 fails with corruption issues, again the same disk works fine in my HP laptop. I found that there was a BIOS update from May of 2007 and I installed that, but to no avail.

The 745 is a mini tower with 4GB of RAM, a 2.40ghz Core 2 Duo Intel CPU and 2x250GB HDDs connected via SATA. XP Home and Pro x32 work, and Win2003 Server x32 works, ANYTHING x64 does not work (I have not tried vista only Server 2003 x64 and XP x64) and at a minimum XP x64 should run on this box.

Does anyone know what is going on with the 745 mini tower model?

Here are the config stats:

MINI TOWER, 2.0 1 GJ501 CARD (CIRCUIT), GRAPHICS, X1300, PROFESSIONAL, OPGA4, FULL HEIGHT 1 GH483 ASSEMBLY, TEAC, BLACK 1 JX718 HARD DRIVE, 250G, S2, 7.2K, 3.5, WD-HAWK 1 JX718 HARD DRIVE, 250G, S2, 7.2K, 3.5, WD-HAWK 1 JH300 ASSEMBLY, DVD+/-RW, 16, TOSHIBA SAMSUNG STORAGE TECHNOLOGY, Serial ATA, BLACK 1 Y9457 CARD (CIRCUIT), CONTROLLER, 1394A, PC INTERFACE, FULL HEIGHT, ADAPTEC, LEAD FREE 1 JX145 PROCESSOR, 6600, 2.4, 4M, CORE DUO-CONROE, BURN 2 4 U8622 DUAL IN-LINE MEMORY MODULE, 1G, 667M, 128X64, 8, 240, 2RX8

Elsbeth. · Answer

vic102482,

Since the retail version doesn't contain the necessary drivers for loading Windows X64 bit, only the OEM version of the operating system is supported on the system. You would need to get the OEM version from Dell in order to install it.

vic102482 · Answer

Thanks for the response. I agree with you, my only problem is, at a mimum I should be able to get past the bootstrap process. My x64 HP laptop boots Longhorn and 2003 x64 just fine, with this one I cant even make it to the install scree.   It came with the OEM version of home on it, and even that had issues. Alot of the files I would download would be corrupted. I have a bunch of other machines and they work great. I am convinced that it is either a faulty chipset, or a cheap chipset. I am getting the CPU and MOBO replaced I hope this will resolve the issue.

vic102482 · Answer

So, I had the motherboard and CPU replaced, and the corruption/download problems went away, but the boot strap problems did not. I then did something I have done before, I took out a stick of RAM, and then it worked. I dropped the memory down to 3GB and Windows Server 2003 x64 and 2008 x64 installed like a charm.

This is severly dissapointing, I bought 4GB of RAM, and the machine supports up to 8GB but I guess due to a shoddy mobo/bios, it doesnt work with the memory in there. I installed the OS, and then added the RAM back in, and on boot the OS crashed again. I then swapped out another stick of RAM to make sure that it wasnt a bad stick, and the machine booted correctly.

So, on x32 bit 4GB works well on this machine, but the machine does not work with x64 bit OSs with 4GB (and presumably more) capacity.

I WOULD say it is the OS, but I have WIndows Server 2008 x64, Windows Server 2003 x64, and XP x64 and NONE of them worked at all, and they all worked when the mobo was replaced and the RAM dropped down to 3GB. So I have one stick that I cannot use. Talk about x32 bit limitation, this is dell optiplex 745 limitations lol.

Hopefully a firmware update will fix the issue.

Hydralisk00222 · Answer

The max amount of RAM only runs in 667MHz mode. Keep that in mind. (Intel bug)

Vista has a problem with 4GB of RAM. On boot, the OS will crash. You need to install a hotfix with only 3GB of RAM. (Microsoft bug)

Message Edited by Hydralisk00222 on 09-08-2007 07:15 PM

Locked Topics – Desktops General

x64 on Dell Optiplex 745 with Core Duo 2 Processor

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