Dell 4700C BIOS, Memory, & CPU upgrade

"Not worth the effort imho."

The effort is what's fun about it...  It's kind of like fixing up an old car, which is also a pointless exercise when you really think about it...

There's plenty of processors out there, so finding them is not an issue.  The question is whether or not I can put a 64bit 571 in, or a 32bit 570.  The processors are only about $50.

A bigger problem would be finding the cpu now if it works.   Not worth the effort imho.

DELL-Chris

If you're talking about the limits in a 4700C, Crucial is wrong.  Maybe not wrong, but they won't recommend 4gb of Ram in general.  I know this first hand, as I spoke with their support and obtained part numbers on the 2gbx2 configuration, after they warned me they couldn't guarantee it would work.  It did.  The bios sees all 4gb, but the OS only sees about 3gb in my linux 32bit OS.  The limits themselves are typically not a bios issue, rather a limitation of a 32bit OS.  

You could upgrade to the Dell DD520 Prescott P4 64bit 571, 3.80GHz, 800FSB, 1MB, Socket-T, E0. But even with the 64bit operating system installed, and regardless of the theoretical memory limit of the 915G chipset, the maximum amount of ram is 2GB DDR2 non-ecc. This is Bios locked and you cannot change it. Even Crucial backs this up.

DELL-Chris

If you're talking about the limits in a 4700C, Crucial is wrong.  Maybe not wrong, but they won't recommend 4gb of Ram in general with 32 bit processors.  Probably because they get tech support calls about only seeing 3gb in the OS.   I know this first hand, as I spoke with their support and obtained part numbers on the 2gbx2 configuration, after they warned me they couldn't guarantee it would work.  It did.  The bios sees all 4gb, but the OS only sees about 3gb in my linux 32bit OS.  The limits themselves are typically not a bios issue, rather a limitation of a 32bit OS.  

I'm not sure what a Dell DD520 is, but it appears to be a Dell branded 571, and that's about it.  The 4700C is a 775 socket, so I can pickup a P4 571 for about $50 used.  I suspect the only reason no one wants to say 8gb would work in the system is because the system only claims to be compatible with 5x0 32bit processors.  No point in trying 8gb of ram with a 32bit processor.  

Now I've seen a lot of 4700 dells running 5x1 64bit processors.  The 4700C is different in some ways, but you would think it would basically take the same components as the 4700 model.  If it will take the 571, then chances are it would take a 4gbx2 memory configuration.  Most of these manuals predate the actual available technology, so it was never tested in the lab.  

What bothers me most in the 4700C though is the bios, which only upgrades to A07.  The Dell website even offers the A10 bios on the 4700C download page, but it doesn't load. Incorrect model is reported back when you attempt to install it, and even the linux library only goes to A07 on the 4700C.  So it looks like Dells site has an error, because they appear to be treating the 4700 and 4700C as the same basic machine.  

For anyone that wants to tinker with upgrading their 4700C, this is what I think can be done.  

I think a P4 571 (64bit processor)  will work in the system, and I also think 4gbx2 will also work, for a total of 8gb of ram.  You would need to load a 64bit OS to see all the ram.

The reason I say this is because the 4700 is basically a larger version of the 4700C utilizing the same Intel 915G chipset and could be ordered with a 5x1 pentium.  The 915 was also designed to handle up to 8.5gb of ram.  When these computers were manufactured however, 4gbx2 were rare and very expensive (still are by todays standard.)  The 4700 has 4 dimm slots, ready to accept 2gbx4, or 8gb of ram.  The 4700C only has 2 dimm slots, so there was never any point in turning it into a 64bit machine.  Cost wise, it just didn't make sense back then to even insinuate it was a 64bit capable machine.  If someone had the money to spend on a 64bit machine back then, this would never be the ideal box.  

The P4 571 chip can be purchased today for about $30 on ebay.  Although I really want to try the 571, I personally ended up going with the 570.  The 4gbx2 is still too expensive ($175) for me to consider in an old machine like the 4700c, which is the only reason I'd need a 64bit OS and processor.

If anyone does try it, please let me  know.  I may buy the 571 just for S&G's...

As of 2/18/2012, the Dimension 4700c BIOS published for download on Dell's support page appears to be wrong. The Dimension 4700 bios (D4700A10.EXE), is inadvertently being published for download for the Dimension 4700c as well.

A more extensive search for the Dimension 4700c BIOS brought me to this page, on Dell's site:

http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/04/DriverDetails/DriverFileFormats?c=us&l=en&s=bsd&cs=04&DriverId=R109759

I successfully downloaded and installed BIOS version A07 for the Dimension 4700c

Hi :)

Don't know if you are following this anymore but I am dealing with the same machine. Yes I know it is old but this is what I recently learned:

Still following it. 

I am still running my 4700 in 32 bit mode with 4gb of ram.  I have the 570 p4.  I still think this machine will work with 8gb, although I seriously doubt there would be any great performance difference between 4gb and 8gb.  I went ahead and ordered a 571 for the heck of it, but haven't got it yet.  Found a really good price on a used one. 

I use this machine regularly for doing my bills and limited surfing.  I also upgraded my video card, although it was difficult finding a decent graphic card in low profile format.  It has passive cooling on the card and it doesn't work very well.  The box has terrible ventilation, as I'm sure you're aware.  I keep it opened slightly to dissipate the heat better.  Closing it will over heat the graphic card.  I also run dual monitors on this machine.

I'd love to try 8gb for the fun of it, but those older 4gb chips are expensive.  If you ever try it, let me know what happens.  I'm pretty certain it will work.

Yes, it's fun pushing these older machines past there intended design.         

I also upgraded my video card, although it was difficult finding a decent graphic card in low profile format.  It has passive cooling on the card and it doesn't work very well.

I'd love to try 8gb for the fun of it, but those older 4gb chips are expensive.

I also upgraded my video card, although it was difficult finding a decent graphic card in low profile format.  It has passive cooling on the card and it doesn't work very well.

This is the Video Card I have running in my 4700c and it runs like a champion even with the stock power supply: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814139081

If you still want to try 8 Gigs of RAM This is the best deal I could find this past Friday: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Komputerbay-533MHz-PC2-4200-PC2-4300-Desktop/dp/B004LTCHPC

Also what version bios are you running? And please let me know how it works out with the 571.

I paid $9 for my 571 on Ebay.

LOL I think we where looking at the same listing on Ebay

Just can't bring myself to try the 8gb of ram.  Considering the machine is only worth about $25, my curiosity wanes at about $50... lol...  I think the chances are about 50/50.

I will definitely let you know how the 571 does.  I think it's going to do just fine, but we'll see.

By the way, I paid $9 for my 571 on Ebay. 

Almost forgot...  A07, which is the highest I believe.  The Dell website mixes up the 4700 and 4700C bios on the A10 version, and the 4700C sees the model 4700 in the bios and refuses to install it.  They've got something messed up. 

I was wondering if you were going to jump on ebay and outbid me!  lol...   We seem to be the only two idiots spending money on antiques...  

I saw a bunch more for about $19, which I would have bought if I lost that auction.