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44184
August 19th, 2010 05:00
Inspiron 5100 CPU options
Oh boy, do I have one for you.
I recently picked up an Inspiron 5100 as my city was throwing it away. Originally had a Pentium 4 2.8 (assumed dead), 256MB PC2100, and no HDD, when I found it. I have an HDD caddy and power adapter on order as I can't keep sharing the one from my C840 (which is my main laptop, don't laugh) with it forever. I picked it up in PRISTINE condition, looked like it had never been used. Of course, there was a rug of dust and hair in the heatsink, but that was quickly taken care of, a new coat of AS5 on a P4 2.66 CPU I threw in there and It's set. Currently idling at 41C. The thing even has a 1400x1050 SXGA+ flatpanel, which I like a whole bunch.
However! I'm looking into the upgrade path for this laptop, too, as well as restoration. I currently have in my posession a Pentium 4 518 2.8GHz, which is a mobile HT CPU. As has been stated in various threads dating way back to 2005 and beyond the grave, this model does not seem to support HT CPUs due to the microcode not existing for such in the BIOS... however, the higher-end model, the 5150, has support for such in the BIOS it holds, it seems.
My general question here is, are the two machines one in the same, besides the chipset difference> I've read that the 845PE in the 5100 can handle Hyperthreading. I'm only trying to get the most out of this old thing so that I might pass it onto a younger sibling to be using for school. At the moment I'm trying to get money together to buy even a 1GB stick for this thing to get it someplace out of the triple-digits on memory (currently at 384, my two testing sticks.) I understand that it's impossible to flash the BIOS for one model to another due to failsafes, but hypothetically speaking, could this be done?
Thank you very much in advance on any replies to this quite long explanation/query for information, of mine.
ejn63
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August 19th, 2010 06:00
The Inspiron 5100 will not take any mobile CPUs. It uses a desktop P4 CPU ONLY. The only hyperthreading CPU that exists that the system will take is the 3.06/533/512K P4.
You must use a pre-Prescott core CPU -- the Prescotts will not work.
Superdos
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August 19th, 2010 06:00
I feared that this might be the case.
Thank you for your insight onto this. It's greatly appreciated.
Out of curiosity, what's the model of that one? is it SL6PG? I just want to make sure I'm getting the right one.
ejn63
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August 19th, 2010 06:00
Yes, that's one of them. If memory serves me, there were some serious stability issues with this CPU - Dell never shipped it in the 5100, and hyperthreading support wasn't reliable. The other issue is that the 3.06 is a very hot-running CPU that may cause a meltdown if you use it in the notebook.
Superdos
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August 19th, 2010 06:00
heh. This is why I mentioned the use of AS5. I also have I8kfanGUI installed to help with the cooling factor. On the original battery, with I8kFanGUI controlling the fan speed at low, I can last up to 2.3 hours with the current CPU idling in the 40-48C range. This is more than acceptable for this particular model, and I would know from experience. My grandmother, believe it or not, has the same laptop. it's been going for 7 years straight without cleaning, and I can only imagine the rug that has built up in her heatsink by now.
Thanks again for the insight on that. I took a look at prices and it's way too pricey for that model. I think I'll just keep the current CPU in it and pass it off.
Again, Thanks.