Optiplex 780 SFF problem with modified bios

Question

hello everyone I have a PC Optiplex 780 SFF, and q8400.I was researching if you can use the Xeon processors on this pc and I saw that if you can. I downloaded an update and updated the BIOS correctly, but now I can not use my q8400, I have disabled the option of cpu support that, serves so that the Xeon is compatible. I have the A15 BIOS, and now I can not use my q8400.It is on the screen that the cpu is not supported by the system and that it consults the documentation of the computer, I can not enter Windows. I know that is my error, but I want to know if this BIOS disables the core 2 quad, in order to buy a Xeon once, since I have seen that if you can use here, for example x3363. The x3380 Is compatible?

I read here that the best Xeon that can be put is the X3360, and I still do not have any, Thank you.

bmcowboy · Answer

Hi&#xa0;@KUSANAGI777&#xa0;,It's always a big risk to apply&#xa0;modded BIOS, specially when you're not fully understand on what you're dealing with. Discussion like this one always put warnings at the very beginning:&#xa0;Flashing a wrong (not matching) BIOS may cause a bricked BIOS chip and an unusable mainboard.&#xa0;Unfortunately, you 'd never know if the modded BIOS is right while they were not from the original manufacturer. Someone got a modded BIOS works on his own machine with same model as yours doesn't mean you would be the next lucky one.I understand there are builds with Xeon even though it's not officially supported. CPU benchmark results, however, may not be any superior than a&#xa0;Core2 Quad Q9650. So, what's the point of risking yourself on something that actually have a better choice?Back to your case, it's better fallback everything including changes by the modded BIOS. Flash official BIOS again and reset to factory default to make the Q8400 works. If A15 doesn't do the trick, try older versions. After turning your PC back to normal with Q8400, look for a Q9650 upgrade option.Good luck.&#xa0;

KUSANAGI777 · Answer

I tried all the bios from the last to the first and can not modify the bios, but today I inserted an e6700 processor and recognizes it and from 780 I write to it, if I put the q9650 will it recognize it?
I think so, since it is recognizing another processor, after removing the e6700 cpu, I put the q8400 back and nothing. Everything remains the same, but with another cpu I can work normally.

elpro999dell · Answer

The Optiplex 780 has a Q45 which supports 3xxx Series,45nm,65nm NOT 5xxx Series Xeon cpu's like

the intel Xeon 5460. The best moded 3xxx series xeon the 780 is capable of running is a xeon x3363. For that you'll need to flash a moded bios which you can get here:

www.bios-mods.com/.../Thread-OptiPlex-360-380-760-780-960-Xeon-LGA-771-E0-1067A-Microcode

I would not try using a xeon as 3xxx series ones are all dual core. If you want a quad core you have to get a Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650. If you want to use 5xxx series xeons in a similar dell you have to get a Optiplex 380 Motherboard they are $16 on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-Optiplex-380-HN7XN-Mt-Motherboard-Lga775-Ddr3-/332398384249?hash=item4d647cd479:g:9rUAAOSwmVBZgSNz

bradthetechnut · Answer

Keep in mind RAM and GPU options are much more limited on a 380 as compared to 780.

luke122 · Answer

I tried to insert Xeon X3363 microcode to Dell 780 MT BIOS. It wasn't so easy because some tools are almost 8 years old, like Dell Client Configuration Utility but got .net "application not found" errors during installation.

So as I'm more familiar with Linux than Windows I found another solution:

1. Thanks to @DeathBringer download already updated BIOS (O780-A15_Quad_v3.HDR) for Dell 780 with Xeon microcodes -> https://www.bios-mods.com/forum/Thread-OptiPlex-360-380-760-780-960-Xeon-LGA-771-E0-1067A-Microcode?pid=155510#pid155510 -> https://drive.google.com/open?id=1SxdFYgka9k7ZdigNdNcFiylIYEDVhOOp

2. Prepare bootable xubuntu-16.04.6 ISO (this is the latest release included firmware-addon-dell and libsmbios-bin rpms) on pendrive -> http://ftp.uni-kl.de/pub/linux/ubuntu-dvd/xubuntu/releases/xenial/release/xubuntu-16.04.6-desktop-amd64.iso

3. Upload downloaded O780-A15_Quad_v3.HDR file to pendrive to main directory.

3. Boot PC from pendrive using "Try Xubuntu without installing," option.

4. Run shell: (more options -> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DellBIOS#Using_WINE_to_extract_the_BIOS_image_for_a_Dell_Inspiron_1525)
You do not have to install wine.

sudo su -
apt-get install firmware-addon-dell libsmbios-bin
modprobe dell_rbu
dmidecode -s bios-version
dellBiosUpdate --override-version-check --reboot -u -f /media/cdrom/O780-A15_Quad_v3.HDR

5. After BIOS is updated reset it to factory settings and reboot.

and voila!

luke122 · Answer

x3363 is quad core. https://ark.intel.com/content/www/pl/pl/ark/compare.html?productIds=35279,35428

savvy2 · Answer

modified bios means NO DELL BIOS ,aka bogus BIOS.?

and what makes you think any xeon chip can work here

the chipset and bios dell made both limit what can be used, here,

should not you be on some BIOS hackers forum, we are not that. (nor legal for any grade UEFI PC)

Q45 does list one, XEON. but dell does not support this, and would be and extreme hack, (how sold this hack to you) dell does not offer, any 780rom.bin file so how'd you get that?

X3360

Optiplex Desktops

Optiplex 780 SFF problem with modified bios

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