Upgrade help, part 2

[RobH]

This is a continuation of my other thread. Well, after doing a lot of browsing on the internet, at several places, I tried to upgrade my CPU. Unfortunatly after the new cpu was installed my computer wont boot. So, I then put back the old cpu, and it won't boot up either. All I get is the fans run, the cpu fan runs at high speed, and thats it, and the power button on front is steady amber.

My computer is a Dell Vostro 400. More information on my specs is in this thread- http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforum...ad.php?t=33509 It has a e4500 foxconn g33mo3 motherboard. The original cpu is duo core intel 2.2 Ghz, I was trying to replace it with a e8400 3.0 Ghz. According to their website I should have had no problem with compatiblity issues, I even found on Dell's website where other people have done the same thing, with the same computer as mine and had no problems. I did have the latest bios installed. I have tried clearing the cmos, and that didn't work. I have checked all connections, even pulled out my RAM, and cleaned the contacts, no joy. This is the processor I tried to install http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115037 As far as I can tell, looking through a magnifying glass, i have not bent any of the pins on the cpu mount. I did add a thin layer of thermal grease.

According to most everything I have read on the internet, and many different places, it's most likely my motherboard.

Regardless, I do not want to spend anymore on this computer, (I am already regretting spending the money for the processor), unless anyone can think of any other ideas. My power supply is good.

My main concern is the hard drive on this computer. I need to get some things copied off of it. I wonder if it is possible to put my dell hard drive into a new computer, and just use it (temporarily) as a secondary drive? It has been the primary drive for my computer so it has Windows Vista installed.

I hope I made some sense. It's very frustrating right now. I just got Real environment X for FSX, and just wanted to get a little more power out of my computer, so that I could really enjoy FSX for once, and I managed to mess it all up.

Thanks for your time,
Brian

[txnetcop]

Brian everything I read about the old Vostro says that only the older E6600, E6850 would work and that with a BIOS update from Dell. Anyway I did not see if you did the BIOS update. If you contact Dell by phone and give them the service tag number, they they will charge $110.00 to reinstate your maintenance and send you another motherboard if they have them in stock. Question: Can you get into your BIOS screen at all? Yes your drive will be readable as a second drive on a new computer. I would not use your old drive as the first source.
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[RobH]

Txnetcop,

Well, that figures. I guess the guy on the Dell forums with the E4500 was lucky, lol.

I am still, (obviously), new at this, so you are saying the E6600 or the E6850 mother boards will work with the 3 Ghz chip that I bought? Are those boards compatable with Dell? I have read that the wiring (or something like that) is set up on Dells, so that only Dell motherboards can be used in a Dell. Is that true? I know you have no idea the status of the new cpu chip I bought, but would you trust using it,since apparantly something went wrong?

Answer to your question, no I can not. No display of any kind is seen. Just a black screen.

I dont plan to use the old drive as the primary drive. I just hope to be able to hook it up so that I can retrieve some files off it. My wife's school work is on there and I really need to get that off there or I got worse problems,lol.

One other note that may or may not be of any use, when I turn the power on, on the power supply, the fans and the lights all come on without me pushing the front power button, the front power button is a steady amber, when it worked, it was a steady blue color. Also, there are no beeps (beep codes) when it turns on, and the Vostro 400, does not have the troubleshooting leds in the back.

Thanks again for your time,
Brian

Edit: I had the most updated version of BIOS for my computer installed. The last update was dated in 2007.

[txnetcop]

Txnetcop,

Well, that figures. I guess the guy on the Dell forums with the E4500 was lucky, lol.

I am still, (obviously), new at this, so you are saying the E6600 or the E6850 mother boards will work with the 3 Ghz chip that I bought? Are those boards compatable with Dell? I have read that the wiring (or something like that) is set up on Dells, so that only Dell motherboards can be used in a Dell. Is that true? I know you have no idea the status of the new cpu chip I bought, but would you trust using it,since apparantly something went wrong?

Answer to your question, no I can not. No display of any kind is seen. Just a black screen.

I dont plan to use the old drive as the primary drive. I just hope to be able to hook it up so that I can retrieve some files off it. My wife's school work is on there and I really need to get that off there or I got worse problems,lol.

One other note that may or may not be of any use, when I turn the power on, on the power supply, the fans and the lights all come on without me pushing the front power button, the front power button is a steady amber, when it worked, it was a steady blue color. Also, there are no beeps (beep codes) when it turns on, and the Vostro 400, does not have the troubleshooting leds in the back.

Thanks again for your time,
Brian

Edit: I had the most updated version of BIOS for my computer installed. The last update was dated in 2007.

Unfortunately Brian you can only use Dell boards with Dell computers, especially the older computers up to the XPS series gamers. You can use the E4500 with a BIOS upgrade in some cases but chances are the motherboard may have been wiped out by static electricity. It happens. There are a bunch of lucky people out there who interchange boards and CPUs a couple of times and never have suffered loss of a board, video card or processor but I use an anti-static mat when changing out parts-it beats buying new parts I had not intended to buy. Any time you upgrade a computer it is always wise to make sure that get the latest BIOS update first as well.

As a last ditch efffort remove your memory sticks one at a time and see if your computer boots
Ted

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