[SOLVED] AiO Lenovo IdeaCentre C540 CPU upgrade with Xeon

[Kulich]

Is it even possible to upgrade AiO Lenovo IdeaCentre C540 with low TDP Xeon (e.g. E3-1260L) CPUs? I tried to Google this everywhere without success.

There is an Intel H61 chipset. The max CPU it came with was i5-3330S. And is known it can handle even stronger i5 and i7 (e.g. i7-3770S), but what about Xeons? Just from the point of whitelist or unsupport by BIOS.

I've got this AiO with dirty dual-core G2030 and have the opportunity to buy above mentioned Xeon cheaply.

 

[JohnBonhamsGhost]

all depends on the chipset this Xeon uses and if this model Lenovo could handle it's excess heat.
if these CPUs share the same socket type and have compatible chipset then theoretically it will fit this board.

 

[KyaraM]

Isn't that one of those PCs in a screen? Can you even change CPUs in it? Looks to me like it would be soldered to the socket to me. Correct me if I'm wrong. Also, those normally use mobile chips sue to heat. I doubt it will work at all.

 

[Koekieezz]

Isn't that one of those PCs in a screen? Can you even change CPUs in it? Looks to me like it would be soldered to the socket to me. Correct me if I'm wrong. Also, those normally use mobile chips sue to heat. I doubt it will work at all.

I see it is socketed, op only need to remove the heatpipes and replace the cpu.

Is it even possible to upgrade AiO Lenovo IdeaCentre C540 with low TDP Xeon (e.g. E3-1260L) CPUs? I tried to Google this everywhere without success.

There is an Intel H61 chipset. The max CPU it came with was i5-3330S. And is known it can handle even stronger i5 and i7 (e.g. i7-3770S), but what about Xeons? Just from the point of whitelist or unsupport by BIOS.

I've got this AiO with dirty dual-core G2030 and have the opportunity to buy above mentioned Xeon cheaply.

It's only testing that could confirm that. I already checked the microcode of the latest bios (33A) and it does indeed have 306A9 which used by majority of desktop Ivy Bridge. You could throw a 1260L, but i prefer go with 1230 v2 or 1240 v2. If i7 3770 could boot, then 1230 v2 and 1240 v2 should be able to IF not limited by the mobo whitelist.

 

[Kulich]

all depends on the chipset this Xeon uses and if this model Lenovo could handle it's excess heat.
if these CPUs share the same socket type and have compatible chipset then theoretically it will fit this board.

Theoretically... I read comments below this CPU list https://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-Intel_(chipsets)/H61_Express.html and it is not clear. Some H61 boards run Xeon without problems, some need BIOS update (didnt't find any for this AiO mobo), some don't. With low TDP Xeon, heat is not problem. And there is still a possibility of whitelist.

Isn't that one of those PCs in a screen? Can you even change CPUs in it? Looks to me like it would be soldered to the socket to me. Correct me if I'm wrong. Also, those normally use mobile chips sue to heat. I doubt it will work at all.

Yep, it's All in One Lenovo PC built in screen, it has LA-930 marked motherboard with socketed CPU. Max CPU Lenovo used was i5-3330S with 65W TDP, Xeon mentioned above has only 45W TDP.

 

[Kulich]

It's only testing that could confirm that. I already checked the microcode of the latest bios (33A) and it does indeed have 306A9 which used by majority of desktop Ivy Bridge. You could throw a 1260L, but i prefer go with 1230 v2 or 1240 v2. If i7 3770 could boot, then 1230 v2 and 1240 v2 should be able to IF not limited by the mobo whitelist.

I don't want to put a lot of money in it, I found that cheap 1260L on local market. Or I can go with i5-3470S with the same (too high but capable) 65W TDP. But don't want to stress the weak power cascade too much.