Dell E521 cpu upgrade

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Status
Not open for further replies.
B

benIII

Distinguished
Mar 6, 2009
9
0
18,510
hey everyone I hope that I will find some answers here, I think I will after reading what has been posted already.
Here is my problem.. My plan was to swap cpus

here is all my info let me know if you need more
DirectX.jpg

Motherboard.jpg

Computermanagmentinfo.jpg

basicpcinfo.jpg


I purchased a new AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ CPU Chip p/n AD05000IAA5DO you can see all the info that I have for it here =http://cgi.ebay.com/AMD-ATHLON-64-...|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50]

First I just took the old one out and put the cpu back in and the pc would only get to the microsoft loading screen and it would freeze. I shut it down and started it again and it was able to start in safe mode, but when in safe mode device manager still shows the old cpu...

I than put the old cpu back in and it started up fine and I went to dell.com and downloaded bios update I believe it updated to something like 1.1.11 i know there was a .11 at the end for sure. Restart worked fine so I shut down and put the new cpu back in and it does the same thing, hangs up on microsoft loading screen.

So any help would be great, please let me know if you need any other info.

thanks
BEN
 
Try a bios update. Also, (I'm being brutally honest with you) Dell isn't a good company for upgrading. My brother has an aging Dell Dimension 8250 that used to be mine, great PC while it lasted. Had a Pentium 4 2.66ghz processor. When I gave it to my brother, I swapped it for a Celeron 2.4ghz.

the Dell froze after the bios boot screen, but the computer that got the 2.66ghz processor was already up and running. On the Dell I went into BIOS, read CPU info, then exited. Then I shut off the power strip, turned it back on, and gave it to him. By the way, when it freezes, leave it there for about 5 minutes before doing anything.
 
As with any computer, to upgrade the CPU you will also need to reinstall windows. It appears to work fine, as you got past the BIOS, but you WILL need to reinstall windows. Look for the dell CD, pop it in, and reformat and reinstall. The only problem is that this is an OEM copy of windows, so you may need to call Microsoft to explain that you upgraded your CPU and that the computer is still the same.
 


thanks for the reply I wish i could afford something better but so far it had been a great pc and still is until i try to put the new cpu in lol. I am going to try waiting longer when it hangs up i think i have at the most waited 3-4 minutes.. I am not sure about the reformatting, in searching for an answer i have not come across anything about reinstalling windows or reformatting.
Thanks all
 
The 5000+ you have is a Brisbane that is newer than the latest BIOS update for your computer and therefore probably doesn't recognize it. However you can try this. With the new CPU installed boot into the BIOS and check that the CPU is fully recognized. If it is boot to Windows in Safe Mode and delete the two current CPUs in Device Manager. Don't restart until you've delete both processors. Restart and load Windows normally. If all goes well Windows will find the new CPUs and install the correct drivers. If none of this works then you'll have to find youself a Windsor on eBay. If you can find one you can install up to a 6000+ 89W Windsor in a E521.
 
Sorry I haven't really had the time to try anyone's ideas yet because of kids and school but i did read a review of the Dimension E521 and the 5600+ cpu that i cant get to work was the cpu in the pc they were reviewing. Also I called dell and after 40 minutes they told me that the 3600+ is the biggest i can put in my mother board he said it (the mother board) was something matrix mini tower p** integrated something I am not sure, he repeated it 3 times but his English was to broken for me to understand completely.
 
BIOS 1.1.11 is the latest for the E521. By the way Dell Tech Support is wrong. No surprise there. You can run any Windsor except the 125W versions in your computer.
 


A simple processor upgrade DOES NOT require a reinstall of Windows.
 
ok well i tried again after removing the battery for about 30 minutes and this time it booted. Everything worked good it showed my new cpu when i right clicked computer and in the system info it showed the new cpu but in device manager it still showed my old cpu so i rebooted in to safe mode and removed the old cpu(s) from device manager and restarted. This is where the problems started again. long story short it wont boot with the new cpu anymore. not even in safe mode. when it starts it comes up with Phoenix Award workstationBIOS v6.00PG and then below that it says "diskette drive 0 seek failure F1 to continue or F2 to enter setup." If i choose F1 to continue it just freezes at the Microsoft corporation screen. I think the diskette seek failure means its looking for a floppy drive which i don't have. Even if I change the boot sequence to not look to the floppy it still gives me the seek failure error. I put the old cpu back in and powered up and nothing happened nothing even on my monitor that scared me! I restarted and it booted but now it shows a floppy drive in my computer and if i try to click right or left on it it freezes windows for a minute. I am so confused anyone want to buy a cpu lol.. thanks for all the help guys let me know what you think. btw i do have the BIOS 1.1.11
thanks
Ben
 
Sorry you couldn't get the new CPU to work. Not sure why you got a floppy drive error, but it's pretty obvious that the new CPU isn't compatible. I don't think a reinstall of Windows will even work. The method of deleting the old CPU from Device Manager has always worked for me. Your best bet if you choose is to find a Windsor.
 
So if its not compatible then was it just a fluke that it did boot and work once. And I am still getting the floppy error when I boot up, would reformatting be the only way to fix this? What I do not get is the articles I have read that show it works. I have read reviews on the E521 and info says all the specs are the same as mine except the video card and of course the processor which is the one I am trying to install.. Could it be something with either me having a shitty video card or something with my power supply? I don't know but it makes me want to break things :) Could there be BIOS somewhere else other than Dells website that I may need?
 
I say not compatible because the E521 just wasn't designed around the newer Brisbanes. I do know of only one individual who actually got a Brisbane to work on a 521 series computer. That person had to reload an old version of the BIOS before the CPU would run. I've even posted a question on the Dell Community Forum to see if anyone got a 6000+ Brisbane to work and got no hits. Then I found a post on this site where an individual did get it to work.

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/250684-28-upgrading-dell-dimesion-e521-question

As for the floppy error. I'm not sure a reinstall of Windows is going to fix this. This error comes from the BIOS before Windows starts. The only BIOS updates that I know of for any Dell come from Dell. I'm not a big fan of flashing the BIOS unless it's necessary. Problem is if you try and it fails you now have a boat anchor instead of a computer. It's possible that flashing your BIOS to an older version wil get rid of the error and maybe the CPU will actually work.

Here is a link to the BIOS updates for the E521:

http://support.dell.com/support/dow...-1&impid=-1&formatcnt=1&libid=1&fileid=220156

Click on the "Other Versions". Good Luck.

P.S. I noticed you've posted the same question on the Dell Forum. Good idea, hopefully someone else will jump in.
 
I have a E521 and I was able to upgrade to a X2 6000+ brisbane without any problem. So I can confirm that it's not a compatibility problem. Just make sure that your motherboard is AM2.
If you can't boot up anymore, how bout trying to reinstall windows. It's a good idea to reinstall your windows once in a while anyway.
 

Thanks for the confirmation man thats great news for me:) can you please tell me how to tell if I have an AM2? I dont even know what it is. As far as reinstalling windows I plan on doing it early next week when finals are over and if I can get the darn thing to boot from cd it always always wants to boot from floppy no matter what I do.. Thanks again
Ben
 
AM2 is the CPU socket type and the E521 does have an AM2 socket so your good there. Good luck with the reinstall of Windows.
 
In your bios you have to make sure that you disable the floppy drive in bios. That is were the floppy error comes from. My pile of crap E521 will do the same thing. Where it says drives go into floppy disk and select disable or off.
 
Your E521 has a AM2 socket. It supports CPUs up to the Athlon 64 X2 5600+ for sure. I've heard about some people running 6000+ Brisbanes and 6400+ CPUs in their E521.
 
yep there are right can be upgraded with the 6400+ without a problem. For a 125W You need only a good cooler and some knowledge how to fit this in a BTX mobo without the AM2 clamps.
Go to the computerwine blog, but have paitience site will be updated.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom