Question Unable to install Windows 10 on a system with Intel Xeon E5450 CPU

tandlion13

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Mar 25, 2014
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I have an old system using Intel Xeon E5450 CPU on a 775 motherboard. Windows 10 won't boot/install on this thing. The PC will be stuck on the Windows logo screen when trying to boot from an installation media. And the PC will be automatically restart while booting from a drive with Windows 10 installed.

Another system with a very similar CPU (Xeon E5472) and a very similar 775 motherboard (ASUS branded both with G45 chipset) have Windows 10 Pro x64 installed and works perfectly fine. If I am to swap the CPU between the two systems, the one with E5472 will always work. Same with when I try replacing the E5450 with a Core 2 Duo E8400 I have lying around, it will always work regardless the motherboard used.

Tried Windows 8.1 but no luck. Pretty much the same thing as Windows 10 happened. Although Windows 7 Ultimate x64 could be installed and been working just fine. So I think the CPU is still working properly. But the Windows 8.1/10 OS do not recognize it as a supported CPU.

With all that said. Is there any way to work around that?
I've heard about adding the CPU microcode or something but I have no idea what that is.

On paper the E5450 and E5472 are very similar CPUs. So in term of processing capabilities, I don't see that it's lacking for Windows 10 needs.

I just want to get this machine up and running on Windows 10 if that is possible.
Any help would be much appreciated.