Studio XPS 1647 core I7 820qm upgrade problem. Please read!

Hi! I have a Dell studio XPS 1647 laptop which came with 4gb memory 1066mhz, core i5 430m processor, and intel PM55 chipset. I upgraded the memory to samsung 1333mhz 8gb. I just bought a core i7 820qm (shows Q3B9 ES on the CPU) and after installation, i hit the power button and the media keys flash from left to right and than "dicrease volume" icon flashes and system does not boot! Only 3 volume icons light up and the one in the middle (decrease volume) flashes. Now I know that the prior cpu I had was an Arrandale corei5 430m cpu 32nm and the core i7 I have is Clarksdale 820qm 45nm cpu. As far as I know, the PM55 chipset supports both core i5 and I7 cores. What might be the problem? I really want this cpu to work. I contacted the seller and he said it was %101 functional!

Here is my current upgraded specs:

Dell Studio XPS 1647

Core i5 430M Arrandale (BIOS upgraded to A07)

8gb Samsung 1333MHZ

Seagate 500gb 7200rpm

Intel PM55 chipset

Bluetooth Edr 2.1

1600X900 wled screen.

Any help will be highly appreciated...

Sarp

 

check the BIOS to see if its reading the i7 820 cpu

 

Well I can't get to the bios at all. The media key flashes slowly and I have a balck screen. The backlit keys light up and it powers on with constant one media key blinking. Nothing on the screen...

Here is the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCXxcLmBOOQ

 

I contacted the seller today and he said it was pulled out from a new system and %100 functional.

 

That sounds like what happens when the BIOS reflash has failed.

 

Its a NO POST issue. Now 1645 i7 and 1647 i5 have very different bios so I guess the bios isnt accepting QuadCore CPU. The best you can do is Upgrade to I7 620M.

 

Just putting this out there, but have you considered trying 1645 BIOS? By the sounds of it, you're going to have the get another CPU or mobo so before you spent more money can't see this doing anymore harm than a non-working laptop you have now... or call Dell to confirm if the 1647 BIOS actually supports 820 or not.

 

Have you tried putting the old CPU in and seeing if the new CPU is bad or if you need a different bios to support the i7?

 

This is probably the best answer. In general you can only upgrade your laptop CPU with other ones that were sold with the computer, and 820QM was not. Now you need to find a workaround, assuming one is available.

 

It might just be me... but I thought the 47 used a different chipset that supports Arrandale chips, and not Clarksfield processors..... Meaning that you cannot use it with that mobo.

 

No this is purely a bios limitation HM55 and PM55 support both clarksfield and arrandale

 

My mistake guys.

 

@cbaty08 How you been man? Did you get everything worked out with your system? and no worries everyone makes mistakes.
@OP if you have identical components I don't see why you can't flash the 1645 bios to the 1647, Unless DELL blocked this out somehow. I'd give it a try if I was in your situation

 

Honestly I would hope Dell would not allow someone to just do this, but you never know sometimes with Dell... I guess it's worth trying.

 

I am still dealing man, it has been rough; about a week and ahalf or 2 ago I was sent another 1645 that had problems when it arrived with a few scratches on the screen and the silver trim was already coming up so I sent it back....

Then two days ago Dell accidentally sent me an i5 config which is on it's way back already...

On Monday, I was given a new order that was already in production with the 720 5730 and 1080p... but for some gosh dang reason come Tues. morning the order was somehow FFFing canceled.... Yesterday resolutions called me back and assured me that the same spec will be put in order today.

So hopefully today my order is put back in with the sweet upgrades.

 

Is it though if it doesn't work? Would he be able to flash back?

 

ok guys here is the original guy who submitted the Dell XPS studio 1647 problem. The one that I got from EBAY was a ES model meaning it was a sample model. Someone from Dell community contacted me and said these things:
reply #1:What you purchased is an engineering sample CPU - which, beyond what follows, is illegal for sale. Intel requires non-disclosure agreements when it sends engineering samples to manufacturers, testers, etc. which preclude selling the samples when they're done with them. Such CPUs are routinely used in durability testing - overclocked, over-voltaged, throttled beyond redline, etc. -- in other words, they're designed to be abused, and many have been. So, even if you obtain one, they're not reliable.

Beyond that, they're not multiplier locked - so even if they're in working order, they won't work on a system that doesn't have a provision for manually setting the multiplier. Your Studio is such a system.

Translation: this CPU is not going to work on your system. Send it back for a refund and buy a warranted, for-sale authentic Intel production CPU.

reply #2: The ES in the CPU code you listed means Engineering Sample. These WILL NOT work in your system (and are VERY, VERY risky buys).

Engineering samples are the beta software of the software industry or the prototype cars of the automotive world - they are NOT intended for sale.

reply #3: About the only way EBay sellers can make money on CPUs is to sell either high-demand discontinued models, or engineering samples. There is no way they could make much money on selling legitimate production CPUs when large companies buy them by the thousands, with discounts accordingly.

The biggest issues with engineering samples are that they've been used in ways that can cause damage - you have no way to know whether the CPU is in fact in working order -- and the damages can be insidious (resulting in calculation errors, etc.). You also have no way to know whether their lifespan will be a normal one, and without the clock multiplier lock they simply won't work in most production notebooks.

It is indeed a violation of Intel's NDA to sell an engineering sample - presumably if Intel wanted to it could trace the CPU serial number to the original owner and perhaps bar them from receiving future ES chips.

Now here is the deal. I sent back the CPU after what this guy wrote (He is very helpful bty) and got refunded. I ordered a 720QM immediately from Ebay. (NOt a sample model) The CPU has this code on it: SLBLY V012A008. Now I tried to install the new core i7 720QM and I still F****** get the same error. I sent him another message today and here is what he said this time:

This system does support the CPU in question, so that would mean one of two things:

Either the CPU isn't what it appears to be, or it is faulty.

Did you purchase it at retail from a valid reseller, or on the wilds of EBay?

What is the S-spec (Code beginning with S) on the CPU?

AND I REPLIED:

I don't think the 2 cpus that I bought from Ebay would be faulty. I mean it is exactly the same problem. The guy who talked to said he got this NEW from Intel as OEM. He has %100 feedback as well as the other guy who i bought the ES model. The code says: SLBLY V012A008. I really don't think it is the CPU honestly !

Anyways, this is pissing me off a lot. I have PM55 chipset for sure just like the 1645 system. I checked it via CPU-Z and it shows my chipset as PM55. I know for a fact that (I researched on internet extensively) that this chipset support core i7. Well, since both core i7s did not work. I seriously think the BIOS is not seeing my CPU and I have no Idea why! I contacted to Dell (A very helpful supervisor) and has been emailing him. He will contact a technician and let me know what might be causing this problem. The "decrease volume media key" keeps blinking! Sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

 

I am still awaiting your thoughts.

 

I have tried to apply 1645 bios to my 1647 and the software says that it is incompatible with my system. So yeah after numerous attempts to install core i7 820Q, and 720QM to my 1647, I am positive that 1647 do not accept core i7 processors!