To anyone wondering about doing a CPU upgrade to their XPS in regards to Warranty. Got the answer here.

Just did a chat with a XPS agent. And asked the question, "would upgrading my my CPU, even if the CPU was purchased from Newegg or similar, void my warranty".

The answer I got was NO. No it would not. He told me the CPU would not be covered of course. And also if any damage happened during the install, that would not be covered either.

So to anyone wondering, there you have it. I could post the chat log. But the formatting of it is all funky. But I will forward it to anyone that requests it.

 

Most notebooks including Dell,will have a nice yellow sticker on the CPU heatsink, which states 'Warranty void if removed", so indeed that is a fact.

 

Bleh, my M1710's system board warranty was voided by the phone rep when I told her I upgraded the CPU with a chip straight from the Intel Store (The T7600 was $800 at the time, got it for $250). However, the unit is working fine, so no problems here! There was no sticker over the CPU -- just a copper heat pipe contact plate over the CPU core.

 

as long as you get that reps name, that he OK'ed this, you can always go abk and bring it up to him. HOWEVER< its important to note the part about any damage DONE BY the new processor isnt covered. SO if something goes wrong that week, EVEN if unrelated, Dell could say its your fault.

 

No sticker of any kind (already been in there .

Don't get me wrong, I take all warranty related issues with a grain of salt. I used to have a car that I dropped ALOT of money into (young and dumb), so warranty was sometimes a fight.

Anyways, I am just passing along the information I got from Dell. Believe it, or don't. I still have full plans of upgrading the CPU in my laptop. But even with the chat log, saved in my email that it was sent to. I am still going to retain the current CPU, so if I do have any warranty claims related to the GPU/MOBO etc... And I know the CPU did not cause it, I will just throw the old on in there.

 

On the 1710, how easy it to access the CPU? Maybe they allow the CPU upgrade on the newer XPS's because how easy it is to access?

 

It's relatively easy if you know what to do in advance (instead of figuring things out along the way). In the M1710 the CPU is located on the upper left corner of the laptop base under the keyboard. There is a long heatpipe that connects both CPU and GPU to the corner mounted fans. The CPU is covered by the heat pipe contact plate which is held in place by 4 corner mounted spring loaded screws. When removing or attaching the CPU, be sure to loosen or tighten opposite corner screws first. The CPU itself is also secured by a ZIF socket with a flat-head locking screw. I used Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste with the new CPU -- it works much better than the solid goo that Dell uses.

PS: Do not attempt the above if you are not familiar with the M1710. When my chip was replaced, the Dell tech was present, and I did the replacement to keep him from getting into trouble with his superiors.

 

Well once you get to the CPU, to me the replacement is not much harder then installing memory. But with laptops it is actually GETTING to the cpu that can be a pain.

That is maybe why I am "guessing", that doing it on the 1330/1530 XPS line might have a little more leniency. Just due to the fact that you remove one back panel, and there you go. Complete access to the CPU.

 

I dont remember the CPU being a CSR/CRU (customer replaceable unit) Probably due to the complexity of replacement. Its usually keyboard, RAM, HD, optical drive, Wireless card, etc.

If the cpu is simple to access on your notebook then it can possibly be a CRU

 

Yeah Flip, that is the only thing I can really think of.

And want to know how easy it is? The CPU/GPU is right next to the memory under the same user access panel. 4 screws, and you are at it.

 

If its that easy to change, i wouldnt even bother telling them as they wont find out anyway.

But if you wanna be cautious then let the Dell technicians know. Try and get their consent. If they say NO, do it anyway hehe

 

What if you have the accidental coverage program? would that cover anything?

 

is a cpu upgrade even worth it? i usually found the bottleneck to be the GPU

 

moving from a slow merom to a penryn will make a significant difference, not just on performance but on battery life and temperatures.

 

First off, read your warranty. Even if a technician tells you that you have permission, this does not mean you can do things that void your warranty.

Second, if you want to change your processor, be smart about it. Don't tell tech support. It is just easier that way.

Generally speaking, you are allowed to add or upgrade parts to your system, such as hard drives, memory, etc. This can include processors if you are smart about it. Changing your processor does not necessarily void your warranty.

Keep your original processor handy and reinstall if you ever need warranty support. Make sure that it is not a processor problem before you call.

Obviously, they will not support the aftermarket processor.

Third, disassembly is not that difficult. It is definitely not considered a CRU. If you cannot find a document that spells it out, take pictures so you know how to put it back together. Check here first: http://support.dell.com/

If you know someone who has a DCSE account, they can get you the disassembly instructions.

Last, I recommend that you use Arctic Silver or the like for thermal paste.

 

You do not need any special DCSE account to get the dis assembly instructions, they are listed in the service manual online. And after you take off the back plate to access the CPU, if you cannot figure out the rest on your own, then you probably should not be doing it.

Well all I know is this. I have the chat log saved. I am good