Help with replacement 1520

I need to send back my second 1520 with Vista. My current one has the CPU whine. I tried the RM clock which cured the HD click and whine but yesterday I started getting the morse code CPU noise again. I contacted Dell for a return authorization and a couple of hours later it locked up. I got it to re-boot but it came up with a diagnostic page indicating Error code 2000-0141- No drive detected. After a quick search it looks like either the Mobo or HD have issues. Either way it's for sure going back.
After all this I'm considering trying Dell one last time and going back to XP. Do the dual core processers function with XP? Here's what I was looking at and I'm wondering if this is a decent way to go. Some choices such as the 3GB of RAM were to push the price up so I can use the $400 coupon.


Inspiron 1520
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz/800Mhz FSB/4MB cache)
Genuine Windows® XP Home
Memory 3GB Shared Dual Channel DDR2 at 667MHz
LCD Panel Glossy, widescreen 15.4 inch display (1280x800)
Video Card 128MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GS
Hard Drive Speed: 160GB SATA Hard Drive (7200RPM)
Network Card and Modem Integrated 10/100 Network Card and Modem
Combo or DVD+RW Drive CD / DVD writer (DVD+/-RW Drive)
Sound Card High Definition Audio 2.0
Wireless Networking Cards Intel® 3945 802.11a/g Mini-card
Battery Options 56Whr Lithium Ion Battery (6 cell) 6
Warranty & Service 1Yr In-Home Service, Parts + Labor,24x7 Phone Support


I don't play games other than hoyle card games or similar. I just want something FAST on the internet and I need to be able to run photoshop, light room, epocrates and other similar software. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

if dell sell the machine with a dual core and xp,then surely it will work !!!, coz it would warn you it was incompatible during the build page

also...im not 100% on this, but cant xp only use 2gb ram and the xp64 goes higher ?

 

XP works perfectly fine with dual cores. As a matter of fact it supports over 32 processors. Although some older programs not made for dual core, get confused and run like crap, but that's all fixed now. Besides for those older never updated applications.

32bit Windows only supports 3GB of ram. Well it supports 4GB, but only uses like 3GB. Stupid.. lol..

Learn to live with CPU whine. All the Intel laptops in the office whine. RM clock has become a popular thing for everyone lol.. Blame Intel.. From HP to Alienware back to IBM and even some Sager, everyones laptops I've seen whine, only a handful don't..

 

I could live with the CPU whine after installing the RM clock. Unfortunately in my case the noise is getting louder and it's rather hard to over look fatal error codes.

 

After talking to Dell I'm sticking with Vista and getting a replacement. They oferred a VERY nice credit and even upgraded my HD!
Very impressed. Crossing all my fingers and toes that the third time is lucky!

Duo T7500, 2.2 GHz, 4mb L2 Cache
4 GB Ram
WXGA True Life
128mb Nvidia GEForce 8400
160 GB 7200 RPM
Bluetooth 355
Intel 3945
8X DVD +/-RW
Sound Blaster