Envy 15 i7-620m install

Just wondering if anyone here has been able to get the i7-620m to work in the Envy 15 (i7 quad core version w/4 DIMM slots).

Swapped the 720qm for the 620m and was greeted by no POST. Tried the oldest BIOS (in case microcode was removed by HP), removed and tried one DIMM in different slots to no avail.

Any thoughts/experiences would be greatly appreciated...

 

the i7-620 is a dual core processor so surely plugging it into a quad core intended board is going to create issues..

 

I'm not entirely sure...it is odd though that HP lists different video card option based on the type of CPU. (atleast on the envy 14...the envy 15 only gives one option but it does say for quad cores)

They're all the same socket, and with every other computer you can swap out CPU's of the same socket to your hearts content with different cores, caches and frequencies.

Can you turn it on and let it try and fire up windows and listen for the login chime? it may be working but the video output is not. That would be my guess.

 

I get no POST out of it at all, the power LED just flashes intermittently. The socket and chipset are the same, I'm at a loss why it doesn't want to work. I know the dual cores only support memory speeds at 1066, but that was expected. The DIMMs should just run at a lower speed (even though they're higher specced).

 

I was finally able to get the thing to boot by depopulating both DIMM sockets closest to the CPU socket (mimicing a picture of the i5s config). Board for the i5 looks identical except that the two DIMM sockets closest to the CPU socket aren't present (silkscreened, but not present).

Only problem I'm having now is that the USB ports aren't working at all. Keyboard and touchpad work fine, but all USB ports aren't (could have something to do with why the i5 Envys don't have USB 3.0). They show in Windows, but won't recognize any devices attached or provide power.

EDIT: Let the system sit for a bit and did a cold reboot. The eSATA/USB 3.0 port worked fine with the Arrandale chip, but the other two USB 2.0 ports (closer to the HDMI connector) don't. They have power, but devices connected to them aren't recognized by the system. As much as I was impressed by Arrandale's snappy performance and low temps, I can't live with only 1 USB port...so back to the quad core I go...giant 120W brick in tow...