Replacement for Studio 540s MoBo

This will help:
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/255589-30-dell-mother...

Since the original motherboard model in the Dell Studio 540 is the M017G :

Looking at Page 46 of this Dell Studio 540 document the Processor support section says that it supports Intel Core2 Quad Processors with an L2 cache size of 6 MB/8 MB/12 MB.

The only Intel Core2 Quad Processors with an L2 cache size of 8 MB that I know of are the 65 nm Kentsfield Q6700 and Q6600.

I am cautious recommending the Q6600 CPU for Dell MB because I thought as you do; that those paramters mean it will be supported. More reading told me that only the Q8xxx, and Q9xxx were supported. Don't know why, but, taht is how Dell set it up.

There were Studio 540's sold with a Q6600:

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=STUDIO-540-3R&cat=SYS

If it doesn't work then people were getting ripped off if they bought one of these.

I've also read in several other various forums from users asking if they can overclock their Dell Studio 540's that have a Q6600 processor in them.

Great, thanks for the heads up. Like I say; I am cautious because I ran into this recently.

Are you cautious because you found out it didn't work our cautious because like we read, it didn't specifically call our the processor?
I think the MB defined is specifically calling out the newer CPU's based on the newer Platform they are running in. I am siding with ko888 in that it defines the L2 cache @ 8Mb.
Crossing my fingers and will reply back when I spring for the $100 MB.

Thanks to all for helping clarify.....or pointing out some more details to the specs.

Look forward to hearing how it worked out.

Have yet to purchase but stopped back to reread the posting. The only confusion I am seeing is when I originally posted 540s -- I don't think everyone knew it was the 540Slim. If they did then I will still go forward with teh M017G purchase and repost when it is all said and done.

Update!
I ordered the M017G motherboard and installed into my Dell 540S (slim) successfully. This shows it supports the Q6600 Quad core cpu.
Turns out the system board was not the issue in the long run.....it was the PSU (despite running the paper clip test to eliminate the PSU) & the DVD failure. Once I installed the new MB, new PSU, new toggle switch I started to unplug what didn't work and it turns out the gotcha was the DVD. Replaced the DVD and all is well.
Replaced the new MB with old MB and system still worked so the new MB was sent back to sender.

Thanks to everyone who supported my question and I hope my testing helps someone else figure out their troubleshooting efforts.

Masteroogway.