Dell optiplex gx280 processor

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jamesewing21

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Hello,
I have a Dell GX280 i have 500GB hard drive and I have 4GB ram and i have 3.0Ghz it pentium 4 and mine does say LGA 775 and can i upgrade Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 Wolfdale 3.0GHz 6MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor
 
You will need to check with dell or go on their site to find the possible CPU models that are listed with that computer. Anything else would be a gamble so make sure if you do, that you can return or exchange the CPU without a restocking fee.
 
Easy answer. No, u can't. The only possible upgrades for that rig are this:

D7459 Prescott P4 Kit, 520, 2.8Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
DD517 Prescott P4 64bit Kit, 521, 2.8Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
D7460 Prescott P4 Kit, 530, 3.0Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
DD519 Prescott P4 64bit Kit, 541, 3.2Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
D7462 Prescott P4 Kit, 540, 3.2Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
D7463 Prescott P4 Kit, 550, 3.4Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
M8964 Prescott P4 Kit, 550, 3.4Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
D7464 Prescott P4 Kit, 560, 3.6Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
M8965 Prescott P4 Kit, 570, 3.8Ghz, 800FSB, 1MB
 


I am not sure what you are asking but the P4 HT 3.0 ghz is a single core with Hyper Threading so it looks like a dual core to the OS.

No modern Core 2 is gonna work with your system at the most a Pentium D would work but even that will not give you much a performance increase to do it. If you want newer CPU you will have to upgrade your motherboard there is no if ans or buts about it. Dell sucks and does not let you upgrade easy.
 

sbgardne

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Based on my trial and error, I'm beginning to think your post is authoritative among all the chatter that I've seen here (e.g saying that the 6x0 series will work). I just tried the 570J (3.8Ghz) and my GX280 won't boot (incompatible processor, system halted). I have the Small Mini Tower and just upgraded my PS to a Dell-branded 350W.

Where did you find this documentation? And who wants to buy a 570J?

thanks--

steveg
 

classicmark

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Hello -
I've been trying to upgrade MY GX280 and am having difficulty finding the M8965. However, I can find Intel chips that "supposedly" are identical. I have been unable to cross reference the two Intel numbers with Dell number. What I've found is that both the SL82U and SL84Y meet the specs. Do you know if the M8965 fits either of these Intel numbers? In the past, I've always found that the Intel number is stamped on the Dell chips, but not the other way around.

 

sbgardne

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I checked Intel's docs and see that the SL82U and the SL84Y are both listed as CPU model 570J. For what it's worth, that's the same processor that I referenced in my previous post. When I installed the 570J into my GX280, it failed to boot with the "incompatible processor detected" message.

I relied on the Intel Processor Identification Utility to positively identify my CPU. My old processor was an Intel Pentium 4 CPU 520. When you run the utility, check the "CPUID Data" tab and note the value for Platform Compatibility Guide. Mine said 04A. When considering a replacement or upgrade for your CPU, be sure that the replacement processor uses the same PCG code. (Note that Intel is making PCG hard to find in its updated specification docs. The only doc I was able to find on intel.com/support today was a note that said there were boxed processors that were incorrectly stamped with the wrong PCG.)

I purchased and successfully installed a processor with the same PCG: Intel Pentium 4 650 (3.4Gz, 800Mhz, 2MB cache) . The cost was relatively inexpensive ($40) and the improvement is a hoot. The 650 also has 64-bit OS compatibility-- my old 520 processor did not. Another great cost-effective tweak: Kingston's SSD for the boot/OS partition. I went for a 64GB model-- about $140. It totally rocks.

Again, I'll share a caveat I previously posted to the Dell GX280 forum. Beware: there are faster processors in the P4 family. I was greedy when I bought the 570J (3.8Ghz, 1MB cache) and it did not work-- wrong PCG code. There is a spec for an Intel 662 (3.6Ghz 2MB cache) with the same PCG. But after searching online unsuccessfully for a month or so, I gave up and got the 650. If you run servers and multitask a lot, you know that cache is king; if you're given a choice between comparable processors, get one with more L2 cache. You won't regret it.

HTH.
 

fullofzen

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There appear to be two versions of the 650 out on the market the SL8Q5 and the SL7Z7? Is there any real difference in these? Which of these worked for you, sbgardne? They both have the 04A compatibility code and are comparably priced on eBay.
 

sbgardne

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I bought the SL727. My choice was driven by price, shipping charges, warranty, and feedback.

I highly recommend a deep dive into Dell's support docs for the Optiplex GX280:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx280/en/ug/specs02.htm

There are 5 different versions for this model number: Small Form-Factor computer, Small Desktop computer, Desktop computer, Small Mini-Tower, and Mini-Tower. Your upgrade path and specs will vary slightly depending on which one you have. The link below includes pictures of the different models to help you determine which one you have.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/opgx280/en/ug/index.htm

Mine is the Small Mini Tower (SMT). If I recall correctly, Dell's specifications say you can use the stock 250W power supply in the SMT for processors up to 3.2Ghz, but it will require at least a 305W power supply for anything faster. I bought a Dell-branded 350W, new.

I posted a blow-by-blow of my CPU upgrade in the Dell Community Forum in response to a very similar thread-- trying to upgrade the GX280 and rolling gutterballs with incompatible processors. support.dell.com is a great resource for docs, drivers, upgrade specs, and community experience with various models. Everything can be referenced using your Service Tag as a primary key. Again: highly recommended.

Where are you finding docs with the PCG codes? Intel appears to have dropped them from their processor comparison charts.

Post updates on your progress, and good luck.
 

fullofzen

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I bought the SL727. My choice was driven by price, shipping charges, warranty, and feedback.

You mean the SL7Z7. So I'm glad to hear you say that -- I just bought one on eBay for $25 (free shipping) and am very excited for the upgrade.

Mine is the Small Mini Tower (SMT). If I recall correctly, Dell's specifications say you can use the stock 250W power supply in the SMT for processors up to 3.2Ghz, but it will require at least a 305W power supply for anything faster. I bought a Dell-branded 350W, new.

I do indeed have the SMT -- I call it the ugly-tower, because the so-called "mini-tower" is much better looking, isn't it? While I disagree that a new power-supply is required -- the 650 uses 84W, which is the same as the 520 that our gx280s came with, I did purchase a new power supply. It's third party from a reputable vendor at is rated at 470. It's called the silencer 470.

http://www.pcpower.com/power-supply/silencer-470-dell.html

Where are you finding docs with the PCG codes? Intel appears to have dropped them from their processor comparison charts.

Run a search for "Pentium 4 650" on eBay, and you'll pop up two dozen results. They have pictures, and you can just barely make out the "04A" designation. Here's a sample:

P43400D775.jpg


I'm glad that we cleared up the SL7Z7 vs SL8Q5 issue. I think this thread will be a good resource for folks going forward because there is really no way to know which "code" you should get.

Hey one more question -- any tips on the install? Did you reapply thermal paste, etc?
 

sbgardne

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Great documentation, and apols for my typo-- I should wear my glasses when I'm typing, or cut/paste.

Short answer: Yes to thermal compounds. Go to newegg and search on the topic/product and start reading feedback. It's an educational experience. I also consulted several topics/threads/postings here @ Tom's regarding the merits of various products, as well as good how-to advice on cleaning the old compound off and applying the new stuff. All very helpful.

Based on online advice, I used q-tips and rubbing alcohol to clean off the old compound, and bought a syringe-sized tube of paste from the local computer repair shop (about $10) to apply to the new CPU. A small dollop is all it takes.

Tips? Have your Dell docs handy when you start, and take all the normal precautions to minimize static and shock (unplugging everything, grounding yourself, put your coffee/soda someplace else). I'd definitely upgrade the BIOS before starting. The heatsink clips are interesting to remove and install, but their design is understandable: pinch and pull. Note the orientation of the processor you remove and align your new one accordingly.

Here's the link the Dell Forum where I documented my trial, error, and eventual success:
http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/p/17353933/17476919.aspx#17476919

I hope you have the same success, and think that your documentation will make this a great resource for others. Keep posting.

best--

steve g

p.s. Before they updated their support site and docs last year, Intel listed the PCG right next to other processor specs like cache, family, revision, stepping, FSB speed, HT support, etc., and made it easy for you to use that spec and compare processors in a family. It bugged me that they stopped listing PCG because it was the only spec that seemed to correlate with the "incompatible processor" message that I and others experienced. I gave feedback to Intel's webmaster asking them why they removed PCG from the specs, and got an unsatisfactory "we're working to put it back" and "please continue to send feedback" response. Foo. Nothing yet. Somewhere I have screen shots of the old docs-- it's only for the Prescott family, but I'll try to find and post them.
 

fullofzen

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Okay, awesome. I'll do a quick search here on the site and get some detailed directions on removing/applying thermal compound. I have put in an order for a "syringe" of Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound, which seems to be well-received in the community and inexpensive in small-quantities.

I have also ordered a GeForce GT220 graphics card, which I understand to have relatively low power requirements and excellent performance, at least for the price and the kind of light-gaming requirements I have. That should be here today, so although I am getting that new Silencer 470 power supply, I will test it out with the stock 250w power supply, check-out if it works, and report back.
 

fullofzen

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I have also ordered a GeForce GT220 graphics card, which I understand to have relatively low power requirements and excellent performance, at least for the price and the kind of light-gaming requirements I have. That should be here today, so although I am getting that new Silencer 470 power supply, I will test it out with the stock 250w power supply, check-out if it works, and report back.

So the GT220 works fine with the stock 250w power supply for at least a night of usage. No telling if the power supply would permanently hold out, though. Luckily, I don't have to try.
 

sbgardne

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FWIW, the first thing I put added to my GX280 was a middling video card, a GeForce 8400. I didn't read the fine print on its requirements and noticed months later that a 400W is power supply is recommended. D'oh!
 

fullofzen

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So last night I received the silencer 470 power supply, the arctic silver 5 thermal paste, and the sl7z7 Pentium 4 650. All were compatible with my gx280 small mini-tower (SMT).

I purchased the sl7z7 used and it had some dried thermal paste on the contacts at the bottom -- can you believe how sloppy some people are? I used some standard drug-store 70% isopropyl alcohol and got it off. After letting the alcohol evaporate, the CPU works just fine.

The power supply is great, but doesn't really live up to its silencer name. The cooling fan is faulty and clicks on every revolution. Lucky me, right? I have a call into PC Power and Cooling to see what we can do about it -- luckily, they are right here in San Diego, so I can drive up there and work with them directly if need be.

This power supply is well out of warranty, so if they're not willing to do anything, I may just pop open the power supply and swap the fan. The 470 otherwise works perfectly well. What a pain in the neck, though...
 

sbgardne

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fullofzen--

Overall a mixed bag, but glad to hear that it appears you've got no issues with the CPU. I wish Dell did a better job of instrumentation that would make sensor information more easily accessible to the SOHO market-- without having to use tools like LanDesk or Tivoli to read IMPI or SNMP information blocks.

I've messaged you privately here on Tom's. At the risk of spawning separate threads on power supplies and SSD, I wanted to compare other points related to upgrading the GX280.

Thanks for the ongoing updates.
 
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