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Core2 Duo replaced with Core2 Quad, PC won't boot. Advice please

alwynpv

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Hi guys, need some troubleshooting advice. Old system, I know ;)

DG33BU (LGA775) Motherboard (Updated to latest Bios)
Core 2 Duo E8400 3Ghz
8Gb DDR2 Ram
GIGABYTE NVIDIA GT 1030 2048 MB

I bought a Core 2 Quad Q9650 3GHz processor on ebay. It arrived last week.

I checked online and it is a straight swap between the two, mechanically. But it just doesn't want to boot.
STEPS already taken:
-I check the Bios version: and it is the last release, no more current version.
-I did the BIOS clear operation, where I placed the jumper over the CONFIG pins and then selected "Load defaults" in the BIOS.
-I also tried to clear the CMOS by removing the battery and all cables to the PC for 15mins
-One webpage described how to check whether the CPU is alive: Disconnect RAM, Hardrives and everything else and start up. If no noise= the CPU is dead, if beeps=CPU is alive. It beeped, so the CPU is working.
-I tried to go into safe mode, by powering down the PC just as the windows logo appears, three times. It eventually loads the "Preparing Automatic repair", but then the screen goes blank, nothing afterwards.
-I tried disconnecting the hard drives and only putting in my USB boot drive, but also just shows the windows logo and then the screen goes black.

When I put the old CPU back in, the system boots perfectly and the BIOS shows the actual full model number of the CPU when I look. But on the new CPU the BIOS just says "Genuine Intel CPU" With the correct speed below. (It is the same as the old CPU, so might just be remembering the old CPU speed, don't know)

Only thing I can think of doing is doing a complete fresh Windows install. The system doesn't have anything critical on it, so wont lose anything of value, it is just a shlep to get it back up and running with all the stuff to be loaded. So would like to avoid it.

So questions:
-Should I attempt to load an Older version of the BIOS? Online resources said the q9650 needs version 484 or later, the current one installed is 572.
-What are the chances of a fresh windows install fixing it? It feels like a BIOS issue?
-Anything else I can try?
-Just a thought, would a under specced power supply cause this? I don't have the biggest in the business installed, probably 400W or 500W, didn't check.

Any advice on what to try next?
-Is the Motherboard and new CPU definitely compatible?
 
I quickly googled, I would appear that the CPU is compatible.

It does sound like the display switches on with the new CPU (or does the screen never come on?)
Can you enter the BIOS with the new CPU inserted?
Does it detect and report the CPU correctly?

Go into the bios and load the failsafe settings.
Check that the PC does not want to display on onboard display vs your displaycard.

Your PSU is suitable specced, that CPU should not pull more than 150W under load.

I would normally use a knoppix usb stick to troubleshoot, I haven't used windows in years so I cannot comment on that.
 
I quickly googled, I would appear that the CPU is compatible.

It does sound like the display switches on with the new CPU (or does the screen never come on?)
Can you enter the BIOS with the new CPU inserted?
Does it detect and report the CPU correctly?

Go into the bios and load the failsafe settings.
Check that the PC does not want to display on onboard display vs your displaycard.

Your PSU is suitable specced, that CPU should not pull more than 150W under load.

I would normally use a knoppix usb stick to troubleshoot, I haven't used windows in years so I cannot comment on that.
Thanks for the reply.

To answer your questions:
-Yes the screen comes on,
-yes I can enter the BIOS.
-The BIOS only reports "Genuine Intel CPU" whereas the original CPU is fully detected when inserted including model number etc.
-I did try to laod the default BIOS settings, no change. I also tried to reset the BIOS, no change.
- I did connect to the on-board vga port, but the screen gets no video feed through there. The DVI port is the only port giving the display anything to show.

Thanks for confirming the PS is not the issue. I will try the usb stick approach.
 
From what you describe it sounds like the CPU does work at least partially
(though it might not be able to address memory needed to switch graphics modes, due to a missing/bent cpu PIN) or it could just be the display driver?

It could be that the display card does not like the new CPU bus timinigs. Try removing the displaycard (set bios to use onboard display).

I would use something like Ultimate Boot CD or Hiren's boot CD for testing
 
I had an issue last week where I swopped a E6420 for a Q6600.
Would not boot, eventually found some dust on the caps next to the CPU.
Cleaned it, and it booted perfectly.
 
I had an issue last week where I swopped a E6420 for a Q6600.
Would not boot, eventually found some dust on the caps next to the CPU.
Cleaned it, and it booted perfectly.
Dust can act like a bridge thats for sure.

@alwynpv whats the EXACT revision & stepping of the CPU?Lots of boards are tested with say a Q6600 Rev G0 but not the Q6600 Rev S0 as an example.
 
SLB8W was the only revision released for the Q9650.
This takes me back in time.. Had a Q9550 , which was BOSS back in the day! This was a year or so after E8400's were +- R3k... Good times.

@alwynpv , there must be a reason you went for a+-10year old CPU, but is a 1st gen i5 / older AMD system totally off the cards? Performance jump is large, esp when coming from a C2D/C2Q. If I recall correctly, a C2Q has a similar Instruction Per Clock count, as a 2nd gen i3, give or take a little. Yes, those i3's are dual core's, have less cache and Im sure other things, but a i5, even 1st gen , would prob out do the Q9650 by 25-35% in most games, and use less juice.
 
I had an issue last week where I swopped a E6420 for a Q6600.
Would not boot, eventually found some dust on the caps next to the CPU.
Cleaned it, and it booted perfectly.
Fascinating, I will do a proper dusting of the whole installation and try again.
 
This takes me back in time.. Had a Q9550 , which was BOSS back in the day! This was a year or so after E8400's were +- R3k... Good times.

@alwynpv , there must be a reason you went for a+-10year old CPU, but is a 1st gen i5 / older AMD system totally off the cards? Performance jump is large, esp when coming from a C2D/C2Q. If I recall correctly, a C2Q has a similar Instruction Per Clock count, as a 2nd gen i3, give or take a little. Yes, those i3's are dual core's, have less cache and Im sure other things, but a i5, even 1st gen , would prob out do the Q9650 by 25-35% in most games, and use less juice.

I needed a computer which can run the indoor cycling program Zwift, which is fairly graphic intensive. Budget was VERY tight. There was a website that listed the various log scores for different CPU-GPU combinations and from there I saw that the old Computer in the corner would suffice with only needing a graphics upgrade, so I upgraded the graphics card and installed an SSD drive and presto, the software was happy on it.

I then figured that a CPU upgrade would also make things a little bit more fun and looked at what the strongest CPU is for the LGA775 platform, which landed me on the Q9650.

In hindsight, buying an upgrade kit on special from Evetech would have been the better move long-term, as it would have only worked out slightly more expensive but the upgrade possibilities would have been endless. But as things stand, the current machine runs adequately for my needs. I can't really justify spending thousands on this machine any further.

If I need anything more in future to enable things like Engineering CAD or the like I will definitely go the route of a new build. But that will be budgeted to allow for a complete new build.
 
I didnt read it all :/ but check your PSU is powerful enough as the Quad core uses a lot more ppwer than the dual core

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
 
Get an Ubuntu Live CD and test.


Also it could be a fake CPU, I know what you thinking, you prolly think im on crack. Fake CPU's do exist but are very very rare to come across.

Not likely but still possible.
 
Post a picture of the CPU? It might be a QS/ES CPU, which the BIOS won't detect properly. It should still boot to Windows, however.
 
Post a picture of the CPU? It might be a QS/ES CPU, which the BIOS won't detect properly. It should still boot to Windows, however.
Didn't get around to doing any further tests as yet, this one got me a little bummed after all the failed attempts.

Will take some photos of the CPU tonight and share on here for feedback.
 
Didn't get around to doing any further tests as yet, this one got me a little bummed after all the failed attempts.

Will take some photos of the CPU tonight and share on here for feedback.
Hey buddy, I hope you get this message! I've been having problems installing a Q9550 in my DG33BU, I'm stuck in a reset loop at Windows startup, did you manage to solve your problem? I'm having the EXACT same problem that you had, please tell me you figured this one out. Many regards!
 

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