Core 2 Duo Support Requires BIOS Update - Page 5

Yeah, I'm going to wait also.

Well I am typing this on an XPS M1710 with A00 BIOS running a T7400 2.16GHz Merom.

Also, take a look at the release notes for the A01 BIOS. It will error out if you have a Merom installed, however the E1505 does this but even though it errors out, it still allows you to boot up.

Nobody is willing to try a Merom/A01 combo on XPS M1710/Precision M90 and considering what the release notes say I can't blame them.

I am pretty sure there should be no risk in downgrading a bios from A01 to A00. Just need someone who dares doing it, hehe.

I have downgraded from A01 to A00 on my M1710, without issues, as part of a troubleshooting exercise with Dell. I wouldn't be afraid to try, the only thing that happens is you get a downgrading warning.

BTW, the A00 bios is here:

ftp://ftp.dell.com/bios/A00MXG61.EXE

The Dell Precision M90 A00 bios is still available on the Dell BIOS server.

ftp://ftp.dell.com/bios/M90_A00.EXE

The XPS M1210 has an official Merom BIOS, the E1705 is shipping with a Merom-compatible A02 BIOS, and I expect the Precision M90 and the XPS M1710 to follow suit shortly. Hopefully the wait will not be too long.

Yup.... Below is the Notes on the M1210' new BIOS -- A03

Fixes and Enhancements

Enhancements
------------
1. Update Intel Processor Support, Processor ID: 6ECh.

2. Update Intel Processor Support, Processor ID: 6F6h.

3. Update NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 Video BIOS version 05.72.22.21.FD.

4. Support Owner Password feature.

5. Support SATA HDD DIPM(Device Initialized Power Management) feature.

6. Update Intel bitmap logo.

7. Add support for 64-bit Windows flash program.

8. Change the BIOS Setup display of the Video Controller name to 'NVDIA GeForce Go 7400'.

what do you think of this? http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets...spx?i=2808&p=4 does this mean Yonah only supports max 667MHz FSB? If that is the case, I don't think I wanna follow the "buy-E1705-with-baseline-processor-to-upgrade-to-Merom-later" logic... I mean, it sounds like a half-assed upgrade. What do you think?

That is the price we all pay for wanting new tech now instead of waiting until something better comes around, like a 1066MHz FSB!

There is always a catch.....

I didn't totally understand it after the first couple of reads. But now it makes sense, yes Yonah does not support past 667MHz. That being said, and keeping in mind that this results in an almost 40% less CPU bandwidth, I really have no idea why anybody would want to "upgrade" their Yonah to Merom. You really aren't upgrading it. You can't. Sure you have a Core 2 Duo in there now, but it would be like putting a 500hp motor in a car that can only run a max of 400hp, limited by the exhaust system. It is kind of pointless.

Yonah may not support FSB's over 667Mhz, but who says the motherboard is limited? With the new BIOS support, it is possible that the MB will run at the full FSB needed by Merom...in other words, the Nitrous switch is turned on, afterburners enables, and 600hp is achieved with all cylinders firing! (using the car analogy again...)

i really hope that doesnt happen...........i just got an E1705 for 750 from some one cuz i thought it was a steal. i dont want it losing value yet!!!!

I would also point out that Dell already touting these latops as VISTA Ready...does that not also imply some sort of DX10 compatibility even if its software emulation ?

Analogies abound in this thread, eh?

Here's the raw deal on technology. Even running at an underclocked bus speed, a newer CPU is going to kill an older one. Case in point: I have some SGI 1200 servers that use the L440GX+ motherboard, which is a solution based on the old 440BX stuff - some of the best core logic ever made. But it's 100 mhz bus stuff.

My servers had 700mhz coppermine P3s with 256kb cache. Using some Slocket Adapters, I upgraded them with Pentium III-s chips (tualatin), which were designed by Intel-Israel and were the beginning blueprint for Pentium M (which is the neighborhood Conroe grew up in). So the architecture is leaps and bounds better, the cache is double to 512kb, and luckily I found the correct mix of hacked BIOS and got a Microcode update from UpgradeWare.com that makes everything run happy (even though it's not supposed to).

Going back to my SETI thing, the stock 700e SGI 1200 takes about 64000 seconds to do a work unit.

the same server with a 133x8.5 (1130) Tualatin running at 100x8.5 (850) takes 49000 seconds. Scale the 700e up linearly to 850, you'd get about 53000 seconds. I'll take the declocked newer solution!

All I'm saying is you can't beat conroe. It has a significantly wider execution path than Athlon64 and anything Intel before it (a whole extra instruction per clock). Even with a pinched bus speed, the architecture is going to shine because of the huge cache.

And personally, half the fun for me was getting the new(er) crap running on the older crap

do it, and have fun with the challenge!

Dood, read the article again. Merom does not have 40% less bandwidth than Yonah, LOL!

Merom has 40% less bandwidth than its desktop counterpart, Conroe (which has a 1066 FSB), to save power. Current Meroms have the same 667 bus as Yonah, but are up to about 20% faster than Yonah, clock-for-clock. Merom, at 35W, is the most efficient CPU on the planet!

Merom is an upgrade over Yonah! It is a faster chip than Yonah, and no, it is not like putting a 500HP motor in a car that can only run 400HP. It is like upgrading a 400HP car to 500HP (actually, like going from 500 to 600, 20%).

DID YOU NOT READ THE BENCHMARKS IN THE ARTICLE?? THEY ARE DROPPING A MEROM IN A YONAH-MODEL NOTEBOOK!!

DivX performance is improved considerably, with a 17.5% increase in performance at the same clock speed as Core Duo.

Windows Media Encoder 9 is really no different, showing a 14.6% performance advantage thanks to Core 2 Duo.

Our most strenuous encoding test, the Quicktime H.264 encode, is 21.7% faster with a Core 2 Duo installed than with a Core Duo running in our test notebook.

Even MP3 encoding is improved by 11.1% with the new chip.
The point of the bandwidth discussion in the article is that the next-generation laptop chipset (Santa Rosa) will allow (next generation, not current) Meroms to really take off at 800FSB, and be closer to their desktop counterparts, Conroe. Current Meroms won't work with Santa Rosa because they will have different pinouts! 800MHz FSB Meroms do not currently exist.

Your conclusion is absolutely wrong, and you are misleading people. Merom is an upgrade, and will run at full speed in current Yonah laptops, assuming BIOS compatibility.

As I have posted repeatedly, modern games might not see much improvement as they are GPU-limited.

stop with the car comparisons, you bench racers. everyone knows youre nerds that own Kias

Ok, so I am attempting to revive this thread after a year. I'm thinking it's still worth it. To upgrade a M1710 T2700 core duo 2ghz to a T7600 Core 2 duo 2.33ghz. Will this work??? I currently have a E1705 T2500 core duo 2ghz which I'm thinking about selling to get the m1710.

that kind of an upgrade will provide no noticable improvement. But yes, the upgrade will work.

haha Well, I just realized that the T7600 Core 2 duo 2.33 ghz is actually 700 bucks! So nevermind..I'll just sell my e1705 for a used m1710 Core Duo 2.33ghz...Because I originally wanted the 7900 gtx.