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Merom requires BIOS update

post #1 of 13
5/27/06 at 10:06pm
Thread Starter 
http://www.laptoplogic.com/news/detail.php?id=938

Quote:
Laptop enthusiasts looking to upgrade their Yonah-based laptops to the upcoming Merom processors are not in luck.

Contrary to rumors and claims, a BIOS update will be needed for many laptops to support Core 2 Duo, also known under the code-name Merom. Many Calistoga-based machines, such as the Fujistu N series and the Apple Mac Mini, support Merom without a BIOS update.

However, this will not always be the case. Laptop Logic has discovered that the Asus S96J, also known as the Z96J, does not support Merom. When we inserted a Merom processor into our Asus S96J testbed, the laptop reported that the CPU microcode was unknown and refused to boot.
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post #2 of 13
5/28/06 at 12:03am
We have been speculating about this since the first day merom was heard of, and now its finally been proven.
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post #3 of 13
5/28/06 at 1:34am
Whats a "Calistoga-based machine"?
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post #4 of 13
5/28/06 at 8:51am
Well some people are saying that the fujitsu N series and the Asus S96J too..

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=53250
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post #5 of 13
5/28/06 at 9:14am
"Calistoga-based machine"...
As I understand it, this is basically an Intel reference platform (read: reference motherboard).
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post #6 of 13
5/28/06 at 10:17am
Well, how can we tell if your laptop is a Calistoga or not?
I was really considering buying a dell e1705 with the 1.66 core duo and go 7900 and later popping a decent merom in it. Might have to reconsider that now.
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post #7 of 13
5/28/06 at 1:28pm
Calistoga is the name for any of the 94x mobile chipsets. So anything that supports Yonah is in fact using some form of the Calistoga chipset.
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post #8 of 13
5/28/06 at 4:48pm
The bios update was part of the yonah -> merom back when the rumors started circulating. As the rumor advanced the bios upgrade got "forgtotten" & everybody started saying that the merom would be drop in compatible with the Yonah (nevemind the probablility of voiding the warranty by swapping the cpu in the vast majority of notebooks).

I'm glad to see this & I hope it snuffs the drop in compatibility rumors.
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post #9 of 13
5/29/06 at 1:19am
Quote:
Originally Posted by g00nter
The bios update was part of the yonah -> merom back when the rumors started circulating. As the rumor advanced the bios upgrade got "forgtotten" & everybody started saying that the merom would be drop in compatible with the Yonah (nevemind the probablility of voiding the warranty by swapping the cpu in the vast majority of notebooks).

I'm glad to see this & I hope it snuffs the drop in compatibility rumors.

Well, it worked here in an XPS M1710 with no bios update. Fingers crossed it will work in other laptops too.


http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...ad.php?t=99769

I wonder if it works with the E1705...
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post #10 of 13
5/29/06 at 3:22am
Well, given that some makers are already releasing BIOS updates (Acer has a few new BIOSes out for example) - so I wouldn't be too worried about a lack of support.
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post #11 of 13
5/29/06 at 3:26am
some laptops need it and some dont
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post #12 of 13
5/29/06 at 2:37pm
The whole system with CPU microcodes in BIOSes is quiet annoying.
Sure they might have to use some patches for certain CPU's/microcodes, but just let all the other CPU's work and set the CPU settings yourself.

Anyway, as long as the BIOS is just a regular AWARD or AMI BIOS and isn't protected/different (ie an ASUS BIOS (for desktops at least)), it isn't too difficult to add the microcodes.
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post #13 of 13
5/29/06 at 7:49pm
I undstrand that some work without bios updates (probably becasue the bios is already set to accept either yonah or merom) and some are releasing bios updates. All I was saying is not to take it as a given that it will work garanteed in any laptop.
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