Inspiron 570 Upgrade?

kr236rk · 25 May 2015 at 23:15

Hi,

Have a core2 Dell Inspiron 570. This desktop also came as a quad. For example:-

https://www.avforums.com/threads/dell-inspiron-570-like-new-quad-core-4gb-ddr3-ram-dell-monitor.1343064/

What's preventing me from swapping the core2 cpu for a quad please? AM3 processors are still out there I think?

Thanks,

kr

geeko · 26 May 2015 at 14:15

CPU will be an Athlon/Phenom x2 if dual core as the Core2's are intel chips, and the 570 is AMD based

Any idea of motherboard make/model? Will most likely be able to take at least some of the Quad core phenoms, possibly even a hex core depending on the board.

kr236rk · 26 May 2015 at 15:33

upgrade?

geeko said:
CPU will be an Athlon/Phenom x2 if dual core as the Core2's are intel chips, and the 570 is AMD based

Any idea of motherboard make/model? Will most likely be able to take at least some of the Quad core phenoms, possibly even a hex core depending on the board.

Thanks.

This is what I can find out so far: the pc is basically a Dell Inspiron 570, AMD II, 2.8GHz, 64bit, SP1, Win7 Home Premium.

the motherboard -

Board: Dell Inc. 04GJJT A00
Bus Clock: 200 megahertz
BIOS: Dell Inc. A00 10/19/2009

The current cpu -

2.80 gigahertz AMD Athlon II X2 240, Multi-core (2 total).

How does this sound please?

Have inherited this perfectly good desktop but it more or less duplicates a desktop I already have. This is why I want to upgrade it to a quad. I'm pretty sure my (earlier model) Inspiron 531 cannot be upgraded to any form of quad processor at all.

Thanks again.

pandem0nium · 26 May 2015 at 16:38

You should be ok with AM3 socket phenom IIs.

kr236rk · 26 May 2015 at 16:41

pandem0nium said:
You should be ok with AM3 socket phenom IIs.

Wow - this is great news!

What about cooling & PSU for the quad upgrade please?

Many thanks!

geeko · 26 May 2015 at 23:13

This thread might be useful to you -lots of information for upgrading a 570:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19490818

kr236rk · 27 May 2015 at 00:47

geeko said:
This thread might be useful to you -lots of information for upgrading a 570:

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/19490818

Yes indeed - thanks - I saw that thread 24 hours ago, but it doesn't seem to lead anywhere? Did the OP manage the upgrade? It doesn't say.

But what's the opinion here at O/Cs please - would the 570 run hotter on a quad and would I need a more powerful PSU for the project?

The 570 is of great sentimental value to me, I'd love to upgrade it, not just have it gathering dust somewhere. But on a practical level the upgrade is going to be unrealistically challenging in both time and expense - ie. it would be cheaper to buy a new or good second hand quad desktop, then that's the way I would have to go.

For example, I upgraded an old Dell Optiplex XP to XP Pro several years ago, and it ran so hot it seized up in the end!

Thanks again

IPBA · 27 May 2015 at 08:12

You will be able to install any of the following family of CPUs:

AMD® Sempron™
AMD® Athlon II X2/X3/X4
AMD® Phenom™ II X2/X3/X4

kr236rk · 27 May 2015 at 13:16

16GB Quad?

IPBA said:
You will be able to install any of the following family of CPUs:

AMD® Sempron™
AMD® Athlon II X2/X3/X4
AMD® Phenom™ II X2/X3/X4

Sounds brilliant!

Posted this enquiry at the Dell Community page and got not one response. Possibly because there is a warranty issue on doing your own DIY upgrading? But the pc is well out of warranty anyway - it's an old system, but a good system

The only thing they did suggest was swapping the disc drive for a solid state drive, which sounds good.

Better get on and plug that quad core in then.

The 2core 570 is an 8GB memory system but the mobo can take 16GB I think (I read somewhere), even though the 2core setup won't recognise it. Am wondering if the quad will also 'unlock' the invisible extra 8GB if I load it on?

Many thanks

IPBA · 27 May 2015 at 13:33

Unfortunately the board you have will only take a max of 8GB 800-MHz DDR2 DIMM

kr236rk · 27 May 2015 at 13:47

!

IPBA said:
Unfortunately the board you have will only take a max of 8GB 800-MHz DDR2 DIMM

Oh! that changes things slightly!

Might still go ahead anyway - no point in running two dual cores the same

Thanks.

geeko · 27 May 2015 at 15:57

kr236rk, the link I posted about is a long read but the author upgraded his 570 changing power supply, cpu, cpu cooler, graphics card, hard drives and end up migrating the lot to a different case.

Pretty sure the 04GJJT motherboard is ddr3, but download cpuz and check the memory type on that. Or open the case and have a look?

kr236rk · 27 May 2015 at 17:07

DDR3 RAM potential?

geeko said:
kr236rk, the link I posted about is a long read but the author upgraded his 570 changing power supply, cpu, cpu cooler, graphics card, hard drives and end up migrating the lot to a different case.

Pretty sure the 04GJJT motherboard is ddr3, but download cpuz and check the memory type on that. Or open the case and have a look?

Okay thanks - take me through this slowly please

a DDR3 would support 16GB memory? Crucial says the max for a 570 is 8GB but that the memory is indeed DDR3.

So what is the relevance to me looking for a 16GB system (upgrade) please?

Unless there is some weird way of 'unlocking' extra RAM potential in the BIOS or something? I might go for that - am also a geek

Thanks again.

IPBA · 27 May 2015 at 20:57

geeko said:
kr236rk, the link I posted about is a long read but the author upgraded his 570 changing power supply, cpu, cpu cooler, graphics card, hard drives and end up migrating the lot to a different case.

Pretty sure the 04GJJT motherboard is ddr3, but download cpuz and check the memory type on that. Or open the case and have a look?

I work at Dell and have access to the training material for all Dell systems. The 570 board will only take DDR2 and no more than 8GB.

kr236rk · 27 May 2015 at 22:06

Thanks

IPBA said:
I work at Dell and have access to the training material for all Dell systems. The 570 board will only take DDR2 and no more than 8GB.

Kool B-) Thanks. Will just have to settle for the quad processor + solid state drive ~ that should get me a 'super' Inspiron for basic workaday emailing and computing, plus I get to reuse a late family member computer which has great sentimental value for me. May even relocate to old C drive as a secondary drive in the original case, again, for sentimental reasons.

Thanks again.

geeko · 28 May 2015 at 12:17

IPBA said:
I work at Dell and have access to the training material for all Dell systems. The 570 board will only take DDR2 and no more than 8GB.

Not to tell you how to do your job, but the Inspiron 570 motherboard is based on a 785 amd chipset running DDR3. Unless Dell changed the motherboard during the 570's life cycle?
http://euro.dell.com/uk/en/gen/Desktops/inspiron-570/pd.aspx?refid=inspiron-570&s=gen

kr236rk, I would suggest you download cpu-z as you will be able to check the motherboard model and type of ram installed.

IPBA · 28 May 2015 at 13:01

Could be a mistake on my tech manual so kr236rk double check if your existing memory is DDR3 or DDR2 but the max is 8GB 100%.

kr236rk · 28 May 2015 at 14:01

cpu-z

geeko said:
Not to tell you how to do your job, but the Inspiron 570 motherboard is based on a 785 amd chipset running DDR3. Unless Dell changed the motherboard during the 570's life cycle?
http://euro.dell.com/uk/en/gen/Desktops/inspiron-570/pd.aspx?refid=inspiron-570&s=gen

kr236rk, I would suggest you download cpu-z as you will be able to check the motherboard model and type of ram installed.

Thanks, cpu-z gives me:-

Mainboard Model 04GJJT (0x00000193 - 0x0048FE80)

Processor 1 ID = 0
Number of cores 2 (max 2)
Number of threads 2 (max 2)
Name AMD Athlon II X2 240
Codename Regor
Specification AMD Athlon(tm) II X2 240 Processor
Package Socket AM3 (938)
CPUID F.6.2
Extended CPUID 10.6
Brand ID 13
Core Stepping DA-C2
Technology 45 nm
TDP Limit 62.1 Watts
Core Speed 2799.8 MHz
Multiplier x Bus Speed 14.0 x 200.0 MHz
HT Link speed 1999.9 MHz
Stock frequency 2800 MHz

Memory Type: DDR3

.......................................................

One of the first things I'm going to need to know is which is the best cooling system for the new quad please - fan / heatsink - and compatible with the 570 mobo & case? Think the guy at the Dell forum used a new case, I'd like to stick with the original one.

Thanks.

kr236rk · 28 May 2015 at 14:14

Max RAM?

IPBA said:
Could be a mistake on my tech manual so kr236rk double check if your existing memory is DDR3 or DDR2 but the max is 8GB 100%.

Is there no way of unlocking another 8GB please? I read somewhere that those 570 DDR slots can take 16GB but will only read 8. Might a new BIOS get me more RAM potential?

geeko · 28 May 2015 at 15:17

According to the dell forum link I posted 8gb is officially supported by dell but 16gb works if installed - there is no "unlocking" to do. The 785 chipset the board is based on supports a maximum of 16gb.
Do you need more than 8gb though?

As for a new heatsink/fan I suggest you read the dell forum link carefully. The poster talks about using heatsink/retention bracket for socket 1366/775 motherboards (intel based ones) so tread carefully