Replacing CPU in Dell Dimension 4500

[Matt]

It seems that my Dimension 4500 may have a bad CPU (Intel P4 2.4B, 533
MHz), so I took it to a shop to be tested. The tech was unable to
install it in an IBM computer. She indicated that there was some
interference between some components inside the IBM's ZIF socket and
some components on the underside of the CPU.

So it would seem that either the CPU or the IBM computer was
nonstandard. I'm wondering whether Intel packages CPUs specifically for
Dells in a way that the CPUs can't be used in another computer.

Anyway I was thinking of ordering some kind of replacement CPU. I don't
need a lot of computing power, so I'm thinking about a slower clock
speed or a smaller cache (Celeron) to save money.

Would I be able to use any old socket 478 CPU in my 4500?

 

[SteveH]

It seems that my Dimension 4500 may have a bad CPU (Intel P4 2.4B, 533
MHz), so I took it to a shop to be tested. The tech was unable to install
it in an IBM computer. She indicated that there was some interference
between some components inside the IBM's ZIF socket and some components on
the underside of the CPU.

So it would seem that either the CPU or the IBM computer was nonstandard.
I'm wondering whether Intel packages CPUs specifically for Dells in a way
that the CPUs can't be used in another computer.

Anyway I was thinking of ordering some kind of replacement CPU. I don't
need a lot of computing power, so I'm thinking about a slower clock speed
or a smaller cache (Celeron) to save money.

Would I be able to use any old socket 478 CPU in my 4500?

Firstly, are you 100% sure it's the CPU?

Secondly, if you are, I'd get another shop to take a look at your CPU.

SteveH

 

[Ben Myers]

Very simply, I think that the tech at the shop is bullshitting you. Both IBM
and Dell P4 systems use absolutely standard Socket 478 ZIF sockets. The
differences among Dells, IBMs, white boxes and other brands are in the choice of
materials for the retention mechanism, heat sink and cooling fan arrangement.

If you choose to involve a computer shop again, pick another one, preferably one
that does not induce fear, uncertainty, and doubt about brand-name systems, a
behavior common to many small computer shops and maybe even the big ones.

Why do you think that the CPU is bad? What symptoms are you seeing?

Withing reasonable limits, you can use most any Socket 478 CPU in the 4500. See
the Dell web site for the exact limitations re. front-side bus speeds, which
will rule out some of the faster P4s. Sometimes a BIOS will not recognize a CPU
if the manufacturer has not planned for and tested it... Ben Myers

 

[Matt]

Ben Myers wrote:

Thanks for your informative post.

Why do you think that the CPU is bad?

Being idly curious when the system was fairly new, I removed and
replaced the heatsink. That upset the functioning of the
factory-installed thermal pad. Then the system slowed down due to
automatic thermal protection. I removed the pad and replaced it with
white Radio Shack heat sink compound, and that made it run faster. But
I am thinking that the CPU might have suffered some damage.

What symptoms are you seeing?

1) Every time I've ever run Memtest-86 it has hung the machine in about
ten seconds, using any combination of five different memory sticks and
two different video cards. Note that I had never run Memtest-86 until
after the heat sink incident.

2) Windows XP hangs after I let it idle for some hours. I did a repair
install without incident, but the system hangs partially (can move mouse
pointer but ctrl-alt-del is ineffective) when doing Automatic Updates.

3) Linux runs fine (doesn't hang).

It would seem to be either PSU, motherboard, or CPU.

 

[Ed Cregger]

Ben Myers wrote:

Thanks for your informative post.


Being idly curious when the system was fairly new, I removed and replaced
the heatsink. That upset the functioning of the factory-installed thermal
pad. Then the system slowed down due to automatic thermal protection. I
removed the pad and replaced it with white Radio Shack heat sink compound,
and that made it run faster. But I am thinking that the CPU might have
suffered some damage.


1) Every time I've ever run Memtest-86 it has hung the machine in about
ten seconds, using any combination of five different memory sticks and two
different video cards. Note that I had never run Memtest-86 until after
the heat sink incident.

2) Windows XP hangs after I let it idle for some hours. I did a repair
install without incident, but the system hangs partially (can move mouse
pointer but ctrl-alt-del is ineffective) when doing Automatic Updates.

3) Linux runs fine (doesn't hang).

It would seem to be either PSU, motherboard, or CPU.

Since Linux runs fine, I would suspect a Windows problem.

Ed Cregger

 

[Ben Myers]

The latest MEMTEST Version 3.2 incorporates features to handle the newer Intel
865 and 875 chipsets. If you are using an older version, get 3.2 and try it. I
had a similar problem yesterday running MEMTEST 3.1 on a Dell Precision 360.
MEMTEST 3.2 ran thru several cycles of tests flawlessly on the 360 with some
Kingston ValueRAM added... Ben Myers

 

[Matt]

The latest MEMTEST Version 3.2 incorporates features to handle the newer Intel
865 and 875 chipsets. If you are using an older version, get 3.2 and try it. I
had a similar problem yesterday running MEMTEST 3.1 on a Dell Precision 360.
MEMTEST 3.2 ran thru several cycles of tests flawlessly on the 360 with some
Kingston ValueRAM added... Ben Myers

Yes, I used version 3.2 (dated 11/11/04).

My Dimension 4500 was one of the last ones built (October '02) and uses
an 845 chipset.

 

[sbb78247]

Yes, I used version 3.2 (dated 11/11/04).

My Dimension 4500 was one of the last ones built (October '02) and
uses an 845 chipset.

Whatever you do don't call dell for help! Those dumbasses could not fix a
thing and they finally after replacing almost every part on the machine(some
of them twice) replaced the whole box! Oh, but wait, if you have lots of
time on your hands, and the machine is not that critical, let them futz with
it and do the same. It did net me a nice upgrade for free since the
original did have 67 days left on the warranty. BAAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Idiots.

S

 

[service]

Yes, I used version 3.2 (dated 11/11/04).

My Dimension 4500 was one of the last ones built (October '02) and uses
an 845 chipset.

Try running mcafee's stinger.exe freeware program. It fixed ( found 7
trojans) on a friend's dell 4500 that Dell couldn't fix

 

[Matt]

Since Linux runs fine, I would suspect a Windows problem.

Ed Cregger

I changed hard drives and reinstalled and updated XP and reinstalled all
my apps from scratch, and Windows is running fine now.

Then I checked the old installation using the stinger.exe and CA
antivirus programs, and found no viruses. I also tested the old drive
pretty thoroughly, and it seems to be okay.

Thanks for suggesting that it was a Windows problem. I suspected
hardware due to the Memtest-86 hangs, which now seem to be false
positives.