BIOS Updates forum

Hi,

I have a Dell Inspiron 9100 with latest Bios (A06).
I have swapped CPU from 3.2Ghz Prescott to 2.66Ghz Northwood CPU.
CPU is recognised OK, but after BIOS posts I get an error message saying that CPU is unsupported on this platform, press F1 to continue.
After that all is normal and windows loads and runs OK.
Can someone help to get rid of this message??
I have read forums here all day and I think if I can add microcode for the (earlier) Northwood P4 then all should be well.
However the Dell's BIOS is Phoenix and most info here relates to Award BIOS.
Please help

Much appreciated.
Pete

If it says it is not supported they have done that for a reason. Usually with laptops it has to do with thermal and electrical design limitations.

Yes, I understand that sometimes this can be the case however;
Moving from Prescott to Northwood is a reduction in both Power and Thermal output......
Yes??

Maybe something with the power regulators or not capable of lower frequencies. I have no idea. But the fact remains Dell has limited this bios not to support the 2.66GHz Northwood. You can always try an enhancement request to Dell. Being a Phoenix bios it's nearly impossible to do this yourself.

"enhancement request to Dell"...
I'll have whatever he's drinking......


Frequencies below the design limit should be no problem.
I have tested the system and apart from the post BIOS error message all is well. CPU is detected 100% and all freqs are as they should be.

Your right about the Pheonix BIOS being a total wh0re to work with...

Maybe someone has info to update this BIOS with 2.66GHz Northwood microcodes. Or even post a pre-patched BIOS

Pete

Usually microsocde updates are loaded at runtime and I guess someone at Dell is being lazy not putting it in the bios AND not taking into account people actually might want to DOWNgrade their laptop on purpose.

DOWNgrade runs much cooler and battery life is much better with the Northwood.
Now anyone know how to add the Northwood microcodes to the Insp 9100 BIOS???