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I broke my old CPU - replace with equivalent or replace MB & CPU ?

  • 26-04-2011 1:52pm
    #1
    zagmund
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,501 ✭✭✭


    I have a Dell Dimension E521 from a few years back and a few months ago re-installed XP on it for the first time since I got it. All was going fine until I decided to clean out all the dust and discovered (the hard way) that the air vent is linked to the heat sink, and that is linked to the CPU so that exerting force to remove the air vent will result in the CPU being removed from the motherboard in a way that the designers hadn't originally considered.

    Here's a link to the machine - http://www.ktechpc.com/delle521/e521.htm

    It looks like all the pins are intact on the CPU (AMD Athlon X2), but re-inserting it doesn't work.

    I was thinking of buying a replacement CPU, but since it's a few years old I was then thinking that replacing the CPU & motherboard might be a better idea. I would prefer to keep the existing OS install on the HD rather than blow it away again as it was ticking along quite nicely before I broke the machine.

    So, the questions -
    * If I buy a new motherboard & AMD CPU and stick in the old HD, will XP be able to install all the relevant drivers and get itself back into gear or will I get into a chicken & egg situation where a driver for the new motherboard is required before XP can use it, and I can't get the driver installed without using the motherboard.
    * Whether I power on the machine with the CPU installed and with the CPU removed the result is the same - I can hear the hard drive spin up, USB doesn't get initialised, the monitor wakes up and then goes back to sleep within a few seconds, the BIOS screen doesn't come up, nothing beeps. This sounds to me like the motherboard is damaged, as I would expect the BIOS to come up and at least complain that there's no CPU ? Or if not, then I would expect it to at least beep to indicate that it's alive, but missing something important.

    So, given the constraint that I want to re-use the existing instal of the OS, what is the best way forward ?

    z


Comments

  • #2
    Monotype
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,710 ✭✭✭Monotype


    No, you wouldn't get the BIOS up except in a few select boards that I've heard of. It sounds like it could be a damaged motherboard.
    Have you connected both the 4 (or 8) pin and 20 (or 24 pin) connectors from the PSU?

    If you bought exactly the same board, you could get away without reinstalling. Otherwise you would be better off with a clean install.
    With the price of replacements, I think that you would be better off with a new ATX build.

    Edit: Or look for similar parts.
    http://www.adverts.ie/desktops/dell-dimension-e521/425527

    Edit 2: Some ideas. Looks like the boards in those are not built to last.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=71578940


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