My Acer Extensa 5620 uses the GM965 chipset. It can handle a 667 or 800Mhz bus. Stock cpu is a T5250. Others have upgraded this exact model just fine to a T8300, so I assumed a T9500 would work as well. They're both Wolfdale Penryn's, both run at the same FSB, both have the same wattage... the T9500 is just 200Mhz faster and has a larger cache.
No go. Latest BIOS (from 2008) doesn't let it boot with the T9500 installed. The LCD doesn't come on, the fan whirs for a few seconds, then it shuts off. It repeats this continually. Booted fine again once the T5250 was back in.
Is there any way to check the BIOS to see if the T9500 is supported? There's always the chance I bought a bad cpu; I have no other units to test it on. Acer support is a complete joke, no info there.
Only other possibility I can see is that this T9500 is an ES (Engineering Sample). It has the same stepping as OEM, but perhaps the reported "stock" multiplier isn't seen correctly? Obviously the Acer's BIOS is severely dumbed down, so things are either autodetected and work or they don't- no configuration possible.
Thanks in advance!
Acer Extensa 5620 - Cpu not recognized
Quick note:
Upon looking at the cpu closely, it appears to be physically damaged. There is a small chip off one corner of the die, plus there seems to be a hairline crack straight across the die. It seems I have purchased a bad cpu, and am returning it. Sometimes it doesn't pay to shop eBay.
Having reassured myself, I think I'll try another T9500.
Upon looking at the cpu closely, it appears to be physically damaged. There is a small chip off one corner of the die, plus there seems to be a hairline crack straight across the die. It seems I have purchased a bad cpu, and am returning it. Sometimes it doesn't pay to shop eBay.
Having reassured myself, I think I'll try another T9500.