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Cannot get new P3 CPU working in my Dell Dimension 4100

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First post, by Fr0ns

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Hey guys,

I have a Dell Dimension 4100 With a P3 800MHz (SL4CD) CPU. I've got my hands on a P3 1GHz (SL52R) and I'm having a bad time getting it work. I have updated the BIOS vrom V5 to V11 which is the latest.

When booting the machine I get no post beeps, sometimes no beeps and a blinking cursor and once I have got it to boot. I have also tried reseating the ram and trying different slot combinations. The machine acts really strange and erratic with the CPU installed which is completely gone when I pop the old P3 800 back in there.

Could this be due to the difference in core voltage (1,7 vs 1,75) ? Or is this simply a faulty processor? Or even better, me being dumb!

Thanks in advance!

Dell Dimension 4100 with V11 BIOS
Intel 815E chipset
256+128MB 133MHz SDRam
Geforce 3 ti 200

Dell Dimension 4100
Intel P3 1GHz 133MHz
512MB SDRam 133MHz
Geforce 3 Ti 200 64MB
Sounblaster 16 PCI

Reply 1 of 5, by dionb

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Take a look at those S-Specs. SL4CD is cC0-stepping, SL52R is cD0-stepping. Looks like your OEM BIOS doesn't like cD0 stepping CPUs. It should be possible to get 1GHz to work on that system, but unless there's a different BIOS or workaround for cD0 stepping P3 CPUs, you would need a cC0 stepping CPU, i.e. one that starts with "SL4".

Reply 2 of 5, by PC Hoarder Patrol

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D0 stepping support was added in A07

EDIT- possible Tualatin support as well if you cross-flash the Intel BIOS Dimension 4100 Intel BIOS

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Reply 3 of 5, by Fr0ns

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dionb wrote on 2021-07-08, 07:14:

Take a look at those S-Specs. SL4CD is cC0-stepping, SL52R is cD0-stepping. Looks like your OEM BIOS doesn't like cD0 stepping CPUs. It should be possible to get 1GHz to work on that system, but unless there's a different BIOS or workaround for cD0 stepping P3 CPUs, you would need a cC0 stepping CPU, i.e. one that starts with "SL4".

There is a mention of this in the BIOS changelog:

System: Dimension 4100
Version: A07
Release Date: 02/22/2001

1. Added support for Pentium III D0 stepping processors

I have a BIOS version that is newer that A07, is the the same stepping as cDo?

Dell Dimension 4100
Intel P3 1GHz 133MHz
512MB SDRam 133MHz
Geforce 3 Ti 200 64MB
Sounblaster 16 PCI

Reply 4 of 5, by Fr0ns

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PC Hoarder Patrol wrote on 2021-07-08, 08:10:

D0 stepping support was added in A07

EDIT- possible Tualatin support as well if you cross-flash the Intel BIOS Dimension 4100 Intel BIOS

Definately a plan B haha, thanks!

Dell Dimension 4100
Intel P3 1GHz 133MHz
512MB SDRam 133MHz
Geforce 3 Ti 200 64MB
Sounblaster 16 PCI

Reply 5 of 5, by Fr0ns

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I've ordered a SL4 stepping P3 1GHz which came in the mail today. It showed the same problems so I screwed around some more. It seems the cooler wasn't mounted properly. Why that would cause the system not to boot is kind of a mystery for me but it works.

The cooler has a weird metal pin sticking out which might have made contact with something.

Thanks for the tips guys.

Dell Dimension 4100
Intel P3 1GHz 133MHz
512MB SDRam 133MHz
Geforce 3 Ti 200 64MB
Sounblaster 16 PCI

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