"Alert! Incompatible processor detected! System halted!"

[MSgherzi]

I purchased a new mobo for a Dell Optiplex GX280 for a customer, installed it, used the CPU from their dead mobo, but when I boot it up I don't get POST or any option to boot from a media but I get

"Alert! Incompatible processor detected!
System halted!"

I looked online and it seems to be a BIOS issue. The CPU is a Pentium 4 3.4GHz CPU. I'm currently using a similar 3.0GHz CPU and it runs fine. I tried using a more powerful PSU just to be sure that wasn't the problem, and it wasn't.

The BIOS version for this new mobo is A08. The A08 is only BIOS update Dell has for this machine. Does this mean that I need to actually downgrade the BIOS in order to get this CPU working?


Thanks in advance.

 

[pc-quebec]

I presume your new board is a Dell too, so go to the Dell website they have a list of suported CPU , if not in the list forget it. You will need the Intel CPU code stamped on the die of the CPU. not all the P 4 have the same voltage.

 

[MSgherzi]

I presume your new board is a Dell too, so go to the Dell website they have a list of suported CPU , if not in the list forget it. You will need the Intel CPU code stamped on the die of the CPU. not all the P 4 have the same voltage.

That theory may be true, but this same CPU worked just fine on the old board that was in this system.

 

[gazza]

Had this problem some time ago now but I updated the bios to A00 and and cleared the the cmos settings, set the bios settings to default and everything worked Ok, except for the cpu speed being recorded incorrectly. Just backup your existing bios before flash.

Download the bios here http://www.downloadplex.com/Drivers...ll-optiplex-gx280-system-bios-a00_189502.html

 

[MSgherzi]

Had this problem some time ago now but I updated the bios to A00 and and cleared the the cmos settings, set the bios settings to default and everything worked Ok, except for the cpu speed being recorded incorrectly. Just backup your existing bios before flash.

Download the bios here http://www.downloadplex.com/Drivers...ll-optiplex-gx280-system-bios-a00_189502.html

Thanks! Isn't A00 much older than A08, though?

Can I backup the BIOS using "DoubleDriver" or is there a different way to backup the BIOS that I don't know about?

 

[MSgherzi]

Flashed to A00, set BIOS to defaults, cleared CMOS, but it still gives me the same problem with the CPU.

Any other thoughts?

 

[phaZed]

OK, here it is...

Verify what the P4 says on the Die.

Dell states that that system has the Intel 915G chipset...
http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/optix/en/spec_optix_gx280_en.pdf

Which, according to Intel:
http://ark.intel.com/chipset.aspx?familyID=5341

Compatible Processors

Intel® Celeron® D Processor 351 (256K Cache, 3.20 GHz, 533 MHz FSB)
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 355 (256K Cache, 3.33 GHz, 533 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 517 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 2.93 GHz, 533 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 2.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520/520J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 2.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 2.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 521 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 2.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 524 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.06 GHz, 533 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530/530J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.00 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.00 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 531 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.00 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540/540J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 541 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550/550J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.40 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.40 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 551 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.40 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 630 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.00 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 640 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 650 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.40 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 631 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.00 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 641 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.20 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 651 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.40 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 661 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.60 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520/521 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 2.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520/521 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 2.80E GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.40 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560/560J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.60 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.60 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 561 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.60 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 570J supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 571 supporting HT Technology (1M Cache, 3.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 660 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.60 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 662 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.60 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 670 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 672 supporting HT Technology (2M Cache, 3.80 GHz, 800 MHz FSB)

So, if you have one of those, and it isn't working.. well, that sucks. MoBo's change over time through revisions.. is it possible that the Old, bad MoBo was a newer revision than the replacement?