Question:
Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
Didn't see anything about this on the forum, so thought I'd open up a thread.
Many of us have started receiving our B130's, and it is now certain that the machines only run their DDR2 at 400mhz. You can put in 533mhz ram, but it will only run at 400mhz.
Dell rep's are stating that the mobo uses a 910 chipset, but this is very confusing because intel's site states that this only supports the Celeron M, not the Pentium M:
http://indigo.intel.com/compare_cpu/...&culture=en-US
Additionally, the 910 chipset is not supposed to support SpeedStep, which I see actively working on my B130. The 910 is also supposed to support only 400mhz front side bus, and I see my Pentium M 740 running at 533mhz front side bus as expected.
This is the thread in the Dell forums where folks are talking about this issue:
http://forums.us.dell.com/supportfor...cending&page=2
There is also some discussion on the fatwallet forum:
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/mess...130&lastpage=1
I'm hoping that this is either a configuration issue that simply needs rejumpering, or else a bios issue and they will release an updated bios.
As of now, Dell appears to have no plan to address this issue, so I'm hoping all of my B130 purchasing brethren will give them a call to express our dissatisfaction at being mislead and our desire for a fix.
Thanks! :)
-Adrian
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
Thats odd considering they come stock with PC4200 (533mhz) ram. But, that makes sense since the FSB is only 400mhz.
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
The FSB is actually 533 according to CPU-Z, it is specifically just the memory controller <=> memory that is 400mhz.
-a
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
Ok
Pentium M = 533mhz front bus.
Celeron M = 400mhz front bus.
end of story. Look it up on Dell.com it says the same thing. I'm sorry, but it appears those people werent paying attention when they purchased their laptop. Pentium M is a higer end CPU, therefore it makes sense has it has a 533mhz front bus, while celeron doesnt.
Now as for the Chipset, in order for the Pentium M to run 533mhz front bus speed and support Dual Channel, IT MUST BE on a 915G chipset, any lower chipset would not support those two things.
This is also a brand new product with Dell, and it could be possible that some Dell Reps are still learning about it.
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
xbandaidx,
I'm not sure I understand your comment exactly.
I, like everyone else in those threads, bought a B130 equipeed with a Pentium M 740 (1.73ghz, 533mhz FSB). I did not buy the Celeron.
Maybe I missed it, but were there folks in those threads that opted for the Celeron and them complained about 400mhz FSB or RAM speed?
The issue is of course not what the FSB speed is (since all signs point to it running at 533mhz with the Pentium), but what the RAM speed is (since all signs point to it running at 400mhz).
FYI - The reason I assume that my memory is running at 400mhz is because:
1)Bios reports it as so
2)Cpu-Z reports it as so
3)Sandra memory benchmarks seem much more in-line with 400 than 533
I agree that according to Intel's information on their website, it absolutely cannot be a 910 and must be a 915. But Dell rep's are saying otherwise - they are stating that the mobo uses a 910 chipset. So I assume they are 100% wrong, UNLESS Intel's published information is not 100% accurate, and perhaps they have provided Dell with some uber-910 chipset. Sounds pretty far fetched to me though :)
So given that you are almost certainly right and it is a 915 chipset, the question then is why does 533mhz memory only run at 400mhz on this box? The only two other possible problems that I can imagine would be some kind of bad mobo jumper, or bad bios constraints. If it is a bad bios constraint (like I expect) then unfortunately this means that I am 100% stuck unless Dell releases a new bios with a fix. Since they are currently denying that there is anything wrong (since the 910 should have 400mhz ram), I'm worried they are not working on a fix :(
I'm sure you are correct that the Dell reps are still ramping up on it, since they have only begun arriving off the truck very recently.
So come join me in pestering Dell for a bios fix (assuming this is the issue)! :)
Thanks!
Adrian
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
I will tell you what, I've read up on a bit more, and I recall from another site that isnt dell that stated, what I have in the above post, so I know it has to be a 915G chipset, because thats the only mobile chipset Im aware of that the PM processor can run at 533 FBS.
Now, if this is a BIOs setting or whatever, I can bet you that if Dell doesnt take care of the issue, there will be someone out there who will probably be able to get around that BIOs issue, I always said that anything made by humans can be circumvented, because we aren't 100% perfect that means nor our products will be too.
I have ordered this Laptop last week Wednesday, and Ill be checking this information out when I recieve mine. I ordered mine through Small biz and I believe they treat customers differently in that division, so we'll see what happens.
However what I wasn't expecting with this laptop was the Toshiba 5400RPM 16MB cache harddrive, that was a surprise for me.
I keep getting the feeling that this will be a "hacking" notebook, that doing somethings to it, you will be able to get what you paid for out of it. Somehow I doubt that whole 910 thing. Especially after reading one post where the user stated that the integrated video uses 133MB of ram, when that has nothing to do with the memory being 400mhz instead of 533mhz
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
just checking this out as Im a little upset with dell on the memory issue.
Ahains, at least you got the toshiba drive..i didn't even get that lucky :(
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
You were the only one that got the Samsung Drive as far as I'm concerned Speedy.
Are you guys going around to every single forum out there about this issue?
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
Are you guys going around to every single forum out there about this issue?
Not all of them, only the ones I know about :D
I was reading around here before I got my B130, so I thought I'd post up now that I'm involved with this issue..
-a
Answer:
Re: Inspiron B130 only supports running RAM at 400mhz
yep..sure am. I want answers. why advertise a 533mhz bus speed and memory speed and not produce it? also the b130 manual online states the motherboard should be a 915 or 910 leading one to believe if you go with the m740 you get the 915...not 910. I think dell is up to something sneaky on this..maybe bait and switch? false adversting? cut cost to increase profit hoping the end user wont know they aren't getting what they paid for? to be honest, at this point im doing this based on principal. I like the laptop and plan on keeping it. I just don't like being mislead. if the manual had no mention of the 915 (which should be used for the m740) and stated the ram would only run a 400mhz, I would have been ok. but thats not what the information stated therefore i feel a little cheated.