# How can you determine CPU motherboard compatibility for Dells? Inspiron 531 phenom



## BillyVKoeneeeee (Mar 3, 2009)

I have a Dell Insipron 531 with ASUS M2N61-AX motherboard (believe a proprietary dell thing) with socket AM2. 

How do I determine what CPU's this will support? What do I need to check? I mean doesn't the bios need to be compatible with the new CPU as well as the motherboard?

Bascially Dell seems to suck and makes everything a damn secret. They refuse to just publish any specs or compatibility info so its a mystery- likely to make you crawl to them for the up sale.

It appears AM2+ CPU's are compatible with AM2 boards like mine, and will operate at AM2 specs. But how do I find out if the bios will allow this? Do I need to confirm this and how can I? Any other considerations?


Also, how do I ask such a simple question as "what CPU's does this bios support" to dell? If you are out of warranty it seems they won't even answer such a question- which is kinda ridiculous since I would think listing the specs of the software they provide would be a reasonable thing- but this is dell we're talking about. (of course in all liklihood they wouldn't answer it in warranty either without a ridiculous amount of transfers to people in India who don't know what bios is)


So that's my spiel, any insight in generally what must conform to change a CPU (bios? What else?) and how to check for conformance or anything for my particular situation?


Also, anyone know how to get dell to list the compatibility of their bios software? Is it a secret or am I just not looking in the right place?

Thanks :smile:


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## grimx133 (Jan 15, 2008)

Here's a thread to read at the dell forums. I have to run, work calls and all that.
http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/19001903.aspx?c=us&l=en&cs=&s=gen


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