Upgrading the DC5800 compaq from E2200 to E8500, having issues

[NightShark115]

*IMPORTANT* This is a continuation of this thread I started a while ago, but got locked when I got frustrated and gave up. If you don't read that thread this post will make no sense.

I have since switched the OS from Linux to Windows 10 on the dc5800.

I also switched the processor out for an E8500 because this manual I found for the dc5800 references it (page 2). I'm considering trying out an E8400 because the manual that Paul linked lists it but not the 8500. 

Paul, if you're out there, sorry for leaving you hanging. I followed the wiki guide Paul linked me and copied the contents of the 2 folders he attached earlier in the thread as he instructed, but when I put the USB into the dc5800 it did not recognize the drive as bootable. I have tried 3 different USB flash drives, and they all don't work. They also all gave me the "Device media is write protected" error when I tried to run the formatter that Paul provided. I think I have looked through about every post on the internet that discusses this problem, so anything anyone has to say is appreciated. 

[old_geekster]

@Paul_Tikkanen, please come to this members aid.

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi, @NightShark115 

Unfortunately, I don't have anything more I can add.

I just this minute ran the HP disk formatting tool (sp27608) on my HP 8200 Elite CMT PC running W10 x64, and it worked just fine.

Took less than 30 seconds to create the bootable USB flash drive.

I still do not see any info where processors beyond the E8400 are supported (other than the Q9300).

http://www.nordykassociates.com/pdf/dc5800%20QuickSpecs.pdf

The illustrated parts list you posted above only shows up to the E8400.

Intel Celeron Processors with alcohol pad and thermal grease:
430, 512-KB cache, 1.80 GHz 449165-001
420, 512-KB cache, 1.60 GHz 449164-001
Intel Celeron Dual-Core Processors with alcohol pad and thermal grease:
E1200, 512-KB cache, 1.60 GHz 468589-001
Intel Core 2 Quad Processors with alcohol pad and thermal grease:
Q6600, 8-MB cache, 2.40 GHz 452451-001
Intel Core 2 Duo Processors with alcohol pad and thermal grease:
E8400, 6-MB cache, 3.00 GHz 466169-001
E8200, 6-MB cache, 2.67 GHz 466171-001
E6750, 4-MB cache, 2.66 GHz 450791-001
E6550, 4-MB cache, 2.33 GHz 450694-001
E4600, 2-MB cache, 2.40 GHz 462569-001
E4500, 2-MB cache, 2.20 GHz 449452-001
Intel Pentium Dual-Core 2 Processors with alcohol pad and thermal grease:
E2200, 1-MB cache, 2.20-GHz 465216-01
E2180, 1-MB cache, 2.00-GHz 457656-01

The only other suggestion I can offer would be to try the free Rufus utility to create the bootable USB flash drive.

https://rufus.ie/

[NightShark115]

Thank you so much for your continued help Paul! You are right that the manual I listed does not display the dc5800 as being able to use the E8500, I think I meant to link this page instead. Maybe this is not the exact computer I have.

I have some good news though! Using a combination of formatting the drive using Rufus, the command line, and the tool you attached, I finally got the HPUSBFW to format the drive. I formatted it to FAT32 (with none of the format options checked) and let it do its thing. Once that was done I copied the Dos System Files to it, and then copied the dc5800 Microcode Update to it. I put it in the dc5800, and when I booted it up, it went to a screen for about 5 seconds that had the Windows logo and the text"Windows automatic repair" below, then it restarted. On all subsequent restarts, it went to a screen that had only the Windows logo (no text) for about 3 seconds before restarting. I think we may actually be getting somewhere finally! 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

You're very welcome.

The PC should have booted from the USB flash drive, and brought you to a command prompt, at which you type Flashbin.exe and hit the Enter key.

At that point, the PC should have given you the steps to update the microcode.

It would all be in DOS, not Windows.

[NightShark115]

Alright Paul. After trying every combination of settings I could think of in the HPUSBFW.EXE when formatting a thumb drive, the problem is still persisting. I made a spreadsheet of all the things I did and what errors popped up on screen when I selected certain settings in HPUSBFW that can be found here. It took me a while because when I did not click the "quick format" option it would take a really long time to format. I didn't time it unfortunately, but it was over 90 minutes easily. When I say "drag files in" on the spreadsheet I mean I dragged the contents of the Dos system files folder you provided followed by the contents of the dc5800 microcode folder, always in that order. If you have any questions about what I did for any of the steps please let me know (spreadsheets aren't my strong suit, as you'll see :P). 

Thanks again Paul, you da man. I hope we can crack this problem!

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Hi:

Let's go back to the drawing board.

I only have W10 PC's and when I followed my own instructions to create the bootable drive to install the microcode update, the PC would not boot from the flash drive.

Don't know if it is a W10 thing, or what.

So, try this method to make a bootable USB flash drive, and just copy the file contents of the Microcode update to the flash drive you create using this method and see if that works...

https://www.howtogeek.com/136987/how-to-create-a-bootable-dos-usb-drive/

[NightShark115]

Unfortunately, the HP overlords have not given us luck. I followed the instructions on the guide, which led me to use Rufus using these settings. Then I dragged the contents of the dc5800 Microcode update files you provided to the main directory of the flash drive. This is what was in the flash drive when I ejected it from my PC and put it into the dc5800. This is what happened when I booted it up. I hope this is progress!

I am considering getting a E8400 to see if the same problems arise, given that it is on the list of supported CPUs you provided. Do you think this could be beneficial to our endeavor? 

[Paul_Tikkanen]

Yes, everything you did looked right, but of course you should have gotten a successful microcode update report.

Why the microcode did not successfully update, that I do not know.

Maybe you won't even need the microcode update with the E8400 processor.

[NightShark115]

Bummer! I have ordered an E8400, it should arrive in less than a week. I'll let you know how that goes, hopefully better than the last 2!