EliteBook 8470p i7-3632QM CPU upgrade?

[mrmnn]

I have tried to upgrade an HP EliteBook 8470p from its default i5-3340M CPU to a i7-3632QM.

Specifications (including thermal load, max. 35W in either cases) appear compatible, see i.e. http://ark.intel.com/products/71670/Intel-Core-i7-3632QM-Processor-6M-Cache-up-to-3_20-GHz-BGA and http://ark.intel.com/products/71257/Intel-Core-i5-3340M-Processor-3M-Cache-up-to-3_40-GHz ).

Upon booting with the new CPU however the screen remains blank, and only caps lock / num lock will blink together 3 times, then pause, then again blink 3 times and repeat. From the documation it seems that this error code refers to 'memory modules problems', even if the same RAM works flawlessly with the i5 CPU. If I place this latter back, everything works normally again.

Is there some special requirement that the i7-3632QM upgrade must satisfy? The new CPU should be supported by the QM77 chipset, and be offered in some EliteBook models; I've also tried to update the BIOS to the latest 68ICF ver. F.62 release (April '15), without improvements. Could there be a whitelist for supported CPU's, may it be somehow bypassed?

Thanks,

--

Al

[banhien]

Hi,

The 8470p series supports many CPU's:

PROCESSOR
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3740QM (2.70 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 45W, 4 cores)*
   Up to 3.70 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM (2.60 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 45W, 4 cores)*
   Up to 3.60 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM (2.40 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 45W, 4 cores)*†
   Up to 3.40 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM (2.30 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 45W, 4 cores)*†
   Up to 3.30 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3540M (3.0 GHz, 4 MB L3 cache, 35W, 2 cores)*
   Up to 3.70 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3520M (2.90 GHz, 4 MB L3 cache, 35W, 2 cores)*
   Up to 3.60 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3380M (2.90 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache, 35W, 2 cores)*
   Up to 3.60 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology

and more:

   Source: http://www8.hp.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx/c04163744.pdf

Can you see the problem ? The i7-3632QM use BGA pakage and the i7-3630QM does not. Please swap for a right one.

Regards.

[mrmnn]

Thank you very much for the prompt reply. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to explain the problem: there is both a ball grid array (BGA) and a pin grid array (PGA) version for the I7-3632QM processor. The one I am trying to install is the latter, which uses indeed the same socket as the pre-installed i5-3540M processor to be upgraded, see:

http://ark.intel.com/compare/71257,71670,71458

I don't understand why the caps lock / num lock blinking code points at a RAM problem (i.e. 3 blinks), not a CPU one (1 blink), according to the HP guide:

http://support.hp.com/ie-en/document/c01732674

The only difference I notice in the products' specs are lack of support for trusted execution technology (TXT), and v-PRO, which wouldn't be for me an issue. Should I manually disable these from the BIOS beforehand?

Thanks in advance,

--

Al.

[mrmnn]

I've come to suspect that the reported issue with this CPU upgrade attempt lie with the current BIOS. Thermal load, chipset, socket and features set should all be compatible across the default i5-3340M and a new i7-3632QM (the socketed, rPGA variant). Indeed a replacement attempt on the EliteBook 8470p laptop motherboard goes smoothly, but the BIOS POST sequence does not continue beyond the 3 blinks sequence. If the previous CPU is re-inserted, all goes on as normal. The problem may likely be lack of the appropriate Intel microcode inclusion in the latest BIOS release F.61A, as available i.e. here: http://h20564.www2.hp.com/hpsc/swd/public/detail?sp4ts.oid=5212842&swItemId=ob_144184_1&swEnvOid=415... For other notebook models HP has provided in the past later support for additional CPU's, as new SKU's became available. Could this be a features improvement offered in some new BIOS release? Thanks, -- Al.

[Ariebali]

---

@banhien wrote:

Hi,

The 8470p series supports many CPU's:

PROCESSOR
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3740QM (2.70 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 45W, 4 cores)*
   Up to 3.70 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3720QM (2.60 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 45W, 4 cores)*
   Up to 3.60 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3630QM (2.40 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 45W, 4 cores)*†
   Up to 3.40 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3610QM (2.30 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 45W, 4 cores)*†
   Up to 3.30 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3540M (3.0 GHz, 4 MB L3 cache, 35W, 2 cores)*
   Up to 3.70 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i7-3520M (2.90 GHz, 4 MB L3 cache, 35W, 2 cores)*
   Up to 3.60 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology
3rd Generation Intel® Core™ i5-3380M (2.90 GHz, 3 MB L3 cache, 35W, 2 cores)*
   Up to 3.60 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology

and more:

   Source: http://www8.hp.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx/c04163744.pdf

Can you see the problem ? The i7-3632QM use BGA pakage and the i7-3630QM does not. Please swap for a right one.

Regards.

---

Hello good people I have HP Elitebook too. Can I Upgrade it to Intel Core i7 3840QM ?

http://ark.intel.com/products/70846/Intel-Core-i7-3840QM-Processor-8M-Cache-up-to-3_80-GHz?q=intel%2...

thank you...

[Huffer]

Do you see that on the list? No. 

[Ariebali]

Yes i Do, but I have another source about Processor Upgrade. Which is it's make me confused

[Huffer]

Do you have 8470p or 8470w? That is the difference and I also believe there are Quad Core and Dual Core motherboards so you cannot put the Quads on a Dual motherboard. 

[Ariebali]

I Have elitebook 8470p which running os x el capitan. but I want to upgrade the processor (currently running at 2,6 ghz Core i5 3320M) into Intel Quad Core i7.  Will it Possible my elitebook 8470p, to upgrade from i5 to i7 Processor ?

[Huffer]

Yes an i7 dual core