Dell Inspiron 1520: Viable After Market Upgrades

You should not need to do anything to "activate" the cores. The default BIOS settings should be sufficient. What makes you think the cores aren't "activated"?

 

Well maybe I should say, have both cores working to capacity/full efficiency.
I don't pretend to understand a great deal about cpu programming and processing, but it seem to me that the Dynamic Acceleration and Speedstep work together to "overdrive" one processor and use the other processor to do the overflow.
I guess that I think that both processors functioning at 95% would be better than one at 110% and one at 40%??I know that it is also done to conserve batteries. I have 4 9-cells (the original is still 100% and lasts 2-3 hours watching movies). So I don't care about the battery life.
I am trying to create a stable/fast computer that I can use for travel for the next 2-3 years, whilst still being able to use the latest programs and features.
I am also so grateful for everyone's help and the personalized and FAST responses to the questions posed..
Thank You All!!!!!!

 

I just updated my profile so you can see the current upgrades completed in my signature

 

I have the drivers on my external hard drive some where, when I find them I will upload them and put them here for you guys to use.

 

First off I wanted to thank you for creating this thread. It is absolutely amazing and helpful.

I was wondering if this is a good buy.
New Dell NVIDIA GeForce 8600M Inspiron 1520 1521 1720 Video Card UW390 | eBay

I want to upgrade from my 8400 but at the same time I want to make sure I am purchasing a quality product.

Also other than the part itself will I need anything else to make the upgrade?

Thanks

 

Just did a search for 'Completed Listings' of this part (UW390), and that seems like a pretty fair price. Also, they've sold 24, and have at least 10 more in stock - so the odds are pretty good that it really is new.

Question of my own: I cleaned up and replaced the thermal paste on my 8400GM; is this advisable? I was surprised that the thermal paste it came with was red and plastic-y...

 

Yeah I am going to place my order right now. Thank you for your quick reply.

btw how simple was it to replace the thermal paste?

 

Pretty much the same process you'd use to replace thermal paste on the CPU (instructions elsewhere in this thread) - just be sure to remove (and afterwards replace) the numbered screws in a staggered fashion.

Also, when maneuvering the cooling fins of the respective heat sinks, be sure not to catch them on the side of the case or each other - they get bent out of shape easily and then you'll be annoyed.

 

^ ahh thanks

Does anyone know which processor is the best bang for my buck? I am looking to spend under $75.

 

For my needs, I found the T8100 and the T8300 to have the best price/performance ratio (at $18 and $23 respectively) ; if you want to spend more, the T9300 is $56, and the T9500 is $95.

 

^ oh wow thats very cheap

 

Yeah, I would second or third the T8100/T8300. If you're already coming from a T73 or T75, you might consider the T93, but it really depends on what you're doing.

 

the only thing I really use this laptop for is playing league of legends. The program itself doesn't require a lot. I just feel like this laptop is dying a bit. I have a t7100 on it right now with the 8400 and 2gb ram.

Is there a major difference in performance between the t8300 and the t9500?

It seems like the most costly upgrade would be ram?

 

I mean if you're gaming, then the most obvious upgrade would be to the 8600M. Even then I don't know if LoL will be CPU limited, and there might not be any point in upgrading the CPU at all.

 

overall I just feel like everything is bottle necking. even web browsing is slow at times.

I just placed the order for the 8600. Got it for $20 not too bad.

Im looking for Ram at a good cost at the moment.


Edit: So im trying to update my bios. And It wont let me because im missing my battery. I have already tried to run the update in cmd with /forceit

any suggestions?

 

Not sure how to work around that, it does sort of have a point - unlikely as it may be, a blackout during BIOS update could brick your machine (though perhaps restoring the previous BIOS isn't that hard?)

 

^ lol in the 5 minutes you were here to post that I created a bootable drive to dos and got it done in there.


edit: also ram is 15% off at newegg right now with the code from this ad!

http://promotions.newegg.com/NEemai...EFL102512-_-EMC-102512-Index-_-E0-_-PromoWord

 

With regards to my screen, I have a blue line that runs down the middle of it. Its a 1280x800 screen. Would a bad screen affect my frame rate in games at all?

 

No. (10 char)

 

Hi guys,
I just want to share my happiness with you as I almost finished My Inspiron 1520 upgrade.
I know that Windows Expeience Index is crap benchmark, but I`m quite happy with mine:

 

hrochochuj, what temps are you getting from the x9000? Have you tried other benchmarks like 3DMark06 or PCMark?

I am very curious about the 8600GT - x9000 combination...

Anyway - congratulations You beat my gf's XPS l702x with an SSD on the disk data transfer rate...Do you have a 256 SSD?

 

Hi hrochochuj - can you provide some additional information about your setup? For example, what software are you using for the overclock - and is it just the CPU, or the GPU as well? Thanks.

 

Hi, CPU temp while idle is between 28-32 celsius. Under load highest I recorded was 73 celsius.
I was affraid that combination of X9000 and 8600M GT will produce a lot of heat, and it actually does, but I think that cooling system in Inspiron 1520 is designed very well. My cooling system is always maintained clean and I also use fan with 7.6CFM, which is I believe most powerfull ever produced for inspiron 1520. My SSD is 128GB Samsung 830. I have only tried Passmark performance test version 8, but I will try the ones you mentioned, and post the results. Passmark was 1161 points. Thanks for now.

 

By the way, I used Throttlestop to overclock the CPU, it is stable on 3.2Ghz, but when I get to 3.4Ghz, it crashes under load. My Nvidia chip is permanently overclocked in graphics card bios/firmware using nVflash software.

 

Thanks for the info. I assume by 'permanently' you mean that the GPU values set by nVflash stick after reboot, but the CPU requires that Throttlestop be run every time the system comes up? Also, which values did you use in nVflash?

 

where did you buy x9000? and what do you mean with 7.65CFM?

and can I also change CPU with vostro 1500?

 

Bought this WUXGA (1920x1200) screen and having some problems with it - wanted it to run it by the forum before initiating a return:

1) Listing says "may or may not come with top/bottom brackets" - well it came with brackets, but they don't fit the lid of an Inspiron 1520. Removing them doesn't look simple (secured beneath another part of the screen and metallic tape), but the real problem is:

2) Brightness control doesn't work right: Instead of going from dim->bright, it goes dim->dimmer->dim->dimmer->dim.

The inverter and cable I'm using work fine with the old screen; the new one didn't come with one, but I had planned to use my old anyway.

I have an 8600M GT, with all drivers (and control panels etc.) installed. The monitor itself shows up as "Generic PnP Monitor", which driver update (and Windows update) seem to think is correct.

Looking at part numbers on the back of the screen, it appears to be this one.

So is the problem in the graphics card, inverter, cable, screen, or software? I'm thinking screen...

Update: The brightness controls in BIOS exhibit the same behavior, which rules out Windows, QuickSet, and the NVIDIA driver.

 

Hi, I bought X9000 on Ebay from France for £130. It is Qualifiing Sample but I bought O.E.M version just recently as well. 7.6CFM is the amount of air that fan is able to move. It means 7.6 Cubic Feet per Minute.

 

Basically you didn't get a panel that originally came from a Dell laptop. Seen it before and there is nothing I know of that you can do to make it work; you need to get a WUXGA panel from another 1520 or a D830/D820, etc.

 

OK, thanks. To increase my chances of finding one, do you know offhand (or is there an easy way to determine) the models (you mentioned D830/D820) expected to work with an Inspiron 1520 / Vostro 1500 (or perhaps more accurately, with an NVIDIA 8600M GT)?

I've seen this before on eBay, where somebody lists a part - at an elevated price - of being compatible with a number of make/model - when it's only plug-compatible. People also do the opposite: I needed a new power supply for my wife's BenQ Joybook 5000E, and people list them for $72 hoping someone will think, "well, $72 is expensive, but cheaper than a new laptop" - when it's identical to another power supply being sold for $6 for a more recent/popular model.

EDIT: I had a WUXGA screen supposedly pulled from an Inspiron 6000, and it also behaved strangely - this time, the brightness control was inverted (so that dimmest was brightest and vice versa) - I could have lived with that, but one of the brightness settings made a faint buzzing sound, which made me nervous.

 

You can basically use a WUXGA screen from anything in the 945/965 generation. I mention D820/D830 because those are the most common and probably the cheapest. 6000 is just a little too old; everything from the P-M generation(s) will do that reverse brightness control thing.

 

That's great to know, thanks - I'm seeing D820/D830 screens for half the price of (supposed) Inspiron 1520 / Vostro 1500 screens - some with entire lid assembly.

 

What's terribly confusing is that when I look up the part number of the WUXGA screen from the Inspiron 6000 (LQ154M1LW12), it consistently comes up as being compatible with:

• Dell Latitude D810 / D820 / D830
• Dell Inspiron 6000
• Dell Precision M70

But if that screen is compatible with D820/D830, and not with an Inspiron 1520, then how can I know that other screens listed as compatible with a D820/D830 will work with an Inspiron 1520? Or is it only screens that I can verify were pulled directly from a D820/D830 (or still part of a D820/D830 lid assembly) that are sure to be compatible?

 

Ohhh, did you try using the LQ154M1LW12 with the 6000 inverter or the 1520 inverter?

 

I tried both: With the 6000 inverter, the screen was dim and didn't respond to the brightness control; with the 1520 inverter, the brightness control worked in reverse (with a slight buzz at one of the brightness levels).

 

Well, I don't know what to tell you; I never look at part numbers or FRUs. All I know is every time I've done a panel swap between various 945/965 Dells it's worked fine, but maybe I've just been really lucky and your mileage is varying. I emphasize really because I've done a lot of them.

tl; dr I'm 99% certain a D820/D830 WUXGA will work (given that it actually came from a D820/D830), but I guess you can never be 100% sure.

 

Thanks for the additional data points. I've found some other references to the problem I'm experiencing; one person tried four screens before they got one right, so may be you have been lucky. I think I'll live with the reversed controls on the Inspiron 6000 screen for now - though it doesn't seem to get quite as bright as my old screen when I turn the brightness all the way down (that is, up). I wish there was some way to fiddle with whatever signals the brightness controls were putting out (the inverter equivalent of 'speedfan').

I know you haven't looked at part numbers, but if you (or any other members) happen to have your laptop open and spy a winning part number, please share. If I make another go at this, I think I'll go for one of the complete D820/D830 lid assemblies out there. Thanks -

UPDATE: I looked up the original inverter and see it was a LJ97-01531A, which is the stock inverter for a Dell Inspiron 1525. I am beginning to think that although it it worked with the WXGA screen (LTN154X3-L0D), that does not necessarily mean it was going to work with any Inspiron 1520-compatible screen (such as the ones I tried, including the LQ154M1LW12 and the LTD154EZOC). I got another screen that had been tested (with inverter) on an Inspiron 1520, and indeed that one works (though I neglected to write down the part numbers for the screen and inverter before putting the lid back on). I guess my advice (or at least what I'm going to do on future purchases) is not to mix and match inverters (or to assume that the inverter in a laptop I didn't buy new is actually stock for that laptop).

ANOTHER UPDATE: Upgrading another Vostro 1500, got nother WUXGA screen (this time pulled from a D830 as Commander Wolf suggested), works great. This time I wrote down the part number before installing it: LTN154U2-L06. Only cost $45 (on eBay), and I was able to turn around and sell the WXGA it came with (part number LP154W01) the same day for $40 (minus shipping).

 

Hello folks!

I have recently destroyed my inspiron 1520 screen. It was a LG "LP154WE2(TL)(B2) WSXGA+". Now Im looking for a new/used screen. The laptop is still running pretty fine and has an intel t9500, so I dont want to buy a new computer. I have tried the "same" screen (according to a local dealer) that had (B1) instead of (B2) and the cable just didnt fit in the connector.

I was looking at this one 15 4 Laptop LCD Screen Display WSXGA 1680x1050 for Dell FF058 Inspiron 1520 | eBay
and this one
Laptop LCD Screen for Dell Inspiron 1520 15 4 WUXGA | eBay
Will any of those two fit on my inspiron ?

 

I mean these should work if the sellers know what they are doing, but the problem is that half the time they don't.

 

@ Erikp89 I have a new LCD at home. I ordered it 2 years ago when I smashed mine. I paid one time, received 2 Dell said they will arrange for a pick up but 2 years later still nothing I will post the details when I'm back at home on Monday.

 

hello!
i'll be joining you as i bought my sisters Inspiron 1520...
i was thinking about upgrading ram from 1gb to 4gb. will this one work? Amazon.com: Crucial 4GB Single DDR2 667MHz (PC2-5300) CL5 SODIMM 200-Pin Notebook Memory Module CT51264AC667: Electronics
also i found also i found a core 2 dou t9300 for ~$80 will it work with my same heatsink? Amazon.com: Intel Core 2 Duo T9300 2.50 GHz 6M L2 Cache 800MHz FSB Socket P Mobile Processor: Electronics

mine has the 8400m gs but the gpu upgrade is ~$130 and i think it's not worth it xD
if the above items work please confirm and if they don't please tell me which (from amazon).
oh i also assume i only need to take off the backplate to reach the ram/cpu right?

 

Yes - it will not only work but potentially run cooler (65nm vs. 45nm technology).,

Should be available new for around $20-$25 with free shipping on eBay, for example this one.

 

Hi.

I have done a slight upgrade to my dell 1520 as it was previously overheating like crazy (running 90*C constant when just watching videos...)

What I did was purchase a T9300, install it, clean out the whole heatsink assembly for both the CPU and GPU, apply AS5 to both the CPU and GPU cores, and then I downloaded an OC'ed bios for the 8600m GT. After installing a seagate momentus XT hybrid drive, the laptop almost feels like new again.

My cpu is running at 2.7ghz @1.0875v stable with dual IDA mode, the 8600m GT is running at 590mhz core, 1180mhz shader and 490mhz memory. It is stable and I get idle GPU temps of about 50*C and CPU temps of ~35*C. Under load, the CPU and GPU temps do not go above 80*C, so i do think i can squeeze a bit more by overclocking the core and shader of the GPU.

The GPU is pretty much the weakest point in my 1520 at the moment. but I have a small idea that maybe someone on here has looked in to.

As far as im aware, the 8600m GT in the dell XPS M1530 (which was available in the same timeframe as the 1520) was a GDDR3 graphics card, whereas the 1520 8600M is only DDR2. I was wondering whether anyone has looked in to swapping their card for an XPS one, as the connector may be the same, and therefore there may be a way to squeeze a tad more life out of our laptops.

Other than that, the only GPU upgrade i can think of is running an external GPU via the expresscard, as IIRC it runs at pcie 2x speed and there are others out there who have working external GPU setups working on their 1520's

Hope someone can give me an answer.

Cheers

 

The M1530 GPU is soldered to the motherboard. There is basically no way to install any GPU in the 1520 (internally) other than what was offered.

 

that's a gpu??! i taught it was a heatsink. :O
there's one that looks like it from amazon for $20 will it work?
Amazon.com: Genuine Dell Inspiron 1520, 1521 NVIDIA GeForce UW390 8600M Video Graphics Card, Also For Vostro 1500, 1510, 1520 Laptops Notebooks, Dell Part Numbers: GM716 (heatsink), YY634 (plastic plate): Computers & Accessories


edit: idk why but it won't quote right :/

 

one more thing when i add the 4gb ram stick will it go under the keyboard or from the bottom panel thing? and will i need to get a new windows copy to support it? (mine is vista 32bit)

 

ummmm..... btw how do i access the cpu/gpu? xD

edit: anybody tried expresscards? such as usb 3.0?
http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-ExpressCard-SuperSpeed-Adapter-ECUSB3S254F/dp/B00535CMEE/

 

This should work fine.

Depends on where you have an empty slot (if any). If you're replacing two equivalently sized DIMMs, it doesn't matter.

See the official service manual.

 

great! thank you very much


edit: ...... i have to tear up the whole laptop to replace the gpu+cpu......... ok i guess i'll just get this: http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-2x2GB-Laptop-Memory-VS4GSDSKIT667D2/dp/B0011UPBMA/
and this: http://www.amazon.com/Crucial-128GB-2-5-Inch-Solid-CT128M4SSD2/dp/B004W2JKZI/

and maybe build an itx system when haswell is out.
anyways thanks for all the help everyone

edit2: hmmmm...... anyone else has slow wifi? my netbook seems to run much faster from the same network....... maybe it's time to upgrade the wifi card? :<

 

I haven't heard of anyone using a USB 3.0 ExpressCard. I'd assume it would work, but you might as well post back here to confirm or show otherwise if you do try it.

I didn't personally run into any issues with the WiFi (Broadcom 1390, the base card with the 1520) before I upgraded. However, it is 802.11g, so if you've got an N network and the netbook has an N card, it is possible that the netbook will have noticeably better WiFi performance, either due to absolute speed, or (more likely I think if you're noticing a difference) due to better signal. Fortunately it's fairly easy to upgrade the WiFi - I upgraded to one of these: Amazon.com: Intel WiFi Link 5300 AGN Mini PCI-E Wireless Card 802.11a/b/g/Draft-n 533AN_MMW 2.4/5.0 GHz 450 Mbps: Computers & Accessories, but the important thing is to make sure you have the right height card.