Can I get a Xeon v2 work with Dell Precision T3600?

[IIGraViteII]

Hi, I have a Dell Precision T3600 with a Xeon E5-1603 (V1), and I tried to upgrade to the E5-1620 V2 which has the same socket but it is the next generation up, so it did not work. I upgraded my bios to the latest (Dell A15) but it still does not work. I read the following:

 

http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/desktop/f/3514/t/20009621

I checked T3600 and 3610 - the only difference is BIOS firmware, even BIOS chips are the same. T3600 has Intel ME firmware 7th version - that is why Xeon v2 are not recognized by the 3600 system, they need later 8th version of ME. Upgrade of ME formware is a difficult procedure  - You need to fit the size and other attributes of old ME region. The simpliest way would be to read both BIOS chips from 3610 motherboard and clean data region in ME but I don't have any T3610 systems. Another way is to analyze BIOS file for T3610 and drag out the firmware for T3600. If anybody has T3610 - please reply

 

which suggests that it is possible to upgrade the ME, but I have no idea how to do this or where to get the necessary update data. Could somebody help please?

 

Also, if this does not work, I'm considering buying a T3610 motherboard for $99 but I'm not sure if it would fit in the chassis of the T3600 - they seem identical but I can't be sure.

 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.