computer help.... Processor switch

[bigd79]

i have a p4 1.6 ghz processor... i want to switch to a p4 2.2 ghz(free up grade) They are the same motherboard. is there anyting i have to do to the BIOS or any other hardware to make the switch??

[OrangeCrushM6]

If it's like the AMD, then no. I've just added the new processor and away I went.

[EntryOpr8tor]

i have a p4 1.6 ghz processor... i want to switch to a p4 2.2 ghz(free up grade) They are the same motherboard. is there anyting i have to do to the BIOS or any other hardware to make the switch??


You shouldn't have to...but it wouldn't hurt to check the mobo manufacturer's website and see if there's a bios update that would improve performance.

[bigd79]

You shouldn't have to...but it wouldn't hurt to check the mobo manufacturer's website and see if there's a bios update that would improve performance.both are dell's so i didn't think it would be a problem

thanks

[M6GTO]

Actually, you may have several issues. The older Dells had proprietary power supplies. The older 1.6GHz Pentium 4 could be such a model. Plus the newer board would be a socket 478 vs. a socket 423. Unless you got one of the early socket 478 Pentium 4 1.6's. In which case, I would try just dropping the chip into the old board and avoid alot of trouble.

Also if you have to run the recovery on the machine later, you may have some issues. As far as the BIOS is concerned you won't have to do anything special even if you do make the switch.

[EntryOpr8tor]

Actually, you may have several issues. The older Dells had proprietary power supplies. The older 1.6GHz Pentium 4 could be such a model. Plus the newer board would be a socket 478 vs. a socket 423. Unless you got one of the early socket 478 Pentium 4 1.6's. In which case, I would try just dropping the chip into the old board and avoid alot of trouble.

Also if you have to run the recovery on the machine later, you may have some issues. As far as the BIOS is concerned you won't have to do anything special even if you do make the switch.

Yeah, you may be right. I think I misunderstood the original post. I took it to mean he already checked the upgraded chip's pin configurarion, and it would fit his board. If he was ASKING if the chip would fit his mobo, then I have to say I don't know. I don't know the pin configuration of the 2 Pentiums he mentioned.

Again though...with a CPU ugrade, it never hurts to check and possibly do a BIOS upgrade. (unless of course you do the flash wrong..then there will be problems) I would still look into BIOS upgrades because it may be necessary. You can take 2 exact same mobo's, and they could have different build dates and therefore have different BIOSes installed in them.

[bigd79]

Yeah, you may be right. I think I misunderstood the original post. I took it to mean he already checked the upgraded chip's pin configurarion, and it would fit his board. If he was ASKING if the chip would fit his mobo, then I have to say I don't know. I don't know the pin configuration of the 2 Pentiums he mentioned.

Again though...with a CPU ugrade, it never hurts to check and possibly do a BIOS upgrade. (unless of course you do the flash wrong..then there will be problems) I would still look into BIOS upgrades because it may be necessary. You can take 2 exact same mobo's, and they could have different build dates and therefore have different BIOSes installed in them.


I KNOW the pin config is the same, the Mother boards appear to be identical.... it is the same chip just a 2.2 instead of a 1.6
My inlaws bought their computer 2 months(january) after i bought mine(november) and they had more money to get the faster chip (poor college student) Same series tower.

Two questions.
1. Do i update the bios before the chip switch?
and 2. where do i get the BIOS update? I have looked on Dell and i feel like i am just of a wild goose chase

[M6GTO]

I KNOW the pin config is the same, the Mother boards appear to be identical.... it is the same chip just a 2.2 instead of a 1.6
My inlaws bought their computer 2 months(january) after i bought mine(november) and they had more money to get the faster chip (poor college student) Same series tower.

Two questions.
1. Do i update the bios before the chip switch?
and 2. where do i get the BIOS update? I have looked on Dell and i feel like i am just of a wild goose chase

You probably don't need a BIOS update, but in the event you do, it should be available on Dell's website. The problem is Dell doesn't make their website the easiest thing to navigate.

[bigd79]

You probably don't need a BIOS update, but in the event you do, it should be available on Dell's website. The problem is Dell doesn't make their website the easiest thing to navigate.
no Dell's site is a pain unless you want to buy somthing. they make that really easy.

i will try the switch tonight

still trying to find out if there is any bois update.

[bigd79]

ok excueese me for being stupid. but there is one small difference in the motherboards... the one with the 2.2 ghz is ddr ram ( ok big difference ). I swear everything else is the same from the number of ram slots, card expansion slots even the heat sink.

new question can i just pull out my old HD that is in the to the 1.6 tower and put it in the 2.2 tower?

[bigd79]

ttt for IT guys that may be on durring the day and not at night.

[Razinhell]

ttt for IT guys that may be on durring the day and not at night.
Everything you need to know about your processors. These are the only ones that fit you description. I would not update a bios unless it provides support for future processors.
http://indigo.intel.com/compare_cpu/showchart.aspx ?mmID=844542,837829,837832&familyID=1&culture=en-US

Dell's website isn't hard to use. Just go to Customer Service and Support, Click on Home or Small Business, then enter your computers service tag. Select the operating system and you get all the things you need to run your computer.

[M6GTO]

ok excueese me for being stupid. but there is one small difference in the motherboards... the one with the 2.2 ghz is ddr ram ( ok big difference ). I swear everything else is the same from the number of ram slots, card expansion slots even the heat sink.

new question can i just pull out my old HD that is in the to the 1.6 tower and put it in the 2.2 tower?

They are close enough that it might work. If both boards use the same chipset that is. Even so, you can always throw your drive in the other machine and re-install Windows. You can use the parts from the other Dell if you are determined enough.

Or just use the 2.2GHz machine instead. Unless there is something wrong with it.

[bigd79]

They are close enough that it might work. If both boards use the same chipset that is. Even so, you can always throw your drive in the other machine and re-install Windows. You can use the parts from the other Dell if you are determined enough.

Or just use the 2.2GHz machine instead. Unless there is something wrong with it.


WEll since i found out that the Processor is not compatable i am going to use the 2.2 ghz machine bring over my video card and Hard Drive and DVD burner. then just buy some more RAM i hope this works. DDR ram is better then plan old 138 pim SD ram right?

[DawgByte]

I have a Dell 8400 with a 3.6 Gigahertz hyper thread processor and 2 Gigs of SDRAM. Does this help?

[Razinhell]

I have a Dell 8400 with a 3.6 Gigahertz hyper thread processor and 2 Gigs of SDRAM. Does this help?
You can't use SDRAM with a 3.6G P4
Here is the chipset on your PC
http://developer.intel.com/products/chipsets/915g/ index.htm
It doesn't except anything except DDR or DDR2 depending on the motherboard.
Processors only work with DDR as far as Intel says.
http://indigo.intel.com/compare_cpu/showchart.aspx ?mmID=873040,878534,867285&familyID=1&culture=en-US

Its DDR2 that you probably have especially in the Dimension 8400. Dell hasn't used SDRAM in a computer in about a 2 years or more. SDRAM is much slower then DDR. DDR is much faster then SDRAM, while DDR2 usually has a slower clock speed then DDR1 it is much much more efficient and has twice the channels to feed through.