Putting in a new processor, hard/easy?

K.O.Kiki

To put in a new processor, you'd need to first check how many pins it has (and no, you can't count by hand!:rolleyes: )
If it has a different amount of pins to what's available, you need to buy a new motherboard.
With new Pentiums (and, TBH, any new processor), you'll want a new, better power supply (PSU).
Then you have to check what RAM you've got, and wheter it will work in the new motherboard (assuming you've bought one).
And THEN you'll really want a new heatsink-and-fan (HSF), as the Pentium 4's Intel HSF is hell-a noisy and inefficient. But mainly noisy (note though, that this would be your cheapest upgrade).

So there you go.

1. Current processor socket ->
2. current motherboard ->
3. new PSU ->
4. new RAM ->
5. new HSF

OR... try an upgrade kit!

jc94062

Its not the easiest thing in the world to change over to a new CPU as after removing the old one you need to get some thermal grease (ac5 is best but just be sure not to get any elsewhere as its conductive) between the cpu and the heatsink and then seat it all down properly.

Best method I've seen which works better than the spreaders is wrapping clingfilm tightly over a finger and using that to gently spread the grease where its needed, basically you want the thinest possible layer to cover the surface and to be just thick enough so you can just about see still the surface of the chip through it.

Oh, and be careful putting it in, don't bend any pins!
Should just lay down in position and have this arm thing you can move to push\pull it into place.

The Zalman AlCu (7000?) is a good cooler if it fits. The copper only ones are too heavy really, but the Aluminium doesn't really appear to detract from the cooling and reduces the risk of breaking your mobo in two from a 900g heatsink. Also silent <= 1800rpm (and not too bad at full 2700 either).
Just get the latest you can (80/92/120mm) but before buying make sure it will fit, I had to return my 120 and get a 92 due to themobo not being compatible size wise... Zalmans home page (see overclockers.co.uk for links direct to the coolers then buy somewhere else if possible) lists compatible boards.

Hope this helps!

mp3guy

jc94062 wrote:

The Zalman AlCu (7000?) is a good cooler if it fits. The copper only ones are too heavy really, but the Aluminium doesn't really appear to detract from the cooling and reduces the risk of breaking your mobo in two from a 900g heatsink. Also silent <= 1800rpm (and not too bad at full 2700 either).
Just get the latest you can (80/92/120mm) but before buying make sure it will fit, I had to return my 120 and get a 92 due to themobo not being compatible size wise... Zalmans home page (see overclockers.co.uk for links direct to the coolers then buy somewhere else if possible) lists compatible boards.

Hope this helps!

The stock HSF will do if you get one, unless you're overclocking

gline

its not that hard to change a cpu. Find out what socket motherboard you have (run a program called sisoft sandra), tbh your mobo is probably socket 478, buy the P4 and a cheapish quiet heatsink and fan (1 that fits in the standard mounting socket) and some as5 (artic silver 5, can be bought in peats). take off old hsf, take out cpu, put in new cpu, smear a pea sized bit of as5 on cpu until whole surface is covered and slot in new hsf and plug the fan in, wallah.. your machine now runs a hell of a lot quicker.

Endurance Man

At the end of the day it can only go in 1 way unless you use a lot of force which will just bend all the pins. When its in the right possision it will just slip in, you cant really go wrong .