Need help with cpu installation

[TylesTheMad]

I'm currently trying to upgrade my computer's CPU. All I'm waiting for at this point is the heatsink, then I'm going to install it. Only thing is, this is my first time with any major hardware install and just wanted some pointers to make sure i'm doing everything right.

I've watched a lot of videos on the physical installation of a CPU and heatsink and i'm pretty sure i can handle that. I figure it just needs a little line of thermal paste and then set the heat sink on top. Simple enough.

The non-physical aspects of the installation though i'm pretty hazy on. I know that I have to do something regarding the BIOS, but i'm really not sure how to go about it.


The specs on my old CPU are:
Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3GHz LGA 775 1 Core 65 nm

The specs on my new CPU are:
Intel Pentium D 945 Presler 3.4GHz LGA 775 Dual-Core CPU-PD945-R 65 nm

and of course,
The new heatsink:
Intel D60188-001 Socket 775 Copper Core Heat Sink with Fan 4 Pin 12V 5300RPM

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[ShyguyXPC]

depends on the CPU and heatsink, you can either do the line of paste, or do the more common single drop (size of a piece of rice, or BB) on the center of the CPU and let the heatsink spread it evenly when attaching it.

as to the bios, if your motherboards bios is already running a version of the bios that supports your newer CPU, there's not much you really need to do in the Bios.

usually tinkering in the Bios with a new CPU is for Overclocking, of running a CPU thats not officially supported by your board/bios.

[TylesTheMad]

Alright, i'll try the grain of rice first on the heatsink installation; I figure less is better than too much to start out with. As for the BIOS thing, i'll check more into whether the mobo and cpu support the same one. And thank you for the comments. =)

[ShyguyXPC]

if your worried about too much paste on the CPU, try using something like Arctic Silver Ceramique, its usually cheaper than AS5 and other higher end pastes but electrically non conductive, so if a little bleeds out onto the board or circuitry, it won't short anything.

[TylesTheMad]

Alright, i've had a realization thanks to one of my buddies. Judging from this upgrade, would it be a good choice to go ahead and get a new power supply for my comp? The power supply that's in there is stock, came with the computer when i bought it. Also, I plan on adding a new graphics card later; my buddy said that he added a new graphics card and it ruined his mobo cuz he needed a better power supply to handle it. I personally feel like it would be a wise choice, but i'd like to hear it from someone who knows what they're doing. heheh

[ShyguyXPC]

Your buddies probably right, on replacing the PSU.

As to the video card ruining his motherboard... no, that would of been the Power supply that did that.

Was probably an overtaxed PSU with low power outputs (Amps on +12V Rail) made with inferior internal components and lack of overpower protection circuitry, and fried the motherboard when the GPU demanded more power from the PSU. PSU dealt out what the GPU needed, the PSU eventually failed, and lack of power protection it surged the mobo and fried it.


I've only ever had 2 PSU's fry in my life. Some others have not been so fortunate.

I had a semi good quality unit at one time, its actually still functional, just haven't used it in 5 years or so.

about a year or so after I bought that PSU, I bought another, for another PC of mine, little did I know the company that sold them, switched to a different maker of the PSU's and what was sold as the same PSU, was actually a lesser crappier PSU.

I can't remember how long it lasted, but it wasn't long, I had put it in a PC for a friend, and with in a week or so, it came back to me (PC) because it wouldn't power up. as it turns out, it was getting a Sizzling bacon sound from it, and you could see arcing in the PSU casing.

High powered Video card did that one in.


similar thing happened to a top end OCZ 700W PSU one time, I had that PSU for a couple/several years and always worked for me, never got near to maxing its power output.

Put it in a build for a friend, and with in a couple months it was fried.

He left the PC plugged in at his apartment when he came home from college for a week. It was shut off, but they had some severe weather that weekend, and the power went out.

when I had the PSU it had also survived half dozen or more blackouts, brown outs, and other related things.

eventually it could only take so much and thats what happened, a power surge or something fried the PSU.

Luckily because of the protection circuitry it had, it was able to save the entire PC, and just replace it with a 500W OCZ unit instead.

I've never had a PSU fry hardware either, so have been lucky.


as to a PSU upgrade for your needs, your going to need to post your entire systems Hardware specs (Exact specs)

CPU, Motherboard, RAM, Hard drives (how many), DVD Drive, Current Video card if there is any.

Case that you use (or if this is an Prebuilt system like Dell or HP or whatever, list the exact model).

What kind of video card are you looking at installing down the road? For what games or what ever needs you have?

And most importantly what you have for a budget for the PSU.

[Fulskasy]

It would be much easier to know how to install the cooler when the cooler arrived. Trust me. Without, everything would seems difficult

[TylesTheMad]

Alright I'm back.
Finally got the new CPU installed. The new fan I ordered to replace the old one, however, was the wrong type so I just cleaned up the old one as best I could and put it back in there.

So far everything's running smoothly, although I would like to get some kind of temperature gauge on the cpu just to see if it's not running too hot or anything. I downloaded a program called Core Temp, but it's not telling me any temperatures, just the load on the CPU. Don't really know what to do to remedy that unfortunately.

I'm gonna take a test run on League of Legends to see if there's any kind of a performance increase... I really hope there is... And that will probably be the end of upgrading for this comp. As far as replacing the power supply and graphics card, my main idea is if it really comes to that, I'll just buy a new computer and use this one for whatever else.

[TylesTheMad]

So I'm really serious about replacing the graphics card now, and the PSU along with it. Here are the specs you asked for:
Intel (R) Pentium (R) D CPU 3.4 GHz, 2Core, 2GB, ATI Radeon Xpress 200 Series
Motherboard: Alhena5
GPU(inline gpu): ATI Radeon Xpress 200 Series
Hard drive(1): ST3160812AS ATA Device
Ram(2 sticks): Total of 2GB DDR-2
CD-Rom drive: TEAC CD-W552GC ATA Device

The case is the one that came with the computer. It was a prebuilt system I got from Circuit City a while back.
I believe it is:
Compaq-Presario RK549AA-ABA SR2170NX

I have a free PCI-E slot which is where I plan to put a new GPU.
As far as which one I want, I don't really know. But I can gauge it off
of what I plan to be able to play and that is Diablo 3.
So anything that can run Diablo 3 with normal-good performance is what I'm looking for really.
My budget is probably about $250 give or take depending on what is needed or whatever else.

My main concern is the case. It seems like a crappy case to me. At least as far as airflow goes. It'll have to do though because I really don't have the money to build something from scratch at this point (although I really wish I could).

[JLK03F150]

I hear CPUID HWMonitor will read the Pentium D temps.
CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

Here's a couple links to your Compaq model (SR2170NX) at HP.
Compaq Presario SR2170NX Desktop PC Product Specifications Compaq Presario SR2170NX Desktop PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)
Motherboard Specifications, RC415ST-HM (Alhena5) Compaq Presario SR2170NX Desktop PC - HP Customer Care (United States - English)
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c00843492.pdf

There are things you can do to your Compaq case if you have a dremel or pair of tin snips. You can open air inlet & exit areas. Also you can replace the rear case fan with a higher CFM model & possibly add an intake fan to the front.

[TylesTheMad]

Thank you for that. This is all extremely helpful. As far as cutting up/installing new fans to the case goes, I'm only going to try that if I can find a new Power Supply and Graphics Card for my unit. Otherwise I don't feel like the added cooling is entirely worth the work.

Still though, I'm having trouble with the Power Supply part. It looks pretty intimidating in the case honestly. I'm not really sure how to detach and work with it without taking out almost everything from the case.

But more importantly, I'm not even sure what kind of Power Supply I need to replace my old one with. I've been looking and I can't find anything. Replacing the CPU was one thing, but I can't find much on replacing the PSU. Probably because people tend to replace that a lot less often is my guess.

[stroyal]

Hi, I only skimmed the post, so I apologizes if I misses something.
I don't think I own a case that I haven't modified.
I just can't seem to find exactly what I want.

The power supply we will recommend, will depend entirely on the graphics card you choose, so a budget will be needed, Power supplies are sized to the graphics card, unless you have an unusual power user like a large RAID0

Power supplies are really really easy, to change, and that is why there are no tutorials.

There are a few that are hard to find, and not worth replacing.
That would be the smaller than standard in small cases.
With those it is better to change the case, and the power supply.
Your case appears to be standard Mid Size ATX.

4 screws hold it in, and the plugs are pretty hard to impossible to mix up.
Most power supplies can be removed without removing anything else, but there are exceptions.
Most video card upgrades, involve a new power supply.

If you can take pictures, it can help, but as I said, it is impossible to mix them up.
The shapes of the plugs, are all different, and can't even be plugged in backwards, unless you really force it.
Seriously, the hardest part is routing the cables neatly, not the installing, and plugging.

Just my 2cents, as you already have 2 extremely knowledgeable veterans posting.

[ShyguyXPC]

unfortunately the Pentium D's are very dated, and any GOOD card out on the market will be Bottlenecked (limited) in their optimum performance with that CPU.

So you'd be looking at a $75-100 card right now, anything more would be a waste on that CPU. even a $100 card will be choked to some extent.

Luckily for PSU in this range, you won't need anything too beefy.

a Good 450-500W is all you'd need.

also, your CPU just barely meets minimum requirements for D3:

Diablo III System Requirements - Battle.net Support

its 600MHz faster than Minimum requirements, but that really isn't that much, since a Core 2 Duo, running at around 2GHz easily beats your Pentium D.

Something like this is probably the most I would put into the system right now:

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card (11192-22-20G)

along with a PSU like this one, Newegg.com - Antec VP-450 450W ATX 12V v2.3 Power Supply

If your comfortable with taking everything out of your current case and remounting in a newer case, you could do that...




or, for your Budget max...

Newegg.com - Intel Celeron G530 Sandy Bridge 2.4GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics BX80623G530

Newegg.com - BIOSTAR H61MGC LGA 1155 Intel H61 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Newegg.com - Pareema 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10600) Desktop Memory Model MD313C81609L1

Newegg.com - Antec VP-450 450W ATX 12V v2.3 Power Supply

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6670 1GB 128-bit DDR3 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready Video Card (11192-22-20G)

Newegg.com - Rosewill Blackbone Black Steel / Plastic ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

comes to about $261 before shipping.

Another $100 more for a new Windows OS disc (since your prebuilt probably came with a copy, its not transferrable)

biggest issue will be whether your current hard drive and DVD Drive are IDE or SATA drives, if they are SATA it won't be a problem, but if their IDE drives, the motherboard has no IDE ports on it.

that Little Celeron 2.4GHz Dual core will easily outperform your Pentium D.

if you were able to muster another $100 more for the cost of the OS, and depending on what you have for HDD/DVD Drive specs (that or a SATA DVD Drive usually only costs about $15-20).


I just looked up your HDD Specs, and it is an older SATA, Newegg.com - Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 ST3160812AS 160GB 7200 RPM 8MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive

So you wouldn't need to worry about getting a new one right now with HDD prices still through the roof, though it is a fairly small drive now days.

not sure on the DVD drive though, but like I mentioned a new SATA one would only be about $15 or so.

[TylesTheMad]

You sir, are THE MAN. This is everything I need. I've been wondering whether I could just build a new computer for about as cheap as upgrading my current one would be. And you have answered my question. Thank you very much.
I'll probably be back to let you all know how it comes together.
Time to get savin' heheh.

[ShyguyXPC]

LOL, keep in mind this is a relatively low end, but current low end system, but still would be more powerful than your Pentium D is.

its also much more upgrade capable and "future proof" than your older system was.

Using a benchmark Stroyal likes to use, this is the Passmark score for that Celeron:

PassMark CPU Lookup

You can keep scrolling and scrolling and scrolling all the way down the page, you won't see one single Pentium D listed, which just goes to show how out dated they are.

you have to drop one whole category down to find the Pentium D's and here they are:

PassMark CPU Benchmarks - Low Mid Range CPU's

2nd CPU listed, and thats an Overclocked model too.

2271 for Celeron and 1300 for the OC'd Pentium D.



Here's your Pentium D 3.4GHz score: PassMark - Intel Pentium D 3.40GHz - Price performance comparison

931 vs the Celeron Dual core I listed at over 2200.

based solely on the CPU Passmark scores, that $50 Celeron Dual core, is nearly 2.5 times more powerful than your old Pentium D... compare the costs of it to what the D cost back then, the Celly runs MUCH cooler, runs on much less power costs...

its sort of amazing, but then when you think about it, that Pentium D was from 6 years ago too.

[ShyguyXPC]

if during your savings you can save enough to put in a better video card, and/or get a better chipset motherboard, like an Intel Z68 or Z75/77 Board, I'd really recommend that, though that would probably add an extra $100 more overall. But you'd probably also want a bigger and slightly faster hard drive as well, at least a good 250-320GB minimum. just so you have enough extra space for other games, software and other data on the system.