CPU upgrade compatibility question

**rpowel30** · September 17th, 2012, 11:01 PM

I have a Compaq Presario CQ56-109WM, and the CPU stopped functioning. The CPU is a Intel Celeron Mobile Processor 900 (2.20 GHZ / 800MHz / 1M Cache). Since I have to replace the CPU I figured I might as well upgrade it. My question is what processors are compatible with my computer, and what sources have you found to be reliable and offer low prices in general? Thanks guys.

**rpowel30** · September 17th, 2012, 11:20 PM

I found the HP service manual for the computer which lists processors (on page 18)

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02657369.pdf

I really have no idea what I'm looking at, so if you feel like skimming through the processors and making any comments or suggestions on them, I would be grateful.

**ShyguyXPC** · September 17th, 2012, 11:30 PM

This is a notebook/laptop, to be honest for what it will cost for the CPU replacement/Upgrade your better off getting an entirely new Laptop.

The AMD CPU's won't work as they will need an entire new Motherboard anyways, and the CPU's listed that were part of this products series for Intel CPU'a are all low end units anyways.

It wouldn't be much of an upgrade, and the costs of installing the CPU, assuming it isn't actually soldered to the motherboard, would be quite high, unless you found one on Ebay for cheap.

But it will require you to take apart nearly 75% of the laptop to get at it, and if you have no experience doing so, you'd want someone at a shop somewhere to do so... then factor in labor costs, roughtly $25-50 an hour...

yeah, your better off just getting a new laptop with faster/better specs and see if you can take the Hard drive out of the old one, install in an External USB Drive enclosure, and get data off the old drive while connected to a PC or new Laptop.

**stroyal** · September 18th, 2012, 12:06 AM

I agree, as well as how do you know it is the CPU that is bad?

AFAIK you would have to try it in another laptop, or try a known working CPU in yours to know that.
If that is not the problem, it would be a waste of money.

I've taken apart more than a dozen laptops, with some success with screen replacements, but I still dread doing it.

**rpowel30** · September 18th, 2012, 12:59 PM

I know that it's the cpu that's bad because the laptop displays a caps lock blink signal that indicates that the cpu is not functioning. I also called Compaq, told them what's going on, and they said that it's a bad CPU.

I found the same processor that I have on Ebay for $2.50 including free shipping as well as a dual core pentium that this manual says should be compatible that costs only $17 including shipping. So I strongly disagree with your claims that its cheaper to buy a new computer altogether.

Does anybody know if my processor IS soldered on the motherboard? I've never heard of a manufacturer doing that, and it sounds ridiculous to do something like that. Can anyone confirm or deny that it is soldered on

**stroyal** · September 18th, 2012, 01:36 PM

Soldering a CPU to a motherboard is nothing new or out of the ordinary, many laptops are made that way. Sockets cost money.

There is no real need, for a socket, since very very few people upgrade a laptop.

I highly doubt you can tell, if it is the CPU is bad, by the methods describer, as bad memory would make the CPU inoperable, just to state 1 example.

Dozens of other thing, can make a CPU, not turn on.

But I'm listening, I learn something new here every day.

As for cheaper, you and Shyguy were also talking upgrade, and what you describe is not, worth calling an upgrade.

If you do the work yourself, then of course it is cheap, but you still have very old tech, as far as computers go.

Shyguy was also talking about, having a shop fix it.

I have a Sony net book, in my workshop, that Staples wanted $1000, to just diagnose.
This is the price you will find at most shops, and for $1000, I could buy 2 or 3 net books, or 1 good new laptop.

With the cost of labor, fixing a PC is usually out of the question.

If you are going to do it yourself, then maybe $17 is worth the try, if the laptop still fits your needs.

I've had this hobby for almost 27 years, and have never heard of a easy way to diagnose what is wrong with a computer.

Substituting parts is the only way for laptops, or desktops, as even a computer shop, has to do it that way.

Any test equipment would be very specialized and only available on a manufacturer basis.

**rpowel30** · September 18th, 2012, 01:44 PM

Ok, you mentioned bad memory could cause this? The computer had been powered on for up to 3 day without downbooting when it crashed. Could that be a possible cause?

**stroyal** · September 18th, 2012, 02:42 PM

Not directly, but if the computer was dirty and running hot, it is possible something overheated and failed.

The CPU should have thermal protection, so it should have throttled or shutdown, before any damage was done.

I know you want a definite answer, but this is the problem with computer diagnosis.

There is no test equipment, or software except for memory, and hard drives.

So all testing and diagnosis, has to be done with substituting parts.
Either testing your parts in another working computer, or trying know working parts, in your computer, one at a time.

Computer shops and geeks like us, have dozens of spare parts, just for testing.

The only way to tell if a motherboard is bad, is by testing every other part.

I have loads of P4 and older, but no new stuff, so for a while I'm not going to be able to test if my new computer breaks.

Laptops are even harder, as only memory, and sometimes the CPU can be removed.

At least with a desktop the video card can be removed, unless you have on-board.
Expansion cards can be removed also.

Hard drive and memory can be testes with software, if the computer is running.

I have had a network card stop a computer from starting.(hit by lightning).
Just pulling the card fixed it.

Any part can stop a computer from starting.

Every time I think I have a symptom nailed, as to the cause, it is not the cause on the next computer with that same symptom.

I've never seen a desktop, I can't fix, laptops are another story. Almost everything is motherboard, and that is tested by the process of elimination.
After testing the memory, and hard drives, pretty much, if I can't verify it is the screen that is bad, by plunging the laptop into a monitor, I don't bother.