[Question] Installing New CPU

[sween64]

I've got an Acer Travelmate laptop with a SiS 650 chipset, XP Pro SP2. I currently have an Intel Pentium 4 1.7Ghz (CPU-Z Data if you want it) and have bought and want to install Intel Pentium 4 3.00Ghz. Physically it fits and everything but when I turn on the computer the fan turns on then off (like normal) the power light comes on (normal) and the lock notification lights (caps, scroll, num) come on and stay on (usually they turn off). Nothing more happens. The HDD light doesn't flicker at all. What can I do?

I can't find any drivers for Intel processors. I've updated my SiS 650 chipset driver and XP updates. Should I uninstall the current driver for my Intel Pentium 4 1.7Ghz?

Hope someone can help me.

Mike Sweeny

Edited October 31, 2007 by sween64

[PC_LOAD_LETTER]

usually CPU upgrades arent that plug and play.

my guess would be your board doesnt recognize that CPU speed (at the time the board was manufactured that particular CPU speed likely didnt exist) and if it did, it doesnt seem that your BIOS has support for it

plug the 1.7 in and look for a BIOS update (check Acers website)

I would expect a post/blink code or something from the board -are there no post beeps or lights blinking in a sequence (kinda like morse code)-the lights might not be visible with the laptop all back together

the three lock lights staying on might be a diag code itself or it might just be the system bombing too

post back with the model # of your travelmate and ill try to locate a manual for it. (or you can try http://www.eserviceinfo.com or google) if we can find a real tech manual for the thing we can find out if that code means anything

as for your drivers, id say leave them alone drivers cannot affect this problem until the hard drive is accessed and the OS begins to boot.

[sween64]

usually CPU upgrades arent that plug and play.

my guess would be your board doesnt recognize that CPU speed (at the time the board was manufactured that particular CPU speed likely didnt exist) and if it did, it doesnt seem that your BIOS has support for it

plug the 1.7 in and look for a BIOS update (check Acers website)

I'll check the Acer website for a BIOS update (I'm sure there will be one) and hope that fixes the problem. Here is a Flash BIOS, is this going to help?

I would expect a post/blink code or something from the board -are there no post beeps or lights blinking in a sequence (kinda like morse code)-the lights might not be visible with the laptop all back together

the three lock lights staying on might be a diag code itself or it might just be the system bombing too

I didn't see any beeping or blinking. It's a laptop so I haven't taken a cover off that reveals any of the lights in further detail. I didn't check the CD Drive light, could that be a chance?

post back with the model # of your travelmate and ill try to locate a manual for it. (or you can try http://www.eserviceinfo.com or google) if we can find a real tech manual for the thing we can find out if that code means anything

My Acer is a Travelmate 270. More specifically a 273XVi There's a unit manual here, how's this going to help? EServiceInfo had this. NB there's 2 parts.

as for your drivers, id say leave them alone drivers cannot affect this problem until the hard drive is accessed and the OS begins to boot.

Okay I'll leave the drivers alone.

Thanks so much for your help. Hope to hear from you soon.

Edited October 31, 2007 by sween64

[nmX.Memnoch]

The chipset in that system isn't going to support a P4-M 3.0GHz. That system is limited to a 400MHz front-side bus so you can only use a Pentium 4-M that uses a 400MHz FSB. Note the "-M", meaning that you have to use the mobile version of the P4.

Unfortunately, it may be hard to find a CPU that will work in that system.

[bonestonne]

jumping a clock speed that high will also require much more vigorous cooling, i'm not sure if its a good idea at all.

the voltage would have to be the same and the TDP would have to be very close...and with laptops, not just anything will work.

i can fit a P3 1ghz into a celeron socket, but that doesn't mean it'll work

[puntoMX]

There is NO upgrade for your laptop.

You have this CPU now: http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SL6N9

This is the highest supported CPU in your motherboard so it’s end-of-line when you want to upgrade.

Your 3GHz CPU isn’t a Pentium-M and unlike the Pentium-M it has 1 pin less so 478 pins.

--- EDIT ---

Forget this stuff I was writing here, read ahead please .

[nmX.Memnoch]

Actually, his laptop does NOT have a Pentium M. It has a Pentium 4-M. They're compeltely different CPUs. He even linked (corrected link since he linked to the 272XVi but stated he has the 273XV) the information to his system. The Pentium 4-M's went to a higher clock, but his system won't support those higher clocked P4-M's.

If you look at his CPU-Z data, he has this processor.

He could only wish it was a Pentium M since at 1.7GHz it will run circles around a Pentium 4-M 1.7GHz.

Edited October 30, 2007 by nmX.Memnoch

[puntoMX]

* Thanks for kicking the living death out of me here, I needed it .

http://processorfinder.intel.com/List.aspx...c=&OrdCode=

So, a 2.5-2.6GHz CPU will be the max. but there is no 3GHz version as you can see, just the 3.06Ghz.

[sween64]

Okay so I currently have installed this Pentium 4-M 1.7Ghz and is working fine. I have bought and want to install this Pentium 4 3Ghz. Am I screwed because they have different Manufacturing Technology? 0.13 micron vs 90nm?

Are these the only processors my chipset will support? They are all Pentium 4-M processors, they all have the same bus speed, 400 Mhz, the same package type, 478 pins and same manufacturing technology, 0.13 micron. The fastest being at 2.6Ghz, which is still a good upgrade from 1.7Ghz.

Thanks for all your help.

Edited October 31, 2007 by sween64

[Zxian]

They're completely different CPUs. Just because a CPU will fit into a socket doesn't mean it'll work. You can't take a system with an i915 chipset and use a Core2Duo/Quad, for example.

At this point, you're SOL. There isn't anything you can do to upgrade the CPU in that computer.

[sween64]

As I mentioned above (in an edit) can I upgrade to these processors?

[puntoMX]

Your CPU revision is C1, D1 could be different but both are "compatible". You will take a risk of buying another CPU that will not "work". All depends mostly on the BIOS...

[sween64]

There is NO upgrade for your laptop.

How do you know this? Are you referring to my BIOS.

Your CPU revision is C1, D1 could be different but both are "compatible". You will take a risk of buying another CPU that will not "work". All depends mostly on the BIOS...

As far as I could tell the different versions are just, they'll still be compatible. How can I tell before I buy a certain CPU if it is compatible with my BIOS?

Thanks again.

I don't know why my chipset SiS650 won't support other Pentium 4's. It says so here that it does. It must be my BIOS. Granted it also supports a max FSB 400Mhz.

Edited October 31, 2007 by puntoMX

[nmX.Memnoch]

* Thanks for kicking the living death out of me here, I needed it .

hehe...not that I really meant to. I just thought it important to emphasize that he has a P4-M and not a P-M.

Are these the only processors my chipset will support?

You should be ok with one of those but we're not going to make any guarantees. It all depends on what support Acer put in the BIOS. Usually though, if it supports one C1 processor it'll support all of them (at the same bus speed). Honestly, I really don't see a reason why it wouldn't support the D1 revisions either.

There is NO upgrade for your laptop.

How do you know this? Are you referring to my BIOS.

If you had the Pentium M like he originally thought, then he would've been correct. However, since you have a Pentium 4-M then you should have some upgrade options available. Again, we're not giving you any guarantees. To be completely honest, if you can even find a P4-M you'll probably spend more on the CPU than the laptop is worth.

If you really want to give it a decent upgrade, give it some more RAM (assuming it has the default 256MB in it now, you really should get some more even if you get the CPU upgraded). You can get an additional boost by putting a 7200RPM hard drive in it. But, if you use it on battery a lot be warned that a 7200RPM drive will run the battery down faster.

As far as I could tell the different versions are just, they'll still be compatible. How can I tell before I buy a certain CPU if it is compatible with my BIOS?

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information on Acer's site that would provide a way to tell. However, I didn't look for very long though.

[sween64]

There is NO upgrade for your laptop.

How do you know this? Are you referring to my BIOS.

If you had the Pentium M like he originally thought, then he would've been correct. However, since you have a Pentium 4-M then you should have some upgrade options available. Again, we're not giving you any guarantees. To be completely honest, if you can even find a P4-M you'll probably spend more on the CPU than the laptop is worth.

I'll look into prices on eBay, that's if I can find one that's compatible. Now I have a CPU to sell...

------- EDIT-------

Found some CPUs from this list on eBay. Here's the prices incl. postage:

2.6 Ghz $AU157.86

2.4 Ghz $AU129.44

2.2 Ghz $AU86.50

2.0 Ghz $AU46.00 or possibly cheaper.

I'm leaning towards the 2.0Ghz just because I'm poor. I'm I really going to get much more performance out of the 2.2Ghz? Also the 2.0Ghz is from Australia so I feel more confident it won't get lost in the post and I don't have to use Paypal.

--------------------

If you really want to give it a decent upgrade, give it some more RAM (assuming it has the default 256MB in it now, you really should get some more even if you get the CPU upgraded). You can get an additional boost by putting a 7200RPM hard drive in it. But, if you use it on battery a lot be warned that a 7200RPM drive will run the battery down faster.

Yeah I'm gonna buy another stick of 512MB soDIMM DDR1 226 RAM for the spare slot. I don't think I can get access to the other one, can I? I'm also getting a bigger and faster HDD from 20GB to 160GB and 4200rpm to 5400rpm.

Edited November 1, 2007 by sween64