Processor Upgrade

Technology and Gaming Help and Support
#1

Noob question coming up:

My Mom’s computer just died, we think it’s a mobo failure, but anyways. It’s a Dell XPS Gen 3, and it’s got a Pentium IV in it. I’m wondering if I can steal that processor and put it in mine. My mobo is a Biostar M7NCG, and the processor is an AMD Socket A (Athlon XP). Any chance that the Pentium is compatible with my mobo, or will an Intel not fit into an AMD socket. I’m not sure how to check what the socket is on the Pentium to figure out if its the same as my Socket A, short of taking the computer apart for nothing…

#2

There’s no way you can fit a Pentium IV into a socket A without breaking it.

#3

Right, all I needed to know. I read some more and found out that Pentium IVs are 775 pins and Socket A is 625 pins. Poop.

#4

As far as I’m aware, you can’t put Intel chips in AMD sockets, and vice versa. In any situation.

#5

Do yourself a favour: don’t ever attempt to diagnose, open or attempt to do anything to any hardware inside any PC, ever. I can’t believe that even after doing some research, you thought that the problem was how many pins they have. Luckily for you they didn’t make them with the same number of pins, I can tell you would have tried to put it into the other mobo.

Now before you get all pissy, understand that I’m not saying to stay away from PC hardware to be mean to you. I truly believe that you just don’t seem to have what it takes to understand PC’s, nor how to research things properly. This is what happens when you give some people a little information - they then think they’re experts. You are clearly no expert, yet are trying to use the little info you have to change CPU’s around. Are you even aware of things like static discharge + your hands and clothes, and the effect on PC hardware?

#6

Woah buddy. Yes, actually I know quite a bit about PC hardware. My comment about the pins was simply to point out that it physically would not work, as the CPU wouldn’t fit into the socket. What I was wondering about was compatibility between AMD and Intel CPUs. Never needed to know before, I figured I’d learn. There’s no way I’d try to ‘jam’ a processor into it’s socket and figure that it would work. That’s why I asked and I did some reading as well.

As for static discharge, that’s absolutely the most basic thing everyone should know if they ever do anything within their computer case, touching the unpainted metal frame of the case to ground yourself and discharge excess electrons so you don’t damage sensitive components. I built my computer from scratch, have taken it completely apart several times, installed fans, diagnosed problems with DVD and hard disc drives, isolated damaged RAM, tweaked my timings, overclocked CPUs and GPUs, installed god knows how many OS’s, all shit like that. Replaced my PSU with the proper one, believe it or not.

I’m certainly not an expert by any means, but I have much more than ‘a little info’ on PC hardware. People bring their computers to me when they need them fixed instead of taking them to the city to get a shop to fix them. I’m definitely not the hardware-tard that you’re making me out to be, I’ve just never had to deal with processors before, other than the one that I put in my current PC.

#7

I have to admit, my hate for shasta grows exponentially everytime I read one of his posts. He’s very good at what he does.
.

#8

WRONG.

The popular AMD K6 chip is pin compatible with the pentium I chip.

#9

I said “As far as I’m aware,” for a reason.

#10

So it turns out you weren’t wrong after all, since you weren’t aware of that possibility. :slight_smile:
Shame on you sersoft, wrongly accusing people like that. :stuck_out_tongue:

#11

Though to be fair, Pentium I’s were around when I was born.

#12

I’m pretty sad to see the state of the forums right now. It used to be that you could hop on here and ask a question and try to get some help, and there were a few decent people who would genuinely try to help you out. Between Blackmesa and Gamernode, I’ve solved a lot of problems with my PC, but now all you get are morons like that Shasta character. Pretty awful if you asked me.

#13

The only awful thing here is that you consider yourself capable of working on PCs, yet you thought an AMD CPU could go into a mobo designed for a Pentium. Then, after doing some “research” you thought the ONLY reason it wouldn’t work is because of the different amount of pins.

There is asking for / getting help, and then there is just being too stupid to get it. There are some people that think they know enough and are constantly on forums asking for help with their latest self-inflicted PC issue.

Anyway, you asked for help, and I offered the best advice and help I can give to you, based on your personality, comprehension levels and ability to learn: Stop touching PCs.

#14

Wow. I lurk mostly and quietly observe. But Shasta really is an asshole. How bout instead of telling the guy never to touch a computer again, give him some credit for being willing to seek help and for wanting to attempt to upgrade or fix his comp. Cut the guy a break, it was just a question.

#15

You don’t seem to understand that I’m not retarded. That wasn’t the ONLY reason I provided for the CPU not being compatible. Just a fairly obvious one in my opinion. It’s like sticking an AGP graphics card in a PCI-e slot, you look at it for one second and you can tell that it won’t work because the slot doesn’t line up. There’s a ton of reasons that it won’t work. Other than the fact that it is physically the wrong size (which is a fairly obvious problem), the chips run on different FSB’s and data rates. The Pentium IV uses an 800mhz FSB while the AMD chip I have uses 333mhz. Clearly it won’t work. As well, I looked up the compatible processors for the mobo, and it doesn’t support Intel chips.

Also, it wasn’t a self inflicted problem. My computer works perfectly, and my mom’s upstairs that died blew a RAM capacitor, crippling the motherboard.

#16

I don’t see why some people find it so difficult to just answer a question, without going on some retarded rant to offend other people afterwards.

Seriously, you’re just wasting your time for nothing really; he never said he thought it would work, thus why he was asking people if it would. A simple post saying “No” would save you time, and spare everyone else from having to read that crap.

#17

You guys are fighting a lost cause. If Shasta wants to be an asshole, nothing you say is going to stop that, unfortunately.

#18

Please stop talking. You jumped up little prick. Stop thinking your amazing because you understand computer hardware, as its nothing more than expensive lego. He will learn. Can you learn to stop being a knob head? I doubt it.

Just dont post anymore. No one wants to listen to what you have to say.

#19

Just put him in you ignore list in your CP, it is easier :wink:

#20

Shasta was around way back before I even joined.

He was just as hated as he is now.

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.