Upgrading a CPU- an idiots guide.

[brodski]

And I'm the idiot...

I've discovered that my PC isn't quite beefy enough to properly run some vital software which I plan to get* and so have started to think about upgrading the CPU- Ive got pretty decent graphics card, lots of spare ram but the processor seems to be the bottle neck. The question is, is this something which I should consider doign myself?

I'm not particularly technical, but so havewhat Eddie Izzard calls "techno-joy" (the exact opposite of technophoia).
In the past I have managed to successfully install graphics cards, various drives and system memory,with little or no dificulty but there is something daunting (to me) about upgrading a CPU. So, how difficult is is? What do I need to watch out for? Do you guys have any other hints and tips.


for information I plan to upgrade from an AMD Atholn64 3800+ (socket AM2) to an AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+




(* Bioshock :P )

[Reality Believer]

You need to know if your motherboard can accept the new processor. It might fit the socket, but it might not be capable of using it.

Try to look up the model of the motherboard on the mfgr's website.

If you decide you need a new motherboard, then be sure that your old RAM and video card are compatible.

Technology in computer components is evolving pretty rapidly these days. It is almost better to go with a whole new system than try to piece together old components.

[brodski]

You need to know if your motherboard can accept the new processor. It might fit the socket, but it might not be capable of using it.

Try to look up the model of the motherboard on the mfgr's website.
That's the first thing I did, and the new processor is listed as fully compatible. Thanks for he suggestion though- it's tips like this I need :D


Technology in computer components is evolving pretty rapidly these days. It is almost better to go with a whole new system than try to piece together old components.

To be honest, its a fairly new system, which I bought in a hurry but when I was a little strapped for cash. if upgrading the CPU is something which I can do myself, I can get the system I need for around about £100, which is a tiny fraction of the cost of a whole new system.

[BenK]

This (http://compreviews.about.com/od/tutorials/ss/DIYCPU.htm) looks like a pretty good guide. I would add that before attaching the heat sink you clean off the old thermal paste with a lint free cloth and isopropyl alcohol. You may get a kind of moist towelette with your new thermal paste. And just get paste not thermal pads if they still sell those.

[Yalius]

This may seem frivolous advice, but the most useful thing I can recommend is to remove the whole motherboard from the case before attempting to remove the heat sink and CPU. Nothing else causes more headaches than trying to put a HS and CPU in or out of place with everything else in the way.

[Reality Believer]

Ok, then it sounds you have the hardware sorted, so here are some tips on the actual replacement.

Obviously unplug the power cord.

Open the case and lay it on it's side. It is easier to fiddle with the fan and such using gravity to your advantage.

GROUND yourself periodically by touching the case while handling the components.

Remove the fan and power connector. There are many different schemes on how the fan attaches, so go with the obvious.

There will be grease on the back of the heat sink. You will need some new grease if it doesn't come with the CPU.

Look for the lever that unleashes the CPU. These are ZIF (zero insertion force) sockets. No prying!

Note which corner on the CPU and socket is missing a pin. This is an important orientation feature. It will only go in one way.

Drop the new CPU in place and reverse the process.

[stormer]

...
Obviously unplug the power cord.
...
GROUND yourself periodically by touching the case while handling the components.
...


If you unplug the power cord, how are you going to ground yourself through the case of the computer?

[brodski]

If you unplug the power cord, how are you going to ground yourself through the case of the computer?

I'll just touch a radiator, as all the pipework in my flat in bonded to earth

[Vitnir]

It's possible to install the heatsink wrong so take a good look how its oriented so you don't crack the cpu.
It can take a good deal of force to get the clamps on the heatsink to grab the pins on the socket so its a good idea to take out the mainboard and place it on bubblewrap but write down what colour wire goes to what pin connector or you might wind up with a headache.
Lot's of patience is recommended and go through each step a few times in your head before actually doing them.
The pins on the cpu are very delicate, if you bend one its possible that you break it when bending it back so "zero force" is just that. If gravity alone cant make it drop into the socket then something is wrong.

[Reality Believer]

I'll just touch a radiator, as all the pipework in my flat in bonded to earth

The idea is to eliminate the static potential between you and the components. Touching anything metal is a good thing, but most importantly, the case.

[Mongrel]

There will be grease on the back of the heat sink. You will need some new grease if it doesn't come with the CPU.

Personally I'd spend another fiver for a tube of Arctic Silver and scrape the supplied gunk off. The pads of goo are OK but they're not brilliant, especially for a gaming orientated system.

[Wavicle]

I've discovered that my PC isn't quite beefy enough to properly run some vital software which I plan to get* and so have started to think about upgrading the CPU- Ive got pretty decent graphics card, lots of spare ram but the processor seems to be the bottle neck. The question is, is this something which I should consider doign myself?

for information I plan to upgrade from an AMD Atholn64 3800+ (socket AM2) to an AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+

(* Bioshock :P )

Just a heads up: I downloaded the Bioshock demo through steam today. I have a Core 2 Duo extreme 3GHz and a GeForce 7600GS. The game is nearly unplayable to the point that overclocking the processor, memory and video card 10% isn't going to touch it. A better processor isn't necessarily going to solve all your problems. You'll need a DX10 card as well, probably a minimum of a GeForce 8800. Maybe two and do SLI.

The game looks absolutely beautiful. The gore is really high though.

[four elevener]

Just a heads up: I downloaded the Bioshock demo through steam today. I have a Core 2 Duo extreme 3GHz and a GeForce 7600GS. The game is nearly unplayable to the point that overclocking the processor, memory and video card 10% isn't going to touch it. A better processor isn't necessarily going to solve all your problems. You'll need a DX10 card as well, probably a minimum of a GeForce 8800. Maybe two and do SLI.

The game looks absolutely beautiful. The gore is really high though.

Yikes! My GF 7900 is barely a year old, and now, I may have to upgrade if I wanna play this game? Why would the game makers set their system requirements so high? Not everyone can afford a GF 8800. Boo hiss! :(

[negativ]

Just a heads up: I downloaded the Bioshock demo through steam today. I have a Core 2 Duo extreme 3GHz and a GeForce 7600GS. The game is nearly unplayable to the point that overclocking the processor, memory and video card 10% isn't going to touch it. A better processor isn't necessarily going to solve all your problems. You'll need a DX10 card as well, probably a minimum of a GeForce 8800. Maybe two and do SLI.

The game looks absolutely beautiful. The gore is really high though.

XP Pro, DX9c, AMD Athlon X2 4200+, ATI X1900, 2GB RAM, 1280x1024, nothing overclocked, otherwise default settings - the Bioshock demo is as fluid as can be imagined. I played through the entire demo without a significant instance of choppy frame-rate or the like.

Just sayin'.

[four elevener]

XP Pro, DX9c, AMD Athlon X2 4200+, ATI X1900, 2GB RAM, 1280x1024, nothing overclocked, otherwise default settings - the Bioshock demo is as fluid as can be imagined. I played through the entire demo without a significant instance of choppy frame-rate or the like.

Just sayin'.

Good to hear. How was the demo, btw?

[Cuddles]

Just a heads up: I downloaded the Bioshock demo through steam today. I have a Core 2 Duo extreme 3GHz and a GeForce 7600GS. The game is nearly unplayable to the point that overclocking the processor, memory and video card 10% isn't going to touch it. A better processor isn't necessarily going to solve all your problems. You'll need a DX10 card as well, probably a minimum of a GeForce 8800. Maybe two and do SLI.

The game looks absolutely beautiful. The gore is really high though.

Hmm. Pentium D, GeForce 6800, runs absolutely perfectly with all graphics options as high as they'll go. I think you may have a problem somewhere else. DX10 is only needed for a couple of options that by all accounts make no difference whatsoever.

[richardm]

XP Pro, DX9c, AMD Athlon X2 4200+, ATI X1900, 2GB RAM, 1280x1024, nothing overclocked, otherwise default settings - the Bioshock demo is as fluid as can be imagined. I played through the entire demo without a significant instance of choppy frame-rate or the like.

Just sayin'.

Intel Dual Core 6600 here, with 3Gb Ram and an 8800 GTS graphics card. No overclocking, and the demo is lovely for me too at 1280x1024. I was quite impressed by the look and feel of it. I would like the demo to allow me to save and restart without going through the crash/bathysphere bit every time, just to get a bit of a better feel for it. Dunno whether I'm going to go for the purchase just yet, though.

[Wavicle]

XP Pro, DX9c, AMD Athlon X2 4200+, ATI X1900, 2GB RAM, 1280x1024, nothing overclocked, otherwise default settings - the Bioshock demo is as fluid as can be imagined. I played through the entire demo without a significant instance of choppy frame-rate or the like.

Just sayin'.

Hmm. Pentium D, GeForce 6800, runs absolutely perfectly with all graphics options as high as they'll go. I think you may have a problem somewhere else. DX10 is only needed for a couple of options that by all accounts make no difference whatsoever.

*shrug*. Just for giggles I overclocked my card (both core and memory, using rivatuner) and still got very choppy framerates. I'm not particularly surprised that it runs well on the X1900 or 8800. (the comment about dual 8800's was, I hope, taken a little tongue-in-cheek) It is a bit humbling that the 6800 seems to be outrunning my 7600 though.

It may just be my video card. I play a lot of Counter-Strike: Source so I only needed a card that would run that well. I bought a fanless Gigabyte 7600GS because I'm one of those quiet-PC freaks (having no fan makes the video card very, very quiet).

I have an engineering sample of a next gen card, but no driver :boggled: Hopefully once it is released I'll have a driver for it and then I'll be able to experience Bioshock in all its high-detailed glory.

[Wudang]

Does anyone have a link for (IIRC) a Scandinavian "reality" TV show where a dumb blonde is asked to upgrade a PC with a new CPU? My google-fu is weak.

[brodski]

OK, processor finally arrived this morning (or rather this morning was the first chance I had to pick it up from the sorting office). I was surprised about how quick and easy everything was, I had the old processor out, and new one and heat sink in within 10 min. And now my PC runs light lightening. Thanks for helping me overcoming my phobia guys. :)

Ill pick up a copy of bioshock on Monday...

[magnusbe]

Does anyone have a link for (IIRC) a Scandinavian "reality" TV show where a dumb blonde is asked to upgrade a PC with a new CPU? My google-fu is weak.

I'm not allowed to post URL's, but it's the first hit in Google with the search term: blonde norwegian cpu

[Lensman]

It can take a good deal of force to get the clamps on the heatsink to grab the pins on the socket so its a good idea to take out the mainboard and place it on bubblewrap.....

Actually, this is probably not a good idea, the plastic bubblewrap is an excellent source of static electricity, if you can get hold of some antistatic bubblewrap then use that - if there's a computer builder near you, ask him/her if they have any old motherboard bags (the one that comes with a new motherboard) failing that, if you're going to be doing a lot of this sort of thing, then pop along to your local Maplin store (or US equivalent) & buy an anti-static mat.

[Wudang]

I'm not allowed to post URL's, but it's the first hit in Google with the search term: blonde norwegian cpu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvjdzfV2iFQ&feature=RecentlyWatched&page=1&t=t&f=b

Thanks.

[richardm]

Glad to hear it all went smoothly! PCs really are pretty easy to work with.

Ill pick up a copy of bioshock on Monday...

Did you get it? How are you finding it? I was somewhat underwhelmed by the demo, but have heard lots of good things about the game itself.

[brodski]

Did you get it? How are you finding it? I was somewhat underwhelmed by the demo, but have heard lots of good things about the game itself.

Finally picked a copy up on Friday, its great, i never played systemshock, but it's pretty similar to deus ex, a game which I loved. The atmosphere is creepy has hell, and it looks so pretty (in an evil distopic way). What's more, it appears to be a game with a plot!

It's running fine on full (DX9) graphics on my system- vista home premium, 2 gig ram, radion 1650 pro 512 MB, Athlon 64 X2 6000+.

In fact, it uses less momary and runs smother than City of Heroes...

[Cecil]

I've been playing bioshock for the past couple days. As brodski mentioned, it's similar to Deus Ex in that it's got strategy/rpg-ish elements in it. It's not your traditional fps, that's for sure.

I'm running an Athlon X2 3800+, Radeon x1650 pro, 1 gig ram, xp sp2 - it was a bit choppy at the default (1024x768, high settings), so I dropped the res to 800x600 rather than drop to normal settings (no dynamic water reflections! ew).

It runs smoothly overall, though there are a few multi-second hitches when loading a new area.