Can My CPU be upgraded

[tyler2time]

Ok so I have a dell dimension 8400(You dont have to tell me I know they are not good for upgrading). But anyways its getting a lil old and I was thinking bout upgrading it then in a bout a year or so I wanted to give it a go at a custom built machine. Basically what I am working on now is adding RAM, a new video card, a bigger faster hard drive. Then I started Looking at upgrading the CPU and found out that it might not be possible. A friend of mine told me and I quote "The Pentium 4's were at the end of one Socket generation (478) and the start of another (775), and the CPU you have uses the latter (going off the 2MB L2 cache), meaning it might be possible to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo (higher end Duos and any Quads will probably be out of the equation, however)." So I was wondering if this is true and if so can anyone point me in the right direction of a Duo that would be in "the equation". And if not maybe a mobo that would be compatible and again I know that this is a long shot from what I have read. But anyways heres some specs and any help would be appreciated.



Processors
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of processors 1
Number of threads 2

APICs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 0
-- Core 0
-- Thread 0 0
-- Thread 1 1

Processors Information
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1 ID = 0
Number of cores 1 (max 1)
Number of threads 2 (max 2)
Name Intel Pentium 4 630
Codename Prescott
Specification Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Package (platform ID) Socket 775 LGA (0x4)
CPUID F.4.3
Extended CPUID F.4
Core Stepping N0
Technology 90 nm
Core Speed 2992.6 MHz
Multiplier x FSB 15.0 x 199.5 MHz
Rated Bus speed 798.0 MHz
Stock frequency 3000 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, EM64T
L1 Data cache 16 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
Trace cache 12 Kuops, 8-way set associative
L2 cache 2048 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
FID range 14.0x - 15.0x
VID range 1.116 V - 1.420 V


Chipset
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge Intel i925X rev. B1
Southbridge Intel 82801FB (ICH6) rev. 03
Graphic Interface PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width x16
PCI-E Max Link Width x16
Memory Type DDR2
Memory Size 1024 MBytes
Channels Dual
Memory Frequency 199.5 MHz (1:1)
CAS# latency (CL) 3.0
RAS# to CAS# delay (tRCD) 3
RAS# Precharge (tRP) 3
Cycle Time (tRAS) 8
MCHBAR I/O Base address 0x0FEDA0000
MCHBAR I/O Size 4096

Graphic APIs
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

API ATI OD5
API ATI I/O

Display Adapters
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Display adapter 0
Manuf. API index 0
Display name \\.\DISPLAY1
Name ATI Radeon HD 4550
Codename RV710
Technology 55 nm
Memory size 512 MB
PCI device bus 1 (0x1), device 0 (0x0), function 0 (0x0)
Vendor ID 0x1002 (0x1545)
Model ID 0x9540 (0x2270)

 

[badge]

Although the chipset is socket 775, the Intel 925 chipset does not support C2D or dual core Intel CPU's.

 

[buwish]

I recall reading that a c2d can only be added to a board with an intel 965 chipset and above. I'm fairly certain this is the case, but can anyone else confirm that?

 

[badge]

I recall reading that a c2d can only be added to a board with an intel 965 chipset and above. I'm fairly certain this is the case, but can anyone else confirm that?

The 945 chipset version 2 was the earliest to support C2D 65nm. Intel 955 was released at the time of C2D release. But yeah, anything before 955 or a few version 2 945's that appeared did not have proper voltage regulation for 65nm C2Ds. Need P35 for a 45 nm C2D to run (properly). Again all about voltage regulation.

Edit i945 supports Pentium D dual core CPU's, but the 925 does not.

Options for OP as far as a Pentium 4 775 upgrade:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/lga775_14.html#sect0

 

[badge]

Supports C2D.

http://www.intel.com/Products/Desktop/Chipsets/955X/955X-overview.htm

 

[badge]

For the record, here is an example of the Intel 945 revision 2 which supports 65nm C2Ds. Unfortunately my ASUS 945G is not a revision 2 and I am stuck with a Pentium D 925.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131048R

 

[jitpublisher]

If you are looking at adding more RAM, a Video Card, a Hard drive and a processor, all of which you are spending money on an old outdated Dell system. You will still have an old outdated Dell system. You likely will need a PSU if you upgrade to any mid-range video card as well.
Now, if you are going to do all that, you realize that all need is a motherboard and case and you have a completely new build, without being limited to buying old slower parts that will work with your Dell board. I think I would try to come with just a little more cash and move in the completely new direction rather than dumping a wad into the old machine. It won't cost you much more than you are planning on spending now, not much at all.

 

[tyler2time]

Thank you everybody for the input.

If you are looking at adding more RAM, a Video Card, a Hard drive and a processor, all of which you are spending money on an old outdated Dell system. You will still have an old outdated Dell system. You likely will need a PSU if you upgrade to any mid-range video card as well.
Now, if you are going to do all that, you realize that all need is a motherboard and case and you have a completely new build, without being limited to buying old slower parts that will work with your Dell board. I think I would try to come with just a little more cash and move in the completely new direction rather than dumping a wad into the old machine. It won't cost you much more than you are planning on spending now, not much at all.

Yea I understand that. I'm just trying to get another year or so out of my Dell. If i could of upgraded the processor within reason then I would of but since it doesnt look to be very logical to do so I wont. I was thinking that I could do a few upgrades as far as RAM and Hard drive and video card then in a year, like you said, just get a mobo and a PSU and build new. But what you said got me thinking, is DDR2 going to be obsolete within the next couple of years? Sorry to go off topic.

 

[rand_79]

yes everything is moving to ddr3

 

[tyler2time]

The 945 chipset version 2 was the earliest to support C2D 65nm. Intel 955 was released at the time of C2D release. But yeah, anything before 955 or a few version 2 945's that appeared did not have proper voltage regulation for 65nm C2Ds. Need P35 for a 45 nm C2D to run (properly). Again all about voltage regulation.

Edit i945 supports Pentium D dual core CPU's, but the 925 does not.

Options for OP as far as a Pentium 4 775 upgrade:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/lga775_14.html#sect0

Ok so just to make sure I got this right, judging by your link my only option is another P4 just with a higher core speed? Which is pretty much waste of time and money right?

 

[badge]

Ok so just to make sure I got this right, judging by your link my only option is another P4 just with a higher core speed? Which is pretty much waste of time and money right?

That's right. 'Xactly.

 

[jitpublisher]

Thank you everybody for the input.





Yea I understand that. I'm just trying to get another year or so out of my Dell. If i could of upgraded the processor within reason then I would of but since it doesnt look to be very logical to do so I wont. I was thinking that I could do a few upgrades as far as RAM and Hard drive and video card then in a year, like you said, just get a mobo and a PSU and build new. But what you said got me thinking, is DDR2 going to be obsolete within the next couple of years? Sorry to go off topic.

Yes, I would say that in less than a year, DDR2 motherboards will be hard to find at all, new anyway.