Getting new CPU

[agirdzius]

Hi.

First want to say it's great to be here, and it's my first post on Tom's hardware. Secondly, I'm Lithuanian, so don't be very mad if i'll do some grammar errors.

Now my problem:
I have my computer for 6-5 years now. 1.5 years ago, my motherboard, my graphics card, power supply was burned. (The technician told they were too old.) So he changed those parts that burned, but left my Intel Pentium 4 3.0 GHZ processor. Now, one day I though: maybe my processor is getting too old too? So I checked the CPU's temperatures with Speed Fan:

The idle temperature while being in BIOS is 69 degrees Celsius!
So I need to change my CPU! SERIOUSLY! I'm have a budget of 70$ The best opinion I found was Intel Pentium Dual Core E6500 2.93 GHZ. But because I'm kinda new to this stuff, I want you to ask is my PC compatible with it. Also, is my integrated graphics card is integrated on my CPU or Motherboard? Sorry, for asking lame questions! I just don't know! Anyway, maybe you have other better recommendations? Is my Power supply compatible with Dual Core E6500?


Here are my computer details: (Sisofware Sandra)

 

[Lmeow]

Welcome to the forums.
Your English is fine.

On Asus's website, the P5N73-AM does support the E6500, however you might need to do a BIOS flash before your motherboard will support it. How you should flash your motherboard should be in the motherboard manual.

The integrated graphics is on your motherboard, it's only integrated on the CPU with newer CPUs like the Core i3 and Core i5 600 series.

 

[rohn_avni]

Welcome to the forums.
Your English is fine.

On Asus's website, the P5N73-AM does support the E6500, however you might need to do a BIOS flash before your motherboard will support it. How you should flash your motherboard should be in the motherboard manual.

The integrated graphics is on your motherboard, it's only integrated on the CPU with newer CPUs like the Core i3 and Core i5 600 series.

i think u did not see the whole cpu support list... at the bottom there is E6500 2.93, so agirdzius ur mobo supports it fully. no need to flash or upgrade bios..
here u can check ur self... http://in.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=WC4H82eOmIEKdVAs&templete=2

and integrated graphics are integrated on the motherboard... not on cpu.

NVIDIA GeForce 7050 / nForce 610i
- Integrated NVIDIA CineFX 3.0 graphics

so go for that processor...

 

[Lmeow]

I did read the whole CPU support list, and it says that it supports the E6500 since BIOS version 0602. His P5N73-AM may have come with the original BIOS version 0104, which would not support the E6500. Seeing as the E6500 was released Q3 '09, and OP's board broke in Q1 '09, I don't think that the board he currently has has the necessary BIOS version. It may have 0602, but more likely it will not.

 

[rohn_avni]

I did read the whole CPU support list, and it says that it supports the E6500 since BIOS version 0602. His P5N73-AM may have come with the original BIOS version 0104, which would not support the E6500. Seeing as the E6500 was released Q3 '09, and OP's board broke in Q1 '09, I don't think that the board he currently has has the necessary BIOS version. It may have 0602, but more likely it will not.

better way to ask him...lol.

so agirdzius tell us ur bios version.......

 

[agirdzius]

Hi.

Thanks both of you for answering. I'll check it in few minutes.

 

[agirdzius]

Ok. I got it.

It's version is 0201.

So if I understood correctly, I can update the BIOS to make E650 compatible?

P.S. I checked that I can update my BIOS with integrated tool AsusTEK AZ Flash...

Edit:
I just flashed my BIOS. It's now ver. 0602. Now it's compatible?

 

[rohn_avni]

yes now it's compatible friend.. enjoy.....

 

[agirdzius]

Thanks for your help!

Also, do you think that Dual Core E6500 is best opinion for me? I would like to do some basic gaming.

 

[Lmeow]

Yes, the E6500 is a quick dual core. You might want to upgrade your graphics from onboard to discrete which will impact most on gaming performance.

 

[jeroly]

If you're really on a limited budget, and you're willing to possibly have your system out of commission for a couple of extra days, you'll want to consider purchasing thermal paste first for around $8 and try to re-seat your heatsink/fan on the current processor. You'll need to get the paste anyway unless you wind up getting a heatsink/fan that has preloaded compound on it; not all do. If you wind up with lower temps then you're ahead of the game, otherwise you're probably at the same expense amount anyway.

 

[agirdzius]

If a had an old heatsink and fan, do i'll need to replace them? Or I'll just need a new Thermal Grease?

 

[rohn_avni]

If a had an old heatsink and fan, do i'll need to replace them? Or I'll just need a new Thermal Grease?

when u will buy new processor it will come with heat sink and a fan attached to it... with factory thermal compound....