How to upgrade processor?

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Alex Huch

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Oct 9, 2012
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Hi, I recently bought an i3-2120 as an upgrade to my previous Pentium G630, it should arrive in the mail sometime tomorrow.

My motherboard is a ASRock H61M/U3S3 (link: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157236) and as far as I know, is compatible with the SB i3's.

However I am not sure the exact steps in which I need to take to successfully install my new processor. Do I have to uninstall and reinstall drivers? And if so, which ones would they be? I am also concerned about my windows copy . I bought the OEM version of windows 7, however I know that back when vista was out, if you had to upgrade the BIOS of a motherboard, a fresh install was required.

Please respond, and any links or tutorials that you may have are welcome.
 
Solution
Rockdpm
Changing the Processor will not cause you to have to re-install windows. Most of the time, the only case you will need to re-install windows is a motherboard change which registers as a MAJOR hardware change and locks your Activation of Windows (Kind of like tricks it) . You won't have to re-install windows for this in anyway not even for the BIOS update if you have to even update it. What i would do, is get the processor, and try booting with the new I3 first and if nothing comes up on the screen after a few times of posting... then take the I3 back out, put the Pentium in and upgrade the BIOS. If you need to update your BIOS then you can always just flash it. Take a USB drive, and go to your motherboards Product page...
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turkeyroast2223

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Oct 8, 2012
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Software wise, the only difference is whether your cpu is 64 bit capable for the OS. If your windows is 32bit then you're totally in the clear. When you do bootup, run windows update but other than that a cpu upgrade is not very software dependent.
 
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k1114

k1114

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May 2, 2010
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Simply take out the old cpu and put in the new one. There is nothing software wise that is needed.

You mixed up changing mobo vs bios. Bios is irrelevant even for vista, you can update that whenever. But changing the mobo would require just a call to microsoft to tell them you switched mobos. (And a fresh install) The key is bound to the mobo.
 
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Rockdpm

Rockdpm

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Dec 26, 2011
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Changing the Processor will not cause you to have to re-install windows. Most of the time, the only case you will need to re-install windows is a motherboard change which registers as a MAJOR hardware change and locks your Activation of Windows (Kind of like tricks it) . You won't have to re-install windows for this in anyway not even for the BIOS update if you have to even update it. What i would do, is get the processor, and try booting with the new I3 first and if nothing comes up on the screen after a few times of posting... then take the I3 back out, put the Pentium in and upgrade the BIOS. If you need to update your BIOS then you can always just flash it. Take a USB drive, and go to your motherboards Product page:

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?cat=Download&os=BIOS&Model=H61M/U3S3

Next also while your there please download your motherboards Manual. Because once your offline without a computer, no one will be able to assist you with the process except the Motherboards Manual which can be found here:
http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?cat=Manual&Model=H61M/U3S3

Once you have the Manual. Please refer to the page concerning "BIOS Update" and it will tell you the many options you have to update your bios.
if you have any further questions or something i didn't answer. Just say so. We are here to help YOU.
 
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Solution
Rockdpm

Rockdpm

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Dec 26, 2011
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The Key isn't always bound to the motherboard. It depends if you use the same copy of windows on a seperate hard hard. The copy of windows your re-installing to the 2nd computer but be Offline on the first one. For example. I recently reformatted my hard drive from a computer i built a year ago. Using the copy and CD Key i used from that computer. I used the same exact hard drive, Reformatted the drive with the same copy of windows. Entered the key after windows was installed. Verified the key. Went into windows, Activated the Key and Bam. Here I am. Its usually after like the 3rd time you have to call microsoft. But there is those times where you cant use the key.
 
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luciferano

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Sep 24, 2012
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The key for Windows is only locked to the motherboard for OEM copies. Retail copies aren't locked to anything and can be re-used at will without needing to contact MS.

As others have said earlier, for upgrading your CPU from an LGA 1155 to another LGA 1155 unit, you don't need to do anything other than take the old one out and put the new one in except for re-applying thermal paste.
 
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Alex Huch

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Oct 9, 2012
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The only other thing that I really have to ask is about RAM. I ordered a few more gigs and I just want to make sure that I don't have to do anything other than plopping it in the slot.
 
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luciferano

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Yep, just pop it in.
 
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k1114

k1114

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Same deal, just put the new ram in.

Luciferano is correct. Windows is bound to the motherboard for oem versions and the OP has an oem version. Changing mobo is the only hardware change where a reinstall is recommended. There should be no reason to update the bios since the pentium g630 is actually a newer cpu than the i3 2120. But I guess it doesn't hurt to mention it.
 
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