Dimension 8250 Processor Upgrade Redux

[Iatros]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

I'm seeking input on upgrading my Dell Dimension 8250 processor. I
have the 2.4 MHz P4 currently. Dell tells me I can install a 3.06
upgrade for a mere $800. WOW! Why so much? Is this a hyperthreading
chipset on the board?

After that price quote, I thought about out-sourcing, but I can't find
the proper socket. Belarc Advisor tells me this is a Socket N chip! I
can't find a cross reference on Intel's site for this. Is this in fact
a socket 478 or even a 775 on this mb?

Can anyone give me some ideas about this? (Group archives search did
not reveal any answer)

 

[Iatros]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Ben,

Many thanks for the insight. The Socket 478 Intel P4's are in the $300
range. But I now wonder about (1) adequate power and (2) adequate
cooling for the new processors. Your thoughts?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The motherboard is a socket 478, and $800 is totally outrageous. You should be
able to do much much better buying elsewhere. You can get a whole system in
the 3GHz range for $800 !!! ... Ben Myers

On 11 Feb 2005 12:30:09 -0800, "Iatros" <hchilds@bellsouth.net> wrote:

>I'm seeking input on upgrading my Dell Dimension 8250 processor. I
>have the 2.4 MHz P4 currently. Dell tells me I can install a 3.06
>upgrade for a mere $800. WOW! Why so much? Is this a hyperthreading
>chipset on the board?
>
>After that price quote, I thought about out-sourcing, but I can't find
>the proper socket. Belarc Advisor tells me this is a Socket N chip! I
>can't find a cross reference on Intel's site for this. Is this in fact
>a socket 478 or even a 775 on this mb?
>
>Can anyone give me some ideas about this? (Group archives search did
>not reveal any answer)
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

If any of the 8250's were built with 3.06GHz CPUs, I would not worry one bit.

Having thought a bit more about the 8250, I suggest that you examine the RAMBUS
memory very closely, too. The 3.06GHz P4, like any 533MHz FSB CPU, requires
PC1066 RDRAM memory. If your system has PC800, you would be faced with the
large expense of replacing all the PC800 with PC1066... Ben Myers

On 11 Feb 2005 19:54:40 -0800, "Iatros" <hchilds@bellsouth.net> wrote:

>Ben,
>
>Many thanks for the insight. The Socket 478 Intel P4's are in the $300
>range. But I now wonder about (1) adequate power and (2) adequate
>cooling for the new processors. Your thoughts?
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

The 3.06 P4 shipped with a much larger heatsink than the slower P4s, so
you may want to order that part (from Dell; the retention mechanism is
nonstandard, so a retail heatsink will not fit). Alternatively, you can
replace the retention bracket, but that may require a lot of disassembly
- doing so usually requires access to the bottom of the mainboard.

Although PC1066 will speed things up, the 8250 will work just fine with
PC800-40 ns RAM and a 533 CPU. 45 ns RAM will NOT work.

In fact, the memory ceiling for PC800 is higher (2G vs. 1.5 for PC1066);
though given that 2G PC800 RDRAM runs $800-1000 new, it's probably a
moot point.


Ben Myers wrote:
> If any of the 8250's were built with 3.06GHz CPUs, I would not worry one bit.
>
> Having thought a bit more about the 8250, I suggest that you examine the RAMBUS
> memory very closely, too. The 3.06GHz P4, like any 533MHz FSB CPU, requires
> PC1066 RDRAM memory. If your system has PC800, you would be faced with the
> large expense of replacing all the PC800 with PC1066... Ben Myers

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Edward,

Thank you for clarifying. Interesting but little known information about
RAMBUS.

I'll vouch for the fact that replacing the retention bracket requires a lot of
disassembly. Took me a very careful half hour or 45 minutes to do one
recently... Ben Myers

On Sat, 12 Feb 2005 07:49:55 -0500, "Edward J. Neth" <ejn63@netscape.net> wrote:

>The 3.06 P4 shipped with a much larger heatsink than the slower P4s, so
>you may want to order that part (from Dell; the retention mechanism is
>nonstandard, so a retail heatsink will not fit). Alternatively, you can
>replace the retention bracket, but that may require a lot of disassembly
>- doing so usually requires access to the bottom of the mainboard.
>
>Although PC1066 will speed things up, the 8250 will work just fine with
>PC800-40 ns RAM and a 533 CPU. 45 ns RAM will NOT work.
>
>In fact, the memory ceiling for PC800 is higher (2G vs. 1.5 for PC1066);
>though given that 2G PC800 RDRAM runs $800-1000 new, it's probably a
>moot point.
>
>
>Ben Myers wrote:
>> If any of the 8250's were built with 3.06GHz CPUs, I would not worry one bit.
>>
>> Having thought a bit more about the 8250, I suggest that you examine the RAMBUS
>> memory very closely, too. The 3.06GHz P4, like any 533MHz FSB CPU, requires
>> PC1066 RDRAM memory. If your system has PC800, you would be faced with the
>> large expense of replacing all the PC800 with PC1066... Ben Myers

 

[Iatros]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Many Thanks to you both for your thoughful insights. Now I wonder if I
should just fergitaboutit, put a cheap ATA raid controller in the
machine, stripe my two WD1200JB's as Raid 0 for speed, and leave the
processor alone. I could max the PC800's at 2 Gig to speed up the 2.4
as it strolls along. Too much $$ in upgrading equipment going obselete
may not be wise.

 

[Iatros]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

Oh yes, you were right about RAMBUS memory. 1 Gig of PC800 is $475
while 1 Gig of PC1066 is $540...double for 2 Gig. Now that requires a
lot of thought before laying out the $$ for upgrade.

While Dell just completed a 25% sale, I got a new XPS with Extreme
processor and 2 gig of memory for under 3K. Moore's Law seems to
continue to apply. But at least Dvorak's Law has been broken (at least
I think it was Dvorak who said "the computer I want always costs 4K").

In 18 months, we will all be wishing for dual FX55 machines with Raid
SATA arrays anyhow.

Keep smiling.

 

[thrasher]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

don't stripe, SHADOW and protect your data and time (to grieve over loss of
data and restore drive)

"Iatros" <hchilds@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:1108331018.275647.103200@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Many Thanks to you both for your thoughful insights. Now I wonder if I
> should just fergitaboutit, put a cheap ATA raid controller in the
> machine, stripe my two WD1200JB's as Raid 0 for speed, and leave the
> processor alone. I could max the PC800's at 2 Gig to speed up the 2.4
> as it strolls along. Too much $$ in upgrading equipment going obselete
> may not be wise.
>

 

[Iatros]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

You mean, go 0 + 1, but that takes another HD. That's best for data
but not as fast, and requires another HD. Good idea, though!

Thanks

 

[ahall]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

>>>>> Ben Myers writes:

Ben> If any of the 8250's were built with 3.06GHz CPUs, I would not worry one bit.

They were, I have one.

Ben> Having thought a bit more about the 8250, I suggest that you examine the RAMBUS
Ben> memory very closely, too. The 3.06GHz P4, like any 533MHz FSB CPU, requires
Ben> PC1066 RDRAM memory. If your system has PC800, you would be faced with the
Ben> large expense of replacing all the PC800 with PC1066... Ben Myers

Ben> On 11 Feb 2005 19:54:40 -0800, "Iatros" <hchilds@bellsouth.net> wrote:

>> Ben,
>>
>> Many thanks for the insight. The Socket 478 Intel P4's are in the $300
>> range. But I now wonder about (1) adequate power and (2) adequate
>> cooling for the new processors. Your thoughts?
>>



--
Andrew Hall
(Now reading Usenet in alt.sys.pc-clone.dell...)

 

[thrasher]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

"Iatros" <hchilds@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:1108386133.749961.54080@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> You mean, go 0 + 1, but that takes another HD. That's best for data
> but not as fast, and requires another HD. Good idea, though!
>
> Thanks

No. Just Raid 1 (shadow). You lose one disk and you're hosed with
striping. Even if the disk doesn't go bad, it could just drop out of the
stripe set. You still lose the contents of the drive. Having lost two
stripe sets recently I can tell you that I will not stripe anymore. To me
it just isn't worth the slight improvement in disk IO. With me, now it's
security first and performance second.

YMMV

 

[Iatros]

Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (More info?)

You've got a valid point. Twice in my computer lifetime, I have had HD
crashes with loss of data. It really hurts! I guess if I go RAID for
speed, I should go for backup too. 0+1 requires four HD's as I recall.
I already have two WD1200JB's in the Dell machine (2 more would not
be too expensive if the Dell power supply can handle two more). Or, I
could just go with RAID 0 with the two and back up to an external WD
250g HD I already have on my Firewire port. That may be the cheapest
alternative and let me devote some $$ to a faster processor.