P4 1.5Mhz Upgrade Possible?

Hi everyone,
I am hoping you could help me with a simple question. I have a second Pc that I wish to put to more use. Its an HP Pavilion 7934 with 1G SDRAM, a 1.5Ghz Intel P4 processor on a socket 423. My question is this, Is it possible to purchase another P4 processor of higher speed and mhz and simply take my 1.5 out and drop the new one in without any other upgrading needed? Will I need to format my HD after the new CPU install?

Many Thanks People!

The s423 p4 series are up to 2.0ghz I think, which is not that of a big upgrade, also they can't oc...I've owned a 2.0 s423. Yes you can upgrade but up to 2ghz and no you don't have to reinstall windows or format HD.

wow socket 423, those didn't last long. Firstly we need some info about your motherboard so we can find out what FSB's it supports.

Secondly it's 1.5 GHz not 1.5 MHz

Also you should be able to plunk a new one assuming you can find a CPU for that socket, that one is pretty old (Willamette core didn't last long)

here is what it says in the CPU type guide

Willamette (obsolete). The first Pentium 4 design, built originally for socket 423 (an unnatural outgrowth of Socket 370), and fabricated on a 180-nanometer process. The Willamette actually performed slower than Pentium 3s at comparable clock speeds because its pipeline is longer than the P3. This lengthened pipeline is good for higher clockrates, but the early -4s were beat out by the -3s at equal and sometimes slower clock speeds.

Click to expand...

So you should be able to providing that you can provide a new CPU, also you shouldn't have to reformat. Maybe just reset your bios.

yeah they were out quick - pendin on what you use the system for the extra 500mhz could show a nice boost in performnce over all.

Sorry I meant GHz Dont know much when it comes to modding and stuff but I did know that so I cant understand why I said MHz LOL!
I would only be using it for general everyday stuff, bit of picture editing and stuff. I just always wanted to know if it could be done or not, and if it was a straight drop in or not? now I know. I did see on another site before finding this one that indeed 2GHz is as far as I can go, so thanks to the member who also stated this - you are correct. I found a 1.7GHz P4 on ebay earlier... not much point really 1.5 - 1.7. It was cheap though. I knew the P4 wasn't clockable, none are these days which is why I built my main system with an AMD 3200xp so maybe one day I can play with that? if clockable? As for the motherboard that one member asked about... I'm not sure, I have been trying to find that out since I bought the machine new. As said its an HP and I have never had it open to look (yet) and any software I have used to try identify the mobo simply comes back with the message "Unknown"

Well everyone thanks for your help on this one, you all answered my question so many thanks for taking the time with this newbie. All's left for me to do know is find a 2GHz P4 somewhere or an adaptor to allow better P4 to be installed... off course if the mobo allows and I can find out what the hell mobo is in the machine.

You can purchase a socket 423 to socket 478 converter:

http://www.pricewatch.com/default.aspx?p=http://www.pricewatch.com/prc.aspx?i=238&a=140900

and a Northwood Pentium 4 2.6Ghz socket 478 running at 400MHz fsb

http://www.interloper.com/products/...ctid=52200021&cat=5220&mfgn=&page=3&sec=1&od=

There is a 2.8 @ 400fsb around.

R

So would I be correct in saying that with a 423 - 478 converter installed I still couldnt run a 2.6GHz P4 with 533 FSB? or would it simply run at 400 FSB? I ask because a friend of mine has just came to my house wanting to know if it was any use to me.

That motherboard will be strictly a 400 bus only. I probably would not mess with convertors. The highest socket 423 made was 2 gig. It might be hard to find one of those because most of the 2 gig Willamettes were socket 478. Yes, Willies were both 423 and 478 (well except the 1.3 and 1.4 which were only socker 423).

The P-4 overclocks very well if you get the right processor on a good motherboard (see my signature). What Cordial meant was the 2 gig Willamette won't O/C much because that was the highest core before they moved to the Northwoods. Of course nothing will O/C on that HP of yours.

Not really intrested in OC this system anyway as it is quite long in the tooth as to speak, really just wanting to give this old system a breath of life. Was just wondering if I install the converter (423-478) on this board and drop in the P4 2.6GHz 533 FSB processor that a friend has gave me will it work? and if it would work will it then run full rate of 533 or drop back to 400?

You will lose the speed of the processor as the multiplier of a 2.6 (533) is 19 and the multiplier of a 2.6 (400) is 26. Thus you will end up with a 1.9Ghz processor with the 2.6 (533) chip.

I have personally used converters with no problem and think that this is a viable alternative for an upgrade rather than spending excess $$ for a new system.

What is the make/model of your system and I will research the boards ability to work in concert with a converter however HP is known to work very well with processor upgrades such as this. Possibly a bios flash will be necessary but often it is not.

R

hey Ropey, your a star mate. Its my other old machine (HP Pavilion 7934) I want to kick a bit of life into either for the missus or my Daughter to use. Anyway heres the info I have got so far from using Sisoft Sandra 2005

Mobo Manufacturer: First International (FIC)
MPS Version: 1.40
Model: i845-LPC47M192
Chipset: Intel 845 (Brookdale)

Bios: Award Software International
Version: VC31305

Current CPU: Intel Pentium P4 1500MHz (P4W 180nm 1.3 - 2GHz 1.70 - 1.75v)

Speed: 1.50GHz
FSB: 4X100MHz
Multiplier: 15/1x


Hope that helps some what, thats what Sandra 2005 tells me anyhow
*So I am now wondering if the 2.6GHz P4 FSB 533 will run on this machine once I install the converter? One final thing Ropey, theres no bios update available and my current bios date is 2001 so you'd be right in saying it needs updated/flashed, I was even thinking of buying a custome made bios update from Award. I know the Bios is flashable but FIC never updated Bios info nor did HP.

Thanks

Here are your full board specs:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&docname=bph07428

Now what I would do is purchase the converter as they are not at all expensive and install the 533mhz fsb Northwood to see if the bios reads correctly (I believe it will) and then you can be fairly sure that the Northwood 2.8 (400mhz fsb) processor will work.

If the 533MHz fsb Northwood you currently have in your posession works (and I believe it will) you will have a 1.9ghz speed processor. However, you will have found that the Northwood works and since it does then the possiblity is greater that the 2.8 (400mhz fsb) processor will as well. I also can not find an bios update for your system but this is a good thing as most boards that do not have updates mean they did not need an update and the possibility that your board will indeed recognize the Northwood is (imo) greater.

You might as well use the processor you have allready to at least test the ability of the system to read and in that way spend little to find this out and you will gain 400mhz in speed. Considering that this system uses SDRAM it might be best just to use the Northwood if the above works and not move to the 2.8GHz (400MHz fsb) Northwood as the DRAM tranlator will strangle the 2.8 anyway and leave you with a larger expenditure than the $$ would be worth.

The converters will come with an ability to install the 533mhz fsb processor

ByteWize Computers said:

Upgradeware offers the World's First Socket 478 to Socket 423 converter featuring Pentium 4 Northwood support for all Socket 423 motherboards/

The p478 will allow you to install Intel's New high-potency and high-speed Socket 478 micron processor into a old Socket 423 motherboard. p478 is equipped with "Hyper-miniature DIP switch" so that users can adjust appropriate voltage by themselves.

Product Features and Highlights:

Socket 478 CPU converted to Socket 423 motherboards
Support Intel P4 / Celeron (Willamette / Northwood-core) micron processors
Support FSB 400 / 533 MHz
Support 128KB / 256KB / 512KB L2 Cache
Support MMX Media Enhancement
Support Advanced Dynamic Execution
Support Hyper Pipelined Technology
Support Streaming SIMD Extensions 2
Easy Installation. Driver is not needed
Upgradeware's p478 is equipped with a specially design cooler retention mechanism. You can install your favorite mPGA478 cooler on the retention mechanisms without additionally purchasing an expensive customized cooler for an upgrade.

Click to expand...

The 423 to 478 Converter: @ 20.4549 GBP ( I noted that your model is UK)

http://www.bytewizecomputers.com/products/7/9/104/251

Review "What They Said" said:

What They Said : WOW, thanx Bytewize and Upgradeware, you turned my old slow Asus P4T Rambus motherboard from a paperweight into a awesome fast rig. Now with a 1.6A Northwood running at stock voltage and 2400MHZ this baby is super fast. One problem I had was I did not set the dipswitches to the correct voltage on the front of the CPU and it wouldnt post untill I did. [You cannot overvolt the cpu with adapter] Thanx to Upgradeware for finding my error.

Click to expand...

R

Ropey, your the mutts nuts mate... many thanks!
Yeah I'm gonna go with the 1.9Ghz setup I think. I was very surprised you found that board info, I seen it once before and then could never find it on the HP site after that, I thought that they maybe removed it, so well done and that helped a great deal. Funny actually because most of what is on that HP list has now been upgraded at one time on my 7934 HP. It now runs x2 16 speed DVD multidrives, has 1GB RAM (PC3200 if I can remember correctly) Nvidia 5900XT graphics card, Creative Soundblaster surround sound card and 400 PSU so you can see compared to the stock list on the HP site this old baby has come along way since 2001 when it was bought new. I have purchased through ebay the 423-478 converter, so when it arrives here (UK) from the States I will go with the 533 1.9GHz setup as suggested. I know I'm not going to be getting this processors full potential buy hey 1.9 is a hell of a lot better than 1.5 actually 1.492
Again Ropey and others, many thanks!
When I get the converter and get the conversion sorted I'll post and let you know if it all went ok!

Cheers all !

It's all good This is the forum I come to when I need my questions answered as well and it has been doing so for many years.

I await hearing of your outcome.

R

Cheers Ropey!
Hey just been told that the P4 I have may also be a Prescott I haven't got it here to check the letter as I'm not at home at the moment, but if its not a Northwood that surely could spell out trouble for me as I don't think the board, bios or even the converter when it arrives will support the Prescott... if it turns out to be one.

awww well the joys of upgrading old timer PC's