Can I upgrade the stock CPU in HP computer?

[RaistlinZ]

I'm trying to squeeze out some extra life from my current rig while I save for a $2,000-$2,500 gaming build next year. I was wondering if I can upgrade the stock CPU. Here's the system I'm using:

HP Pavilion a1130n
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (2.19 Ghz)
3GB PC-3200 DDR RAM
250GB 7200rpm HDD (stock)
512MB GeForce 8800 GTS
Windows XP Service Pack 2

I can barely play Dragon Age: Origins at 1600x1050 resolution at high settings without it slowing to a slide show, and I'm guess it's because I'm CPU limited. Any thoughts?

 

[Spikesoldier]

if you have a socket 939 cpu, chances are you can step up to a X2 cpu and get the second core. that will help a lot.

check your model's mainboard compatibility first. you may have to perform a BIOS update to get support for it before it works.

the second core should squeeze you by til next year when you plan to build from the ground up.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Yeah, I was wondering what socket this mobo has. Assuming I can upgrade to an X2, will my stock 300w power supply be enough for it?

Ok, according to HP's site it uses socket 939. However all of the X2 chips I see listed on Pricewatch are for socket AM2. Hm...

 

[eggrolls]

According to http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...t=483902&lang=

* Socket: 939
* Supports Socket-939 for AMD K8 Athlon 64 FX processor
* Supports the following processors:
o AMD Athlon 64 up to 4000+ (2.4 GHz)
o Athlon 64 FX
o AMD Sempron up to 3200+ (future socket 939 versions only)

your motherboard doesn't support Athlon X2 CPUs. If you look on AMD's website for the specs of the Xpress 200 chipset, the X2 isn't listed either (http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_14603_14616^14664,00.html)

 

[RaistlinZ]

Aye. I'm thinking my best bet would be an upgrade to the Athlon 64 4000+, which would give the benefit of slightly faster CPU speed and twice the L2 cache. The lowest price I see on ebay is about $55.00

 

[piasabird]

Go to HP Website and ask them.

It may be doubtful. That would use more power and the power supply may not be able to handle it.

 

[tcsenter]

According to http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...t=483902&lang=

your motherboard doesn't support Athlon X2 CPUs.

OEMs have a poor track record of providing comprehensive support information or updating their spec sheets as new processors are added to the BIOS. This board is an OEM version of the MSI MS-7093 and should support all the same models (except maybe for the Opteron parts).

I've seen several reports of people successfully running X2 models up to 4400+ on this HP board with the latest BIOS: MS-7093/MS-7184 Motherboard BIOS Update

 

[Stefan Payne]

due to cost of an 939 x2 CPU, I'd rather upgrade mobo and memory as well.

I've seen 939 dualcores for about 100€uros, here on eBay, that's not worth it.
Or are they cheaper in the US?

 

[robmurphy]

I have fitted the 4600 X2 to this motherboard in a HP machine. I would not however recomend it. I had no PSU problems with the original HP PSU.

The 1st main problem is cooling. The x2 4600 had a TDP of 110w, the CPU it replaced was 90w. The x2 4600 also has a max temp 10C less than the single core Athlons. This makes cooling it more difficult. Using the same HSF meant it got quite noisy. I did try fitting an artic cooling freezer pro, but this was a very very tight squeeze so it did not get fitted.

The other problem on the MSI 7093 motherboard was the abasolute crap PCI performance. I had noticed the USB 2.0 speeds were slow, but this realy showed up when trying to use an Intel gigabit NIC in one of the PCI slots. The best send rate I could get from it using iperf (so not HD limited) was about 150 Mbs. This was with little or no other traffic on the PCI bus. This limit will also probably affect the firewire and SATA connections.

A friend let me have another MSI 7093. This was not an HP one. It had exactly the same PCI problems as the first one.

In the end I through out the MSI 7093 and replaced it with a new AM2+ 780G motherboard and an 4850e dual core CPU. This has been very reliable, cool running, and quiet.

So yes the x2 S939 Athlons will work in your motherboard, but I would not recomend fitting one.

A standard uATX motherboard will fit in its place however, and given the prices asked for S939 X2 Athlons that may prove cheaper.

Rob.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Hm, good food for thought. I'm trying to score a relatively cheap ($30) X2 4400+ and 500w PSU on Ebay. I'm willing to give it a try for that price. If it does no good I'll just have to live with it. I've also noticed my HDD is working harder than it has in the past. Sometimes it'll churn for a good 5-6 seconds just to bring up a webpage.

I think I'm just suffering from "Old-Ass Computer" syndrome as much as I hate to admit it.

 

[Stefan Payne]

@robmurphy
The crappy PCI performance is normal on boards with the SB4x0.
But at least you're lucky that it didn't had a VIA VT8251 on it (the PCI performanc of that can't be topped, negatively...)

The SATA performance isn't good either - 2 SIL3112 inside...

 

[Winterpool]

Mmm, perhaps your hard drive is trying to tell you something...

If you can find socket 939 kit for that a low price, I suppose I'd try it. That said, what do you plan on buying with over $2000 in 2010-11? An 'Eyefinity' system?

 

[RaistlinZ]

Mmm, perhaps your hard drive is trying to tell you something...

If you can find socket 939 kit for that a low price, I suppose I'd try it. That said, what do you plan on buying with over $2000 in 2010-11? An 'Eyefinity' system?

I'm thinking something along the lines of:

Next Gen Intel Hex-core CPU
Thermalright Ultra 120 Rev. C
1366 X58 USB 3, SATA 3 MOBO
160GB SSD (hopefully they'll have SATA 3 drives by then)
2X 1TB WD Caviar Black
Radeon 5850
Seasonic X750 PSU
Lian Li PC-B25F
Blu-Ray ROM
Random DVD/RW
Windows 7 Pro 64bit

 

[robmurphy]

If you have the time and the l discs(or recovery partitions) them a complete wipe and reinstall will speed up the system a little.

Maybe prices for X2 S939 Athlons have dropped, but before you could get an AM2 MB, CPU, and memory for the same price as the X2 S939 Athlon from ebay.

Rob

 

[Yowen]

If it were me, I wouldnt invest in that system anymore, maybe you could build something that you can add onto with a larger budget later? eg. low budget processor to a higher budget, one gfx card to crossfire, hd to ssd, I dont know what sockets will look like in the future for intel, but I understand AM3 should be around.

 

[Brakford]

I have the same system.

HP Pavilion a1130n
AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (2.19 Ghz)
2GB PC-3200 DDR RAM
250GB 7200rpm HDD (stock)
6600 GT card
Windows XP Service Pack 3

Debating what upgrades I could do.

I just replaced the 250 HD with WD 500 caviar blue. I did a complete recovery and updated all drivers and software......WOW....just that alone was a big improvement. My nephew (Has the best of the best in PC) just gave me a 512MB GeForce 8800 GTS, 585W power supply and Chimei 22" widescreen monitor.
He said not to bother upgrading the CPU as I was limited to the Ram I was using. Better to replace the board. He is looking for a free used MB among his college friends as they are constantly upgrading.

 

[AstonM89]

Yes, you can upgrade the CPU. I have a a1130n as well and I was in the same situation 10 months ago. Got a used 4600+ X2 for $30 locally, great upgrade. I would just make sure you have the latest BIOS, 3.47 from the HP website, easy update btw. Also went with a fresh install of windows 7 RC1. Not sure the stock PSU could take it though, but I did run that stock 300w Hipro PSU with a 6800GT for awhile before upgrading the PSU to an OCZ 600w and a 7900gt.