Canterwood vs. Northwood, differences?

[FunkierThanU]

Okay, newbie question...

I know my way around AMD chips, but got suckered in to 2 of the recent Dell deals.

One box will have a P4 2.40GHz 800Mhz chip (which I'm told is a Northwood), on a 875 chipset mobo. The second box will have a P4 3.00GHz 800Mhz chip (supposedly a Canterwood) on - I think - a 865 chipset mobo.

Is there some difference that will make it so that I shouldn't swap these to CPUs? I want the faster P4 in the better chipset mobo. The Dell rep obviously is discouraging this, but I don't see what could be the problem. They both have the same number of pins and the bus speed.

Laugh all you want, but I'd like to know if there's some problem with my plan that I'm not seeing. Usually I can't afford Intel's goodies, so I'm really in the dark on their stuff!

Thanks
Nick

 

[Wingznut]

Canterwood = i875 motherboard chipset
Springdale = i865 motherboard chipset
Northwood = Pentium 4 built on the .13µ process
Prescott = Pentium 4 built on the .09µ process

Obviously, the P4-3.0ghz on the Canterwood chipset would be the fastest combination of the parts you listed. I'm not sure why the Dell rep would "discourage" you upgrading the Canterwood board to a P4-3.0ghz... You may want to ask further about this, as it sounds like you two aren't on the same page.

 

[FunkierThanU]

Okay, that helps clear things up! So the Dell rep and myself are confusing each other.

From the specs he sent me, both of the chips are Northwoods

Chip 1
Processor Frequency 2.40 GHz
Bus Speed 800 MHz
L2 Cache Size 512 KB
Manufacturing Technology 0.13 micron

Chip 2
Processor Frequency 3.00 GHz
Bus Speed 800 MHz
L2 Cache Size 512 KB
Manufacturing Technology 0.13 micron

I still can't see any problems with my planned switch.

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: FunkierThanU
Okay, that helps clear things up! So the Dell rep and myself are confusing each other.

From the specs he sent me, both of the chips are Northwoods

Chip 1
Processor Frequency 2.40 GHz
Bus Speed 800 MHz
L2 Cache Size 512 KB
Manufacturing Technology 0.13 micron

Chip 2
Processor Frequency 3.00 GHz
Bus Speed 800 MHz
L2 Cache Size 512 KB
Manufacturing Technology 0.13 micron

I still can't see any problems with my planned switch.

I think you need to call Dell back (armed with the proper terminology now) and just express what you want.

I can't imagine them having a problem selling you the more expensive cpu.

 

[FunkierThanU]

Originally posted by: Wingznut

Originally posted by: FunkierThanU

From the specs he sent me, both of the chips are Northwoods

Chip 1
Processor Frequency 2.40 GHz
Bus Speed 800 MHz
L2 Cache Size 512 KB
Manufacturing Technology 0.13 micron

Chip 2
Processor Frequency 3.00 GHz
Bus Speed 800 MHz
L2 Cache Size 512 KB
Manufacturing Technology 0.13 micron

I still can't see any problems with my planned switch.

I think you need to call Dell back (armed with the proper terminology now) and just express what you want.

I can't imagine them having a problem selling you the more expensive cpu.

I think the real issue is that I'm going to be switching parts in 2 Dell systems (a 400sc & a Dimension 4600) and Dell would rather sell me a processor to upgrade the 400sc. Probably voids my warranty and all sorts of terrible things... The 400sc was stripped down and dirtcheap but has a better board, the 4600 I bought mostly for the ATI 9800 & flatscreen it came with, and to swap the CPU to my 400sc. I've got a buyer for the 4600. He's got some funky old 800Mhz box and will be tickled pink.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: FunkierThanU
I think the real issue is that I'm going to be switching parts in 2 Dell systems (a 400sc & a Dimension 4600) and Dell would rather sell me a processor to upgrade the 400sc. Probably voids my warranty and all sorts of terrible things... The 400sc was stripped down and dirtcheap but has a better board, the 4600 I bought mostly for the ATI 9800 & flatscreen it came with, and to swap the CPU to my 400sc. I've got a buyer for the 4600. He's got some funky old 800Mhz box and will be tickled pink.

Oh, I see... I thought you were just trying to configure a system with Dell from scratch.