cpu replacement

[guy93]

i am about to get a intel core 2 duo processor and i was wondering would i have to aply the thermal paste again ? i have a dell pc so i have a btx motherboard and i have use a different heatsink either, main question is would i have to apply the thermal paste ?

http://ncix.com/products/index...8400&manufacture=Intel this is the cpu i was looking at , would it be alright with my pc ? i have a dell dimension e520

 

[o1die]

Retail box heatsinks come with a thermal pad; just install it normally (no thermal paste is required with the pad). If using over an old cpu, try gently rubbing off the old thermal paste with isopropyl alcohol or fingernail polish remover (acetone). You don't have to remove the cpu from the board for this procedure. It doesn't have to be spotless either. Use just a little on a lint free cloth or old hand towel.

 

[o1die]

I finally found your chipset. It's a g965, which won't work with newer wolfdale cpus like the e8400. If you're determined to upgrade the cpu, then you'll have to hunt for a g43 btx motherboard and install it yourself, but I doubt you will find one. Dell windows oem cd will reinstall with a new board, but you may lose your old files unless you back them up first on a separate section of your hardrive. Vista can do this for you, if you haven't already. Or you can ditch the dell case, and go for a new atx case and reuse your old dell power supply. The standard micro atx g43 boards will work for you. I have an asrock g43 twins fullhd with onboard video and hdmi support. It goes for around $95 shipped at newegg. Newegg sells their own brand of cases, called rosewill, starting at around $40 including shipping. They had one recently for $49.99 with free shipping that had a 120mm case fan in the back to help with cooling.

 

[DSF]

Before you buy the G43 motherboard I would make sure that it will actually fit and wire correctly in your Dell. That hasn't always been the case, although I don't know about the E520.

What's driving the upgrade in the first place, and what CPU do you currently have? A faster CPU may not be the answer.

 

[o1die]

The g43 won't fit the dell case if it's btx format. My suggestion is for a new atx case only. I haven't found a btx board for any 1333 fsb cpu, so a new case is a must.