Replace my CPU?

[DBSX]

I have a Compaq Evo n1000v laptop (if this should be in the laptop section, sorry... feel free to move it) that runs very hot, in fact it crashes fairly often when doing anything remotly CPU intensive. I'm a bit out of the loop as far as Intel (lets just put it this way... the last Intel CPU I owned prior to this laptop was a super speedy 333MHz Pentium II) so I was wondering if there is a mobile Pentium 4 I could replace the current CPU with. Currently it is (I believe) a desktop P4 here are some stats from the Intel Processors ID tool:

CPU Model: 2
CPU Stepping: 4
CPU Revision: 1E
Packaging FC-PGA2
400MHz Bus 512kb L2 cache.

Any help/ideas would be appreciated!! I should also mention, clock speed isn't so important, as long as it's roughly equal to what I have (then again, if I repeatedly crash, anything that stays stable would be an improvement!!) and I don't want to pay too much (the laptop was essentially free).

Thanks in advance!

\Dan

 

[Leper Messiah]

Before replacing the CPU, I'd try seeing why its crashing. The cooling should be adequate to the task...see if the fan is stuck, or if there is a lot of dust and stuff in there.

 

[DBSX]

Both fans are blowing, and I can feel the air coming out is very warm once I start doing anything CPU intensive. I've opened the laptop up and blew out any dust (there wasn't much) and cleaned the fan guard areas (both were pretty unobstructed to begin with anyhow). I even went through the trouble of removing and replacing the heatsink and reapplying AS5 twice to eliminate that. I run the Everest system tool and the temps go up to about 72C and then the laptop freezes and shuts down.

\Dan

 

[DBSX]

Bumpity bump, still need a lil help here. I am clueless about Pentiums

Anyhow, more info if it will help:
Chipset is i845MP Brookdale
CPU is a P4 Northwood Socket 478 @2.20GHz

I see socket 478 Pentium 4-M CPUs on eBay for pretty cheap, but I am without a clue as to if they are compatible with what I've got now or not. Many of them list the packaging as FC-PGA2 and other specs are similar as well. Despite that, I need to be sure before I grab something that won't work and kill my laptop.

Also, the CPU currently in the laptop has a heatspreader, but the P4-Ms don't. If the P4-Ms are compatible, will there be a problem using them as they have no heatspreader? I know I am getting a little ahead of myself, so I'll stop now.

Thanks in advance, again, for any help!

\Dan

[EDIT]In case it matters, normally the CPU is about 48-50C and the motherboard hovers around 55C. The hard drive is the coolest, usually around 30-32C.

 

[sheac12]

Hey Dan,

I wouldn't replace your CPU. I went to intel's site and compared the voltage and current requirements for your current p4 2.2GHz 400MHz and the p4m series(don?t confuse this with the Mobile P4). Electrically, physically, and pin out wise you could swap the two, but the VID is off by .3+ volts which could be a problem. The chipset you have does support the processor, so maybe the voltage wouldn?t be an issue.

If you did the swap, there would be a good thermal drop of 20W. Is that worth it? Maybe, but what I would really recommend is taking apart the laptop, cleaning off the current thermal pad from the processor and replace this with some really good thermal grease, and check the cooling system, clean it if need be.

I will look into the heat spreader, I have a laptop with a p4m(2.4GHz) and will see if mine has one.

 

[DBSX]

I've cleaned inside, and Compaq actual had some thermal paste originally. I've already tried two applications of Arctic Silver 5 and it hasn' helped much (maybe about 1*C cooler on average) The heatsink in this unit is pretty large and I think fairly nice. The laptop runs great for the most part; except for when I do anything CPU intensive. It may just be that I can't do everything I want to with this laptop, though it would be nice. The laptop was free, so maybe I'll try the change. If I do FUBAR it, I'll be a little upset but won't be out much more than the ability to do some personal work while I'm at my job. It would be a few days before I bought, so feel free to add more input anyone!

\Dan

 

[Madwand1]

Dunno.. External cooling? Try sitting it on a cookie sheet, and if that works, outspend the laptop on a cooling tray?

http://www.cluboverclocker.com/reviews/cooling_devices/antec_nc/

 

[2kfire]

Email Compaq and ask them. Maybe it's a common issue. Your laptop shouldn't be crashing unless something is wrong with it. More engineering and design goes into laptops than desktops, as you can imagine, so the cooling system should be able to cope. Even if it does get really warm, the CPU should throttle before it gets out of hand. My sister has a P4 2.4 GHz laptop. It was running warm (the fan would often run at full speed, even while surfing the web). I took it apart, and it had NO thermal paste, NO thermal pad, nothing on the heatsink. Even then, it never froze or crashed. Needless to say after I added some thermal paste it runs a lot cooler (fan RARELY speeds up now).