Upgrade PIII

[StraightPipe]

I have a 450 P3 from gateway. It's this computer

the mobo is:
Jabil BX Motherboard R0

I'm trying to determine possible upgrades.

I've already got 512 RAM in it, but would like to see what possible processor upgrades I can make without changing mobo.

(I've never upgraded a mobo or CPU, but have experience with HD, RAM, CR-R, DVD upgrades)

gateway told me the board could only handle 386 RAM, but 512 posts in bios and is used by windows. they also told me that a 600 mhz celeron was the fastest i could go. (I'm thinking that going from 450 P# to 600 celly isnt really much of an upgrade)

How fast can this old PC go?
without changing mobo?
with changing mobo?

I dont need this thing to screem, I usually just use as a wrd processor and downloader for kazaa, I also fileshare alot. my bigest complaint is kazaa uses 100% processor when running 8 simutaneuos DL's.

I'm looking for either the fastest upgrade possible on this mobo, or a setup with inexpensive mobo and + 1 ghz processor. (if I replace mobo maybe even 2 ghz.)

 

[SearchMaster]

Is it a slot or socket CPU? If it's a slot, you more than likely can't go any higher than 850MHz (if that high). I ask because I am not a CPU expert, but I have a PIII mobo that is a slot, and it won't go past 850. The high-speed slot CPU's are pretty expensive anyway.

However, you won't see a huge difference between 450 and 850, especially for the apps you listed. If Kazaa goes to 100% now, it will likely do the same thing even with a faster CPU. If you're going to upgrade the mobo, your best bang for the buck will probably be a cheap AMD mobo (under $60) with an XP 1800+ or so. You can get one that allows you to keep your memory and other components to minimize cost. You should notice a difference with that upgrade.

*edit* - thought it was a 500, not a 450.

 

[bacillus]

if your m/board voltage regulator can go down to 1.8V(it should do) then get a fcpga slocket like the slot T which has voltage adjustment onboard & set it to 1.8V.
you can then use a non-tualatin celeron 1GHz or 1GHz 100fsb fcpga p3

 

[Erasmus-X]

Is it a slot or socket CPU?

Notice the chip's codename. Katmai chips were only offered as Slot-1 processors. Pentium III's weren't available as Socket370 parts until the Coppermine flip-chip debuted.

You COULD slap a faster chip in there using a "slotket" adapter, but like others are saying you're not going to get that far with a 440BX chipset (which really wasn't designed for the PIII to begin with; you have to hack around with it) and you probably won't notice a significant difference. Besides, I'm kind of doubting that the Gateway BIOS even allows for CPU voltage adjustments. I'd be very surprised if it did.

I second the notion of getting a cheap AMD-based board, a lower-end Athlon XP "Thoroughbred" chip, and some DDR RAM (prices are dropping significantly). That'll make worlds of difference and won't leave you wanting to more a few months later. Going that route though, you'll definitely want to scrap that old Gateway case and its 200 W PSU for a real enclosure. A lot of Gateways I've worked on that fall in that class use a non-standard PSU; aftermarket PSU's won't even fit them.

Good luck!

 

[RanDum72]

if your m/board voltage regulator can go down to 1.8V(it should do) then get a fcpga slocket like the slot T which has voltage adjustment onboard & set it to 1.8V.

The Upgradeware SlotT slotket has a VRM chip so you can use lower voltage CPU's on motherboards that support only 1.8v or higher. And if the motherboard is on the compatible list, you CAN use a Tualatin-based CPU on it too.

 

[PCMarine]

If your board is only 100 FSB, then the max you can go is a 850mhz w/ 100FSB. If you have a 133 FSB, then you can go as high as 933 I believe.

 

[PCMarine]

Originally posted by: PCMarine
If your board is only 100 FSB, then the max you can go is a 850mhz w/ 100FSB. If you have a 133 FSB, then you can go as high as 933 I believe.

OK I just looked up the specs, so the max you can go is a 800mhz Slot 1 w/ 100 FSB.

 

[StraightPipe]

slot key like this?

It has a note that says:

- SLOTKETS ARE NOT SUPPORTED ON THE INTEL L440GX+ N440BX T440BX AND

my board just says Intel 440BX. does anyone know if this will work?

gateway's specs on the board say :
Intel 440BX PCIset
82443BX PMC (492 mBGA)
82371EB PIIX4e (324 mBGA)

so if that works I just need to get this? and a taulatin 800?

 

[RanDum72]

Go get the Upgradeware Slotket. It can be used with both Coppermine and Tualatin CPU's. Even if they say the maximum CPU your mobo canhandle is 800mhz, it can take any PIII as long as the FSB is 100mhz. It may show up different on the BIOS boot-up screen but Windows would properly identify the CPU. As for the CPU, why not go for the 1.4ghz Tualatin-based Celeron?

 

[MisterMe]

Check your bios...if it starts with 4w4s then after updating to the latest bios off of Gateway's website you can go to 850 with a slot 1 850 CPU. These are getting harder and harder to find and for the $150 or so dollars it'll cost, you could get yourself a late model ECS motherboard and XP2000ish AMD CPU. You'll have an additional cost of some new DDR memory, but even that's getting cheap. Sell all your old parts on Ebay (not egay, or fleabay etc) for $50 - 75 or so and you'll even recoup that.

So....I don't think you'll get that real kick in the pants upgade you're after going to an 850...at least not $150 worth. Save a few more bucks, get the AMD and you'll be much happier. Don't believe anybody that tells you that the other parts in your system are in any way proprietary - they aren't - all standard stuff. The only thing you might have to mod is the way your keyboard, mouse and all that jazz exits your Gateway case...take your time with some snippers and a dremel and you'll have yourself a killer machine...

 

[oldfart]

Check the Upgradeware website. If it is compatible, you can use a 1.4 GHz Tualatin Celeron. This would wake things up.

 

[StraightPipe]

So I'm thinking about this CPU (1.3 celeron)
and this Slot-T adapter

CPU= $46
Slot T=20+ $7.50 shipping
------------
====$73.50

Should I Upgrade P3 450 to Celly 1.3 for less than $75? I think yes.

Please let me know if this looks like it will work.

Check this out too: they throw in 100 CD -R's for $15 (not bad) at googlegear

IS there anychance of this slot adapter to damge my componants?

 

[bacillus]

Originally posted by: StraightPipe
So I'm thinking about this CPU (1.3 celeron)
and this Slot-T adapter

CPU= $46
Slot T=20+ $7.50 shipping
------------
====$73.50

Should I Upgrade P3 450 to Celly 1.3 for less than $75? I think yes.

Please let me know if this looks like it will work.

Check this out too: they throw in 100 CD -R's for $15 (not bad) at googlegear

IS there anychance of this slot adapter to damge my componants?

I'm concerned that your old board will not be able to supply less than 1.8V, so unless you want to try running your cpu at 1.8V, not recommended for a tualatin cpu with a default Vcore of 1.475- 1.50V, I would go for a 1GHz non-tualatin celeron or coppermine 100fsb p3
although the slot T has voltage jumpers, if the board can't supply the voltage the slocket is set to, the pc will not boot!

 

[oldfart]

If the Upgradeware website shows it as compatible, it wont be running @ 1.8V. It will run the proper 1.5 Vcore. If you have doubt, shoot them an email and ask if your board is supported. The Tually Celerons are so much faster than the CuMine versions.

 

[RanDum72]

I'm concerned that your old board will not be able to supply less than 1.8V, so unless you want to try running your cpu at 1.8V, not recommended for a tualatin cpu with a default Vcore of 1.475- 1.50V, I would go for a 1GHz non-tualatin celeron or coppermine 100fsb p3

This is true only for slotkets that doesn't have a VRM chip. The Upgradeware slotket has this VRM chip and it will down-convert voltage to the proper one for the CPU. I have tried the Upgradeware with motherboards like the Asus P3C (by itself, supports only up to 2.0v) and Dell OEM BX boards (Intel-made SE-series BX boards, supports only up to 1.8v, I think). Tualatin CPU's run at their rated voltages when used with the Upgradeware.

 

[QTPie]

Fry's has 1.2GHz Duron CPU + MB or 1.4GHz Celeron + MB for less than $100.

 

[StraightPipe]

Originally posted by: QTPie
Fry's has 1.2GHz Duron CPU + MB or 1.4GHz Celeron + MB for less than $100.

I could just use the $20 slot key and get the same thing. Only the bus speed will still be 100mhz and I wont have to install the mobo.

Have you got a link to those mobo's? What bus speed? WIll it still fit in my Flat Side Mini Tower Chassis Rev 9 from gateway? It's ATX

Thanks again for all the help (never done the CP upgrade b4)