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Using a laptop CPU in a desktop...is it possible?

F

FiberOptik

Member
Hey all, it just so happens that where I work I have access to a large quantity of free Pentium III laptop CPUs. Some of them work fine and others have been deemed "unstable" and are simply thrown away. Regardless I have a growing collection of these little chips. I know that way back in the day there were adapters for Slot 1 motherboards that would allow you to use a socketed PentiumIII/Celeron CPU. Does something like this exist that allows you to use a laptop CPU on a desktop mainboard? I can't imagine that there would be any different pins on a laptop CPU compared to a desktop chip. I was just wondering if anyone had heard of this or maybe seen something like it. I need more CPUs to crunch RC-72! 🙂
 
It shouldn't be a problem, I know with the P4 that some notebook makers were using desktop P4s to save on cost so they are completely interchangeable with the desktop models just not having the power saving technologies the mobiles do, and though I'm not too knowledgeable about the P3s I should think that holds true with them as well.
 
Yes, I agree but here is my delema, as you can see from this link the Pentium 3 mobile is considerably smaller than a Desktop Pentium 3. I need to find some sort of an adapter, assuming that one exists, that will allow me to use a Mobile Pentium 3 on my desktop. I'm basically looking for slocket style adapter that will allow me to plug a mobile p3 into a Slot 1 or socketed Pentium 3 motherboard.

On second thought, wouldn't I need BIOS support as well? Most of the mobile P3's that I have right now support speedstep which is a BIOS controlled function right?
 
LOL there's my ignorance showing up 😱 so all the PIII mobiles are SFF? As to the Speedstep, it's controlled in the bios with XP but with w2k and 98 you can controll it in windows, of course that's moot if there isn't a adapter.
 
Adapters do exist. I can't remember where I saw the picture, but the CPU was plugged into this ugly looking motherboard that had wires all over the place. Basically, I believe there was no mobile platform at the time so they used a desktop motherboard to do their compatibility testing. I can't remember if this was a picture from a manufacturer or maybe Intel or AMD themselves. I doubt you will ever be able to find one as they are probably "one off" items.
 
Aight, lets go for option #2. I can't imagine it'd be all that hard to take a socket off of a dead mainboard where I work and hardware it up to a socket 370 board. My only question is: is the pin layout on the mobile Pentium 3 the same as the Desktop Pentium 3? Or does the mobile chip have a few extra/different pins for SpeedStep and the voltage changes that go with it?
 
Another who needs one if you are interested in selling. Looking for a MPGA-2 PII 650 or a Celeron 800 or 850 MPGA-2 cpu.

Paul
 
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