Please Help Me......

[Pyskopal]

Ok, I've been researching all day and have yet to come to a conclusion about this:

Someone PLEASE help!

I am in posession of a Toshiba Satellite 2065CDS. It has a 366MHz AMD K6-2 cpu and a local clock bus of 66 MHz.

I want to upgrade the cpu.

Is the cpu soldered on to the motherboard or is it socketed? (I will find out soon enough when I take the thing apart but, if someone knows..... I won't even start) I guess I can put a K6-2+ or k6-2 550 MHZ but the bus for these is 100 MHz. Will that work on my 66? If so, I have my answer. If not, how can I change the bus on my mobo from 66 to 100? or to something that will work? Is there another chip that will fit where a K6-2 was that has a 66 MHz bus or is there a replacement mobo(aftermarket mod) for the 2065CDS with a 100 MHz bus?

...and no, it wouldn't be cheaper to just go and buy a used laptop. I can get a 20gig HD, 128meg SODIMM, and a K6-2 550 for approx. $130. That would be very worth it if I can change the bus on my machine.... I'm technically inclined and will solder the greenboards if I have to......

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

-Psykopal:x

[Sterling_Aug]

Don't bother trying to upgrade the laptop unless you are a trained technician and already have the special tools and the parts on hand to upgrade this. Laptops use special parts which are not interchnagable between different models like they are in desktop systems.

[Midknyte]

Even if you got the cpu out, there's no guarantee that the bios would recognize the k6-2+. There are also core voltage differences.

Changing the hard drive varies for each model. some are easy, but there are some tougher ones. I can't get to my service manual right now to tell how that model looks. You would need to run the restore on the new drive, providing that the bios can see it.

you cannot get an aftermarket board. this is just how the industry is. it is not standardized like desktops. Laptop motherboards ain't cheap either.

ram is pretty easy. However, some toshi's require that you remove the keyboard and modem to get to the ram. it's a pain.

[Pyskopal]

First, I want to thank you guys/gals for the prompt response and advice.

I've taken that laptop apart before....I had to find a short somewhere on the board..... I found it and soldered a hard jumber to fix it. The board was cracked on a corner and upon a strong shake would seperate and shut off...... I don't mind taking the thing apart into 300 little pieces and spending hours on end messing with it. I did this about 1yr and a half ago and wasn't really looking at the processor. I know I can add the memory and the hd. The think I'm concerned with is the processor and bus speeds..... If ya have any ideas, let me know..... We'll turn this into a project :)

Thanks again!

-Psykopal

[Bovon]

It probably will not recognize a K6-2+ without a BIOS flash, but it may just recognize and run a K6-2 550 if you can find the multiplier jumpers...if there are any. As already stated, laptop motherboards are made much differently...quite often with absolutely no provisions included for upgrading like, a different speed or type of cpu. If there is no way to change the fsb or multiplier settings, you are SOL!...but, I admire your thoughts on a 'project'...thats the way to learn, if you cannot learn professionally. Remember also, the higher speed processors will always draw more current, even at the same Vcore, and this will affect the battery/power supply too. Heat generated by a faster cpu may be a problem as well.

[Pyskopal]

....just a thought....

How about an Overdrive Processor?


-Psykopal

[Midknyte]

there are voltage adapters for the k6-2+, but it wouldn't fit in your case. even if it did, the bios would still need to be able to recognize the cpu. The best you could hope for would be the 550, but even that's iffy.

[Pyskopal]

Ok.... here's what I've done so far..... this is an FYI... so you know someone else has done it..........

On the Toshiba 2065CDS, I changed the HDD from a 4.6gig to a 30 gig. Added 128meg memory and got rid of that Win98 and put Win2000.....

As for the CPU (the K6-2, 366), it's not soldered on to the mobo, it's socketed and easily removed. I couldn't find the multiplyer jumpers anywhere (not that I know what I'm looking for...hehe) If anyone can help me with that....please do! I still have the problem of the mobo running at 66 and any K6-2 upgrade runs at 100......

I haven't given up.... there's got to be a way to put a faster CPU running at 66 or a way to change the multiplier on the mobo........

But, at least those of you who ever run into this have some info. on the subject..... WHEN I figure the CPU prob. out...I will let everyone know...hehehe.....

-Psykopal:x

P.S. To add the memory, just remove the two tiny screws on the bottom of the notebook and lift the small cover......the memory fits right in (you don't have to take the keyboard out)..... As for the HDD, just remove the one screw under the front left side and remove the plastic cover....there's another smaller screw holding the HDD in place, remove that screw and the HDD even has a handle so you can pull it out..... takes about 1min and a half to do it all.... :r

[Bovon]

Originally posted by Pyskopal
I still have the problem of the mobo running at 66 and any K6-2 upgrade runs at 100......
Any K6-2 will run at 66 mhz fsb...they are completely backwards compatable, as far as I know. I have some extra K6-2s, and occasionaly test a mobo that does not have 100 mhz bus speeds, so I use 66 or maybe 75. If you have one, stick a K6-2 500 (or whatever) in the laptop and see what she'll do. Most, if not all laptops had 2.0 Vcore processors that had the ability to sleep as soon as instructions were performed ect...this saved battery life. The desktop variety K6-6 2s worked from a 2.2 Vcore...some even came out marked with 2.4 Vcore...these were early processors, and I have read (may or may not be correct) that AMD O/Ced the K6-2 450 to stay up with Intel, who had come out with a 500 mhz cpu. By upping Vcore, and using the 5.5 multipliers, most would work quite well at 500 mhz. I still have my first one, marked on the metal case....2.4 volts. That sucker did get hot now...just like if it was overclocked.

Do you not see any jumpers anywhere on the mainboard?...if not, then there is little likelyhood that you will be able to run a different cpu. Somehow, I seriously doubt a laptop manufacturer would include provisions to clock one, or even run a faster cpu when they were available. This has to do with power consumption...each laptop is so designed around all of the various aspects of the machine, taking into account the amount of power necessary to run the computer for X number of hours ect. Therefor, you can readily see where a newer (and higher current cpu) would shoot down all of the specifications the machine was designed for...not to mention the heat generated by a later model cpu...which goes along with the special type of cpus that were designed for mobile service.

[Midknyte]

That board only has 66mhz bus from what I've found. so putting in a higher cpu would yield you 400 (6x66)mhz at best. not enough to justify removing the 366. I think you're gonna have to live with it.

[Pyskopal]

Ok, I'm gonna have to settle for the 366... I can't find the mult. jumpers....... still need to look under the CD/Floppy drives and under the mobo.... LOL....

Thanks for the info. on the K6-2s, I didn't know they were backward compatible.... The laptop's mult. is set at 5.5 so, even with a 500 or 550 K6-2 I would still be close to 366 if I don't change the mult.

Like I said.... I still have places to look..... LOL... haven't given up completely yet. But I'll leave that for when I feel like removing 30 miniature screws again....

Here's a pretty neat page I found on processors (voltages, ratings): http://users.erols.com/chare/586.htm

Thanks for all the help, it's been appreciated!

-Psykopal:x