Question About Processors

[spiderbot]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently upgrading and restoring an older computer.

I want to upgrade the processor, but I'm not sure if the newer processors will be compatible with this computer and some of it's older components.

This computer currently has an old 100 Mhz Pentium chip, with either a 75 or 100 Mhz system bus.

So, I'm wondering if the newer processors will work with the above specs put into consideration? I'm thinking about upgrading it to a 800 Mhz - 1.5 Ghz processor.

Also, would I be able to use the same heatsink that this older processor is using now with a newer and faster processor? Or do I need a new heatsink?

Thank you very much,
-SpiderBot

[bigparsnip]

If you are after putting a newer chip in the region of 800MHz i to your PC you can be looking to change quite a lot of things. Firstly, you will definately neeed a new motherboard (what type depends on the chip you want to go for). This will almost certinaly mean a new case as well, as the newer motherboards (from pentium II and forward) are a different shape and need a different type of power supply (you will get one if you buy a new case) also, the new motherboard will need a different type of memory (again dpending on the CPU type you chose). You might be able to get away with keeping most of the cars in you old PC (graphics, modem, sound card etc.), unless they are placed in the larger black slots in your current board 9these aren't on many new boards, so the won't fit), so you might have to get these replaced too.
If after this, you still want to do it (the fastest type of chip you will find which might fit into your current board is likely to be about the 200MHz mark), post some deatails of you hopes for the system (what you want it to do, how much you want to spend etc) and I (or I'm sure plenty others) will give you some spec lists you could try to put together. Hope his hasn't scared you too much.:rolleyes:

[RayH]

If it's got a PI 100, it's probably got EDO RAM and an AT Box. It's not worth upgrading. It's a pre-MMX box. Make it a Linnnux machine.

[Bellbus]

I agree with RayH. It ain't worth the cost. Buy a new base unit.

[LostBok]

Agreed... PC is too old to bother upgrading....

The motherboard does NOT have a 75-100Mhz bus... it has a 66Mhz bus (1.5 multiplier)... will be running EDO (if you're lucky), but probably fast page memory...

It will be using socket 5 or socket 7.... If it's socket 5, you're HIGHLY unlikely to fund much over P120's for it, however I have seen P166's on the ODD occaision.
If it's socket 7 - you might be able to get it up to P200, however not MMX, you'll need a newer mother board ot handle the different voltages for that, it will work for a short while until the voltage regulator melts off the board... even if by some miracle it IS a VX/HX/TX chipset, then it'll take Intel P233mmx, or a higher speed K6, possibly even as high as about 300Mhz, but I doubt the multipliers on a board that old will go very high.

You're gonna have to bin the mobo.

All the newer mobo's take SDRAM / DDR SDRAM / RDRAM DIMMS (big long sticks), so you'll have to bin the RAM, EDO won't even fit in any motherboard you can still buy new....

Your case is unlikely to be ATX, although I HAVE seen Gateway socket 5 P120's that have used ATX cases, however you may (probably will) have to replace the case.

The graphics card is almost certainly PCI and the harddrives will be 16Mb/s DMA-mode4, so will be PAINFULLY slow.

The PSU (even if the case is ATX) will almost certainly be AT, or at very least a non-standard ATX... either way, it is unlikely to be powerful or reliable enough to drive a Duron 800Mhz system, although MIGHT cope with a Celeron system.

Any further specs / info might help us to determine if there is ANYTHING worth salvaging from there... have you bought a PCI Voodoo3 or newer (UDMA66/100) harddrive that would be worth keeping, otherwise, I think you're buying a whole new system...

[spiderbot]

Thanks for the help everyone! I greatly appreciate it. :)

I just have one last question.

How do I tell what socket type it is.....and other essential info about the processor?

-Thank you very much

[Comage]

Well, you could just remove the CPU from the socket and on the socket, there should be the words "Socket X" on the white plastic socket, where X is a number. :)

What do you mean by other information about the CPU? The clockspeed? You could use a utility such as Sisoft to ID the CPU. :)

[[shawn@localhost /home]#]

Originally posted by RayH
Make it a Linnnux machine.
sorry dude but no can do, you cant even install Linux unless you have a 4mb video card (which was super top of the line in those days)

i tried to install Linux Mandrake 8.0 on my P1 120mhz with 1mb video card and the install screen would not come up, instead of showing a very detailed pictures it would show a screen of 3 rows of color, dark blue, light blue and white

ya just cant do it unless you have a P2 or higher

[krazefinn]

Find the FCC numbers, silkscreened to mobo, and also on most bios boot screens.. then search for the manufacturer, model, manual and other documemtation online. Someone here knows the FCC identifier site, I don't have it handy presently.

Agree with all above posts, either use it hone your hardware hacking and setup skills, sell it via classifieds (might get a hundred or two if has modem, monitor, nic etc.) from someone as an entry level cheapy.

I have about a dozen old rigs and parts, from 386-486, cyrix 200's, amd k62 and 3's, as well as mmx pentiums and 1's from 50, 66, 75, 100, 133 mhz. I've assembled and set up then donated to a foundation that gives them to disabled folks who otherwise would have no access online, as well as given my family members "learner boxes" that the use as word processors, email and limited surfing rigs, I do it for fun, but I also have sold a couple of the 200 aor better cpu's, usually get about 200 w monitor, modem aand keyboard/mouse ready to go. It helps alittle to defray the cost of my serious overclocking and tweaking addiction.

I might suggest a dduron, ecs k7s5a or a kt113a like gigabyte m7vkd (both avaailable together for under a hundred. Buy a case, and sound/video cards, modem and case, should be able to get that plus a small hardrive for another $200. Could also get the $185 Nforce if you want top of the line with excellent onboard video and 5.1 dolby sound, or alternately one of the video/sound integrated kle133 via based mobos, for less than a hundred. There's alot of options and price strategies, but I do believe adding anything to that old 100 will be wasted.

Good luck, do some research, and post your choices. Once you build one, you'll never go back. And if I could teach myself to do this, ANYONE CAN!

[wing7788]

There... :p

[JohnC]

I'd keep the system intact and throw in an old NIC - 3c509Combo would work nicely. Setup an NT4.0 server and make use of the extra disk space.

That's what I did with my old P-233MMX before I gave it to my Dad. Now I have an old P-90 DELL XPE-90 Server setup as the server. A server doesn't have to be fast - it just has to be there.