Topic: replacing processors in a desktop?

[mirth]

Typically for a machine that old you would have to purchase an upgrade within the same 'generation' of chips.... Its very likely that any brand-new-still-being-made item will require at least a new motherboard, if not new RAM as well.

I'd find out who makes your motherboard & its model then go to their site. You should be able to find out how fast a CPU it will support.

[cpclark]

Typically for a machine that old you would have to purchase an upgrade within the same 'generation' of chips.... Its very likely that any brand-new-still-being-made item will require at least a new motherboard, if not new RAM as well.

I'd find out who makes your motherboard & its model then go to their site. You should be able to find out how fast a CPU it will support.

good advice mirth, +T

[Cooker]

what matters most is the socket type - there are celerons that run the gamut of different types - socket 370, socket 7, etc. etc.

it is most likely a socket 370 chip - and then it depends on what the maximum speed chip for your motherboard is...  but my guess is the fastest you can get is a PIII 866. you probably have 100 mHz front side bus with PC100 ram - so if you were to upgrade the motherboard with the processor you would probably have to get faster ram....

[nic]

with a celeron 800 the only processors you will be able to use is a socket 370 based celeron or p3.....maxing out at 1.4ghz.
all p4's and newer celerons(from the past year or so) are based on socket 478 which is pin NON-compatable with the the socket 370

[Simp-Dawg]

you may also have to adjust some dip switches on your motherboard to get the processor to run at full speed if you do upgrade...at least a while ago when i upgraded my old amd k6-2 350mhz to a 500 mhz chip, i had to up the voltage from the motherboard to the cpu to handle it, and even then i could only push it to 450 mhz.

[caymanreview]

with a celeron 800 the only processors you will be able to use is a socket 370 based celeron or p3.....maxing out at 1.4ghz.
all p4's and newer celerons(from the past year or so) are based on socket 478 which is pin NON-compatable with the the socket 370

wow great advice. thanks for the techy info. im currently looking at new parts to build a new setup (with the help of my buddy)

anyone have a good site to shop around at for good prices on motherboard, processors, and ram, possibly like a 100+ gig HD

Thanks everyone, +Ts all around, unless ive allready do0ne it, then the 12 hour thing comes into play and il get you again then  

[mirth]

pricewatch.com

Newegg is held in good respect as well, but pricewatch will give you prices from many vendors.

[Diggin]

if you want some cheap quality computers check out, they are almost full systems just missing a monitor.
http://www.cyberpowerinc.com/home.htm
http://www.ibuypower.com

I know people who have gotten computers from them and haven't had any problems
there is also dell for some cheap computers

[caymanreview]

thanks guys!

[jpschust]

also www.compgeeks.com

[Nick in Edinboro]

All good information.

Socket is the easiest way to match what processor your board will run, also ensure that your MB can handle the FSB speed of the new processor.

Be sure that your current processor fan will fit the new processor if not, pick up a new fan.  

Get some white lithium thermal paste for attaching the fan/heatsink to the processor.

Be very careful not to bend the pins when you seat the chip.

Past that, a few changes in your BIOS might be required but I'd think it'll probably handle that itself.

Not a hard job really, just takes some confidence with some semi-fragile parts.