Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Turning an Aging Computer into a Media Center - Part 7 - Processor upgrade
How many parts are there going to be in this ongoing saga where I wildly attempt to make my seven-year-old computer less obsolete? Who knows. As many as it takes. Till I’m done dammit! (Either that or until I’m forced to admit defeat a build a brand new machine instead.)
In today’s misadventure I’ve decided that 1.6Ghz is wimpy. Nearly all the system requirements I’ve looked at for my options have specs that my system is barely able to meet. Which means, although the things will run, they will run slowly. Video processing is pretty CPU intensive, so a CPU upgrade is in order.
The first thing I learn is that my Dell Dimension 4300 uses a socket 478 motherboard. So, like a blindly charging bull in Pamplona, I order the fastest Pentium 4 CPU I can find that will fit. I’m feeling good about it because it’s a pretty good price for 3.2Ghz ($60 shipped). Then… yes, and then I wonder if there are speed limitations I need to adhere to. Why do these realizations come to me so slowly? Hello, basic research would’ve yielded that information, right?
I found out later after only five minutes of browsing through the Dell forums that my system can only handle a processor up to 2.6Ghz and 400FSB. I totally forget what FSB stands for now, but the one I had ordered was 800. That’s two things that’s incompatible with my system. It’s possible I could burn out my motherboard trying to stick that thing in there. Stupid stupid me.
I emailed the vendor, but I doubt they’re going to offer me a refund. Ebay bids are binding. Oh well. I’ll just resell the thing and hopefully recoup my money. These old processors are getting harder to find, so it shouldn’t be hard to resell.
Learn from my idiotic mistakes. Get detailed information about what your motherboard can handle before you rush out and buy something that could potentially fry your old system. 
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Categories: • Random acts of geekery