Simple memory & CPU question.

Take a look at this, Mo/bo Specs

Processor socket type mPGA478 = socket 478???
Meaning i could get a p4 socket 478 and it'd work on my machine?
Also my current cpu is an intel celeron 4a 2.0 ghz but from lookin at the specs i could put p4's or celerons in this PC, Either or?

Another thing i was looking at, They recommend that i install no more than 1gb memory but it says it can take 2gb, what would happen if i did install 2gb instead of the recommended 1gb??

 

Hello There,

You probably get the same old problem I had with a old machine put in too much memory and your computer won't boot up at all, it wont even go to the bios page.

so I would recommend installing the 1GB that you have been advised.

Andy

 

Yeah, Kinda figured it'd be something like that, anyone have an answer for the cpu bit?

 

would an upgrade from 2.0 to 2.5 make much of a difference?

 

what operating system are you using?

 

According to Kingston Technologies, they have 1Gb RAM sticks for your computer from @ $42 each.

Regarding the CPU, it's limited to 400Mhz FSB (Northwood series?) which is maxed at 2.6Ghz, I think. Full details on the limitations of your 'board are difficult to track down, the published limits may only be those CPU's available and tested when HP published the specs.

I see some used 2.5 400 SL6PN P4's on Ebay for $55 delivered, there are probably others cheaper somewhere.

From a Celeron 2.0 to a P4 2.5 would be a noticeable improvement, as would increasing to 1Gb or more of RAM but for the same money, you may be able to buy a much better base machine.

 

I agree with this the greatest handbrake here is the mobo "chipset", ie. 845GL and the ICH4 to a lesser extent. They are the dictators (system communicators essentially) which are defining what you can have on the mobo.

 

OK so stick to the recommended 1gb max? which is what i have atm. The possibility of being able to use 2 GB in this thing sounds nice, I just don't wanna buy the stuff; then find out the hard way that my machine wont even load with the 2GB. As for the CPU I think if i can find one cheap enough i'll get a 2.5 p4 (which seems to be hard to find) and upgrade the cpu. I'm really not lookin to spend 50 dollars on a p4 though, 20 dollars sounds a lot nicer. lmao.

 

hmmm

 

Well it does state 2GB, but recommending 1GB which is a bit "confusing". It would be great if you knew someone who could let you try some extra RAM before you outlay any cash.

I would be looking on ebay for a CPU and would spend $20 at the very most, eg:

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?CPU%20S...s&_fln=1&_sop=1&_ssov=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282

Don't go pouring money into old equipment as it isn't like an "old classic car" and will just go down the drain.

 

Just to emphasise why I wouldn't spend anymore than $20, I can get complete systems (Ex lease, etc) for close to $20AUD of a similar age and I am sure you would have similar sites in the US:

http://www.graysonline.com/Sale.aspx?id=162416
http://www.graysonline.com/Lot.aspx?id=4348896

 

to biogenesis
How does a P4 2.7GHz HT for free sound?

 

that sounds great, lol.. Even if i install it and it didn't work with my machine, can't beat that for free. But there is a good chance it wouldn't work because of the 2.5ghz/400mhz limit for my board. I have tried a bigger p4 before and windows wouldn't load, i got bios and the hp screen and it was really laggy, idk if it was because the cpu was too big or it was just a bad cpu.

I'm looking at "SL7NU Intel Celeron D 2.5 2.5GHz 256/533 Socket 478 CPU" but idk if that'll work on my board, the celeron i have is a 4a, that one is a D or is that just a D in there as in Desktop?

here's another one i'm lookin at, SL6ZY Intel Processor CPU Celeron/2.5GHz/128KB/478 #315 <-- 2.5/128kb,
This is kinda confusing cause ive seen 2.0's and 2.5's with 512kb i think... my 2.0 is also 128kb??

CPU Properties
CPU Type Intel Celeron 4A, 2000 MHz (5 x 400)
CPU Alias Northwood-128
CPU Stepping C1
Original Clock 2000 MHz
L1 Trace Cache 12K Instructions
L1 Data Cache 8 KB
L2 Cache 128 KB (On-Die, ATC, Full-Speed)

CPU Physical Info
Package Type 478 Pin uPGA
Package Size 3.50 cm x 3.50 cm
Transistors 55 million
Process Technology 6M, 0.13 um, CMOS, Cu, Low-K
Die Size 131 mm2
Core Voltage 1.475 - 1.55 V
I/O Voltage 1.475 - 1.55 V
Typical Power 38.7 - 82 W (depending on clock speed)
Maximum Power 49 - 103 W (depending on clock speed)

CPU Manufacturer
Company Name Intel Corporation

 

Basically, the more cache on the CPU, the faster it runs; max cache on the 400Mhz bus P4's is 512Kb - that's what you need to aim for.

Moving up to a faster Celeron won't give much of a performance boost.

SL6PN, SL6QQ, SL6EB, SL6GT, SL6SA are all 2.5Ghz 400Mhz 512Kb P4's, SL6GS, SL68T, SL6PM, SL6E9, SL66T, SL65R, SL6S9, SL6QP, SL6SR, SL67R are all 2.4Ghz 400Mhz 512Kb P4's; imho, it's not worth spending on anything less.

P4 CPU specs.

 

The chipset can handle 1GB modules, that's why that's listed as max. The recommendation may be because HP/Compaq built in a ceiling of 1GB in the BIOS when they put the motherboard in their system. Makes perfect sense to do something like that, doesn't it? rolleyes

OP, if you can't borrow RAM from someone, see if you can buy it from a vendor/store that lets you return it for full refund if it doesn't work.

 

Maybe it wont make much of a difference but when it comes to gaming i believe, the bigger cpu you have the better the game will run, among other things of course. The game i play s.u.n most the time it plays decent but the longer im on the game the more it lags till it's unplayable, Maybe because my video card doesn't have a fan on it? Nor does the cpu, just the system fan and psu fan, those are the only fans i have. So really I don't know if the game lagging is a heat problem or something that may improve if i go with a bigger cpu. I need a new pc period but i don't have the money for it. I'm debating on rather or not i should get a fan and heatsink for the gfx card and a fan for the cpu and forget about a new cpu for now.

 

I'm guessin that's gonna be REALLY hard to find and for a cheap price.. Ive found 2.5's on ebay but not so sure that any of them are 512kb.

Here's a 2.4/512kb but it says it's 2400mhz... umm? lol.
http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Pentium-4...36QQcmdZViewItemQQptZCPUs?hash=item414b969660

 

That's a 2.4Ghz (= 2400Mhz) 512Kb 533Mhz bus speed - if it would run in your PC, it would be at @ 1.8Ghz = no point in trying.

I gave you the relevant CPU codes in my previous posts and a link back to the Intel site for you to cross-reference the specifications.

From my earlier link, 282436-B21 is the manufacturers reference number for the 1Gb RAM sticks that will (allegedly ) work in your PC, plug that number into Ebay, Google or Bing and see what prices you can find.

The reason your game slows with time could be any number of things, RAM, gfx card, HDD space, Virtual Memory ...

 

Wait a min, what!?! On the hp site in my mo/bo's specs it said i can use up to a p4 2.5 ghz, why wouldn't that 2.4 work?? Sorry for not understanding but I don't. and this probably isn't what you meant but from what i gather; you're saying don't bother with the bigger cpus; example that 2.4ghz p4 because it's only gonna show up/run as a 1.8ghz? The only reason why i see that p4 wouldn't run in my pc is because it's over the 400mhz bus speed limit.

I know it could be anything, I'm just trying to guess the most likely thing, Like my gfx card that has a heat sink rigged to it, no thermal grease nor a fan, same situation for the cpu and the fact that besides the psu fan my PC has only 1 fan in it. Wouldn't anyone else look at those things first too?? As for thinking i need a bigger cpu that may be the problem as well because i check the cpu during game play and a lot of the time it's at 100 %. In that case why wouldn't a bigger cpu help the matter?? As for the HDD, I have a 31 gb, about 7gb free space. I don't think it's a virtual memory issue, I'm pretty sure i have my paging file set properly and i NEVER get the low virtual memory errors.

Not so much worried about testing to see if 2gb ram will work in this thing.. I think.. I need to fix the cooling problem and or get a bigger cpu... from what ive seen, the signs that this is needed to be done, are there.

 

http://img121.imageshack.us/img121/2410/cpup4.jpg
I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to do with this or how it's supposed to help me but i put in the specs for the cpu i want, and i got this.. now what?

 

Your current Celeron CPU is about the equivalent performance of the P4 1.8Ghz = bottleneck number 1

What're the specs of your gfx card? How much hard drive space do you have? What speed is your hard drive? What size is your Virtual Memory?

Your motherboard does not run at 533Mhz FSB, therefore you cannot run a 533Mhz CPU at full speed (if it would run - boot - at all), it may run at 4/5ths of the rated speed. A 400Mhz CPU, however, will run at full speed.

I suggest you go back and read my earlier posts and the provided links so that you can grasp what limitations you have to work within.

Your Intel page now tells you the same as I said earlier - use the CPU codes, eg., SL6GT to search for a working CPU in Ebay from a reputable seller.

 

Exactly!! which is why i say upgrading from my 2.0ghz to a 2.4 or 2.5 might make some difference..

--Video card--
Nvidia geforce fx 5200
Memory: 256mb
128bit
Note, in Dx diag i notticed a few errors in directX files.

--Hard Drive--
31.9 GB
Used:26.9GB
Free:5.07GB
Speed: Unknown.
The specs for the hp pavilion 504n on the hp site says the HD is a 40 GB and the speed is 5400rpm

--Paging file--
Drive C: [hp pavilion]
Space availiable: 6724 mb
[x]Custom size:
Initial size (MB): 1521
Maximum size (MB): 1521

Total paging file size for all drives
Minimum allowed: 2MB
Recommended: 1521
Currently allocated: 1521

Dxdiag- Page file: 230mb used, 2211mb available

Kinda thought so. I'll just have to find a 2.5 or 2.4 ghz p4, 400mhz bus, 512 cache, which is what i planed on, but as i stated before, it'll probably be really hard to find at a decent price. So far that seems to be the case.

I read that and from what I understand is, I can go with up to a 2.5ghz p4 socket 478, 400mhz bus, 512mb cache.

 

with the help of the spec thing on the intel site you linked me to, i done so searching on ebay, and i found what i want but I really don't want to spend $25 - $50+ on a p4 cpu.
Any other site you know of i could try browsing for what i want but cheaper?

 

I would seriously consider "US Online Auction and Clearance" sites as you will get whole systems P43.0GHz for $25-50USD, eg:

http://www.auctionlotwatch.com/usauctions.html
US Govt:
http://www.usa.gov/shopping/shopping.shtml

Also consider local "PC Markets" etc especially as you have the sSpec numbers etc. I wouldn't spend anymore than $20 as previously stated.

 

Aside from your need for a faster CPU, your lack of free hard drive space is seriously slowing your PC, probably by around 30-50% compared to a 50% full drive each time the machine needs to access certain data; when you start S.U.N., it'll need to load around 500Mb of data + each time you warp back to town, load a new region, etc., it'll need to load around another 200-300Mb and dump unused data back to the drive. Ccleaner and a good defragger FTW!

 

I use Ccleaner, it's a nice program, I defrag and do other maintenance almost daily. Also while I'm playing s.u.n I close explorer and lots of other things running in the background and also use game booster which i found in the major geeks top downloads section. At first this all worked well but at the same time i had a small fan i took out of a laptop, i hooked it up and aimed it at my gpu on the video card, Seems that all the lag came back after the fan went out; and believe me the gpu gets HOT!! About the HD space, Seeing that i have roughly a 30gb HD, how much free space should i keep on it to be safe? If it's even possible to clear up the amount of extra space i might need. lol.

 

That GPU will get hot, it must be running flat-out to keep up with the game because it's close to minimum spec. needed for S.U.N.

Try to keep the free space around 30 - 40%, once it drops to around 25%, there will be a significant slowdown.

 

Yeah, the only problem with that is, ive never done bidding so i really don't know how it'd work, I like sticking to fixed prices. what happens if i bid on something and decide i don't want it because the price went up too much?? Just stop bidding and pay nothing right? That sounds easy enough but id be having someone else i know (a friend) with a credit card, do all the payment stuff for me cause i don't have a credit or debit card; also i don't wanna get in over my head and somehow end up owing my friend a but load of money because i get charged for something that messed up or something. Whole p4 3.0ghz systems for 25 - 50 dollars that does sound nice though; is that only if you get lucky on a bid or what? kinda sounds like it. I also wouldn't wanna get stuck with something like a dell dimension 8200; look up the specs for it and you'll see exactly what i mean and i could see why pc's like that would go for 25- 50 dollars but; in the case of a nice HP 3.0ghz, i just don't see it happening.

 

You are right you only have to pay if your bid is the highest and you would need a Credit/Debit Card.

If you click on those links I posted previously you will find the units sold for $19each as no one really wanted them, I think it was an extra $10-15:

http://www.graysonline.com/Lot.aspx?id=4348896

Governments will update the PC's for a whole Departments (say the Tax Office selling off 50 PCs) every 5-10 years and sometimes you can get a really good bargain. It's was just a thought and worth considering.

 

I don't know why but ive checked out these links and searched for these 20 - 50 dollar systems you speak of and i just can't find any.. Other than the direct link you posted in which that system was sold.

And on this site i just don't know what to go to, i don't see anything on there about computers lol.
http://www.usa.gov

Went to this one as well it's just a site with a listing of ebay like sites, i checked out the first few and still didn't find those 15 - 20 dollar deals. The prices were about the same as ebay.
http://www.auctionlotwatch.com/usauctions.html

 

I will have a bit off a look, it's hard for me as I'm in Australia.

What state do you come from?

 

From Ohio but I'm living in IL.

 

Bio I can't answer your PM via a message as you have settings to not allow PM, your question:

Personally I haven't as yet (I buy high end gear generally, bought 4GB DDR3 today from a local shop as they had "the best price").

As to consumer safety ebay has PayPal which does provide "protection", if you don't receive the product you can report it and money is refunded. You should google other sites for community opinions, ask the BBB (US consumer watchdog) and read their fine print on consumer protection.

That site I listed "Grays Online" I do know someone who got a Dell system at 1/3 of RRP but they had to fix a small issue (which they figured out).

A bit of research can save you some money, but I personally can't vouch or guarantee any of those sites.

I will look a bit later but I am currently doing some system testing for a few hours.

PS. EBay has become incredibly moronic and many people pay 2 to 3 times what they would pay in an actual shop in many examples "because they haven't done their homework" and are incredibly gullible (it's an Auction so it must be cheaper.....ROFL). I NEVER USE EBAY.

 

Yeah i looked in settings and i can't find the thing for receiving messages from non friends on here. The local shops here suck, even the repair guys, my gf took her laptop to a guy out here and found out he also sells computers, she thought about buying one from him but she wanted to bring me along to help decide; so we get there and he trys to sell her a p3 laptop for 2 hundred dollars.