Need Real Important Advice on CPU Upgrade

As some of you read I was looking to upgrade a Socket P Celeron M 540 1.86GHz to a faster Core 2 Duo in my HP Compaq 6720s. Well I picked up a Socket P Core 2 Duo T7100 which should provide a massive performance gain.

I've now ordered a Arctic Silver ArctiClean Thermal Material Remover & Surface Purifier 60ml Kit to clean the thermal residue on the CPU and Arctic Silver 5 3.5g Thermal Paste to apply afterwards when I'm ready to insert the CPU into my laptop.

Now here is the vital part, I need to open up the laptop and get access to the CPU. I can see underneath the laptop that there are Torx screws but which ones to undo I don't know. I don't want to remove everything, I only want to swap the CPU out. Another question, will the BIOS on the machine detect a Core 2 Duo if it was originally for the Celeron M? I believe it would but there are no guarantees. If people could give me help and advice with the disassembly and installation etc it would be very much appreciated. Many thanks.

 

Sorry for the double post but I really need help quickly

 

Have a look at where the side exit vent is located. If there's a panel over that that'd be your one. If not then you might have to take the whole laptop apart to get to the cpu.

 

The side vent is part of the bottom plastic of the laptop so I presume I'm going to have to take the laptop apart. Underneath the laptop there are screws with a little keyboard symbol next to them and other screws to access the hard drive, take out optical drive etc. Do you think removing the keyboard would grant me access to the CPU?

 

Try looking for a service manual. Prolly under "manuals" if there is one...

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...=3442832&submit.y=12&submit.x=6&lang=en&cc=us

 

OMG thank you Commander Wolf!!! I found the service manual but I'm in a state of shock. I've got to remove all this just to replace the CPU:

Hard drive (see Hard drive on page 40)
a.
Optical drive (see Optical drive on page 46)
b.
Component replacement procedures 73
Keyboard (see Keyboard on page 50)
c.
Switch cover (see Switch cover on page 47)
d.
Speaker (see Speaker on page 53)
e.
Display lid switch module (see Display lid switch module on page 54)
f.
Display assembly (see Display assembly on page 55)
g.
Top cover (see Top cover on page 59)
h.
System board (see System board on page 65)

And also on my point about the BIOS not detecting the new CPU there is this in the manual too:

System board
NOTE: All system board spare part kits include replacement thermal material.
Description Spare part number
For use only with computer models equipped with Intel Core 2 Duo processors 456608-001
For use only with computer models equipped with Intel Celeron M processors 456609-001

Does this mean the Core 2 Duo won't work? :s

 

Yep, that sounds about right. On my previous Dell E1705/9400, I had to do similar to swap the CPU. My current Gateway is the first Notebook I've owned where all you have to do is pop off a bottom panel to get at the CPU.

 

@Exodemia, did you make sure you updated to the latest BIOS before putting the new CPU in?

*Off Topic: teksurv, I'm probably gonna follow the same path as you. E1705--> Gateway P-6831FX.

 

I've not installed the CPU yet. I'm not sure whether to go ahead because if you read my post again I don't know if the BIOS will detect the CPU. I need more clarification and help from you guys before I do because it's a pretty serious procedure which could result in be damaging the laptop.

 

I've looked through countless articles and all of them said they support at least a 533/800Mhz FSB CPU.

Anyways, you can get the latest BIOS from here: Link

Oh, found this in the Service Manual Guide:

Code:

All processor spare part kits include replacement thermal material.
Description Spare part number
Intel Core 2 Duo processors:
● T9300 2.50-GHz processor (6-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 463050-001
● T8300 2.40-GHz processor (3-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 463049-001
● T8100 2.10-GHz processor (3-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 463048-001
● T7800 2.60-GHz processor (4-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 459465-001
● T7700 2.40-GHz processor (4-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 446894-001
● T7500 2.20-GHz processor (4-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 446893-001
● T7300 2.00-GHz processor (4-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 446892-001
● T7250 2.00-GHz processor (2-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 459463-001
● [B]T7100 1.80-GHz processor (2-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 446891-001[/B]
● T5550 1.83-GHz processor (2-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 459464-001
● T5470 1.60-GHz processor (2-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 456575-001
● T5450 1.66-GHz processor (2-MB L2 cache, 667-MHz FSB) 454598-001
● T5270 1.40-GHz processor (2-MB L2 cache, 800-MHz FSB) 462345-001
Intel Pentium Dual-Core processors:
● T2310 1.46-GHz processor (1-MB L2 cache, 533-MHz FSB) 462619-001
Intel Celeron M processors:
● 550 2.00-GHz processor (1-MB L2 cache, 533-MHz FSB) 446889-001
● 540 1.86-GHz processor (1-MB L2 cache, 533-MHz FSB) 446888-001
● 530 1.73-GHz processor (1-MB L2 cache, 533-MHz FSB) 459462

Looks like you're good to go with that CPU.

 

Thanks Mike but I'd seen that already. The reason for my doubt is another section in the same manual:

System board
NOTE: All system board spare part kits include replacement thermal material.
Description Spare part number
For use only with computer models equipped with Intel Core 2 Duo processors 456608-001
For use only with computer models equipped with Intel Celeron M processors 456609-001

That's what concerns me. That the system board might be locked in some manner?

 

I think they're referring to the kit replacement for your particular CPU. So that if they are looking it up, they search for the identification code. For easier lookup that's all.

And don't worry about the 'replacement thermal material'. You have that already.

 

So you think I'll be fine? What performance gain do you think I'll have with the T7100 over the Celeron M 540? What other advice can you give me?

 

The performance difference is probably going to be significant depending what you do (Task-wise). There are numerous applications that support multiple-cores so that would be a beneficial start.

As for other advice, take your time taking everything appart and install the CPU. Always make sure you are free of static electricity (touch some metal to discharge). Not to sound weird, but when I'm usually install fragile components like a CPU, I get rid of as much clothing as possible on my body. I strip to my boxers or shorts and a t-shirt. IMO, jeans can create some significant static charge if you rub your legs against the floor. So try not to do that.

 

Oh dear I've found the answer, it won't work: http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=210436

 

OK well I e-mailed HP and Intel and here's HP response:

"I understand that you would like to upgrade the processor on the unit from Celeron M 540 to replace it with a Core 2 Duo T7100.

HP/Compaq does not recommend or support upgrading the internal hardware of the notebook. Upgrading the internal hardware of the notebook might result in abnormal functioning or effect the performance of the notebook. The processor installed in the notebook is tested for compatibility with the system board and is made sure to provide the best performance.

Basically, installing a new processor on to an older system board will not result in very high performance, because the new processor will be forced to work at a lower speed to match the speed of the older system board and components connected to it. This is one of the main reasons why HP does not support these upgrades."

 

Well guys I've bitten the bullet and just purchased a Core 2 Duo T5250 on eBay which should definitely work with laptop.

 

Cool, let us know how that goes. I'd ignore HP's response they're just covering themselves.

 

Thanks moon_angel. I've found this which seems to prove that 667MHz Core 2 Duos work with the GL960 chipset: https://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=NB-VR601WO

It has the same processor as the one I've bought

 

I've just got a response from Intel about the GL960 chipset, here it is:

"In general terms, the Mobile Intel(R) GL960 Express chipset does not support the Intel(R) Core(TM) 2 Duo processor T7100. However, and as you mentioned, sometimes some manufacturers program the chipsets to support different processors than the standards the chipset was originally built for. Since compatibility and upgrade information must be specific to a system, it must come from the system manufacturer.

I would recommend contacting the laptop manufacturer for compatibility information, as their testing would require the use of our processors (but not vice-versa)."

So the T7100 could of worked but I'm going to stick with the T5250 I think. The whole issue is a complete uncertainty, some GL960 laptops can run with a Socket P 667MHz Core 2 Duo CPU but according to the above it's because the manufacturers program the chipset. I've found no-one who has attempted to upgrade a HP Compaq 6720s, indeed if someone reading this has then please contribute! It would help tremendously in my case and possibly others.

I've contacted HP again to see if I can get any more information out of there. Of course if I disassemble my laptop, insert the CPU, put it make together again and find out it doesn't work I'm going to be very frustrated.

 

I had an HP and I gave up after looking into the service manual. you have to take the whole laptop apart just to replace a cpu. In my case, it is not worth the effort.

I also have a Gateway, and it took less 5 minutes to replace the cpu. just take off the bottom plate over the cpu fan, then unscrew the heatsink, and take off the cpu. it is much easier than replacing desktop cpu.

 

GL960 chipset supports 3GB of RAM and T5450 CPU. I know for sure since I upgraded my Gateway

 

Yes foxnews but that be because Gateway programmed their chipset to do so. Intel say that manufacturers can program the chipset to support Core 2 Duos but HP might not have done this. Anyway here are some response I got from HP:

"...as the unit is shipped with Celeron M 540 processor, the chipset on the unit would not be compatible with the Intel Core 2 Duo processor. We have not tested for the combination of both on the unit and hence, not aware of the compatibility. Certain units would be shipped with Intel Core 2 Duo processor for which compatible chipset would be installed."

"Yes, the speed of the processor may come down and not all functions will run smooth. However, as informed in our previous e-mail, HP does not HP/Compaq does not recommend or support upgrading the internal hardware of the notebook. You can replace the same at your own risk."