upgrading a 8530w to a quad core...

So if you couldn't tell from the title, my plan is to buy an 8530w and swap out the cpu for a Q9100 Quad Core. Anyway, is there special cooling needed for the quad core? I asked only because i noticed that if I tried to add a quad core on the HP website it requires a 'special' graphics card. This got me thinking that they might have added something for the quad cores that they leave out of the normal ones.

 

Quad core version has a different heatsink. It is also likely that is uses a different mainboard too. So I wouldn't try to buy a dual core machine and try to upgrade it to quad unless someone else has done it before and can confirm.

 

aww...that really sucks...can anyone confirm whether or not this will work? No wonder Q9100 chips are so cheap LOL

 

Wait...I already checked and the Voltage and Sockets are the same as for the dual cores. The only thing I can think of is heat distribution, but then this wouldnt be a physical limitation. I would just have to keep an eye out for over heating right? My 8510p has extremely low temps (idle/load: 30C/60C) so I doubt the 8530w will have substantial problems with that. Or are you saying that the heatsink wont fit physically with the quad?

 

I don't see a reason for it not to fit physically. What I do know is that HP lists a different part number for the heatsink of quad core cpus as opposed to dual core cpus. Regarding heat, my 8530w with T9600 and quadro gets very hot while gaming. I wouldn't think of increasing the TDP as it is. Anyways if you decide to make the switch please let us know if it works :d

 

What temps are you getting on the cpu and the gpu under load? Im debating whether to try this out or just buy a quad-equipped 8730w as I cant find the required heatsink anywhere or a quad 8530w. I agree with you that it doesnt make sense for it to not physically fit but I am worried about potential heat.

 

Are you sure they use the same motherboard? I think that although the pins are the same, they are configured differently for quads...

 

man i hate hp for not making a single motherboard for both!

 

It's HP, what do you expect...almost EVERYTHING is made so you can't change it...so that you pay more to have it how you want it, not pay less and make it like you want it yourself

 

I know...but I can dream can't I?

 

you can upgrade your 8530w with a quadcore cpu, you just need to purchase a new heatsink for your cpu.

the chipset is a pm 45 express on all 8530w's

For use with the Quad Core processor and nVidia graphics card 501116-001
For use with the Quad Core processor and ATI graphics card 495074-001

you just order the one that fits your grphics card.

cheers.

 

Good to know, but its extremely hard to find just the heatsink and I suspect they're prohibitively expensive since its such a rare part.

Anyway I settelled on a m4400 since I dont have to worry about the mobo or heatsink issues and I found a deal on a used one with an RGB-LED screen w/ specs in my sig for only $800! couldnt resist XD

 

I can confirm that a quad works fine (Q9200 QAVR) in the 8530w* (BUT see next post below). Just a minor issue with getting SuperLFM mode to work properly which I'm working on, see here. I'm using the dual core 8530w motherboard in a 8530p. I note though that the "SI Build" pre production mobo's I also have don't support the quad, even with the latest BIOS in them, but they are quite rare so I doub't anyone would run into that little gotcha.

I'm still using the DC heatsink while I await the arrival of the QC heatsink ordered direct from HP and quite reasonably priced. Hopefully it will fit ok without too many mods, since I noticed there is a different bottom chassis cover (and fan) listed for quad models too.

 

I'm sorry, I may have been a tad hasty in my confimation. It turns out that it can become unstable and refuse to boot up correctly, generating lockups and BSODs during windows boot. Once in windows it is rock solid, and seems to be able to handle anything I can throw at it, though in windows it never enters IDA mode and I'm using RMClock to keep voltages down.

I think I have identified the issue, and the difference between the proper quad boards, and the DC boards. I beleive it is a power issue, since we could be asking for up to 30% more power at times. Presumably there is a big spike in power requirements during XP boot.

I kind of guessed it was this, but this has now been confirmed by looking at some rare photos of the proper Quad mobo. It has an extra power circuit and associated componentry going to the CPU. The quad boards have 3 big capacitors next to the cpu socket, whereas the DC board only has 2. The empty pads are there on the DC, as are the other small empty pads for the extra driver ICs.

The BSODs only happen sometimes, and only when "hot", so I think we are pretty close to the design limit plus the safety margin, but then we worryingly overstep it occasionally.

So there are 3 options I can think of to proceed with this (easiest first).
1. pinmod the CPU to undervolt the default voltages.
2. Put some heatinking on the power capacitors and driver ICs.
3. Scavenge the missing components off a dead board (I have a few of these) and put them on.

Can anyone else offer any suggestions? I'm gonna try the pinmod first, since it is free, and easy to do. This thing runs rock solid at its lowest VID of 1.050V at all speeds (except maybe IDA which I cannot test). So I should be able to drop a fair bit, and hopefully enough to drop below the mobo's limit.

Stock VIDs reported in ACPI are...
1.050@1600MHz(6x)
1.1625@2400MHz(9x)
1.300@2666MHz(IDA 10x)

*EDIT*
I have done the pinmod now, and it is stable so far. I have done some calculations and have asked for a scond opinion here, Basically, I obtained a 10% undervolt by pinmodding, and in theory I only needed about 7% to meet Intel's recommended design target. This assumes HP implemented Intels target, so I guess only time will tell.

 

Quad core uses montevina motherboard, its a new mainboard. Youd better off buying the new quad core computer.

 

yes this is right. until the OS loads the proper ACPI drivers for EIST all cores will run at full throttle no matter the load.

 

Well I got the proper quadcore heatsink (for NVIDIA card) today, and it doesn't fit the dualcore setup. The end with the fins on it is much thicker - bigger fins. I butchered it to make it fit, it is quite rough, but it does the job. I also had to cut off the small spikes that stick up from the top of the heatsink around the CPU alloy casting part. This was because the keyboard couldn't go back over it since the spikes were way too long.

So my conclusion is that the quadcore base enclosure doesn't have the curves and step on the vent outlet part. It must also somehow lower the position of the CPU (or mobo) relative to the keyboard.

If I had to do it again I could make a reasonable job of it, but it is difficult trimming down all those fins so that they have the right profile for the dualcore base. It might be better to just buy the quadcore base, then you could run the heatsink unmodified, and run the quadcore fan - which I'm assuming is also thicker (so has more airflow).

But with the modded heatsink, QX9200 (undervolted), FX770, and dualcore base and fan, it seems to be rock solid. Core temps stabilise at 90 deg with multicore prime95 and ATItool 3D view running. Idle core temps are high 30's.

It would be interesting to know what the stock QC temps are?

 

i have a 8730w and after upgrading to Q9200 i noticed one core being fully loaded all the time... there are no issues during boot and no pinmod was required, but have 25% load all the time is not what i'm looking for. do you have the same problem on 8530w? somebody mentioned this problem in a different topic, yet noone has come up with any solution. if getting the quad-core system board is the only option, then i will go for it, but i would still prefer to save 450eur on a board if possible

 

Nope, Q9200 runs perfectly normal on the 8530w, all cores idle normally, this is the same on both the dual-core and quad-core 8530w mobos. So maybe there is something else going on with your 8730w?