A couple of questions...

Hi all,

I have a HP ZD8000 Laptop with a socket LGA775 pentium 4 3.2ghz hyper threading processor, I was wondering could I upgrade it to a pentium d or a core duo something to make the fan come on a bit less it's driving me nuts!!!

Also currently it has a 100gb ide seagate drive, now I want to put an ssd in it for reliability more than speed could I buy an ide to msata connector like this

(http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/mSATA-Mini-PCI-E-SSD-To-1-8-44-Pin-IDE-Adapter-Male-Converter-Adapter-Board-/291558220251?hash=item43e23961db:g:x6gAAOSwT6pV7WDt)

and buy a 64gb msata card and pop it in and install Windows XP (MCE 2005 of course)

Thanks

 

If its a laptop, (pretty much any laptop) I dont think that adapter will fit inside your comps hdd bay, the ide kinda dates the machine. If it works, just use as is.

-corne-

 

Hallo, XP-MCE.

Hm. I think you're in the same kinda area as my old Dell Inspiron, from 2002. Originally it came with a Celeron (2.2 GHz), 128 MB RAM, and a 20 GB IDE/PATA Hitachi Travelstar HDD.

Over the years, she's been modified quite a bit. First, the RAM was maxed to 1 GB. Then, the Celeron was swapped out for a 2.6 GHz P-4. Finally, I decided I needed to do something about the pathetic storage capacity. I decided to try the KingSpec IDE solid state drives.

I originally went with a 32 GB, to try it out:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KingSpec-...412230?hash=item542c88bf46:g:tXYAAOSwiylW~kfv

I run the 'Black' Edition of XP Pro, and dual-boot that with Puppy Linux. Soon realised I could do with more storage, and increased the SSD to a 64 GB version:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-5-IDE-P...276569?hash=item463ebce159:g:-1kAAOSw3ydVugDF

They're reasonably priced, and work well. They also go up to a 128 GB, if you want larger capacity:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/KingSpec-...291186?hash=item463ebd1a72:g:8rYAAOSwHnFVugcE

Almost certainly you'll have a 44-pin 2.5" connection, and it will probably have one of these on the pins:-

http://imgur.com/8tMXbqj

These were common at the time amongst laptop manufacturers, and simply adapt the pin interface on the drive to an edge connector that will interface with the motherboard more easily. You'll need to prise it off, and transfer it to your new drive, but.....be careful. Those pins bend easily, and the adapter is a tight fit.

I doubt you need the mSATA card adapter thingy, since those were largely used, at that time, by Asus, with the then new EeePC's.

Hope that helps. As for the CPU, with an LGA775, you should definitely be able to upgrade to something like a Pentium dual-core. The Prescott-cored P-4s were known for running hot!


Mike.

 

Hallo again, XP-MCE.

If I'm reading your system specs correctly:-

http://www.notebookreview.com/notebookreview/hp-pavilion-zd8000-review-pics-specs/

...then you're actually running a Mobile Pentium 4. These were Socket 478. If this is the case, then it severely limits your options as regards upgrading; AFAIK, there were no dual-core Pentiums, or other CPUs, available for that socket.

The problem appears to be the way the cooling system was designed.....in other words, not very well!


Mike.

 

Hi Mike no it's definatly socket 775 i have stripped it down many times in it's life thanks for the info

 

So you dont think the mini pci adapter is a good idea? the adapter will fit...

If i was to fit a pentium dual core would it run cooler ?

Thanks

 

Yow! I missed this! I never realized there was such a thing as an ide ssd.

-c-

 

Hi, cornemuse.

Yep; they've been on the market for a couple or three years, now. Makes a hell of a difference to an older machine with the IDE interface. Bearing in mind that I run a P-4, which is not fast to begin with, XP is at the desktop, and ready to go, in approx 30-35 seconds.....which for XP, on a machine of this age, is fast.

The only downside is that most of these KingSpecs are only available on eBay. Transcend do one, too:-

http://www.transcend-info.com/Products/No-418

.....which is also available up to a 128 GB version. Transcend have largely been active in the industrial/process area for many years, have a wealth of experience, and are just starting to branch out into the domestic market.....but the quality of construction is absolutely superb. If you want one that'll last for many years, and don't mind paying a bit more for them, I would thoroughly recommend them.


Mike.

 

Hi, XP-MCE.

Ah, well; in that case, if you definitely have an LGA775, then you can certainly go for a dual-core Pentium. Have a look here:-

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Core_2/TYPE-Core 2 Duo.html

...for the Core2Duos, and here:-

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Pentium_D/TYPE-Pentium D (Presler).html

...for the Pentium D's. These are dual-core; don;t have hyper threading (though you won't miss it), and, more importantly were

a) Based on the smaller 65-nanometre process, which will run faster, and generate less heat, and

b) Fitted with the Intel 'Speedstep' technology, which allowed them to slow the cores down when not in use, which cut down on heat generation even further.

Have a browse through the two lists, find one you like the look of, then have a hunt on eBay for one, giving as much detail in the search box as you can. You could look on Amazon, but I tend to find that eBay is much better for this kind of thing. You'll find loads of 'em; it's relatively old tech, which not many folk want nowadays.....and you can find some real bargains.

Something like this one would do exactly what you're looking for:-

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Penti...H80553PG0804M (BX80553930 - BX80553930T).html

...though you may be better off with the Core2Duos, which were based on the later, better-performing, and cooler-running 'Core' architecture.

My own P-4 came off eBay for all of GBP £7.20p (approx USD $12).

Hope that helps!


Mike.

 

Hi again, XP-MCE.

Been having a scout around, and I think this would do you very nicely:-

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Core_2/Intel-Core 2 Duo E8300 EU80570AJ0736M.html

The L2 cache size is larger than the Pentium D, and the more advanced SSSE3 and SSE4.1 instructions will improve things even further.....plus you've got the VT-x 'Virtualisation technology'. More importantly, the TDP is a lot lower; 65W as against round about 90W for your current one. So it'll run considerably cooler.....and with the much more advanced 'Core' architecture, you won't miss that Hyperthreading at all.

Here's one on eBay; in the States, and look at that price...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Core-...434105?hash=item4afb951fb9:g:rt8AAOSwZ8ZW8WdF

Can't argue with that..!

However, we need to know your bus speed; this example may not be the right one for your motherboard.


Mike.

 

Nope; getting ahead of myself there.

This is the fastest Core2Duo you'll be able to fit to your motherboard:-

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Core_2/Intel-Core 2 Duo E4700 HH80557PG0642M (BX80557E4700).html

Smaller L2 cache, although the SSSE3s will more than offset that. Don't worry about it running around 1 GHz slower; with the 'Core' architecture, you won't notice it.....and again, the TDP is much lower.

Here's one on eBay (first on the list, in fact):-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Core-...370242?hash=item35ff974482:g:xMQAAOSwa-dWqNpC

I don't think $10 is out of the way for that at all.


Mike.

 

Hi All Not good news i'm afraid i was having a look round in my attic and came across 3 lga socket 775 processors:

Intel Pentium Dual Core @ 2.53GHz
Intel Pentium D @ 2.60GHz
Intel Celeron Dual Core @ 1.60GHz

and guess what...... none of them worked so it looks like i'm limited to the Pentium 4 Range could anyone suggest the best pentium 4 to suit my needs, I want one that is fairly reasonable when it comes to speed but also runs fairly cool so the bloody fan doesn't keep blasting away even its idle.

It currently has an Intel Pentium 4 3.4GHz supporting HT Technology according to intel's website

Thank you everyone for your help

 

Hi again, XP-MCE.

Hm. Unfortunately, if the Core2Duos, Pentium D's, etc, don't work, and you have an LGA 775-socket P-4, then I'm afraid you're pretty well stuffed, as far as cutting down on heat output.....'cos the Extreme Editions all run BLOODY hot. The 'Prescotts' were absolutely awful in that respect.

I'm unclear which P-4 you've actually got. Is it an Extreme Edition.....or is it the previous generation, Cedar Mill? What I need to know is the actual 'S-Spec' number.....and unless you're using CPUID's 'CPU-Z':-

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

or something similar, the only way you're going to find it is by physically reading it from off the top of the heatshield on the CPU itself.

(Means removing the heatsink/fan assembly, and wiping the thermal paste off, I'm afraid.)

'Cos if yours is an 'Extreme Edition', then there is hope. The 3.4 GHz 'EE' runs out at 110W TDP (Thermal Design Power; that's how much the heatsink has to be able to dissipate, in terms of heat output). It only has a 512k L2 cache, but crucially, has an L3 cache.....although still limited to SSE2s.

The Cedar Mill '651' 3.4 GHz, on the other hand, runs at around the 80W TDP mark (it was based on 0.065 tech, rather than 0.13); still has HyperThreading, and additionally runs the SSE3 instruction set.....which will make it a lot more responsive. 'Only' an L2 cache (no L3, I'm afraid).....but it IS 2 MB in size.

You won't notice the difference, performance-wise (in fact, it should be more responsive still), but you will notice the difference in heat output. And, to be fair, it never hurts to re-do the TIM (Thermal Interface Material.....'gunk' to you and me ) from time to time. At those sort of heat outputs, it quickly dries up, and becomes less effective in terms of heat transfer.

Need that S-spec number, mate. Usually 'SLxxx'. It'll help, trust me!


Mike.

 

Hi Mate no it's not an extreme edition i dont think its an Intel Pentium 4 3.40GHz with HT Technology and the SL Number is SL7PY to get this number I had to strip the whole laptop down again and i'm not looking forward to doing it again

Thanks for your help james

 

Hi, XP-MCE.

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Penti....4 GHz - JM80547PG0961M (BX80547PG3400E).html

Well, there's your specs. It is a 3.40 GHz Pentium 4.....a 'Prescott', as I suspected. Bloody hot-running, too! You do have SSE3s, after all.....and a I MB L2 cache, so not TOO bad.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/INTEL-PENTI...613716?hash=item3d1170da94:g:vJQAAOSwQYZWvBUe

A 'Cedar Mill' 651 3.4 GHz there for you on eBay; nice price, too. About what I paid for my own 2.6 last year. 2 MB L2, SSE3s again, and still hyper-threading. Same FSB (800 MHz), same LGA 775 socket. And it'll run a fair bit cooler.....

Oops; my mistake. That's 64-bit; yours is 32-bit, so that won't work. Let me do some more digging around. I'll get back to you.


Mike.

 

I like the sound of cooler

Thanks

 

Hi did you make any head way with the cedar mills or what ever it was called thanks

 

I ordered one of these pata ssd's (128GB KingSpec 2.5-inch PATA/IDE) more than a month ago, came Tuesday, from China. Yesterday I cloned the old hdd to it & installed it in my ooold Toshiba laptop. I have 360 total security & they the show boot time, every time. Took 18 seconds! Machine runs as fast as my newer one, I am impressed. $80 + free shipping, , ,

-c-

 

Hey, cornemuse.

Told ya they weren't bad, didn't I..? They'll keep an old machine lively for quite some time to come, too. Only snag with XP is it doesn't support the TRIM command, but if you leave 10% or so of the drive un-formatted, it'll give the controller room to work with as it shuffles blocks around. It's the best alternative in the absence of TRIM.


Mike.

 

I cloned my older drive to the new ssd. How does one (or can one even,) make a portion of the ssd un-formatted? I used 'partition wizard free' to clone the drive.

To install XP (home, toshiba install dvd, I cant leave any of the drive 'un-formatted', boot to install disk & walk away, , , , toshiba does what toshiba wants.

-c-

(I did make a few changes/additions to the registry re ssd's, comp still starts, so I guess I didnt screw up too bad!)