I have two computers (my sons') one with a Pentium 133 and the other a Pentium 166 Mhz, both socket 7. I'd like to upgrade these to either AMD 400 or 500 Mhz processors. My question is, before I buy the processors, will most socket 7 mainboards handle the faster processor speed?

Howdy:

Easiest way to find out is to go to the mobo's manufacturer's website and read up on the specs.. They will tell you the max CPU size..

Don't be surprised if they max you out at 233 !!!

Murray

It's been my experience that it's very unlikely that the motherboard will support a new athalon. But that doesn't mean you can't upgrade. It's a bit more work, but kind of a fun project. You can buy a motherboard/cpu combo very inexpensively, then just open the case, remove the ram, drives, fans, and power supply from the old motherboard, then plug them into the new board - voila! new 1gig+ machine for about $100.

Lets be realistic! U can't do a 1.1 gig anything for $100 ! I've posted a $229 1.1 gig celeron here before! But $100 is not possible!

He ahs a socket 7 MB! Most socket7 boards took an AT power supply! I have one BABY S7 board with both an AT and ATX but a bit unusual! So even if your case is big enough U'll need a new Power Supply most likely cuz Athalon or even P2 takes ATX! $25 at least for that!

Socket 7 means your RAM has to be 72 PIN EDO DIMM! P2 350 and above or Athalon take 168 PIN PC100 or PC133 SDRAM! Some of the newer Athalons take 184 PIN DDR and some even both DDR and PC100 or PC133 SDRAM! But nothing takes 72 PIN EDSO DIMMs! So at least another $12.5 with shipping according to http://www.pricewatch.com for a 128 PC100 chip!

If the board is BABY a regular board might not fit and a micro might be tight! So $50 for a new decent case!

And $123.1 with shipping according to pricewatch for an ECS K7S5A which I use and is great with a 1gig 266 Front Side Bus (FSB) Processor!

And the HD will definately be too slow! My athalon 1.4 was as slow as my P2 300 at the time untill I got a new ATA100 Hard Drive!

So that's about $323 plus a new HD depending on how much U need! So $100 is impossable!

ivnj

I agree with ivnj. The chance that your present hardware/software would work with a motherboard upgrade is poor. I would recommend going the following route: Bare Bones System consisting of a 1.8gig Celeron, Case w/front and rear USB ports, onboard LAN, on board Sound and an $18.00 modem added at time of sale, specd out to $133. Add Win XP Home OEM at @ $90.00, 512 mb SDRAM at @60.00, MX2 400 64mb video at @ 45.00, CD Rom Drive at @ $25.00, and a 20gig HHD at @ $40.00. That totals @ $393.00.
Compared to the present units, you will think you have died and gone to heaven!! This is a great way to start building computers. I assembled two similar units for non-serious gaming friends, and they were delighted!:cool:

A new motherboard / processor combo 1.1gig can be had for 112.00. Yes, you'll probably need a new power supply - gee that could be another ten bucks, and yep another 12.50 if the ram isn't compatible.

So there ya go, 135.00 bucks. I said around a hundred. We upgraded two boxes here at the office from 500's to 900's for around a hundred, but the ram was compatible.

The drives may be slow, but no slower than they were previously, and that's what the original question was about, trying to upgrade a processor. Point is, replacing a motherboard/processor combo is neither difficult or costly, and can be a decent way of extending the useful life a computer.

But if the rest is lagging then there's no point in just upgrading the CPU as the original question states!

The RAM can't be compadible cuz the technology didn't even exist then! So $12.5 ! A NEW power supply can't be baught for ten unless its generic! It is there for too unstable! I've used CompUSA power supplys and they are good and not generic! It will be at least $25 for a new supply! And $50 for a new case cus chances are the old one is too small or out of shape!

At one time I assembled 2 systems! One with a P2-300 and one with a Athalon T-BIRD 1.4-266 ! Both were the same speed wise! My Athalon was barely faster! Why? Because the the processor can only pull the data off the drive as fast as the drive can allow it!

Like if U have DSL OR CABLE and ever wondered why certian sites still take all day! Cuz if their servers are slow it won't matter how fast U are! U will still download at what they allow or the bottle neck is on their end!

Same with a PR and HD! It took all day for apps to open and after upgrading to an ATA100 they didn't!

So the HD must be replaced!

And a MB and CPU may be 118 but it may be a cheap namenbrand with out a fast SIS chipset to tie it all together!

Somebody may have a 1900+ and I have 1700+ for now but I'll still bench higher cuz I've got a nice chipset to tie it all together!

U may have the fastest car on the block but with out the right gasoline...!

So that's $195+HD=$250-300! + Maybe a new Video Card!

ivnj