hi all .... i have a few questions about some upgrades that i'd like to make to my comp., HP Pavilion a6303w Desktop PC.... the one in particular that worries me the most is: 1. stepping up the processor just a notch or two maybe. 2. i read somewhere that if i decide to do this - that i need to make sure the BIOS is up dated - if so How, please 3. will i need to also upgrade my power supply ? 4. i have no idea how to start picking one out, (choosing the right CPU) this is the spec page for my PC: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01294321&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&product=3652954〈=en ill most likey end up doing the job myself - so any help/tips you guys can throw at me .... as always TOTALLY apreciated! thanks all.
Well since you have an HP I doubt you can even change out the cpu. Thats the problem with companies like Dell,HP,Compaq,etc. They design there computers in away that they are typically not very upgradable. Your better off trying to save up for a custom build if you want the ability for future upgrades.
He has a lot of upgrade headroom. According to the HP website, is supports the following chips: ◦Intel Core 2 Quad (Yorkfield core) Q9xxx ◦Intel Core 2 Duo (Wolfsdale core) E8xxx ◦Intel Core 2 Quad (Kentsfield core) up to Q6600 ◦Core 2 Duo E6x00 (Conroe core) up to E6700 ◦Core 2 Duo E4x00 (Conroe core) up to E4400 Front-side bus (FSB) •800/1066/1333 MHz ...So you can get a nice quad core for the system. You will probably need to upgrade the CPU cooler as well. An upgraded power supply probably isn't necessary, but I can't be sure since HP does not post what power supply you have. A nice corsair unit never hurts.
Sh@!!!, now im really on the fence. @ Xplorer4, believe me i would love to just go ahead and splurge on a new system but that can be so expensive. i would love to be able to step-it-up just a little without going crazy - spend'n $ & make the whole thing a great learning experience. so bottom line - tell me would you even bother trying to upgrade it a little if you were on a budget ? or simply not bother & just save up for one like you said? @ KillerBug, thanks for the ray of hope ..... how were you able to find which ones would work for me ? also - could i bother you for a link to the hp site where you were able to see & maybe one/two to newegg or amazon with side by side comparisons of the ones you suggested. id like to take a look for myself and see the price ranges (cringe). im sure even the least expensive one would be an upgrade. thanks for chimimg in & sharing guys! i couldnt tell you how much ive learned through these forums.
@ KillerBug , i totally forgot to ask what about the update to the bios ... #2. in my original post ... "2. i read somewhere that if i decide to do this - that i need to make sure the BIOS is up dated - if so How, please" ? also - please advise - what were you refering to here:
Link to specs for mainboard (with CPU support list): http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01324212&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en Here is the page with the bios update (You might already have this bios, only one version is listed): http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareList?os=2093&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3652954 Based on the info on the hp site, these chips should all work: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...2E16819115209,N82E16819115130,N82E16819115210 The front side bus is rather meaningless if you have the part numbers, just ignore that.
Indeed killerbug is right. A cpu upgrade is possible, but this will require a psu upgrade as well, and that can be tricky in a prebuilt. Not to mention I wonder how much the mobo will hold back the processor from its real power. Whats your budget for an upgraded psu,and cpu cooler?
man you guys are the best! thanks for that KillerBug!! i took a quick look - but as soon as i get home ill be able to take my time and look through it all. i was think'n youre such a generous person - how'bout you ship me your set-up, minus the perfect chair. i wouldnt accept that - those are too hard to come by. i could pitch in for the shipping. @ Xplorer4, i never thought about the mobo holding back the processor as being an issue but i can understand that - it was actually mentioned to me recently by someone else. to answer you question: answer: wish list before this thread: •cpu •1 gig ram wish list after this thread: •1 gig ram •cpu •psu budget was $200 bucks if i proceeded with the upgrades though - i would hate to be thinking that the mobo is not really up to par. it makes me think about that saying "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link". i really kinda dont know which way to go wit this. im gonna sign out now and cry a little or alot maybe. whatever. p.s. i too would love two 22" overhead widescreens & a perfect chair. (i hate you KillerBug)
Well $200 isnt going to get you far. You may be able to get a really really cheap AMD bare bone kit for this price, but I doubt it would offer much gain over your HP. Hmm, I suppose your best bet is to either save up about $500 imo for a custom build. Of course the more money the better, but hey I have been trying to complete my build for about 8 months but keep falling short on funds to do so for one reason or another. Alternatively you might be able to get by with a lower end Core2Duo that wouldnt be held back to much.
A mainboard can hold back the processor from overclocking, or an outdated mainboard can slow the processor with a slow FSB (you don't have this problem), or a bad mainboard can make the system unstable or slow. However, your mainboard should not have any of these issues. It is from a cheap brand, but it has been working fine for you so far, no reeason to think it will stop now. That's not much, you might consider getting a nice PSU and 4GB of memory now, then waiting a couple of months and buying a cheaper quad-core or faster dual-core. 4GB of good memory - $63 shipped - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145241 High Quality 400W Power Supply - $50 shipped - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008 Thank you!
thanks so much for that guys ..... i think im gonna just take it easy & not go rushing into anything yet. i would love my own build from soup to nuts but thats gonna take some time. i will though, take what you guys said and use that to help me to make some smart choices in choosing the stuff that im looking into. like at least now i know ..... ◦ that with what im working with right now - i should not go & splurge on a top notch cpu but rather maybe on one of the lesser capacity ones & that i can do the ram and & the psu pretty much worry free and its the least expensive of my options. im gonna make my move on the the ram first. im curious to see if ill see & feel a little bit of a difference in performance with just that. the cpu / power supply / psu i think i will hold off on until my first build. *** hey guys .... is there a good thread / guide either here on AD or somewhere else that might have a "checklist" of parts / accessories to complete a build ????
"im curious to see if ill see & feel a little bit of a difference in performance with just that. " If you still have vista32, then going from 2Gb to 4GB should be noticable.
