Creative Motherboard M0003

[rosenksr]

I am currently trying to upgrade the processor for my Creative Motherboard M0003. I purchased the board through a TigerDirect promotional about 1.5 years ago. I originally used a Celeron 800 MHz, 66 MHz Bus, successfully for those two years. Award/Phoenix BIOS said they had an upgrade that would extend my capability to 1.2 GHz. I installed the BIOS chip, did the flash, and booted up successfully with the old, 800 MHz processor. I then purchased a Celeron 1.2 GHz, 100 MHz bus, and the computer won't even start to boot up. The CPU and case fans start and the hard drive light stays red. That's it. I was hoping someone could give me a definitive answer on what I need to do to upgrade. Specifically, what are my actual limits, and what type of processors I can officialy (unofficially) use: FCPGA, Coppermine, etc. I used a Slocket for the 800 MHz Celeron (a Super Slocket-III to be exact) if that helps.

 

[Crashman]

No, it can't be done. The Celeron 1.2GHz is a Tualatin core processor which is designed not to work in earlier boards. Intel intentionally changed a few pin definitions on it so that it wouldn't. The only way you can make it work is with a rather expensive Tualatin adapter, which I would be more than happy to sell you.

But even then it would be slow. I tested a Celeron 1.2GHz against a PIII 933, and the PIII offered MUCH better performance.

The fastest processor your board supports is the Coppermine PIII 1000EB. I owned that system myself, it was reliable. The board is produced by Shuttle, and has bus speed options up to 133MHz.

Most places are labeling the Coppermine processors FC-PGA, and the incompatable Tualatin processors FC-PGA2, though this is not how Intel does it. As I said, I'd be perfectly happy to sell you a Tualatin adapter for it. But you won't like the price.

Your case is also compatable with newer boards. Your built in Live Drive II will work with a Live or Audigy card, but you'll still have to use your original drivers for the tuner.

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[rosenksr]

A huge, grateful thanks to "Crashman" for providing me with a definitive answer when Award/Phoenix and Creative could not. I really appreciate it. I will attempt to find the processor you mentioned to upgrade to.

Thanks again!

 

[Crashman]

Newegg has the PIII 1000EB that will work with your slotket for $100 without cooler (OEM), or $125 in retail box (warrantied by Intel for 3 years, Intel cooler included). Once you get that maybe you'll sell that Celeron 800 to me very cheaply (so I can put it on one of these spare boards I have lying around).

<font color=blue>You're posting in a forum with class. It may be third class, but it's still class!</font color=blue>