Do motherboard / CPU bundles come with a heatsink for CPU ??

[fuggles]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/Motherboard-CPU-Bundle-/131511/i.html?Product%2520Type=Motherboard%2520%2526%2520CPU%2520Bundles&_catref=1&_dmpt=UK_Motherboards_CPUs&_fln=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m282

look

not mnay come with a heatsink


also

could I just upgrade my computer by just replacing the motherboard, CPU, and ram,

How would I know the motherboard would fit in my computer tower ??

 

[o1die]

Why don't you list your current system specs and budget?

 

[nordlead]

With e-bay it depends on the seller if you'll get a heatsink&fan. Ask before buying if you aren't sure.

A ATX motherboard will fit in any case that can hold a ATX motherboard. a microATX board will fit in a mATX or ATX case.

Yes, you could upgrade your computer with just a motherboard, CPU, and RAM, but that doesn't guarantee that you'll see a noticeable improvement. More information would be needed, like current PC specs, budget, and goals (what you want to use the PC for)

 

[fuggles]

HP model name: Grouper-UL8E
MFGR/model name: ASUS PTGD1-LA

It's a standard Micro-ATX form factor.
9.6 inches x 9.6 inches (24.5 cm x 24.5 cm)



pentium 4
2 gb of ram



I want 4 gb of ram

and a dual core PC

 

[Raiddinn]

Motherboard, Processor, and RAM are (generally) one unit. It is hard to massively upgrade one part of those without also upgrading the other two at the same time.

RAM may be the easiest of those to upgrade independently.

If you just want to go from 2GB to 4GB of RAM, you should be able to do that without upgrading anything else as long as you do significant research into figuring out which kinds of RAM your board supports and make sure to get RAM of exactly that type when you buy it.

Generally, it isn't hard these days to find packages of RAM with 2 x 2 GB sticks included. I haven't heard of any standard motherboard that can only hold 1 RAM stick (though it is possible some exist).

If you are ebaying, I would say you are about 90% likely to get the heat sink and fan with a new processor. It would still be a good idea to inquire about it anyway.

The processors should always come with heat sinks and the metal heat sinks pretty much never get messed up in any way, so nobody really needs to keep a backup laying around, especially when it could damage their seller reputation.

 

[o1die]

Down the page using your link, there's a 2500 with board and 8 gb of ddr3 for 241 pounds plus shipping. That's a fair deal. Even though it's not a "K" series, it will be alot faster than what you have now. I recommend it; looks like a biostar micro atx motherboard, which is what I use. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Intel-Core-I5-2500-3-3-Quad-Core-CPU-8GB-DDR3-Motherboard-Bundle-/120784573781?pt=UK_Motherboards_CPUs&hash=item1c1f525555

 

[Raiddinn]

K should only cost $20 more and is worth getting if you can. Inquire freely.

 

[fuggles]

Down the page using your link, there's a 2500 with board and 8 gb of ddr3 for 241 pounds plus shipping. That's a fair deal. Even though it's not a "K" series, it will be alot faster than what you have now. I recommend it; looks like a biostar micro atx motherboard, which is what I use. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Intel-Core-I5-2500-3-3-Quad-Core-CPU-8GB-DDR3-Motherboard-Bundle-/120784573781?pt=UK_Motherboards_CPUs&hash=item1c1f525555

Okay,

but will it FIT inside my tower

HP model name: Grouper-UL8E
MFGR/model name: ASUS PTGD1-LA

It's a standard Micro-ATX form factor.
9.6 inches x 9.6 inches (24.5 cm x 24.5 cm)


?

 

[Raiddinn]

The Biostar H61ML in the deal is a micro atx and your ASUS PTGD1-LA is an atx so it should be fine.

 

[fuggles]

okay

so when I have the
motherboard with CPU, and heatsink attached
and ram added
and graphics card added

how do I add that to my current PC ?

Is it difficult to replace my current mobo and add that new board in ?

 

[o1die]

Here's a link with youtube with several videos on changing a board. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZPXSy3saKY. You start by removing the power supply leads to the board and drives. Then remove any cards out of the slots on the board. Then loosen the hold down screws. Then angle the board as you lift it out of the case. Then push the backplate towards the inside of the case until it pops out. Then install the new backplate that comes with the new board. etc. etc. Watch the videos and decide if you want to try it.

 

[Raiddinn]

It is pretty hard to do it incorrectly.

The parts are so different from each other that it is extremely difficult to put anything where it isn't supposed to go.

There will be only one place the processor can possibly go into the motherboard, and only one place for a video card to go into the motherboard, etc.

It wouldn't hurt for you to watch the video he linked, though.

 

[fuggles]

my biggest problem is

connecting the wires from the PSU

to the motherboard, and making sure the correct things are connected

 

[Raiddinn]

There are only 2 wires that go from the PSU to the motherboard. One will be either a wire with a connector that has two rows of 2 and nothing else on the wire, OR a wire that has two rows of two and another one that looks exactly the same connected to it on the same wire, OR it will be a connector with two rows of 4.

That is the processor power cable. Nothing else looks like that and nothing else will fit if you try to plug it into the hole right next to the processor on the motherboard. You also can't put it in the wrong way easily because it is keyed. That means it only fits in one direction unless you are pushing with extreme amounts of pressure.

You should be able to locate this cable and figure out how to orient it without too much trouble. Worst case scenario you just keep turning it until it goes in.

Nothing else will be connected to that wire so it is pretty hard to mistake for something else.

The other motherboard cable is even harder to mistake. It is always going to be the biggest fattest one there.

It will either be a cord with 2 rows of 10 with another cable on the same wire that is 2 rows of 2 (20 + 4), OR it will be a cable with 2 rows of 12 (24), OR it will be a cable with 2 rows of 10 and nothing else (20).

This cable is also keyed so you can't put it in backwards without using lots of strength to do so.

For that matter, all cords are keyed regardless of what they are. None of them can be plugged in backwards.

Generally, motherboards today all have a port for 24 pins and generally all PSUs have 20+4 connectors, so there is no problem here 95% of the time.

If you get a really old or really bad PSU, it might only have a 20. The computer would likely still turn on, but the board can potentially be damaged through power starvation this way.

If you get a PSU that only has a 24 (not a 20+4) and you have a motherboard with only a 20 slot, you can still stick it in and just let the extra power cables hang off the side and nothing bad will happen. This is an extremely rare case.

In any event, I think if you try it you will find it not to be very hard.