Want to upgrade the processor in my HP Desktop

[Mr Davo]

Hi All,



I have a HP computer, which I want to upgrade the processor in. The model of the HP is an a6220a Desktop, specifications for it can be found here:



https://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01174519&tmp_track_link=ot_faqs/top_issues/en_us/c01174519/loc:3&lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&product=3598529



According to HP documentation I can upgrade as far as an Intel E4300, however my friend has just given me an E4400, the irony!!! Here is a link to the processor capabilities of my HP:



https://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01237572&tmp_track_link=ot_recdoc/c01174519/en_us/c01237572/loc:1&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&product=3598529



The processor is the right socket type, however there is a chance that the motherboard BIOS will not support the instruction set of the E4400!



I noticed that the motherboard is an ECS 945GCT-HM (Livermore8), and for all intents and purposes it looks like an ECS 945GCT-M (V1.0) - the only exception being that the "-M" has both an AGP and a PCIe Slot!



Would it be possilbe to use a BIOS upgrade from the ECS website if my HP struggles when I install the E4400?



http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWebSite/Product/Product_Detail.aspx?DetailID=727&CategoryID=1&DetailName=Feature&MenuID=16&LanID=8



Any advice will be greatly appreciated.



Kind Regards,



Davo

 

[o1die]

Try the e4400 in your board first without flashing the bios. You need an hp bios to run your windows installation. Even is the ecs flash works, you'll lose the ability to run your hp windows installation. Windows won't load on any non-hp motherboard unless you've already changed your windows installation to an oem or retail boxed version.

 

[Mr Davo]

Hi o1die,

I have upgraded the operating system to Windows 7 Home Premium, and it runs nicely after upgrading from 1.5 Gigs (533 MHz) to 4 Gigs (800 MHz) of RAM.

When I installed Windows 7 I did so on the second partition of the disk, the first partition still contains a recovery image (from HP - out of the factory reset, etc).

I am now wanting to upgrade the processor to give a little bit of a boost!

Thanks

Davo

 

[popatim]

I dont see any reason why it wouldnt support the E4400 if the 4300 works.

 

[o1die]

My guess is that the ecs bios won't load on your hp board. But if you've changed out a motherboard before and are confortable doing it, then it will only cost you about $50 for a low end replacement board with a g41 chipset if the flash kills your board.

 

[popatim]

I'd try running the e4400 before I tried flashing the current board.

 

[Mr Davo]

Best answer selected by Mr Davo.