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Question

I am having difficulty with a cpu upgrade.

May 2, 2015 10:21PM PDT

I have a msi g41m-p23 motherboard. I am trying to replace a pentium-3 3.0 ghz processor with a pentium-d 945 3.4 ghz processor ( BX80553945). I cannot get computer to boot with the new processor and have to revert to old processor. The processor should be fine, as far as I can tell, according to this site:
http://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-MSI/G41M-P23.html. I have double-checked everything I can think of. I have contacted the vendor. I am at a loss at this point. What am I doing wrong or not doing?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Is this Pentium a C1 or D0 rev?
May 3, 2015 1:20AM PDT
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cpu upgrade difficulty
May 3, 2015 2:52AM PDT

looks like it is D0, what's a C2Q?

I cannot find C2Q. What Intel processor is it? Is that a Intel Core 2? I look at motherboard to compatible processor list and I don't see C2Q anywhere. I looked at your link and don't find it either. Can you tell me what the C2Q is? Then I'll see what I can find on the compatibility. Maybe the vendor: IT Source (via Amazon) will take this one back and I'll get the other one. ???

Thanks for your response.

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C2Q is short for Core 2 Quad.
May 3, 2015 3:02AM PDT

I looked up the 945 and it looks to be 7 or more years old. Who's to say it's dead or alive?

I'd shop for a quad.
Bob

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cpu upgrade difficulty
May 3, 2015 4:48AM PDT

I already bought this through Amazon. I did contact the seller: IT Source (whoever they are) yesterday. I'm wondering myself whether it is d.o.a . Maybe they'll take it back and I'll get a different one. When you say "quad" which Intel are you referring to? Would that be an Intel Core 2 Quad? Do you know how that would compare to my current pentium 3 dual-core 3.0 ghz? I need to be able to update to Windows 7 64-bit operating system. The pentium 3 I have did not let me.

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We are dealing in historical gear.
May 3, 2015 5:46AM PDT

The Core 2 Quad models are on your supplied CPU list. I'm guessing you want to change it up to some noticeable upgrade. From 3.0 to 3.4 GHz won't be that noticeable. I would never suggest such a small bump.
Bob

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cpu upgrade difficulty
May 3, 2015 6:53AM PDT

It looks to me like most of the processors on the list range from 2.5 to 3.4 ghz. I'm not sure what other specs to look at that would indicate an increase in performance. My main reason for upgrading is that my pentium 3 does not let me upgrade to windows 7 64-bit. This way I will be able to use my 8gb of memory. A performance increase would be nice too. I'm not a "gamer" so I'm not looking for lightning speed. I just got tired of having windows functions and other apps becoming non-responsive and waiting all day for an app to start. Also I generally have more than 1 app running at a time. The seller has my number. I hope I can get them to take this processor back and maybe they have one (core 2 quad) that works. Are you a techie? I worked for many years on the software side. Thanks for your advice.

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Not so much a techie as an electronics designer, software
May 3, 2015 7:11AM PDT

Author. If this was mine I would have shopped for a C2D or C2Q. Sticking in the Pentium line is rather treachorous as the power draw is at the top end of what that board delivered. And with what looks like a 7 year old machine, well, I would have looked at the slightly less power hunger Core 2 CPUs.
Bob

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cpu upgrade difficulty
May 11, 2015 8:14AM PDT

I sent the pentium d back. Got a core 2 duo e8400. I installed it and computer booted up. Everything looks fine. I guess that pentium d was D.O.A. after all. I'm back on the road again now. Thanks very much for lending your expertise. Hoping you're have a great day!

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(NT) Thanks for the final report.
May 11, 2015 8:37AM PDT
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cpu upgrade
May 3, 2015 7:24AM PDT

Amazon is sending a request to return item from the seller for me. The seller will contact me and I guess I will get this resolved. Thanks again for your input.

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Answer
Re: processor
May 2, 2015 11:12PM PDT

You didn't mention your exact old processor, so it's impossible to say if the new one runs with the same BIOS as the old one. The new one needs the BIOS in 7592V5S9.zip, that page says. Do you have that?

Kees

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cpu upgrade difficulty
May 3, 2015 12:53AM PDT

Hi Kees_B.

old processor pentium 3 e5700 wolfdale socket 775 dual-core 3.0 ghz

I am using bios 30.1 (I think that is supposed to me the latest AMI) Do you mean 7592vs9.zip instead of 7592v5s9.zip? Isn't that 28.9? I have downloaded that one. Not sure how to change my bios though. I will if that will make this processor work. Can you tell me how to do that?

Hey, thanks very much for responding. It will be great if this gets me on the right track.

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Bios
May 4, 2015 3:46AM PDT
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cpu upgrade difficulty
May 4, 2015 7:25AM PDT

Because when I run app called speccy or cpu-z it returns my bios version as 30.1 dated 4/11/2011. I have tried the Live Update app and it tells me I am up-to-date.

You have probably done a bios update before. I have not. From what I understand that if the update goes wrong then your motherboard is pretty much useless. I have reset CMOS more than once before but I think I would be better off taking it to the shop for this.

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Answer
Pentium D processor has PAE?
May 4, 2015 4:49AM PDT
http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-check-if-your-processor-cpu-supports-windows-8/

....many users are receiving "Your PC's CPU isn't compatible with Windows 8" error while upgrading to Windows 8.
The error occurs when a user tries to upgrade to Windows 8 on a machine that doesn't support PAE, NX, and SSE2 features. Users who have are getting the error should check out the BIOS for NX entries and enable the same. If the feature isn't available, there is no working method available to install Windows 8.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_Address_Extension

Add to that a 32 bit CPU was previously installed, instead of 64 bit. While the Pentium D is 64 bit, the motherboard is probably 32 bit only, based on it having a 32 bit P3 processor on it. Putting a Pentium D in a 32 bit motherboard isn't going to suddenly turn it into a 64 bit motherboard.

If you have SIS controller chips on that motherboard, forget anything past XP working with it. Even Linux might barf on the SIS chips.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_microprocessors#32-bit_processors:_P6.2FPentium_M_microarchitecture

PAE and Windows OS versions
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn613969%28v=vs.85%29.aspx

32 to 64 bit operating systems. What works, what doesn't.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64

Your best bet would be a current 32 bit Linux distro like Lubuntu, Ubuntu, Mint, Zorin, or another, and if needed, do the workaround that will run on a non-PAE CPU like the Pentium D.

http://www.linuxmint.com/download.php

Booting with non-PAE CPUs
To boot Linux Mint 17.1 on CPU which do not officially support PAE (Pentium M processors for instance), please use the "Start Linux Mint with PAE forced" option from the boot menu.
http://www.linuxmint.com/rel_rebecca_mate.php

I advise Linux Mint MATE 32 bit. While it limits your RAM use to 4GB, you won't be able to go any higher on that with current motherboard either. Hard drive size is limited to 16 TB depending on how you set it up, since Linux can natively do 4K drives, even with it's 32 bit OS.
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Answer
like Rob said
May 4, 2015 5:37AM PDT

go with Core 2 Quad/Duo / Pentium Dual-Core / Celeron which is what it calls for anyway.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130305

Why and more importantly, how, did you have the P3 on it instead in the first place? I don't see socket T aka 775 socket listed for any P3 CPU manufactured. What was the original processor, which WASN'T a P3?

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cpu upgrade difficulty
May 4, 2015 8:01AM PDT

it is a pentium dual-core e5700. I'm not sure why I have been thinking I had a pentium 3 for the last couple of weeks for some reason. (????) I'm really more of a software person. I wrote software on a mainframe for 20+ years. I know I was trying to upgrade windows 7 from 32-bit to 64-bit and it did not like the 64bit disk. Somewhere (not sure now, must have had a senior moment or something) I got the impression I had a p3 which I don't think will upgrade to 64-bit. But I think the most important thing is really that the pentium d 945 is listed as being compatible (down to the model #BX80553945) with this motherboard. I guess the question is why a compatible cpu does not boot. I am trying to return it to Amazon. I want to get a OEM Intel Core 2 duo e8600 which is on the compatibility list and will be half the price of this one.

thanks anyway

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you may have diagnosed the problem
May 4, 2015 8:13AM PDT
" I know I was trying to upgrade windows 7 from 32-bit to 64-bit and it did not like the 64bit disk."

Maybe the DVD is dirty or damaged. Did the Pentium D boot to the 32 bit system OK? It should have.
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Further, there is no supported path to upgrade from 32 to 64
May 4, 2015 8:20AM PDT

"If you want to move from a 32-bit version of Windows to a 64-bit version of Windows 7 or vice versa, you'll need to back up your files and choose the Custom option during Windows 7 installation. Then, you'll need to restore your files and reinstall your programs." - Microsoft.

There is no direct upgrade path.
Bob