Can You Change The Processor In A Desktop

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This wikiHow teaches you how to install a new processor in your Windows desktop computer. The processor (or CPU) is responsible in function for your figurer'south speed.

one

Sympathise how processors and motherboards work. Your reckoner'southward motherboard is essentially i large excursion board which provides the base of operations into which you lot'll plug your reckoner'south other components, including the processor. Since processors' sizes and connectors vary depending on the model, you will need to ensure that your selected processor works with your electric current motherboard.

Tip: Y'all tin also replace the motherboard with one which supports your preferred processor.
2

Know your computer'due south limitations. While y'all tin can upgrade virtually all Windows desktop processors and motherboards, upgrading a laptop'southward processor is often incommunicable; fifty-fifty if your laptop model supports changing the processor, doing and then is a catchy process that is more likely to damage your figurer than help information technology.^[1]

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three

Find your estimator'southward motherboard model . While you tin can use Command Prompt to observe your motherboard'southward basic information, using a free service called Speccy will allow you to see vital information about your motherboard (e.g., the processor'due south socket type).
4
Determine the blazon of processor socket used by your motherboard. If you're using Speccy to find your motherboard's information, you'll click the CPU tab and wait at the "Bundle" heading to determine the socket.
- You tin can click the Motherboard tab and then review the "Chipset" heading to encounter your processor's chipset, though the service you'll use to check processor compatibility usually determines this for you.
- If you decided not to use Speccy, you tin can enter your motherboard's proper noun and model number, followed by "socket" and "chipset", into a search engine and search through the results.
- Alternately, yous can almost always find the socket type listed on the motherboard effectually the cpu socket.
v
Notice processors which match your motherboard. Y'all'll have to detect a processor based on your electric current motherboard'south socket size and chipset:
- Go to https://world wide web.gigabyte.com/the states/Support/CPU-Support in your computer's spider web browser.
- Click the Cull Socket drop-down box, then select your motherboard'south socket number.
- Click the Choose Chipset drop-down box, then click chipset number (usually, there is simply one number here).
- Click the "Search" icon to the correct of the chipset number, then review the names of compatible processors in the pop-up window.
6
Find a new motherboard to match your processor if necessary. While you can hands type your processor's specifications and the phrase "supported motherboards" into a search engine and review the results, using a CPU back up site to do the work for you lot is easier:
- Go back to https://www.gigabyte.com/Back up/CPU-Support in your reckoner's spider web browser.
- Click the Choose Processor Series drib-down box, and then select your processor's name.
- Click the Choose Model drib-downwards box, and then click your processor's model.
- Click the "Search" icon to the right of the model number, then review the list of compatible motherboards in the "Model" column.
7
Buy your processor. Now that you lot know which processors will work with your computer'south motherboard, yous tin select the i all-time-suited to your price range, computational needs, and region.
- E'er shop effectually to find the best bargain. You may exist able to observe the same processor for significantly less online than in a store.
- If y'all're buying a new motherboard as well, make sure you compare unlike website and store prices before ordering it.
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1

Turn off and unplug your computer. Before you move or open up your computer, make sure that information technology is both turned off and unplugged from any power sources.

Annotation: For simplicity'due south sake, you may desire to unplug any peripherals (due east.g., your mouse, speakers, USB hubs, etc.) from your PC also. This is not optional if yous're replacing the motherboard.
2

Identify your figurer on its side. Doing and then will give you admission to the PC's side panel.
three

Remove the side console. Some cases will crave you to unscrew the side panel, while other cases only need you to unclamp or slide off the side panel.
4

Ground yourself . This will prevent adventitious static electricity discharge. Since static can completely ruin sensitive computer components such as the motherboard, yous'll want to make sure you remain grounded throughout the entire installation process.
5
Locate the motherboard. The motherboard resembles a circuit board with various wires attached to information technology. In most cases, you'll discover the motherboard resting on the bottom of the tower.
- You may notice the motherboard perched against the side of the instance instead.
6
Remove the current heat sink. The oestrus sink is mounted on summit of the motherboard, and usually has a large fan on top of it. To remove the heat sink, you may accept to unclip it from the motherboard, unscrew it, or slide it out.
- Since each rut sink has a different design—and, thus, a different installation procedure—you lot'll need to consult your heat sink's instruction manual for model-specific removal steps.
vii

Bank check your current processor's fit. You'll have to install your new processor using the aforementioned fit as the electric current one, and so knowing which direction the processor is facing will help you install it correctly the offset time.

Skip this step and the next one if y'all're removing your motherboard.
eight

Remove the current processor. Carefully elevator the processor, which resembles a square scrap, out of its space on the motherboard.
9

Install your new motherboard if necessary. If you're installing a new motherboard, remove the current i from the housing, and so install the new one according to its installation instructions (if necessary). Yous'll then need to hook upward your computer's diverse components to the motherboard.
10
Plug in your new processor. Your processor should only fit into the slot one way, so don't forcefulness information technology; merely gently identify the processor in its slot and check to make sure that it's level.
- If the processor is tilted or won't seat properly, effort rotating 90 degrees until it does fit.
- Endeavor not to bear on the connectors on the bottom of the processor, as doing and so may harm the processor.
11

Reinstall the heat sink. Place a dot of thermal paste on tiptop of the processor, so reattach the heat sink to its mount on the motherboard. The thermal paste on meridian of the processor should bridge the gap between your processor and your estrus sink.

Tip: The thermal paste dot should be no larger than a grain of rice.
12
Plug back in any unplugged components. Depending on your computer'southward orientation, you may accept unplugged a cablevision or two during the installation process. If and then, make sure you reconnect them to your motherboard before proceeding.
- This especially applies if you installed a new motherboard.
13
Reassemble and run your computer. Once your computer's put back together and plugged back in, you can kicking up your estimator and click through any setup menus which appear.
- Since Windows volition need to download and install new drivers for your processor, y'all volition almost likely exist prompted to restart your figurer after it finishes starting upward.
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Question

Can I upgrade CPU without changing motherboard?

Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Indicate Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general figurer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Evidence! broadcasted on KSQD covering primal California for over two years.

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Laptop processors are dependent on the motherboard. If your laptop motherboard has a ball and solder system, where small pads on the processor are soldered to a ball organization, you tin't upgrade your processor. On some machines, you can easily apply a screwdriver to replace the processor, but you lot're still limited by the motherboard'southward speed adequacy.
Question

Can you upgrade the processor in a laptop?

This reply was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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While it is possible to upgrade a laptop processor, information technology's less straightforward than with a PC; you need to be sure the laptop motherboard has the right socket for the upgraded processor. Depending on the historic period of your laptop, this might be tricky. Moreover, opening the laptop often voids its warranty, mostly because you're likely to break things permanently, so you lot really need to know what y'all're doing. Finally, it'southward usually cheaper to get a new laptop than to upgrade your old 1'south processor but this might depend on exactly what yous're trying to become out of the upgrade.
Question

Practice I take to change something on BIOS or anything?

Usually, no. If you take overclocked your older processor, or you would like to overclock the new one, then yep, y'all will need to change some settings. But in most cases, the BIOS will accommodate itself automatically, if there is anything to adapt in the first place.
Question

Practise I just change it? I don't have to more than software or files around?

Yep, you tin can just change the CPU. Files are not stored within the CPU, it is a processor of information. Data is stored within the hard drives and partly the RAM sticks.
Question

If I neglect upgrading my processor, will I lose anything on my computer?

Not really, because data is stored on the hard drive of your figurer, but you need to brand certain your processor is compatible with your motherboard.
Question

What if the PC keeps restarting after I have exchanged a Cadre i3 processor for a Core i5 processor?

There might be some incompatibility between the motherboard and the new processor, or the restart might be caused by overheating of the processor. Check the TDP of your new processor and that of the heat sink. If the rated TDP for which the heat sink is lower, try upgrading to a improve heat sink. If this doesn't work then consult a technician.
Question

Which RAM will be suitable for Intel(R), Pentium(R), or CPU G620?

The RAM must be compatible with the motherboard. If you have the instructions that came with a desktop MB, read them. Otherwise, identify the make and model of your MB (you may have to open the computer to find out) and search online for the MB make and model along with the term RAM for a list of compatible RAM. If y'all are dealing with a laptop, you may await up the compatible RAM by checking the laptop's make and model.
Question

Exercise I really need thermal paste for my CPU? If I don't use thermal paste, what will happen to my motherboard?

Thermal paste provides a conductor for the heat to travel into the heat sink. Without information technology, the CPU will heat up drastically, which will cause lasting damage if yous keep to run information technology at that temperature.
Question

Will a cadre two quad Q9650 processor support an Intel DQ965GF motherboard?

No, it does not look similar it'south supported. That motherboard seems to simply support up to quad core q6700 and farthermost quad core QX6800.
Question

Practice I have to reformat the difficult drive after I upgrade the processor?

No, you lot don't, unless you're upgrading your hard disk drive to a new one, like a new solid state drive, a solid state hybrid drive, or merely a larger-sized hd.

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When in doubt, using an Intel processor is usually your best bet.^[2]
If you lot choose to buy a new motherboard, avoid purchasing the cheapest model bachelor. Motherboards act as the base for all of your computer's connections, so you'll want a motherboard which can meet your computer's needs without straining.

Attempting to run your computer without the heat sink and thermal paste volition eventually cause the processor to malfunction.
Processors are specially expensive in 2018 due to the high demand for them in cryptocurrency mining operations. As such, yous may take to spend significantly more on your processor than on nigh of the other components of your calculator when building one from scratch.

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Article Summary X

1. Notice out your computer'southward limitations.
2. Purchase a compatible processor.
3. Shut down the computer.
4. Remove the case and basis yourself.
5. Remove the oestrus sink.
6. Supersede the current processor with the new one.
7. Supplant the heat sink and example.
8. Power on the computer.

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