Is It Possible?....

[shamrockflyer 647]

Hi guys, today I had a thought. Is it possible to replace a CPU and still have the same system information etc... but with a different CPU?

 

If you don't understand what I mean... Like, will I still have everything, all my games FS stuff etc. Or will it all be erased when you change the CPU?

 

Regards, Ciaran Andrews.

[PieEater 10]

No information is stored on the CPU so none will be lost if you replace it.

 

However if you fit a new CPU you should clear the CMOS which will result in you loosing any BIOS Settings you might have manually changed, but your computer should automatically detect the CPU change and configure itself to enable it to boot into Windows.

[shamrockflyer 647]

No information is stored on the CPU so none will be lost if you replace it.

 

However if you fit a new CPU you should clear the CMOS which will result in you loosing any BIOS Settings you might have manually changed, but your computer should automatically detect the CPU change and configure itself to enable it to boot into Windows.

Ok thank you very much.

 

I will start reviewing my options for a CPU change, and go from there...

 

 

[superglide17 11]

You are going to be limited to an LGA 1366 socket compatible CPU. That will lead you to a i7 900 series processor. I see you are running a 930 at 3.6. If you're looking for better performance, you could start by overclocking your 930. With good cooling, you should be able to run it at 4.0+. I had a 920 stable at 4.2. The high end 900 series CPU's (950, 960, etc) are pretty much out of stock now.

[shamrockflyer 647]

You are going to be limited to an LGA 1366 socket compatible CPU. That will lead you to a i7 900 series processor. I see you are running a 930 at 3.6. If you're looking for better performance, you could start by overclocking your 930. With good cooling, you should be able to run it at 4.0+. I had a 920 stable at 4.2. The high end 900 series CPU's (950, 960, etc) are pretty much out of stock now.

Its stock is 2.80GHz, I overclocked it to 4GHz but had to bring it down to 3.6 due to temps being too high...would water cooling give me a better chance at getting higher numbers out of it?

[FS++ 707]

Is it possible to replace a CPU

 

Yes. But you'd better check with the motherboard manufacturer whether the board is ready to take the new CPU without BIOS update (it may not even boot), and whether your current power supply will handle it (especially when it's overclocked)

[superglide17 11]

Its stock is 2.80GHz, I overclocked it to 4GHz but had to bring it down to 3.6 due to temps being too high...would water cooling give me a better chance at getting higher numbers out of it?

Your cooling depends on a couple of things. What case are you using and is it built for good cooling? Is your PSU up to the job? There are good air cooling options, Noctua and Cooler Master come to mind. There are also good self contained water cooling options. I use Corsair but there are other good ones available, such as Thermaltake. Or you can go custom water cooling, Alphacool lets you pick and choose your various components.

 

You might install a good cooling system for around $100. A new 900 series CPU is gonna cost you at least $250-350, if you can find one. A new Motherboard, CPU, CPU cooling, RAM and maybe a case is going to be somewhere north of $1000.

 

Take a serious look at your cooling and overclock options. Visit some overclocking sites and do your research.

 

Also, read the AVSIM Software and Hardware Guide for FSX. You will find it on this forum.

[PieEater 10]

Its stock is 2.80GHz, I overclocked it to 4GHz but had to bring it down to 3.6 due to temps being too high...would water cooling give me a better chance at getting higher numbers out of it?

 

I'd echo much of what superglide17 says. Do you have an aftermarket cooler if so what one? Have you checked to make sure your cooler is clean i.e. there is no dust trapped between the fins? What are your room, case/motherboard, CPU and core temperatures? Ideally you want the difference between these to be minimal, and looking at them can help identify any weak points in your cooling.

 

When you say temps were too high at 4Ghz was this just during stress testing or generally when running FSX and / or other software? If cooling is weak across the board with an aftermarket cooler, refitting the heatsink with some decent paste using the pea / grain of rice method could help as if you used the spread method to originally apply the paste this can cause air pockets which will significantly affect cooling.

 

I would first try to identify any issues with your current cooling before looking at replacing your cooler unless your using the stock intel cooler or something equivalent.

[SAAB340 28]

Its stock is 2.80GHz, I overclocked it to 4GHz but had to bring it down to 3.6 due to temps being too high...

As has already been asked, what CPU cooler was that with? Sure enough, there are sour chips out there but I would guess you'll be able to get a bit more overclock out of that current CPU of yours.

 

It is fully possible to just drop in a new CPU. But you have to get it very cheaply to justify the investment here. Remember to compare the price of a new CPU to how much/little a i5 3570K+MOBO+2x4GB RAM would cost as that would yield a lot more performance than any s1366 CPU.