Advice Please on CPU Upgrade on Socket 478

[allanmunro]

Hi everyone,

I have an old Dell motherboard as below:

vendor Dell Computer Corp.
model 02Y832
serial ..CN4811136306LO.

It has the following processor :

Processor 1 (ID = 0)
Number of cores 1
Number of threads 1 (max 1)
Name Intel Pentium 4
Codename Northwood
Specification Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.66GHz
Package Socket 478 mPGA (platform ID = 2h)
CPUID F.2.9
Extended CPUID F.2
Brand ID 9
Core Stepping D1
Technology 0.13 um
Core Speed 2660.1 MHz (20.0 x 133.0 MHz)
Rated Bus speed 532.0 MHz
Stock frequency 2666 MHz
Instructions sets MMX, SSE, SSE2
L1 Data cache 8 KBytes, 4-way set associative, 64-byte line size
Trace cache 12 Kuops, 8-way set associative
L2 cache 512 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control no

The chipset is listed as follows :
Northbridge Intel i865P/PE/G/i848P rev. A2
Southbridge Intel 82801EB (ICH5) rev. 02

I am looking to upgrade and was looking at a 3.0GHz option for gaming predominantly and had a few questions.

1. How do I ensure compatibility? Any websites that allow me to check?
2. Are Prescott and Northwood cross compatible? Does it matter which I get? Is one better than the other?
3. How hard is it to change the chip? Looks easy on youtube video.
4. What happens to computer once new chip is in. Do I need to reinstall all software etc?
5.Can I support hyper-threading and what is it?
6.Any other stuff you think I need to know.

Help as usual much appreciated as to date you've all been spot on. Look forward to replies. I know this might take a while to cover all bases.

Regards

Allan Munro

[ryanandkevin]

Hi there, I think you are trying to install a new cpu or processor, correct? If so, I would stick with an intel processor, since that is what your motherboard supports! Also, stay with northwood and also make sure that the new cpu you buy is a pentenium 4, since your cpu is older and that is probably the max it can support! Try newegg, they have great prices there!