Upgrading the Celeron D Socket 478 Processor
Most computers with the Celeron Socket 478 processor can be upgraded to a Pentium 4 processor, but you should check the motherboard vendor's website for CPU compatibility. Though you could also just upgrade to a faster Celeron processor, you will realize the most performance enhancement by installing a Pentium 4 processor. The main difference between Pentium 4 and Celeron processors is the on-die cache and Hyper-Threading support. The Celeron has 128 KB of L1 cache and the Pentium 4 has 256 KB of L1 cache. This allows the Pentium to store more instructions than the Celeron. The other advantage of moving to a Pentium 4 is Hyper-Threading. If your motherboard supports it, Hyper-Threading makes it appear as if there were two processors on the motherboard. Intel still uses Hyper-Threading on its Core i7 processors.
Instructions
1. With the computer powered off, remove the power cord to the power supply. Remove the left side cover. You may have to remove two or three screws at the back edge of the cover. Some cases have a latch that you press to release the cover.
2. Lay the computer on its side. Locate the processor fan and heat sink. It's usually at the top of the motherboard. The fan sits on top of an aluminum-finned box. Find the two metal retaining clips on the sides of the heat sink. Push down and out on the tabs on top of the latches. This will release the retaining clips from the tabs on the plastic heat sink retainer on the motherboard. Remove the metal retainers.
3. Trace the wires on the fan that is on top of the heat sink to where it plugs into the motherboard. Note how it plugs onto the motherboard. Unplug it.
4. Twist the fan and heat sink assembly back and forth while lifting up on it. This should release it from the processor. Sometimes the processor will get pulled out of the socket with the heat sink. If it does it's okay. They do that sometimes.
5. Locate the processor retaining arm on the side of the processor socket on the motherboard (if the processor did not come off with the heat sink). Move the end of the arm a little bit to the side to disengage it from the socket and lift it up. Grasp the processor by the edges and lift it straight out of the socket. Be careful not to bend the pins on the processor. You may have a use for it later.
6. Clean the metal top of the new processor with a paper towel dampened with rubbing alcohol. Be extremely careful when handling the processor so as not to bend the tiny pins on the underside.
7. Place a green pea-sized amount of thermal paste (you MUST use thermal paste) on the center of the new processor's metal heat spreader-the metal cover on the top of the processor). Use a credit card or some other firm piece of plastic to spread the thermal paste into a thin layer covering the entire metal surface of the heat spreader. If you use the edge of a credit card, wipe it off with a paper towel dampened with rubbing alcohol.
8. Note the arrangement of the pins on the processor. They are in a square arrangement, but one corner of the square has pins missing. Look at the socket on the motherboard. The square pinhole arrangement has holes missing at one corner. Match up these corners and gently press the processor into the socket. When the processor is seated flat on top of the socket, lower the retaining arm until it snaps into place.
9. Look at the heat sink. You will see that one side is stepped up higher than the others. This stepped-up side goes over the part of the socket where it says "SOCKET 478." If you position it any other way, the heat sink will not seat properly. Sit the heat sink down squarely on the processor. Install the metal retaining clips by hooking the end without the push tab onto the plastic retainer on the motherboard, then pushing down on the tab until the other end of the metal clip snaps into place on the plastic retainer. Install the metal clip on the other side in the same manner.
10. Plug the connector for the heat sink fan back into the motherboard. Replace the side cover. Plug the power cord back into the power supply. Power on the computer.
Tags: heat sink, Celeron Socket, retaining clips, thermal paste, back into, credit card