Upgrading a dinosaur

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Kaos Kid
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Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by Kaos Kid »

Hey all!

I was recently gifted with an old laptop that may still have a year or two left in it (has Vista x32, lol). I have never really had a laptop to tinker with (only one in the family is my daughters and she is not keen to the idea of Dad experimenting). The laptop is a Compaq C717NR and has a 965 chipset (hence the "dinosaur" lol). I see through the HP website that it is upgradeable to 2 x 1GB of DDR2-533/667 memory but I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this laptop or chipset being able to use 2GB sticks, or DDR2-800, or both. Also, it has a Pentium Dual-core T2310 cpu that I can see next to the memory slots that shouldn't be too difficult to swap out if this model is able to take a faster cpu. I know it isn't worth much but I thought I could make an internet surfer for my wife, she only checks emails and light word processing tasks. Is the memory and cpu upgradeable on this model/chipset and if so what is the fastest cpu and memory and size of memory that I can swap into this? This would give me some experience in working on laptops so I thought I could use this one to experiment. Thanks!
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KnightRid
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by KnightRid »

Have you considered not messing with it and instead just putting Linux on it? I have an old Dell E1505 my sister gave me that runs great with Linux Mint on it. I did have a small SSD lying around that I popped in but everything else is stock.

As far as I have found 2gb modules wont work nor would it be worthwhile because I think the MB can only handle max 2gb, so 1gbX2 is you best bet. This memory is dirt cheap too.

As for the CPU - wow, good luck lol It seems that it will depend on the exact motherboard you have and if it will support a higher FSB than your current cpu (533mhz I think it is right now) so you would have to get the chipset number/name and look it up online to see if higher FSB is supported then you would have to get into your bios and see if you can actually change the FSB.

These are my thoughts as I have never upgraded a cpu in a laptop because most upgrades I came across are so minimal I just wouldn't bother.

I still vote for the Linux route :mrgreen:
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Kaos Kid
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

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LInux is a good idea if it was for me, but the wife resists learning anything tech-related so it would be headaches for me :roll: I factory reset it back to original and did all updates to todays date so I think I'll just try to sell it on CL or local BST groups and put whatever I get towards a little bit better one--hopefully I can get $50 for it. Thanks for the advice!
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by KnightRid »

Kaos Kid wrote:LInux is a good idea if it was for me, but the wife resists learning anything tech-related so it would be headaches for me :roll: I factory reset it back to original and did all updates to todays date so I think I'll just try to sell it on CL or local BST groups and put whatever I get towards a little bit better one--hopefully I can get $50 for it. Thanks for the advice!
Sure thing man. I still think Linux would be a great choice. Just put the icons on the desktop that she uses like in Windows and thats all she would need. Linux has gotten a lot easier to use over the years, even though it is still like Android and fragmented to hell with WAY too many distros. If you are going to sell it anyway, try a live cd/dvd and see what she thinks. Wont hurt anything and you may just save the hassle of selling and buying something else.
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by sbohdan »

Just change the CPU to a T9300 and RAM to 2x2GB (can be 800Mhz but it will run as 667Mhz) and change the HDD to a SSD. It has only SATA2 but will still fly like crazy with this setup. The T9300 you can get on e-bay for about $30-40 from china incl. shipping. I did the same with my moms old gateway with the same chipset and has scores between 6-7 in WEI. Oh and just swap on windows 7 home 64bit. You will not recognize the lappie after this :supz:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Core-2-Du ... 3ce509f409
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by Kaos Kid »

Attached is a snippet of AIDA64 showing it is a Crestline GMl GL960 Northbridge and ICH8 Southbridge. I have seen references to that being an x3100 graphics but not sure. Also attached is the snippet of CPU-Z showing that the mobo is HP 30D9 and there is also much discussion that those can take the 800fsb cpus. The bios is an Insyde F.35
AIDA64 chipset.JPG
AIDA64 chipset.JPG (72.44 KiB) Viewed 21064 times
CPU-Z chipset.JPG
CPU-Z chipset.JPG (49.37 KiB) Viewed 21064 times
The CPU in original configuration is the T2310 which is a 65nm Merom chip (crippled C2D?) while the T9300 is a 45nm Penryn. Do you think that they will be compatible? How about the T9500? I have seen people claiming anywhere from T7800 to T8300 which would be the Penryn cpu but I can't tell if they have the 30D9 mobo and if Compaq built in limitations against the Penryns.

Thanks everyone for your input, if there is more I need to know please expound! I am hoping that the CPU is easily accessible or all this is for naught lol.
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by KnightRid »

Merom-2M

Pentium Dual-Core T2310 1466 1024 533
Pentium Dual-Core T2330 1600 1024 533
Pentium Dual-Core T2370 1733 1024 533
Pentium Dual-Core T2390 1866 1024 533
Pentium Dual-Core T2410 2000 1024 533

Pentium Dual-Core T3200 2000 1024 667
Pentium Dual-Core T3400 2166 1024 667
from http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads ... de.209284/

and
Penryn

Core 2 Duo T9300 2500 6144 800 35
Core 2 Duo T9500 2600 6144 800 35

Core 2 Duo P9500 2533 6144 1066 25
Core 2 Duo P9600 2667 6144 1066 25
Core 2 Duo P9700 2800 6144 1066 28

Core 2 Duo T9300 2500 6144 1066 35
Core 2 Duo T9400 2533 6144 1066 35
Core 2 Duo T9550 2667 6144 1066 35
Core 2 Duo T9600 2800 6144 1066 35
Core 2 Duo T9800 2933 6144 1066 35
Core 2 Duo T9900 3066 6144 1066 35
I really dont think they will be interchangeable....but I am no expert!!!

Also everything I read online says you cant use 4gb of ram, only 2.

Laptops are a pain unless you have access to hardware lying around and can try different things. I just hate to see you buy something and then it wont work and you may not be able to send it back.
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Kaos Kid
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by Kaos Kid »

Update:

I have received a 4GB (2x2GB) PC2-5300 memory set and a T9300 cpu ( bought off of ebay from EPC in St Charles, lol) so this will be one of my projects for the next few days. It won't load Vista32 with both modules in, but did load with one 2GB and one 512MB in. It does see 4GB in the bios so I'm hoping it is just a glitch with Vista, I will try Win7 in it after I get the T9300 installed. Since it was free, my cost so far is about $40 total, and I see I can get a 128GB SSD for under $50 so I'll see how that works out later. Hard to believe it is an 8yo laptop, the battery doesn't last long on performance setting but if it goes to my wife she'll probably just keep in plugged in on the table in the bedroom--she spends all her time in there anyway watching Cards games so if it works out I can take her account off of my Living Room PC and not have to worry anymore about what links she clicks on lol. I would have put a desktop in there long ago but wasn't feasible due to scarcity of outlets and space. This laptop should fit just fine on the little bedside table she has in there and only need one outlet (instead of 3 like a desktop/monitor/speakers)
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by KnightRid »

Glad to hear it is working out for you!

If yours does actually use 4gb (I swear everything I saw said it wouldnt use 4gb but it will be nice to see since you actually have it!) then run 64-bit OS. Problem solved 8)
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Kaos Kid
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

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I did find mention from one person that 2GB x 2 would work, but most say that only 2GB +1GB would work. We'll see
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

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Update"

T9300 is installed and running. It still doesn't like 2x2GB, so am using 2GB + 512MB. Temp sensors don't seem to be working anymore, even when running stability test in AIDA64. CPU temp locked at 27C, with CPU core 1 showing 43C and core 2 45C (which I would love if I knew it was accurate lol). Next I will try go dig up an SSD and install Win7 on it, I don't want to use the 80GB 5400 rpm drive it has now, it actually still has the working Vista recovery partition I can use as a backup--sucks, but it has a legal COA so I hate to throw it away ;)


Not too bad for my first time upgrading a laptop, I did have about 6 screws and a washer and another little piece left over, but it is running so I'll just keep my fingers crossed lol
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by Kaos Kid »

Been off this for a while, but have went back to it. It turns out that it needs a battery, the one in it only lasts a short while before it dies. I looked up batteries for it on newegg, and I found a few for sale. I am a little confused that while there are a few brands that list a battery for my model at 10.8V ("CBD", "Superb Choice") there is one branded "LB1 High Performance" that lists the battery at 11.1V. Has anyone heard of that brand, and will using the 11.1V battery hurt the laptop if the original HP battery for it was 10.8V? Thanks


I've only got about $42 in it right now with the CPU and memory upgrade, the LB1 battery would add another $23, I wonder if I should just try to sell it as is listing that it needs a new battery. I still haven't put an SSD in it, it still has the original 80GB HDD with the Vista recovery partition (it works, I factory reset using it, it took a few days to update from original Vista to Vista SP2 but it does work fairly well). What do you think it is worth now as is, and what do you think it is worth if I do get the new battery for it? (by then I will have about $65 invested) Thanks!
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by KnightRid »

Maybe $100 would be my guess. I keep my old ones or just destroy them. Running Linux on a dual core right now and it works like a charm, as long as I have it plugged in because the battery is toast ;)

$100 may be generous as walmart has a refurbished dual core (amd though) for $148 with warranty/battery/etc - it even has Windows 7 Home Premium and a 1 year warranty!

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Refurbished-H ... m/45529858
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

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What are your thoughts on the 10.8v vs 11.1v issue?
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

Post by KnightRid »

Forgot that part.... I don't think it will hurt anything at all. I think it has to do with how many batteries are inside in a chain (series, whatever).

If this laptop is something you cant live without and cant replace then you can play it safe and get a battery rated 10.8. I would go with the 11.1 or just skip the battery and use it plugged in.
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

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No, it was really just an opportunity to learn to take apart a laptop. I only had a couple of screws left over, and it boots and works as it should, so I consider it a success lol
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Re: Upgrading a dinosaur

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It is amazing how many screws I have left from my laptops and they doint seem to do a thing because they all work without em! :supz:
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