Hello, the unknowing one again.

I am still upgrading bit by bit my older PC.

The mobo is a Gigabyte 7IXE4, about 3 or so years old. I added in a new video card and now I'm looking at the processor.

Gigabyte says the max processor is either an AMD Athlon 1.4G FSB 200 or an AMD Duron 1.3G FSB 200

http://www.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Support/CPUSupportList/CPUSupportList_GA-7IXE4.htm

I know that Athlons are supposed to be better performing that the Durons. However, the only Athlon 1.4G I found was on pricewatch and was $140+

Local stores have the 1.3G Duron but dont carry the Athlon. anyways.. .probably gonna go with the 1.3G Duron.

My question is: how difficult is it to change a processor? I was told that its as simple as pop old chip out, put new chip in, but I'm always very weary when someone says its simple.

Any input / guides you can recommend?

Thanks again!

I would check ww.Ebay.com for that processor, use this link Ebay 1.4Ghz Athlons . I got an Athlon 1.4Ghz 266Mhz FSB for $42 there about 6 months ago. You would have to be really lucky to find that processor online anywhere else for under $100. Installing a processor is very easy but you have to be careful with the pins on it and when you reinstall the heatsink on it. It literaly is Plug-n-Play. Make sure you use some kind of thermal paste like Artic Silver on top of the processor between it and the heatsink.

P.S. Dont get the Duron, even though its 1.3Ghz your 900Mhz Athlon still outperforms it in most things like games.:grinthumb Also, if a 266Mhz FSB one is cheaper to get you should be able to use that but it will just run at 200Mhz FSB on your motherboard, someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Tigerdirect has AMD Athlon XP 1600+ / 256K Cache / 266MHz FSB / Socket A / Thoroughbred core for $45.99

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=586538&Sku=CP2-XP1600TBC

I have heard mixed things about running 266 FSB CPUs at 200, some say it would work, some say it wouldn't.

200 FSB 1400/1300 Thunderbirds are very hard to come by and they cost a fortune, new Durons on the other hand use a better core than the original Duron and are supposed to be very close to an equivalent T-Bird. I personally don't really believe that and i would think the real life performance of a 1300 Mhz Duron would be around a 1000 MHz Athlon.

In response to StormBringer, Athlon XP won't run in an old 200MHz board and they are a lot cheaper than the Thunderbirds.

Well, according to the Gigabyte site, anything FSB 266 is Not Supported (see the link in my original post). Looks like its FSB 200 or nothing.

I have a K7t Pro2-A, same problem, 200 FSB. An XP probably won't work, the core is different. A 266 T-bird would probably work but you won't get the true speed out of it. A 1400 would run at 1053. You would need 1862 to get 1400 @ 200. I have a 1100 T-bird. I have done some searching for a 1400 but didn't find anything.

Not the same board mine is a K7T Pro2-A not 266 Pro2-A. It also only supports PC-133 ram.

Well, keep asking questions, and then you'll be the knowing one!

Asking questions is the one of the best ways to learn.

Re: Re: Changing a processor chip

Why is that?

lol Nic

You could buy another MB and CPU for about the same price. Don't know what ram you use, but you'd probably have to upgrade to DDR.