Upgrade questions...

[sta.pas]

Hi there,

I have a system which its base configuration is as below:

Motherboard: Intel D946GZIS
CPU: Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor E6600
RAM: 2x512Mb
HDD: 1 IDE WD 80Gb + 1 SATA2 WD320GB

I think it’s time to upgrade and get the max of it
So I am thinking to install on the same motherboard
CPU: Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor E8600
RAM: 2xGb (KVR667D2N5/2G)
HDD: 1 SATA WD 72Gb (10000) and leave the SATA2 as it is...

My questions are:

1) Is the new CPU supported by the motherboard?
2) Is the RAM supported by the motherboard?
3) I want my OS configuration remain intact…So I am thinking of
imaging the whole system (IDE disk) to the new SATA…
Will it work? Or I will need to re-install everything?

 

[Dave]

My questions are:

1) Is the new CPU supported by the motherboard?

Nope. You are currently running the 2nd fastest processor that the board
will support. There is nowhere to go from there.

2) Is the RAM supported by the motherboard?

Probably, if all you are doing is changing from 512MB sticks to 1GB sticks.

3) I want my OS configuration remain intact…So I am thinking of
imaging the whole system (IDE disk) to the new SATA…
Will it work? Or I will need to re-install everything?

That depends on what tool you use to image and restore. If you are using
something like acronis true image (a recent version) it will probably work
OK without a reinstall.

I think your best option would be to add a little RAM and call it good until
you are ready to upgrade everything. -Dave

 

[Paul]

Hi there,

I have a system which its base configuration is as below:

Motherboard: Intel D946GZIS
CPU: Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor E6600
RAM: 2x512Mb
HDD: 1 IDE WD 80Gb + 1 SATA2 WD320GB

I think it’s time to upgrade and get the max of it
So I am thinking to install on the same motherboard
CPU: Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor E8600
RAM: 2xGb (KVR667D2N5/2G)
HDD: 1 SATA WD 72Gb (10000) and leave the SATA2 as it is...

My questions are:

1) Is the new CPU supported by the motherboard?
2) Is the RAM supported by the motherboard?
3) I want my OS configuration remain intact…So I am thinking of
imaging the whole system (IDE disk) to the new SATA…
Will it work? Or I will need to re-install everything?

Intel has tables for processor upgrades. The chipset
is FSB1066, which is the main limitation on processor
models. Intel is not known for pushing the chipset
as hard as other manufacturers.

http://processormatch.intel.com/CompDB/SearchResult.aspx?Boardname=d946gzts
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d946gzts/sb/CS-026618.htm

If you had a motherboard that supported overclocking, you
could speed up the operation of the existing processor a bit.

For memory, Crucial says 2x2GB at up to DDR2-533. Notice that
Crucial also says faster memory is compatible, but it will run at
the slower speed when plugged into the motherboard. (I
do that on my current motherboard, some DDR2-800 running
at DDR2-533, with the CAS tightened up a bit. I figured
I'd reuse the DDR2-800 later.)

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=D946GZTS

The Kingston list is here.

http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/configurator_new/modelsinfo.asp?SysID=46776

Changing the processor or memory, generally won't affect the
OS in a negative way. If I replaced your E6600 with an
E6700 (a pointless upgrade), then I wouldn't have to do anything
to the OS.

But if you got a new motherboard, to run an E8600,
that could make a difference and require more work (doing
a repair install perhaps).

On Win2K, the transition for me from one motherboard to another
was relatively painless, because I "bounced" the drive to a
PCI controller card, then plugged disk and controller card
into the new motherboard. And that means the driver to boot
the OS is already installed, so it booted right up. Then,
after installing the chipset drivers, I could move the drive
to a motherboard port. I'm not sure whether WinXP would make
it as painless, as I haven't tried that yet. A repair install
is the usual method, if you don't do any prep work in advance.

I always image the drive, just in case such tricks don't work
out. I have had to restore the boot disk from the backup, so
if any "tricks" aren't working, I can fall back to the old
hardware configuration and prepare again to boot the new
hardware. Just for kicks, this time I imaged by doing a
sector by sector copy of the disk, using Linux "dd", and
that seemed to work fine. My disk currently has four
partitions on it, two FAT32, two EXT2, one of which is
a swap partition for Linux. And "dd" copied them all, without
knowing what they were. My disks were the exact same model,
so I was fairly confident that would work.

Paul

 

[John Doe]

Motherboard: Intel D946GZIS
CPU: Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor E6600
RAM: 2x512Mb
HDD: 1 IDE WD 80Gb + 1 SATA2 WD320GB

I think it’s time to upgrade and get the max of it
So I am thinking to install on the same motherboard
CPU: Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor E8600

As per the other replies, you are stuck with your current CPU.

RAM: 2xGb (KVR667D2N5/2G)
HDD: 1 SATA WD 72Gb (10000) and leave the SATA2 as it is...

If you are looking for speed, upgrade the mainboard for less than
$100, and add a quad core CPU. I got a poorly packaged but
functional refurbished Intel mainboard from Newegg for $50 that will
handle quad core CPUs.

I have a 10,000 RPM hard drive. You won't get much instant
satisfaction, but it provides much better throughput over the course
of a day.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[John Doe]

I'd increase your RAM to 3 gigs total

I could be mistaken, but either 2 gig or 4 gig might better allow
the mainboard to do its dual channel memory thing.

 

[John Doe]

I suggested 3 gigs as 32 bit OS's cannot really make use of much
more than 3 gigs of RAM

(it's about 3.25)

So if dual channel is required by the mobo

since the OP currently has two, 512megs sticks

all they have to do is add two, 1 gig sticks.

http://www.intel.com/products/desktop/motherboards/D946GZIS/D946GZIS-overview.htm

"Two 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM Dual Inline Memory Module (DIMM) sockets"

that's how I have all my machines set up that have 32bit OS's

That might be useful information for someone who has the same
motherboards as you, whatever they are.

 

[John Doe]

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d946gzts/sb/CS-026618.htm

Not that it matters, the specifications are probably the same,
but it's the D946GZIS.

 

[Paul]

Not that it matters, the specifications are probably the same,
but it's the D946GZIS.

Well, I'm going to blame that on my fine eye sight

It's a two socket board, for memory.

http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.aspx?model=D946GZIS

http://www.ec.kingston.com/ecom/configurator_new/modelsinfo.asp?SysID=32072

D946GZIS main page.
http://www.intel.com/products/desktop/motherboards/D946GZIS/D946GZIS-overview.htm

Processors
http://processormatch.intel.com/CompDB/SearchResult.aspx?Boardname=d946gzis (Core2)
http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/desktop/d946gzis/sb/CS-026620.htm (older)

Paul

 

[John Weiss]

I suggested 3 gigs as 32 bit OS's cannot really make use of much more than 3
gigs of RAM
(it's about 3.25)
So if dual channel is required by the mobo since the OP currently has two,
512megs sticks all they have to do is add two, 1 gig sticks.
that's how I have all my machines set up that have 32bit OS's

Two possible issues, though:

Many MoBos do not give best dual-channel performance with all 4 RAM slots
occupied. In that case, 2 x 2 GB would be better/faster than adding 2 sticks to
the old RAM.

RAM prices are not linear. For example, 2 x 1 GB Crucial Ballistix DDR2 800
cost $65 ($58 + 7 shipping) at Newegg currently, but 2 x 2 GB are only $83 (free
shipping). Even if you "waste" 750 MB, the 4 GB package is cheaper per MB than
the 2 GB package.