Hi, I have a compaq presario model 5184 with the amd k6-2 380mhz CPU.. My question is I would like to get a faster Processor and I don't know what the fastest Processor I can get for this motherboard since I don't know what type Motherboard it is.... I've heard you can only put certain processors on certain mortherboards....socket 7? socket A? and socket 370? are a few I've heard of before

and help will be GREAT...thanks

 

I went to Compaq's site to look for your motherboard. They list it by their part number. Which is good for Compaq and bad for the rest of the 5.5 billion people on the planet.

You will have to look at your motherboard and see what it says. Compaq does make their own stuff, so it might be a Compaq only question. Checking will let you know if some other company makes it or not. If it is a Compaq product, you will have to contact them to see what type of socket it is and what the max processor it will accomidate. If it is another manufacturer, go to their website and find out what the specs are on it.

 

Hi Scott:

Here is what you have to ask yourself.
1. Can I afford a new pc.
2. What do you want to with it.
3. It is getting harder to find parts for the old pc's.

So if you have the money and know what you want to use it for go for a new one.

make sure you have lots of room to expand in there.
I have 5 pci slots and 2 ISA slota and 1 AGP slot. lots of room.

Go to a computer store and ask what is best.

We all have the right brand we like. I run SOYO motherboards.http://www.soyo.com.tw/ You can get parts for them and if you smoke a vid card or a modem Hey you can go too the corner store almost and get it with out having to order a Name brand part that will cost more.

 

There are different types of sockets for CPUs and one doesn't fit the other.

I don't know much about AMD chips, but if it was an Intel and given the age and speed of your processor, you may need to replace the motherboard. Intel's chip around that vintage was thge P-II and it was integrated with the mb. You had to change mbs to upgrade.

If this is so, you may want to consider just buying a new PC. Are the sound and graphics cards integrated with the MB or separate cards? A new mb/CPU will run $150 and up. You may need a new case, too. At least a new power supply.

 

Scott,
The K6-2 chips are all Socket 7 and everything under 500 is a 100mhz buss. About the only upgrade you have is a K5-450 that is still available. Not much of an upgrade. It is doubtful if your motherboard will handle anything above 100Mhz but you should be able to find those setting on the motherboard and in the manual. Also, Compaq builds their computers (or at least they did in those days) to use non-standard motherboards. This means you can't even do what most of us do-it-yourselfers do and that is drop in a new Motherboard and CPU. If you do go with a new or newer computer look for one that uses a standard ATX or MATX motherboard.

 

You can get on the net now and do a little shopping and I bet you for less than $150 US you can get a good MB and a 1.2 gig CPU. Memory and a decent video and audio card will be your next cost. But you don’t have to go all out, a 32 Meg video card and a 64 bit Sound Blaster would probably do you just fine and still stay under $235. Add a new case and power supply, biggest supply you can find for future use around $50 or go all out and get a really fancy lighted case for $100. In any case you can usually upgrade for under $250 if you have CD, floppy and less if you can use your audio/video.

 

Maybe I can add something. If you just want to add a processor, you probably can do that. Yours is running 95 MHz bus right now with a 4X multiplier.

chances are good that you can add something like a K6-2 500MHz or even a 550 MHz, but its hard to tell without knowing what kind of motherboard you have.

is there any number that you can give us:

-when you first turn on the screen there could be some shown.
-if you hit 'del' shortly after you turn on the computer, it may load the CMOS settings. It usually has the type of mainboard there.
-some numbers marked on the mainboard itself inside the computer. Everything is plugged into the mainboard.


In the end, the life you can get from this computer may take you another year or two, but you can upgrade as much as you want, depending on what you are willing to spend.