Simple CPU Swap

[Vdub90]

This is probably a super stupid question. I've built a few of my own computers, so I know my way around the inside of a case pretty good. From building and upgrading my current comp I have some extra parts lying around that I want to put into her comp. My wife hates when I touch her comp, and if I mess anything up I'll hear it for weeks (nothing ever goes wrong though :))

Anyway my question is if I swap the cpu out is that enough of a configuration change to mess anything up? She just recently reinstalled windows 7 and Wow and everything else.

She currently is running a E4300, 375W Psu, and a Geoforce 7900GT. I have in the closet an E8400, a new 650W psu and a, Bfg GTX260.

I know that changing everything shouldn't cause any issues. But I just need to hear it from other people. Plus if I mess something up and disappear, you will know what happened to me, LOL.

[kendallcschm]

Originally Posted by Vdub90

This is probably a super stupid question. I've built a few of my own computers, so I know my way around the inside of a case pretty good. From building and upgrading my current comp I have some extra parts lying around that I want to put into her comp. My wife hates when I touch her comp, and if I mess anything up I'll hear it for weeks (nothing ever goes wrong though :))

Anyway my question is if I swap the cpu out is that enough of a configuration change to mess anything up? She just recently reinstalled windows 7 and Wow and everything else.

She currently is running a E4300, 375W Psu, and a Geoforce 7900GT. I have in the closet an E8400, a new 650W psu and a, Bfg GTX260.

I know that changing everything shouldn't cause any issues. But I just need to hear it from other people. Plus if I mess something up and disappear, you will know what happened to me, LOL.

i don't think anyhting would go wrong.. although that is a PIC-e X16 2.0 GPU... if she has a PCI-e X16 2.0 capable motherboard then all should be good.. :-P and i believe they are even backwards compatible so.. IDK.. if they aren't then there is a problem but if they are your all good.. sorry if thats confusing

[ImmaPC]

There shouldn't be any problems whatsoever. The PSU has absolutely no effect on the operating system or its performance. The only thing to worry about is to make sure you fully uninstall the 7900GT drivers, and get the proper ones for the 260 (I don't know what they are, I don't own one).

I dunno though I heard of this once or twice where some people went and swapped out seemingly simple parts like the CPU or motherboard. Things worked fine but Windows didn't really like it and it crashed often. then they just reinstalled it and everything was completely fine. Just a point of caution. I'd take. I've never swapped out a CPU in the same computer, so...

[Zero82z]

Should be a straight swap. No problems from any of those things since you'll be using the same GPU drivers and the same motherboard. The only thing that really causes issues when you swap it out is the motherboard.

[sswilson]

The CPU change might force a windows registration / authentication. I've seen it on something as small as a bios update.

Other than that.... as has been mentioned, you may want to remove the old GFX drivers before you swap in the new card.

Software / OS wise there should be no difference other than the speed improvements.

[Raserei408]

I don't see any problems with the GPU and PSU, and there shouldn't be anything with the CPU. As long as the graphics drivers are currently being used are compatible with the 260 that should be a non-issue. If they're outdated you may want to update them, though.

[Vdub90]

Thanks for all the replies. It's nice to find a forum closer to home that people respond quickly too.
I'm going to start the swapping now, starting with the psu and cpu, then on to the gpu.

I'll let you know how it goes.

[Vdub90]

Well the psu swap went well. The cpu swap was a no go. The Dell motherboard only has a 4pin power supply and I geuss it doesn't supply enough juice for an E8400. The system wouldn't do anything. But I did manage to upgrade the gpu. So the wife should be happy with the bit better performance.

[Zero82z]

Ah, what chipset does this Dell motherboard use? It might not support 45nm Core 2 CPUs.

[MarkOne]

tonight I got the authentification pop-up on a XP srv pack 3 , after I install an other stick of ram, so it pass from a single channel to dual

Originally Posted by sswilson

The CPU change might force a windows registration / authentication. I've seen it on something as small as a bios update.

........