Deals of the Day
How to install or replace a CPU or processor in a computer
Before you start you should first read about what a CPU or central processing unit is and how it functions in your computer. Please read our article about CUP's, then return here to learn how to upgrade or install a CPU or processor. For the rest of this article we will refer to the CPU as a processor.
After familiarizing yourself with the processor you will need to determine which brand of processor your motherboard can support. The most popular brands of processors are Intel and AMD. Both companies produce quality products and there will always be advocates of both brands of processors. The fact remains that AMD is the cheaper of the two processors. The argument is are they similar in quality? Nevertheless the installation process is the same for both brands.
After you determine the brand of processor your motherboard can support you will need to figure out the type of processor the motherboard can support. For example, a Pentium 4 processor won't fit into a motherboard designed to handle a Pentium 3 processor.
If you are just replacing an existing processor just be sure that you get the same brand and type of processor. If you are building a computer for the first time just be sure that the processor will be supported by the motherboard. This information can usually be obtained from the manufacturer, the store you are purchasing from or the manual that comes with the motherboard.
Now that we have the correct computer parts let's start installing the processor into the motherboard. Below is are a couple of pictures of what the processor will look like. The first step is to always unplug the computer and "gourd" yourself.
To replace a processor follow these directions: (for new installations simply ignore the steps about removing the old processor).
The processor will have a heat sink and a fan on top of it to keep it cool and increase air circulation. Both the fan and heat sink will have to be removed before you can remove the processor. The fan will be attached to the motherboard by a small power cable. Unplug the power cable from the motherboard. There is usually a clip holding the fan and heat sink into place on top of the processor. Once they are removed the processor will be exposed. You should see a little lever on the side of the processor. You will have to raise the lever up and the processor will slide out of place slightly. You should now be able to lift the processor away from the motherboard.
Insert the new processor into place making sure the pins line up with the holes in the motherboard. Lower the lever arm back down locking the processor into place. You will now have to apply thermal compound to the processor so that heat can easily be dispersed from the processor during operation. Without the compound the processor may overheat causing damage to the processor or causing the computer to freeze up during operation.
Now replace the heat sink and fan back on top of the processor. Plug the power to the fan back to the motherboard. Put the case cover back on the computer. Plug the power back into the wall and power on the computer. The bios should automatically recognize the new computer part.