Hi there

I would appreciate some help.
My computer has been making some noise for some time now, when i open it up it seems to be coming from the fan and the pentium area. So perhaps I need a new fan and pentium? what do you think.

If so I have looked on ebay and there are a few pentium 3 chips with fans for sale at very low prices. could be a good start?

My systsm tells me I have a pentium 3 5oomhz.
Could somebody who is in the know tell me is it a case of just swapping these parts? what if i get a pentium 3 800mhx would that make a difference.
Is there more to it than just looking for those two numbers?

I would appreciate any help that can be offered as im wanting to get this problem sorted i dont want the system to go bang on me.

Looking forward to some advise.

Yummy

OK - two parts to this.

If my fan area is noisy, should I change the fan and processor?
Nope. Your fan might just need to be removed and put back on in the right position if it has moved a little over the last few years and started vibrating. Or it might just be full of dust and need removing from the PC and then brushing out / vacuuming out. A brand new fan will cost hardly anything and, depending on what you buy, it is likely to be quieter ..... but changing the Pentium III processor is very unlikely to make any additional difference.

Can I change my Pentium III 500MHz processor (CPU) for an 800MHz processor?
Only if your motherboard supports it. Also note that Pentium III processors also come in two different shapes. There's the long rectangular cartridge, which you've probably got - this fits into "slot 1". Newer (i.e. faster) Pentium III processors are more likely to be small square units that fit flat onto the motherboard (rather than standing away from it) in "Socket 370". Whatever it is you've got now, you can't fit the other type .... unless you buy an adaptor and these are now becoming hard to find. You need to check your motherboard manual for details of what processor speed it can support.

If you're still confused, please do run the D-A-L.com Online Hardware Scan (a link to this is in my signature below) and we will be happy to find out for you

Originally Posted by DJNafey

OK - two parts to this.

If my fan area is noisy, should I change the fan and processor?
Nope. Your fan might just need to be removed and put back on in the right position if it has moved a little over the last few years and started vibrating. Or it might just be full of dust and need removing from the PC and then brushing out / vacuuming out. A brand new fan will cost hardly anything and, depending on what you buy, it is likely to be quieter ..... but changing the Pentium III processor is very unlikely to make any additional difference.

thats great could you tell me how i get this fan out and put it back without breaking it. out of interest is this fan called a heat sink so i know what im asking for if i decided to try to buy a new fan. i did try to remove the fan before but it wouldnt come out any advise. If i want to replace the fan what am I asking for at the shop.

Can I change my Pentium III 500MHz processor (CPU) for an 800MHz processor?
Only if your motherboard supports it. Also note that Pentium III processors also come in two different shapes. There's the long rectangular cartridge, which you've probably got - this fits into "slot 1". Newer (i.e. faster) Pentium III processors are more likely to be small square units that fit flat onto the motherboard (rather than standing away from it) in "Socket 370". Whatever it is you've got now, you can't fit the other type .... unless you buy an adaptor and these are now becoming hard to find. You need to check your motherboard manual for details of what processor speed it can support.

If you're still confused, please do run the D-A-L.com Online Hardware Scan (a link to this is in my signature below) and we will be happy to find out for you

i have run the process you said and this is what I cam up with sorry i dont understand a lot of it so if you could help that would be great

-------------------------------------------------------

OS Information:
PropertyValue
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition|C:\WINDOWS|\Device\Harddisk0\Partition1
Service Pack 2.0
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS


Processor:
PropertyValue
Current Clock Speed 501
Description x86 Family 6 Model 7 Stepping 3
Manufacturer GenuineIntel
Name Intel Pentium III processor


Memory (RAM):
PropertyValue
Bank Label RAS 1 & 0
Capacity 268435456

Bank Label RAS 3 & 2
Capacity 268435456

Total Memory Deteced in Hardware: ~512 MB
Memory Reported to Operating System: 511MB

Disk Drives:
PropertyValue
Description Disk drive
Manufacturer (Standard disk drives)
Model FUJITSU MPE3136AT
Media Type Fixed hard disk media
Size 13662190080 (~13 GB)
Number of Partitions 1


Installed Printers:
PropertyValue
Name hp deskjet 845c
Port Name USB001
Default True
Driver Name hp deskjet 845c


Motherboard:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer
Model
Name Base Board
Part Number
Product
Serial Number
Version


BIOS:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer Award Software International, Inc.
Name Award Modular BIOS v4.60PGMA
Release Date 19991210000000.000000+000
Version AWARD - 42302e31


Monitor:
PropertyValue
Description Plug and Play Monitor
Name Plug and Play Monitor
Screen Height 768
Screen Width 1024


Keyboard:
PropertyValue
Description Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard


Pointing Device:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer Logitech
Name Logitech-compatible Mouse PS/2


Sound Card:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer Creative Technology Ltd.
Description Creative AudioPCI (ES1371,ES1373) (WDM)
Device ID PCI\VEN_1274&DEV_5880&SUBSYS_20001274&REV_02\3&61A AA01&0&50

Manufacturer ESS Technology, Inc.
Description ESS 1969 PCI AudioDrive (WDM)
Device ID PCI\VEN_125D&DEV_1969&SUBSYS_8888125D&REV_01\3&61A AA01&0&68


Video Card:
PropertyValue
Adapter Compatibility NVIDIA
Adapter RAM 67108864
Description NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 420
Installed Display Drivers nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version 6.14.10.5216
Driver Date 10/06/2003 14:16:00
Video Mode Description 1024 x 768 x 4294967296 colors


DirectX Installation:
PropertyValue
Version 6.03.01.0146


Modem:
PropertyValue

Network Adapters:
PropertyValue
Description Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC - Packet Scheduler Miniport
Description RAS Async Adapter
Description Packet Scheduler Miniport
Description WAN Miniport (L2TP)
Description WAN Miniport (PPTP)
Description WAN Miniport (PPPOE)
Description Direct Parallel
Description WAN Miniport (IP)
Description Packet Scheduler Miniport
Description Microsoft TV/Video Connection

External Ports:
PropertyValue
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator
External Reference Designator Detected
External Reference Designator

Expansion Slots:
PropertyValue
Slot Designation ISA
Slot Designation PCI
Slot Designation PCI
Slot Designation PCI
Slot Designation AGP
-------------------------------------------------------

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK THE FOLLOWING

1) The Fan makes noise and needs a clean or i replace it.
2)How would I take the fan out? or what fan do i ask for if i was to buy replacement?
3)the noise in the computer gets very loud at start up and when it is thinking ie doing lots of work could this be noise from the fan and or the harddrive.
If the hard drive is making loud whirring noises or any of the other components do they need replacing.
4) It seems like im pulling my hair out lol
I think that evreything that could go wrong by maing a nose is. God only knows where to start. Maybe the fan is the first place but i need to know what to buy and how to get the thing out and in lol i dont ask much do i

I really do appreciate the advise given by anybody

Yummy

Upgrading the CPU
Oh damn, the bit that I particularly wanted to see was the motherboard detail:

Motherboard:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer
Model
Name Base Board
Part Number
Product
Serial Number
Version

But it doesn't appear to have worked on that section of the scan. Hmmmm. Maybe I can find out some info based in the BIOS number or something. Might take me a while.

Removing the fan
If your processor is the square socket 370 type (I'll found out in a minute when I research the results from your scan), then removing the fan is normally easy. Push down on the metal catch, pushing it away from the socket - it will 'unlock' itself from the socket and you'll be able to lift it off. If you've got a slot 1 type processor, then I'm not too sure as there were a couple of different fan designs. You might find that the fan is held on by some metal pins that go through to the back of the processor. As on the other type, you should be able to push the pins and wiggle them out of the bit that they've locked themselves into. If you spend a minute or two wiggling it all around (best to lift the processor out of the slot so you don't damage anything), then you should see how it fits together.

What's a fan and what's a heatsink?
The fan is the round spinny thing that's a bit dusty! It is normally secured onto the heatsink, which is the large metal construction about the same length as the processor and made up of finned sections to dissipate as much heat as possible (just like a radiator in a car). It is secured directly onto the side of the slot 1 processor (or, in the case of a square socket 370 processor, it sits directly on top of it). New fans normally come as a heatsink and fan all-in-one unit. If you go to a shop for a new one, you just need to ask for a "heatsink and fan for a slot 1 processor" or a "heatsink and fan for a socket 370 processor". Even if they do sell them as separate parts, it would be best to buy both a heatsink and a fan at the same time so that you know that they will be a compatible fitting.

I would also like to ask the following.......
Sorry but you reached the limit of how much you can write in one response so it clipped off the end of your reply. What was the other thing you wanted to ask?

I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ASK THE FOLLOWING

1) The Fan makes noise and needs a clean or i replace it.
2)How would I take the fan out? or what fan do i ask for if i was to buy replacement?
3)the noise in the computer gets very loud at start up and when it is thinking ie doing lots of work could this be noise from the fan and or the harddrive.
If the hard drive is making loud whirring noises or any of the other components do they need replacing.
4) It seems like im pulling my hair out lol
I think that evreything that could go wrong by maing a nose is. God only knows where to start. Maybe the fan is the first place but i need to know what to buy and how to get the thing out and in lol i dont ask much do i

I really do appreciate the advise given by anybody

Yummy

BTW your up late lol

Originally Posted by DJNafey

Upgrading the CPU
Oh damn, the bit that I particularly wanted to see was the motherboard detail:

Motherboard:
PropertyValue
Manufacturer
Model
Name Base Board
Part Number
Product
Serial Number
Version

I downloaded this little programm http://www.cpuid.com/download/cpu-z123.zip
once opened it gave me all this information:

CPU
Processor - Intel Pentium III
Code name: Katami
Package - Slot 1 SECC2
Technology - 0.25
Specification: Intel Pentium III 500mhz
Family 6
Model 7
Stepping 3
Ext. Family 0
Revision kCO
Instructions: MMX SSE

Clocks
Core Speed 501.1mhz
Mulitiplier x5.0
FSB 100.2 MHZ
Bus Speed: 100.2mhz

Motherboard
Shows nothing under manufacturer and model
Chipset Intel i440BX/ZX
Southbridge: Intel 82371 (pix4)

Wow all numbers and thinsg to me does any of that help
Yummy

Originally Posted by yumzone

I downloaded this little programm............

Ah, nice one You've definitely got a slot 1 processor.

Still don't know what your motherboard will support though. Think that will take some rather in-depth investigating. Sure you don't have a manual for it?

With regard to removing the fan, it's probably combined with the heatsink so it will be something along the lines of those vague instructions I gave earlier! Look for a metal clip securing the heatsink / fan to the processor (the big long black "cartridge"). There ought to be some way of releasing the catch on it so that it comes off. Will be tight though.

When you go in the shop, any computer shop assistant should understand what you mean when you say "I need a heatsink and fan for a slot 1 processor". If they don't understand, ask to speak to someone else! You really can't say it any more simply than that!

You could, of course, take it with you to the shop and say "I want a new one of these" !

Originally Posted by yumzone

BTW your up late lol

lol, yes, you're right. I've got to be at work in five and a half hours ..... I really must get to bed!

ahhh brilliant I have been up all night trying to get the thing out. at 4.45am I managed it. Wow now Im going to have a cuppa and go to the shop when they open and see if that solves the problem. Just one question. The pentium itself wouldnt be making a noise would it?
Many thanks
Yummy

No, the processor itself won't be making any noise at all.