Toughbook CF-18 CPU upgrades

videonerd · Post by **videonerd** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:23 pm

Is it possible to upgrade a Toughbook CF-18 CPU?

... as in, buying a slower Pentium-M 900MHz Toughbook, and putting in a 1.5GHz Pentium-M chip. There are 1.5GHz CF-18 laptops, so I know the platform supports it - but... is the CPU soldered in?

Post by **alex** » Wed May 23, 2007 5:29 am

Even if you could change out the processor, the heat requirements, power draw, and bus speeds - just to name a few, probably would not help your attempt.

I'm sure to some degree that you can change the P3 series chips around, and probably have it work (if it's even socketed). I don't think I'd do a P3 -> Pentium M chip.

-Alex

JAYMZ · Post by **JAYMZ** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:27 am

alex wrote:Even if you could change out the processor, the heat requirements, power draw, and bus speeds - just to name a few, probably would not help your attempt.

I'm sure to some degree that you can change the P3 series chips around, and probably have it work (if it's even socketed). I don't think I'd do a P3 -> Pentium M chip.

-Alex

Sockets are different for the P3 and the P-Ms though aren't they?

Post by **alex** » Wed May 23, 2007 6:34 am

JAYMZ wrote:
alex wrote:Even if you could change out the processor, the heat requirements, power draw, and bus speeds - just to name a few, probably would not help your attempt.

I'm sure to some degree that you can change the P3 series chips around, and probably have it work (if it's even socketed). I don't think I'd do a P3 -> Pentium M chip.

-Alex
Sockets are different for the P3 and the P-Ms though aren't they?

Probably - but I really don't know off hand. I'd think I'd be more concerned about burning up the chip after I changed it - even if it was socketed correctly.

mr.syntrx · Post by **mr.syntrx** » Wed May 23, 2007 9:08 am

I'd also be concerned about the BIOS or other motherboard electronics supporting the CPU, such as the ability to set clock speeds etc. We have some single board industrial machines at work that work only with a particular model CPU, if you use other processors from the same family, the machine doesn't do a damn thing. There is also no provision to change clock speeds and multipliers.