Can I know my CPU without taking out the heatsink?

kenny1999

Member
I left my computer for repair at a dishonest computer shop a few weeks ago and they took very long time to fix it. I don't go into details about what they have done but I cannot trust them really now.

Without taking away the heatsink and looking at the processor, is there any software that I can check to see what CPU I am using now, while being not possible to cheat?

I've heard that a tech geek could alter and show your CPU to any model in the BIOS setting
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
Could CPU-Z be fooled too? Displaying a wrong CPU from the actual one?
Not generally. Why not just run it and see what comes out before speculating whatever other false garbage might happen.

When in doubt, take the 30-60 seconds to remove the HSF and see the model number.
 

kenny1999

Member
Not generally. Why not just run it and see what comes out before speculating whatever other false garbage might happen.

I've run CPU-Z now, it displays the correct CPU. What I mean is if this will undoubtedly reflect my actual CPU in the socket, instead of false information? As I said, the computer was sent to a dishonest shop for repair, whom I do not trust them. I don't know if a dishonest shop could replace my CPU with a cheaper one and do some magic to the fool the system to display a more expensive CPU
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
I've run CPU-Z now, it displays the correct CPU. What I mean is if this will undoubtedly reflect my actual CPU in the socket, instead of false information? As I said, the computer was sent to a dishonest shop for repair, whom I do not trust them. I don't know if a dishonest shop could replace my CPU with a cheaper one and do some magic to the fool the system to display a more expensive CPU

Is this shop run by the mob? Sure some repair techs might suck or have less than forthcoming management but outright going out of their way to swap your CPU and tricking the BIOS into ID'ing a different one is some pretty shady shit.
 

Intel_man

VIP Member
A pretty easy way to figure it out is to run the CPU-Z benchmarking tool and validate it. Then go and compare the benchmarked scores other people got with your same processor.
 

Laquer Head

Well-Known Member
Is this shop run by the mob? Sure some repair techs might suck or have less than forthcoming management but outright going out of their way to swap your CPU and tricking the BIOS into ID'ing a different one is some pretty shady shit.

I agree, sounds like something a shop would only do if they were shady, but more likely had a beef with you specifically and set out to screw you, and only you.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
This is generally why Intel includes the entire model in the CPU ID string. Some older platforms like the athlon XP would derive the model display from the frequency, bus and cache. A 2500+ at 400 fsb became a 3200+ for most reporting purposes (including BIOS identification).

Most of that is related to older hardware though.
 

mistersprinkles

Active Member
It does happen. I had a PII 233 Klamath sold to me as a P II 300 deschutes back in late 1997. I had to load the thing back on my dinosaur and ride back to the store to let them have it (my wrath).


Just out of curiosity, what makes you think the shop is dishonest? What did they do to you?

And no, I don't think you can fool CPU-Z. You also can't fool the BIOS, which will also tell you which CPU you have, as will system properties.
 

kenny1999

Member
It does happen. I had a PII 233 Klamath sold to me as a P II 300 deschutes back in late 1997. I had to load the thing back on my dinosaur and ride back to the store to let them have it (my wrath).


Just out of curiosity, what makes you think the shop is dishonest? What did they do to you?

And no, I don't think you can fool CPU-Z. You also can't fool the BIOS, which will also tell you which CPU you have, as will system properties.


So now CPU-Z shows the correct CPU I am having, does it mean it's likely that my CPU was not swapped with a less expensive one?


What did the shop do to make me feel unsafe?

First my computer worked but it gave burning smell.

1. They said my motherboard had some problems which should be replaced or otherwise it will likely damage other hardware. However, after my search later, it looks
like to me that a problematic motherboard will not even boot my PC to windows, or otherwise it should be perfect.

2. They recommended me to purchase the new motherboard that is not fully compatible with my old CPU, which has higher rated TDP than the motherboard can support. He only looked at the physical socket and put my CPU or other hardware at risk.

3. The board should come with two new SATA cables but one of the cable was stolen.

4. I have no GPU and only 4 hard drives and he said 450W PSU was enough but NOT
enough for me because I will not turn off my PC so he strongly advised 550W. But I am not sure if he's right, but I've picked 550W which is 10 bucks more only.
 

beers

Moderator
Staff member
it looks
like to me that a problematic motherboard will not even boot my PC to windows, or otherwise it should be perfect.
You already asked this question, ignored every post and still went with your own inaccurate conclusion.
he said 450W PSU was enough but NOT
enough for me because I will not turn off my PC so he strongly advised 550W
Since you don't know what you're doing you were swindled. Length of time the PC is on has nothing to do with the wattage required to run it.

I'd personally find another shop but also try educating yourself on computers and similar. Swapping a motherboard yourself is fairly elementary, you'd save some money and not have to hype up your own hysteria about 'people stealing a SATA cable'.
 
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Laquer Head

Well-Known Member
So now CPU-Z shows the correct CPU I am having, does it mean it's likely that my CPU was not swapped with a less expensive one?


What did the shop do to make me feel unsafe?

First my computer worked but it gave burning smell.

1. They said my motherboard had some problems which should be replaced or otherwise it will likely damage other hardware. However, after my search later, it looks
like to me that a problematic motherboard will not even boot my PC to windows, or otherwise it should be perfect.

2. They recommended me to purchase the new motherboard that is not fully compatible with my old CPU, which has higher rated TDP than the motherboard can support. He only looked at the physical socket and put my CPU or other hardware at risk.

3. The board should come with two new SATA cables but one of the cable was stolen.

4. I have no GPU and only 4 hard drives and he said 450W PSU was enough but NOT
enough for me because I will not turn off my PC so he strongly advised 550W. But I am not sure if he's right, but I've picked 550W which is 10 bucks more only.

The problem here is not the shop, its your complete lack of knowledge and, to a greater extent, common sense.

You're repeatedly blaming a shop for screwing you, but you seem to have little to no knowledge or fact to back these claims up. Uneducated consumer aside, you are grasping at straws and probably should look up info, research, and approach this in a better way.
 

mistersprinkles

Active Member
I worked at a computer repair shop as a powerless underling. I have seen some people get screeeeeeeeeewed. I'll put out a cautionary tale for the OP, not because I necessarily think he got screwed, but to illustrate how important it is to educate yourself about technology before you put money down for it:

The computer shop I was working at did some shady things. Among them was selling used computers at obscene prices. One day, the most computer-ignorant man I have ever seen in my life walked into the store with his new Wifi USB dongle and his Pentium 4 2Ghz (yes seriously, in 2016) machine and asked us if we could connect his WIFI for him. He lived about 5 miles away and thought we could connect to his wifi from the shop.

Seeing an opportunity to put the screws to somebody, my boss offered him "an upgraded machine at a great price". He was charged $180 for the following

Pentium 4 3Ghz (socket 478)
4GB of RAM
120GB HDD
Some garbage video card
(legal but stolen) Win 7

I estimate that this computer was worth maybe $15 on a good day. What makes this extra funny is that when that machine came in as trade, my manager offered it to me for $20 with a smirk on his face and I turned him down because I thought the price was a rip off. I told him he'd have to pay me $20 to take it. To a dumpster.

What's really funny is that for $225, they were also selling Core 2 8XXX machines with 4GB of RAM and 250GB HDDs, which, again, is a ripoff. They could have sold him one of those which would at least have been passable but they saw a chance to unload an astronomically obsolete hunk of crap on him.

This is what happens when you don't know what you're doing.

Having said all that I think suggesting a 550W (you probably got a junker PSU too) PSU for a machine that is running integrated graphics is quite hilarious.

Just curious, what exactly is the work that was done including part brand and model names? I'd like to see how deeply you were penetrated by this shop screwing you around, if at all.
 

Darren

Moderator
Staff member
I worked at a computer repair shop as a powerless underling. I have seen some people get screeeeeeeeeewed. I'll put out a cautionary tale for the OP, not because I necessarily think he got screwed, but to illustrate how important it is to educate yourself about technology before you put money down for it:

The computer shop I was working at did some shady things. Among them was selling used computers at obscene prices. One day, the most computer-ignorant man I have ever seen in my life walked into the store with his new Wifi USB dongle and his Pentium 4 2Ghz (yes seriously, in 2016) machine and asked us if we could connect his WIFI for him. He lived about 5 miles away and thought we could connect to his wifi from the shop.

Seeing an opportunity to put the screws to somebody, my boss offered him "an upgraded machine at a great price". He was charged $180 for the following

Pentium 4 3Ghz (socket 478)
4GB of RAM
120GB HDD
Some garbage video card
(legal but stolen) Win 7

I estimate that this computer was worth maybe $15 on a good day. What makes this extra funny is that when that machine came in as trade, my manager offered it to me for $20 with a smirk on his face and I turned him down because I thought the price was a rip off. I told him he'd have to pay me $20 to take it. To a dumpster.

What's really funny is that for $225, they were also selling Core 2 8XXX machines with 4GB of RAM and 250GB HDDs, which, again, is a ripoff. They could have sold him one of those which would at least have been passable but they saw a chance to unload an astronomically obsolete hunk of crap on him.

This is what happens when you don't know what you're doing.

Having said all that I think suggesting a 550W (you probably got a junker PSU too) PSU for a machine that is running integrated graphics is quite hilarious.

Just curious, what exactly is the work that was done including part brand and model names? I'd like to see how deeply you were penetrated by this shop screwing you around, if at all.

That's some shady stuff. I sell machines at work that are Core2Duo's, 160GB HDD, and 3GB of RAM for $80 bucks on a legit copy of Windows. For $200 you get an i3, 4GB, and 500GB HDD.
 

mistersprinkles

Active Member
Don't get me started. MS Office (cracked) @ $280 installed (shop's cost obviously being $0), buying 3 licenses from Bitdefender for like $50 (usually less) then selling them individually @ $60/each + INSTALLATION...

I won't post the name but it should have been called crooked computers.
 

Intel_man

VIP Member
Don't get me started. MS Office (cracked) @ $280 installed (shop's cost obviously being $0), buying 3 licenses from Bitdefender for like $50 (usually less) then selling them individually @ $60/each + INSTALLATION...

I won't post the name but it should have been called crooked computers.
That's some pretty unethical stuff. You should be reporting that stuff.
 

mistersprinkles

Active Member
I call bullshit

Like only you would.
I'm serious about all this stuff. There's a sucker born every minute and I worked at a place that took advantage of those suckers.
I don't want to report them because at the end of the day they were nice guys for the most part who just had some scummy tendancies. And hey, at least they weren't as bad as geek squad. Things actually got fixed.
 
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