Question about upgrading CPU

[noelthemusician]

I built my computer on a budget a couple years ago. It has a Mach Speed p4mst890 motherboard, Pentium D 925 processor, and 2 gigs RAM. It is not handling my new recording software, Sonar 8.5, and I think my computer is upgradable enough to handle it. I am assuming that the processor is more of the problem than the RAM. 2 gigs I think should be sufficient? The other thing I am wondering is, what is the best processor I can upgrade to? The motherboard supports Core 2 Duo CPU's, socket LGA 775. Supports bus speed of FSB 1066MHz. There is a list of supported processors on their website, but I am wondering if it might possibly support better Core 2 Duo processors than the ones listed. Will a C2D processor work as long as it has the same bus speed and socket type? I was thinking that the processors listed were just the ones tested, but might work with newer ones also?

 

[mtb211]

you could do a core 2 quad, What OS are you running? 64 bit or 32?

do you receive an error message?

 

[noelthemusician]

I could? That would be exciting. I am running Windows 7, 32 bit. I am not getting any error messages. The audio just keeps dropping out. I guess I would want to install 64 bit with a Core 2 Duo or Quad, right?

 

[mtb211]

lga 775 is quad I believe

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117173&cm_re=lga_775-_-19-117-173-_-Product

 

[noelthemusician]

It is. I just didn't know if thats all I needed to look at when upgrading the processor. I was looking at the C2D and not the quads just because of what the Mach Speed website said my motherboard was compatible with. If I purchased a quad core CPU might I be taking a risk of it not working with my older motherboard? Also, I am new to the forum. Would you consider yourself expert in knowledge on this topic? I have only ever built a couple computers. I don't know that much.

 

[schw32m]

lga 775 is quad I believe

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117173&cm_re=lga_775-_-19-117-173-_-Product

C2D at the most according to the Mach Speed support list.

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor

Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6700 SL9S7 2.66 GHz 1066
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6700 SL9ZF 2.66 GHz 1066
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6600 SL9S8 2.40 GHz 1066
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6600 SL9ZL 2.40 GHz 1066
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6400 SL9S9 2.13 GHz 1066
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6400 SL9T9 2.13 GHz 1066
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6300 SL9TA 1.86 GHz 1066
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor E6300 SL9SA 1.86 GHz 1066

Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core

Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E4500 SLA95 2.2 GHz 800
Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E2160 SLA3H 1.80 GHz 800
Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E2140 SLA93 1.60 GHz 800

Intel® Pentium® D

Intel® Pentium® D processor 960 SL9K7 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 960 SL9AP 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 950 SL95V 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 950 SL9K8 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 950 SL94P 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 945 SL9QB 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 945 SL9QQ 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 940 SL94Q 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 940 SL95W 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 930 SL95X 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 930 SL94R 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 920 SL94S 2.80 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 840 SL8CM 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 840 SL88R 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 830 SL88S 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 830 SL8CN 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 820 SL8CP 2.80 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 820 SL88T 2.80 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® D processor 805 SL8ZH 2.66 GHz 533 Mhz

Intel® Pentium® 4

Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 661 SL96H 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 661 SL8WF 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 660 SL7Z5 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 651 SL96J 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 651 SL8WG 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 651 SL94W 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 651 SL9KE 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 641 SL8WH 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 641 SL94X 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 641 SL9KF 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 641 SL96K 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 640 SL7Z8 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 640 SL8Q6 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 631 SL96L 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 631 SL9KG 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 631 SL8WJ 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 631 SL94Y 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 630 SL7Z9 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 630 SL8Q7 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 571 SL8J7 3.80 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560 SL7NZ 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560 SL7L9 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560 SL7J9 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 560 SL7KN 3.60 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 SL7J8 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 SL7PZ 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 550 SL7KM 3.40 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540 SL7J7 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540 SL7PX 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 540 SL7KL 3.20 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530 SL7KK 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 530 SL7J6 3 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520 SL7KH 2.80 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520 SL7KJ 2.80 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520 SL7J5 2.80 GHz 800 Mhz
Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor 520 SL7J4 2.80 GHz 533 Mhz

Intel® Celeron® D

Intel® Celeron® D Processor 351 SL7TZ 3.20 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 351 SL9BS 3.20 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 351 SL8HF 3.20 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 336 SL98W 2.80 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 336 SL8H9 2.80 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 336 SL7TW 2.80 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 335 SL7SU 2.80 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 331 SL98V 2.66 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 331 SL7TV 2.66 GHz 533 Mhz
Intel® Celeron® D Processor 331 SL8H7 2.66 GHz 533 Mhz

http://www.machspeed.com/specs/cpusupp/cpusupP4M890.htm

I think you are limited to an E6700 at the top of the C2D list. The motherboard manual says that it will support Pentium D but the specs on the VIA chipset seem to conflict a little with that. To be safe, I wouldn't try to second guess the recommended CPU support.

Specs PDF

Manual PDF

Mach Speed P4MST-890

 

[NCspecV81]

Go with 4 cores if you can.