BIOS Updates forum

I have a Compaq Presario 2500 that originally came with a desktop Celeron 2.0 GHz. I wanted to upgrade the processor and lower power consumption at the same time. The Celeron consumed a straight 60 watts and wasn't a SpeedStep processor, so it ran at 2.0 GHz all the time.

Since the Presario 2500 could originally come with a Mobile P4 (Northwood core), I assumed I could use a P4-M processor instead (Northwood core) because they are both SpeedStep processors using the same core and similiar voltages. The reason I went with the P4-M is because it uses 1/2 the power of a Mobile P4.

When desktop users installed a P4-M in a S478 motherboard, they were stuck with the 12x multiplier since desktop motherboards don't have SpeedStep support. I assumed that since both the Mobile P4 and P4-M are Northwood S478 SpeedStep processors that they would be interchangeable.

So now I have a 2.40 GHz P4-M installed. The only problem is that SpeedStep isn't working and I'm stuck at the 12x multiplier (1.2GHz). I've adjusted the Power settings, tried Notebook Hardware Control, tried SpeedSwitch... No help.

I think the laptop can handle the P4-M because when I exit the BIOS, I get a quick flash of the POST information that's not normally displayed during bootup. And it correctly displays "CPU = Intel (R) Speedstep (TM) Technology 2.40 GHz". So at least it's reading the correct processor information.

Does anybody know if I would need to reinstall XP since there was a non-SpeedStep processor in the laptop when XP was installed? Or is the SpeedStep software always installed and automatically activates when it detects a SpeedStep compatible processor/BIOS?

Or is it possible that this could be a problem with the BIOS not sending the correct information to Windows regarding SpeedStep since it didn't originally come a P4-M?

Or is there something else I haven't considered yet? I'd appreciate any help or suggestions.

Have you read Bay Wolf's SpeedStep FAQ?

http://www.bay-wolf.com/speedstep.htm

Yes, I have. Unfortunately, it doesn't contain the answers to my questions. I think I'm going to need a BIOS/SpeedStep expert for this one.

Difficult to say.

I would start by comparing the socket pin specs of the two processors if the are identical regarding the speedstep and multiplier setup pins.

Another possibility is to google to see if anybody has encountered and solved the problem with desktop motherboards.

no way,pentium 4 +celeron northwoods run cooler than the prestcotts and pentium m with themsome big caches(period).
a celeron northwood with 256cache will outperform a pentium 4 prestcottwith 1 mb of ram mghz for mghz every time because of the northwoods superior shorther +smoother l2 pipeline addressing methods
there is a fsb mod that allows you to modify your celeron to 133fsb
@2.66ghz ,thats enough to keep any centrino honest.
we all know that intel deliberately siezed production of the best processor
ever designed (tualatin p111)