Upgrade Guide

Upgrading a Pentium II (Slot 1) PC

Remove the Old CPU

Since Pentium II­based PCs keep power flowing through the motherboard even when they're turned off, unplug the PC after you turn it off and use an antistatic wrist strap.

Remove the PC's cover. If your PII has a fan, unplug its power connector. If it has a heat sink instead, remove that. You won't reinstall it, since upgrade CPUs have a built-in fan.

Small levers hold the PII cartridge in a frame. Press them both until they pop into an open position.

Grasp the cartridge firmly, and carefully rock it from side to side until it starts to loosen; then gently pull it out of the frame.

Insert the New Processor Cartridge

Remove the new processor from its packaging. Check the processor's manual to determine the proper orientation for its cartridge in the motherboard slot. Then gently slide the cartridge into the frame until it is above the slot. At that point, press down firmly until the levers on the frame click into place. Finally, connect the fan power connector to the motherboard.

Set the Speed Jumper

Your computer's motherboard may have a jumper for setting the processor speed. If it does, set the jumper to match the new processor speed. (If the upgrade processor you've installed runs at a speed faster than the maximum jumper setting, just set the jumpers to the fastest speed that is available.)

If your motherboard doesn't have jumpers, the CPU's speed is usually set from the built-in setup utility. (Procedures in this case vary.)

And some motherboards sense which processor is installed and set themselves up.

If your system won't start, switch it off and make sure the cartridge is firmly inserted in the slot. If your cartridge is in the slot correctly but your system still won't start, don't hesitate to call the upgrade company's tech support.