[Blazing933]

Is there anything I should know or do before installing a new cpu? (im going from a P4 517 to a P4 650)

[Krlll]

Earth yourself to discharge static electricity.
Have thermal paste(TIM) ready for the chip.

[Jimmy Hat]

Be really careful not to bend any pins, it might sound obvious but its very easy to do. It is often possible to bend them back again but just don't do it in the first place and you'll be laughing.

[alex]

1) Ensure the pc is powered down and power cable removed from psu.

2) Psu switched off. (touch psu with both hands to earth yourself)

3) Remove mobo from case (makes re-fitting the cooler soooo much easier). DONT place it on the carpet (full of static) get an anti-static sheet to hand, if you don't have one newspaper will suffice.

4) Remove cooler from the resident cpu: Twist the four pins and slowly but firmly pull the cooler from the cpu. At an angle please or you'll stress the socket too much.

5) Fold back the spring, and lift the bar to unseat the resident cpu.

6) Hold the resident cpu by its edges ONLY and lift from the socket.

7) Seat the new cpu ensuring the white arrow matches the marking on the socket. It should just slot straight in. If you've done it correctly it wont require any force whatsoever. Ensure again you only hold it by the edges.

8) Close the cpu socket, locking the bar in the slot at the side of the socket.

9) Get your T.I.M and squeeze a drop onto the centre of the cpu. Use a cotton bud or kitchen towel corner to spread it out.

10) Ensure the whole of the top of the cpu is covered by the T.I.M. Try not to get any over the edges as that will just contain heat that the cooler wont get rid of.

11) Seat cooler above the socket and position the 4 'legs' of the cooler over the holes and just loosely drop it into the holes.

12) When the cooler is positioned correctly grasp the side of the motherboard (by the pcb only - the green bit) and lift the motherboard onto its side. Place other hand (fingertips only) and use them to hold the motherboard directly under the cpu socket as this is where most of the stress is going to be.

13) Grasp top of cooler and push until the 4 pins lock.

14) Place motherboard back down and twist the pins until they lock.

15) Pat self on back.