2GB RAM for N800V Presario 1500 EVO N1000 N1020V

[JohnB_100]

I have several of these older Compaq laptops and although they didn't come with a large hard drive, I've upgraded each with 250GB and 320GB hard drives, partitioning drive C <128GB and Drive E with the rest -- there is a post on this board about why this is an absolute requirement.

I also am trying to max out the memory of these older laptops.

The good news is the N800V accepts two sticks of DDR 1GB ram, and it doesn't seem to care whether they are PC2100, PC2700, or PC3200. I don't have two exactly matched sticks, but they all work together in this laptop. The BIOS and XP both report 2.0GB Ram. Great!

The odd news: the Presario 1500, Evo N1000C, and EVO N1020V machines let me install one 1GB stick (any speed) plus one 512MB stick (any speed). The BIOS and XP both report 1.50 GB of RAM, and the machines operate reliably. However, if I put in two 1GB sticks to one of these machines, they won't turn on.

Does anyone know why the 1500, n1000, n1020 series laptops only work with one 1GB stick and one 0.5 GB stick of RAM but not two 1GB sticks? Is there a current sensing circuit?

 

[stimpyaw]

I've sold these machines because the screen outside cracked and replaced them with NC8000 which uses the same battery and power supply but it's much faster and cooler ! Now I can have 2 GB and it's even DDR333 😉

To upgrade CPU just lift the plastic bar where all buttons (power etc.) - careful it can be glued. Start from the middle towards the edges.

Then you will see that keyboard is moving freely. Just lift towards yourself but do not remove it. Then you will see copper heatsink with a fan. Just remove four torx screws and remove the heatsink.

There will be just normal ordinary CPU socket with the CPU inside. Lift the latch and remove it.

If you install Mobile version CPU you need to switch the DIP switch on the motherboard. You will find a description directly on the motherboard.

The fastest Mobile CPU is 2.4 GHz: http/www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Pentium_4/Intel-Mobile%20Pentium%204-M%202.4%20GHz%20-%20RH80532GC056512%20%28BXM80532GC2400D%29.html

The faster Desktop CPU is 2.8 GHz: http/www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Pentium_4/Intel-Pentium%204%202.8%20GHz%20-%20RK80532PC072512.html

Make sure it's Northwood and the FSB is 400 MHz not 533 MHz.

Thank you for the information that will come in very handing!!

 

[JohnB_100]

Do a search for "HP EVO N1000C service manual" and look for link to a pdf from an HP website. I found this one today (may not last long).

HP 1000C service manual

The service manual gives detailed instruction on how to take the laptop apart safely. Make sure you are well-grounded so you don't build up electro-static charge which can zap a sensitive component. Also, be sure to handle the CPU and other boards only by the edges, avoiding contact with metal traces or pins.

When you replace your CPU, you have the option to re-use the thermal pad, a thinly coated metal strip, which is easiest. If that pad is damaged or missing, remove any part of it which remains, clean the heatsink and cpu with alcohol, and use Arctic Silver heatsink compound (only a small drop, spread thinly over the top of the CPU) to provide heat transfer between the cpu and heatsink module.

I think this laptop uses a different heatsink module for mobile and non-mobile cpu. The mobile CPU operates at a lower frequency and therefore generates less heat and fan noise when CPU usage is low. Units with the non-mobile P4 cpu (socket 486) have their fan running continuously, which can be annoying.

 

[stimpyaw]

Thank JohnB for the additional information. I have had this laptop for a while now and had downloaded that manual awhile go. Its good to see that you can still find it from HP. This project has now just jumped up to my top 5, I'll post back on the outcome.

 

[stimpyaw]

I just did a more detailed digging around HP's website and found this too:

Compaq Evo n1000c Notebook PC - Removing and Replacing the Processor <<click on link<<

This page give detailed steps, links and a list of the CPU's that will work in the EVO n1000c.