Downgrading Laptop CPU?

camelelf

Estimable
Sep 3, 2014
7
0
4,510
Hi guys.

I have a HP G6 1331SA which did have the A8-3500M in. The CPU decided to give up and I'm looking for alternatives. It's an FS1 socket and I've found an A4-3220M for sale within the UK for £19.

Is it as simple as swapping them or are their problems, apart from the downgrade in performance?
 
Solution
A faulty temp sensor can cause the fan to spin at 100%. A failing motherboard can do the same. The likelihood of this being the CPU is pretty low.

From the history presented, it seems that this problem has been going on for awhile. You can certainly try swapping the CPU as originally submitted. However, I wouldn't get my hopes up.

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
As long as the BIOS recognizes the CPU version, it should work. If that CPU was offered as an option in that product line, you should be fine.

What makes you think the CPU is the defective component? CPUs don't fail all that often.
 

Shane501

Estimable
Sep 24, 2014
22
0
4,560

camelelf

Estimable
Sep 3, 2014
7
0
4,510

I'm just going off HP's blink codes diagnostics. My boss seems to think it's not the CPU due to the laptop actually powering on which I thought did seem strange. Could a defective CPU still power a laptop up? The fan runs 100% and there's just a black screen but the blinking caps lock shows it's a CPU fault.

I thought I'd buy a CPU from somewhere that accepts returns just in case.
 

camelelf

Estimable
Sep 3, 2014
7
0
4,510

Not before it started playing up, no. I did give it a clean and new thermal paste after stripping it down just to see if anything would happen.

 

camelelf

Estimable
Sep 3, 2014
7
0
4,510

Nope. Just a black screen and the loud fan. Could be anything but I thought I'd start with the CPU.
 

Shane501

Estimable
Sep 24, 2014
22
0
4,560


That sounds like a CPU problem, when I tried to upgrade my CPU it did exactly that (though mine was probably a compatibility issue.)
 

camelelf

Estimable
Sep 3, 2014
7
0
4,510


No I didn't remove the CPU. The fans have always been at 100% which I thought would mean a motherboard issue. We have various G6 laptops at work which are in bits but I'm pretty sure most are Intel models so that doesn't really help.
 

camelelf

Estimable
Sep 3, 2014
7
0
4,510

That is what HP's website claims as it's blinking one light on the Caps Lock but It's not just ColGeek who thinks otherwise, I saw a thread on HP where the OP had the same problem (One blinking light) and replacing the CPU didn't work for him, but that's just one guy.

 

COLGeek

Cybernaut
Moderator
A faulty temp sensor can cause the fan to spin at 100%. A failing motherboard can do the same. The likelihood of this being the CPU is pretty low.

From the history presented, it seems that this problem has been going on for awhile. You can certainly try swapping the CPU as originally submitted. However, I wouldn't get my hopes up.
 
Solution

camelelf

Estimable
Sep 3, 2014
7
0
4,510

Not worth replacing the motherboard if it is. I've never known a CPU fail so I do believe your right but it's worth a go.

Thanks for everyones help.
I'll be sure to post back if I do get it working for anyone who may stumble upon this.