Upgrade the CPU only, what are the tricks?

My setup: XP Pro SP2, ECS K7S5A mobo, Athlon XP 2000, 512MB, 40G disk, DVD-ROM, CD-Writer, 64MB AGP video card, 2 x 10/100 NIC in Aopen case.

I want to upgrade my CPU to Athlon XP 2600, I checked the manual, my mobo supports it fine.
Do I need to change anything in XP before or after I put the new CPU in?
Should I image the system?
Any changes to BIOS?

or will the new CPU be automatically recognized by XP and registers upgraded?

Thanks

 

Have you ever installed any drivers about AMD 2000? If yes, uninstall them first.
If it failed, you can logon your system with safe mode, so I don't think that you need to make an image for your system...

 

Just pop the CPU in - there is nothing to be changed or configured for Windows. You would have to however change the FSB settings to 133 MHz (I think its 100 MHz right now).

 

About the only "trick" is to check that the BIOS version is modern enough to run the new CPU.

http://www.ecsusa.com/support/table_amd.html
The CPU support table says "Since BIOS" 02/08/09, which I guess is a date. It does not relate to the BIOS version numbers in the updates:
http://www.ecsusa.com/downloads/downloads_main.cfm?to=Motherboard
(your's is a model Socket 462). Select the BIOS link on the upper right.

That date (02/08/09) may be the original BIOS, although you should make certain.
http://www.ecs.com.tw/ECSWeb/Support/KnowHow.aspx#ver_mb

If you need to upgrade the BIOS, read all the supporting information carefully (like identifying the PCB [revision] number of the motherboard).

Matt