How to Upgrade the Pavilion 7955 to Core 2 Duo

A processor upgrade lets you keep your current computer longer before having to buy an entirely new system to match pace with newer software. When the HP Pavilion 7955 desktop is assembled at the factory, it comes with a Pentium 4 1.5 GHz processor. For faster processing speeds, a user may want to remove the existing Pentium 4 component and install an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which uses two processing cores.

• 1

  Close all open programs on the Pavilion and shut down the operating system. Wait five minutes for the processor to cool down and unplug the black power cable from the back of the computer.

• 2

  Remove all of the remaining devices and cables hooked up to the computer case. Gently position the case on its side on a flat work surface. Remove the two case screws located along the back edge of the metal access panel and pull the panel off the Pavilion.

• 3

  Push in the two plastic tabs sticking out of the side of the beige cooling fan duct and pull the duct upward to gain access to the processor's cooling fan. The fan duct is positioned toward the right edge of the case.

• 4

  Grip the multi-colored cable running off the cooling fan and disconnect it from the motherboard. Push down the two levers on the sides of the fan and pull the fan off the existing Pentium 4 processor.

• 5

  Grab the metal bar at the bottom of the processor and lift it all the way up to unlock it from the motherboard. Pull the processor off the motherboard by lifting it directly upward.

• 6

  Set the Core 2 Duo processor over the socket and line up the pins on the bottom of the processor with the touch points on the motherboard socket. Push the processor down and return the metal bar to its original position to keep the component securely locked.

• 7

  Squeeze a small layer of thermal cooling paste over the top of the processor if it uses a tube applicator, or shake the bottle and wipe a layer over the top of the processor if the cooling paste uses a brush applicator. Set the fan on the Core 2 Duo component and push down the side levers.

• 8

  Plug in the fan cable removed earlier and set the fan duct back into its original position. Reassemble the metal panel and reconnect each of the computer case's cables.