Sony Laptop Processor and BIOS upgrade VGN-CR21Z

Hi,

Thats it, i've tried to look for it myself everywhere, my last resort is EE smart guys that could help me to solve this.

I've not found any BIOS updates that would allow you to install a P8600, but I did find the specifications for your system, which indicate it uses an Intel® PM965 Express Chipset.     This chipset only supports 800FSB CPU's.    It does support 45nm CPU's with an 800MHz FSB, but this would likely require a BIOS update -- which doesn't seem to be available.    I cannot confirm this, as there's no information that I can find on Sony's site that may indicate whether they included 45nm support, so your safest approach is to limit yourself to 65nm CPUs.

Assuming that's correct, the best CPU you could upgrade to is a T7800.     Note that a T7800 has performance very close to the P8600 you'd like to use ==> the T7800 scores 1426 on PassMark's CPUMark, compared to 1596 for a P8600  (and 1077 for your current T7250).

If you want to try an 800MHz FSB 45nm CPU, this page may be helpful:
http://processorfinder.intel.com/List.aspx?ParentRadio=All&ProcFam=2643&SearchKey=

Select 800MHz under Bus Speed -- then click on "Filter on Selections" and it will list all of the 800MHz CPUs in both 45nm and 65nm technology.

garycase,

Thanks for your reply.
Do you think T7800 will require BIOS upgrade or would it be just straight CPU swap?

It's difficult to say with any certainty, but I'd expect it is a simple swap.    The only potential issue is whether or not the correct multiplier would be set by the BIOS ... if not, it would still work, but wouldn't be running at full speed.

Unfortunately, Sony doesn't seem to have any detailed specifications available that would answer that authoritatively.    The chipset definitely supports the higher speed CPUs -- in fact, it even supports 45nm CPUs with an 800MHz FSB ... but it's hard to know exactly what features Sony has included in the BIOS.

The best approach is to buy the replacement CPU from a vendor who will accept returns -- might cost a restocking fee, but at least you won't be stuck with a CPU if it won't work.

Note that the 45nm CPUs are appreciably less expensive ... so you MAY want to gamble on 45nm support (especially if it's returnable).    A T9500, for example, has a PassMark score of 1793 and currently costs about 1/2 of what a T7800 does.

... but whether or not that would work depends entirely on whether there's BIOS support for the 45nm chips ... and I simply haven't been able to find that from Sony's sites.      My guess is that it does NOT support these -- but the chipset does have the capability, so the only way to actually confirm it is to simply try it.

I dont think it does support 45nm as I've tried P8600 and with the current BIOS in won't boot. So there are only two possible ways from what I see.

1. Is to upgrade BIOS in order to install 45nm chip, which is not available yet.
2. Go for a 65nm CPU T7800.

Am I right?