i bought this last friday. i have plans for it. =D

right now it has TWO OCZ 1 gig ddr2-533 cas4 modules instead in dual channel mode. i want to go from 60gb to 100-120gb sata. piece of cake there. what i am wondering is if the bios would recognize the core2duo. it's a long shot, but not far-fetched. it has a celeron m 430 in it. i'm thinking of going with a core2duo. this laptop has a 945gm chipset, but it's a matter of the bios allowing the chip to be installed. if not, i can go with a coreduo since these laptops came with them. this laptop is the same as the hp g3000 series, btw. so what are the chances of a core2duo working?

I was looking through the different laptops on HP's site, and the bios for the HP with the Core 2 Duo is the EXACT same bios as the C301NR. I purchased one of these for very good price, and am also thinking of trying it out. If the HP can use the Core2Duo, i doubt this compaq one would be any different, they probably dont want you to put one in it, they want you to get a more expensive laptop instead. Try it out if you have the money for a Core2Duo, and please let me know if it works. If it doesnt recognize it, make sure wherever you get the proc from, that you can return it. =)

are you looking at the v3000 or the g3000? i am unsure that the v3000 shares the same bios that the g3000 has. do they?

Sorry, yes i was meaning the G3000 series. I looked at the V3000 and it is a completely different bios. Also, the Core2Duo is not in the G3000, i was thinking it was for some reason. but i am still very tempted to try to find one of the core2duo's for a decent price, and see if it posts on this C301NR that i got.

i'm tempted in getting on off of ebay. i looked at the service manual for the laptop. it's harder to do than a lenovo, but right up my ally. we'll see. i should be getting a test cpu off of ebay by the end of the month.

Might not help you at this point, but Here's a link that might help to see what models the motherboard is used in, what cpu's were offered in what model, then work yourself out from there:

HP PartSurfer
http://www.partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/main

Type you model # in, get part # of motherboard, read thru info, type # into the search box and see what other models a part may be used in...


BTW: On most HP /Compaq's you can download a pdf of the Maintance and Service Guide which shows you how to take it apart from hp.com, type in your model number, look around in the docs.

.

I just replaced the Celeron M 430 on my C301NR with a CoreDuo (T2500), but without success. Powers on but no BIOS/boot. I am surprised and disappointed. But I bought the used CoreDuo off eBay, so I cannot be 100% sure that the CoreDuo is not faulty, but I wanted to report what I have learned so far.

Has ANYONE reading this upgraded the CPU in a C301NR, C302NR or C303NR? Please share.

the factory service manual lists the following: intel core duo's: t2250 1.73ghz, t2300 1.60ghz, t2050 1.60ghz, t1400 1.83 ghz (solo)... for support of the core duo's.... i have plans to hack the bios usin phoenix bios editor...... i'm a bit worried, but we'll see

Thanks for the input, guyin916!
Yes, according to the product manual for the Compaq C300 series and the HP G3000:
Features
■ The following processors, varying by computer model:
❏ Intel Core Duo T2250 (1.73-GHz), T2300 (1.60-GHz),
or T2050 (1.60-GHz)
❏ Intel Celeron 430 (1.73-GHz) or Intel Celeron 420
(1.60-GHz)
I quickly discovered that the Core Duo CPUs listed above are not widely distributed. I can't find any of them on the secondary market, although HP appears to offer them as parts, but at very high prices.
Some of those CPUs don't even appear in Intel's usually very helpful Processor Spec Finder (processorfinder.intel.com). I did, however, find their specs in a different part of Intel's web site as a PDF: (www.intel.com/products/processor_number/proc_info_table.pdf).
After researching the 945GM chipset used in these notebooks, I assumed that my C301NR would support a CPU with a 667-MHz FSB, so I bought a T2500 (667/2.0). It is beginning to appear that the C300 will support only a 533-MHz-FSB CPU, which one writer called "unusual" when reveiwing the C300 a few months ago.

I e-mailed HP/Compaq support and asked very directly what upgraded CPUs the C301NR would support. Their first (and fast) reply was (excerpt): "I would like to convey you that the upgrading of the processor is not possible in the notebooks because of its compactness."
When I replied as asked for clarification (I mean, really, "because of its compactness?"), I received another quick reply (excerpt):
"The processor upgrade is not supported by the HP."
The C301NR is a "value laptop," I know. That's why I bought it, but intending to eventually upgrade it. (Aside: I got it at a Fry's door-buster promo for $399!) Having completely disassembled it for the unsuccessful CPU upgrade, I see that the System Board is not a genuine Intel board. (Sorry, I forgot to write down what appeared to be the mfr.)
It's becoming clearer to me that it's going to be difficult to upgrade the CPU. My next step is to keep searching for a Core Duo T2250 (533/1.73) on the secondary market.
I have no qualms about flashing a BIOS, but all members of the C300/G3000 family appear to share the one and only BIOS version (F.05, sometimes listed as F.05A, but with same date). I am not prepared to hack a BIOS, but I look forward to hearing from anyone who does so.
To wind this up, I will state just for the record that the C301NR with the 533-MHz-FSB Celeron M will, of course, utilize 667-MHz DDR2 RAM (I forget the PCxx00 spec for 667 RAM).
And it also runs Windows Vista RC2 with only one "uknown device," which I believe is part of the ACPI. "Glass" effects are not available, and I have not tried the "Glass hack" that is widely available.
One last comment: The Product Maintenance Manual (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/m...289279&lang=en&) is helpful. Not as detailed as Lenovo's manuals, but the disassebly/reassembly procedure is not particularly difficult, although the "switch cover" resists removal to the point of making one worry that it will break while being removed.

aero/glass does work! =) install the latest intel gma950 drivers ;-)

The software Everest Ultimate Edition 2006 shows C301NR's chipset is 940GML. That means it only supports FSB 533 and doesn't support Core 2 Duo. It's bad news to me !!

that blows;;; i should sell this laptop while i still have the chance

Still, for $399, it was a GREAT deal. I bought one on Black Friday as well.

Has anyone tried the new firmware HP/Compaq released on 1/31/07?

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/s...=c301nr&os=228

Here's a list of the enhancements:

- Adds support for Microsoft Vista Operating Systems.
- Adds support for Intel Core 2 Duo Mobile Processor T5500.
- Adds item to Setup utility (F10) to enable/disable Intel Processor Virtualization Technology.

Could the support for the T5500 potentially solve our upgrade woes????

no.. we are still stuck with the 940gml board that is designed for celeron m 4x0.. there is a 500 dollar board swap option that is listed in the service manual for the 945gl chipset board.. now that will support the 666mhz fsb and such.. along with coreduo and core2duo processors.. but don't let me stop you from experimenting ;-)

I'm actually quite happy w/the performance of my sub-$400 notebook. Besides, I'm too poor to "experiment" w/a Core Duo.

On another note, seeing how bare the BIOS settings are, are there any other ways to boost performance/overclock the C301NR?