Member Avatar for eltonpiko

hi could anybody tell me if i can upgrade my acer extensa 4630z processor to a intel core 2 quad the motherboard support core 2 duo processor and 64bit i mean the core 2 quad is in the same line as the intel core to so will it mount on the laptop? i know if it was a desktop motherboard lets say the socket lga775 all 775 processor will mount so is it the same for laptop? will a core 2 quad mobile work.

the reason i ask is i want to run vmware with 3 windows server 2008r2 and a win7 for testing which is part of my course i know it wont run on my current machine now so i need to upgrade instead of buying a new machine just for testing.

thanks

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Short answer: the Extensa 4630 series uses a removable Socket‑P CPU and a Mobile Intel 4-series chipset that, in theory, can handle some mobile quad‑core Penryn parts — but practical limits (BIOS microcode, OEM power/VRM and cooling, and the platform memory ceiling) make a quad upgrade an impractical route for hosting several server VMs on that laptop. (manualslib.com)

Checklist and safe test path (do these before buying a CPU)

  1. Confirm the exact SKU and check the service manual for the CPU removal procedure and any factory CPU part numbers. The manual shows a socketed CPU and how to remove it. (manualslib.com)
  2. Use CPU‑Z or similar to confirm the current package/socket on the machine; cross‑check the socket and chipset against published platform docs. (browser.geekbench.com)
  3. Check Acer support/BIO S release notes for processor support and microcode updates before attempting a swap — BIOS whitelists or missing microcode are common blockers. Always download BIOS only from Acer and follow the vendor instructions. ()
  4. Check cooling and VRM capacity: mobile quad parts typically increase heat and power draw; if the laptop model was never offered with a quad by Acer, the thermal/power design may not cope.

Why this matters for your VMware goal

  • The Extensa 4630 family is limited to a small amount of RAM (platform max ≈ 4 GB), which severely restricts how many server VMs you can run concurrently. That platform limit alone makes hosting three Server 2008 R2 VMs plus a Win7 VM on the laptop unrealistic. (kingston.com)
  • Hypervisors expect you to allocate startup/working RAM to guests; VMware/Hyper‑V guidance and product docs show you need substantially more host RAM than 4 GB to run multiple server guests acceptably. (learn.microsoft.com)

Practical recommendation

  • For lab/testing: either get a modest desktop/used workstation with a true quad core and 8–16+ GB RAM, or run cloud instances for the server lab. If you still want to experiment with a CPU swap, follow the checklist above, test with a borrowed CPU first, and accept that BIOS flashing and hardware mismatch can permanently brick the laptop. (manualslib.com)

Notes tied to the thread: was right to flag BIOS/firmware as a usual limiter; will get better, predictable results by increasing RAM and cores on a different host rather than chasing a risky laptop CPU transplant.

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Member Avatar for Rik_

I very much doubt it as I have never come across anyone do that successfully and I am a computer engineer.

Your bios wont have support for a quad core or support for the bus speeds of a quad I suspect.

Member Avatar for eltonpiko

i see that both processor core 2 duo and core 2 quad use the 45nm Architecture process technology.
both processor has an FSB speed of 1066 MHz and support L2 cache 6mb and tdp up to 35w

Member Avatar for Rik_

I still don't believe your bios will have support for it! I recon that at best, it will run as a dual core rather than a quad if it even works at all.

Member Avatar for eltonpiko

is there a way i can upgrade the bios to support it.cause i wonder if 3 win 2008 server and a win7 will run in vmware at the same time on a core2duo 2.0 and 4gb ram

Member Avatar for Rik_

You will have to check the Acer website for bios updates. Be warned though, a faild bios update can render a computer completely useless.

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