HP Pavilion PC a6142n Fastest CPU

[CraigInAlex]

Hello, I have a Pavilion PC a6142n with motherboard MCP61PM-HM, Rev 1.0B, 15-V06-011021.  It has an Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 4400+ and 2x Samsung 1GB 2Rx8 PC2-5300U-555-12-E3 for 2GB RAM.  The motherboard has 4x RAM slots.  I would like to know the fastest CPU this motherboard can support, both stated spec and any known faster that work, and the largest GB RAM stick per slot for Max RAM, both stated spec and any known faster that work, please.  I have a 300W PSU to replace the 250W that came in it.  I would also appreciate knowing the latest BIOS version.  I haven't looked on the Downloads page yet.  Thank you, Craig

[NonSequitur777]

@CraigInAlex,

Welcome to our HP User Forum!

Your HP Pavilion PC A6142n can be fitted with up to 4 x 2GB of DDR2 PC2-5300, 667 MHz, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, DIMM, 240-pin RAM sticks.  You could purchase, for example, 4 x 2GB of DDR2 PC2-8500, 1066 MHz RAM sticks, but this RAM will be down throttled to 667 MHz. It is highly recommended that whatever you do, install identical RAM (same brand, model and capacity) for best RAM performance.

My best guesstimate (due to lack of User/HP documentation) as far as the fastest compatible processor is concerned, would be the Athlon 64 X2 5600+ (2-Cores, 2-Threads, max 2.90 GHz).

However, maybe the Athlon 64 X2 5800+ or Athlon 64 X2 6000+ could work but given their higher TDP (89-watt vs. 65-watt) these processors may not be compatible with your PC. It would be a trial-and-error effort.

Link: https://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/AMD/Athlon_64_X2/4400+_(Socket_AM2__rev._G2__DU).html.

Hope this was helpful.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[CraigInAlex]

Thank you, NonSequitur777, for the quick and helpful reply.  When AMD released its first Athlon, 3200 meant 3.2GHz.  I was surprised and shocked to learn that this 4400+ is only 2.1GHz.  This PC was given to me years ago by a computer repair customer when her daughter convinced her to go with Apple.  I found a personal application for it and started rebuilding the hard drive.  The 5800+ and 6000+ are 3.0GHz and 3.1GHz, so IF they will work, that would be a nice upgrade and the 300W PSU may be able to handle one of them with 3 other cards installed, but it may take a 450W, so this, with the added expense of 16GB RAM, will be something to investigate.  I may be able to find used RAM and a used CPU, which I have used for other PCs before without issue, so I'll see what comes of it.

If you like, I can let you know if a 5800+ or 6000+ will work, if I find a used one to try.  The more that's known to be able to help others, the better, right?  Thanks again.  I marked your answer as Helpful and will mark it as the Solution for now, if that doesn't lock the thread so I can't inform you later, should you want it.  I'll leave that up to you.

[NonSequitur777 · Accepted solution]

@CraigInAlex,

You are very welcome!

One of the reasons why I got involved in this HP User Forum/Community in the first place, is because I wanted to share my legacy HP desktop upgrade projects.  Meaning: yes, I would be very interested in what you find out.  And if you were to mark my response as an accepted solution, it will not lock the thread.

Couple of notes, if you don't mind:

1.) A set of 4 x 2GB of DDR2 PC2-6400, 800 MHz 240-pin desktop RAM modules can be purchased for less than $20: 8GB 4x 2GB PC2-6400 DDR2 800MHz Desktop Memory RAM Non-ECC DIMM Dell HP Lenovo | eBay.

2.) An Athlon 64 X2 6000+ (clocked at 3.00 GHz, btw) can be purchased very inexpensively for less than $17 via eBay: Athlon 64 X2 6000+ for sale | eBay. Granted, it will ship from the PRC -so it will take a couple of weeks to show up on your doorstep, but that shouldn't be a big deal.  I prefer to buy State-side, but my experience with China-sourced processors etc. has been mostly positive.  Even if this CPU proves to be incompatible, in my personal opinion $17 would have been worth-it and wouldn't break the bank. -But I digress.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[CraigInAlex]

What a great reply!  You're a Saint.  I would love to help you build your solution database.  The 6000+ is listed as 3.1GHz on the link you gave.  Some eBay listings call it 3.0GHz and are correct with 3.1GHz.  I have bought CPUs and RAM from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan before and have always received good, working products, so I'll have no qualms about doping it again.  I first have to find a replacement motherboard.  While trying to get a PCI Nic to work with WinXP,  the 2nd one blew the motherboard.  I hadn't turned off the PSU and when I inserted it, that made the PC power On.  I tried the On/Off button and that didn't work, it kept restarting, so I used the power On/Off switch on the PSU and now the motherboard will not come On.  Same with 2 PSUs, so it's the motherboard.  ☹️ 

I've seen a few listings that, even though the Part Number and Rev are the same, it's not the same motherboard with 7.1 sound, so I'm leery of other specs.  I wanted Win95 for an old Radio Shack ProbeScope v4.2 Oscilloscope probe that will display on a PC screen.  It installed. but Win95 wouldn't boot, maybe because of the SATA HDD, so I installed WinXP 64 Corporate Edition, then my drivers wouldn't work, so I tried another Nic.  I wanted a Dual Boot with an earlier version of Windows for the ProbeScope and Win10.  This Pavilion was to replace a much older Dell that I used to mount customer HDDs/SSDs to scan for malware while not booted to, which I unfortunately tossed.  I had done extensive work to the Dell to be able to mount HDDs/SSDs in a 2-bay cage on top of the PC with IDE and SATA cables and Power cords run up through a protected cut slot, and had recreated all of that in this one, then killed the motherboard.

Rather than finding another PC for this purpose and having to do all that work again, I'll buy a replacement motherboard, a 6000+ CPU and Max RAM.  Your links will certainly help and if I can't find the same motherboard, I may look for a Pavilion a6142n to get one from.  The ProbeScope Floppy (made for Win3.X and Win95) still works, amazingly, and I used a program call WinImage to rip the contents to archive it.  WinImage can open and also create Floppy .img file images, which can sometimes still be found online.

Anyway, when I get it running again, I'll let you know what works and doesn't.  I'm going to mark your last post as the Solution, but please leave the thread open so I can come back later to do that.  Thanks again!

[CraigInAlex]

I found an eBay listing for a HP M8400f Nettle3-GL8E MCP61PM-HM Rev 2.2 5189-4598 AM2/AM2+ DDR2 motherboard. The image shows an AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Dual-Core ADX6000IAA6CZ CPU and 4 sticks of RAM installed.  The sticker in the motherboard image shows 5189-0929 (I copied it, pasted into my image editor and zoomed in) and the motherboard is screen printed Rev 1.0B, while the listing says 5189-4598 Rev 2.2.

I have asked the seller what exactly is for sale for $25 + $15 S&H and am waiting for a reply, but if it's a Rev 2.2 5189-4598 with the same 4 card slots, 4 RAM slots, and 8-CHAudio like the image shows, do you think a 5189-4598 motherboard would fit properly and accept all the wiring plugs that go to and from my Rev 1.0B 5189-0929?  Is a Nettle3-GL8E much the same as what I have?  Depending on the answers I get, what a bargain buy for all of that!  Even still, if only a Rev 2.2 5189-4598 motherboard, will fit and connect everything and has all I need, that's still a great deal.  Same if it's only a Rev 1.0B 5189-0929 motherboard. 

Here's a link to the listing...  https://www.ebay.com/itm/125909025833?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110010%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.D...

Thanks in advance.

[CraigInAlex]

I made another post that seems to have disappeared.  It was about an eBay listing for a motherboard, 6000+ and RAM.  Please let me know of you see it or not so I can ask again if necessary.

[NonSequitur777]

@CraigInAlex,

Thank you for your kind words, it was my pleasure!

Looking forward hearing from you again.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

@CraigInAlex,

Didn't see the (earlier) post you referred to.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[CraigInAlex]

I found an eBay listing titled: HP M8400f Nettle3-GL8E MCP61PM-HM Rev 2.2 5189-4598 AM2/AM2+ DDR2 motherboard.

The top image of the motherboard shows an AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ Dual-Core ADX6000IAA6CZ CPU and 4 sticks of RAM installed.  The sticker in the motherboard image shows 5189-0929 (I copied it, pasted into my image editor and zoomed in) and the motherboard is silkscreen printed Rev 1.0B, while the listing says 5189-4598 Rev 2.2.  I have a 5189-0929 Rev 1.0B.  I have asked the seller exactly what is for sale for $25 + $15 S&H, and he sent me new pictures to verify what's for sale.  The title was wrong.  It's a 5189-0929 Rev 1.0B

It has the CPU and RAM.  What a bargain deal!  Now I also get a 6000+ and as unspecified amount of RAM in 4 sticks.  His first reply was...

"to be honest im not much if a computer tech savvy individual i more so do buy outs and clean outs and basicly when there are good looking item i save and sale them on the web so i try to take a pic of everything included any damage the naked eye could see and try to let you be the judge .. im not always spot on in what i call them i do my best to identify them but some are hard..." so he's a novice at this.

I asked if he has antistatic bags or wrapping and cautioned not to wrap it paper or plastic.  I told him wrapping with aluminum foil and sealing the edges would be preferable to that.  I asked him to assure me he will take this shipping precaution for me, so I will likely be buying the exact same motherboard with a 6000+ and RAM installed.  This also says that a 6000+ should work, but I'll verify that and get back to you.  I am very excited to have found this and so thankful to have found you.