Possible To Upgrade Dv7 USB 2.0 To 3.0 And Also Graphics Card By Changing System Board?

[JulianASmith]

Dear Forum,

I will have the opportunity shortly to upgrade my Dv7's processor and memory components.  The Processor I will be installing is one that is 'whitelisted' by HP (the AMD N970) and I will double the RAM from 4 to 8 GB of memory.  I'd like to find a way to also install a USB 3.0.  I have read that it's nearly impossible to put a 3.0 USB into the system because other parts of the system were not designed to  support 3.0.  And the graphics card on my Dv7 (ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4250 switchable UMA) cards are not removable but soldered onto  the board.  I have wondered about a novel approach to accomplishing such an upgrade and that would be finding a system board that already has the upgraded graphic card(s) installed on it and  is also an exact match in board shape and input/input connections with my OEM board.  One such board is from the Dv7 AMD 4200 (MoBo #630834-001).  My OEM system board (#615686-001) is the exact shape of the 4200 and all the external inputs/outputs, i.e., USB connections, jacks, eSATA, etc. are all in the same place(s) on the 4200 board as they are on my OEM board.  A side-by-side view of both boards show that nearly all of each boards' components are in the same place on both boards.  In the case of the 4200 board it has the upgraded graphics card(s) I am looking for, i.e., the Radeon HD 6550, but I'm not sure about the 4200's USB version.  But, using this approach,  if I am able to find in the Dv7-line a board that appears to match the OEM in shape and connectors and component layout would mine be a feasible approach to trying to accomplish the desired upgrade?  Thanks Forum.

[iomare · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Yes, you can replace the motherboard with the 630834-001 for better graphics. The USB is still 2.0 as all the motherboards in that series (which will have same shape and be compatible) as you can see on page 78 of service manual. I do not believe it is possible to add USB 3.0 to your device.

Remember to clean off all old thermal material and replace with quality thermal paste and pads.

Service manual:

http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c02642701

Hope it helps,

David

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[JulianASmith]

David, 

Thank you for responding to my post.  As I surmised earlier I have doubts based on what I've read that it's possible to retro-fit a board that is initially designed with a USB 2.0 to accept an upgrade to USB 3.0--however, what if the board already has USB 3.0 built into it?  Besides the board, Is there anything else in a system that was designed to utilize the 2.0 protocol which would prevent or hamper the 3.0 protocol if the system board has 3.0 built -in to it?  Also, I was wondering, the ATI Radeon 6550 appears to be a somewhat more advanced card than the 4250.  Would you know if it's advanced enough to warrant trying to upgrade to it?  (Is it worth installing?).  Thanks for all your help.

[Huffer]

I think we are imagining a process here that is just not consistent with how the upgrade would work and what this hardware is. 

As stated above all the motherboards from the DV7-4200 AMD series have USB 2.0. This is integral to the way the motherboard is designed and follows from the main motherboard chipset only supporting USB 2.0 ports. There is no usb 3.0 hardware which could be added. Same thing with the video. The board you want to put in has both the integrated AMD video and a switchable dedicated video "card". It is nothing you can add in it is just different, somewhat "better" hardware. 

Yes you can upgrade to the switchable graphics board. You would likely need a different fan and heatsink unit as you have an extra chip (the dedicated graphics) that must be cooled so the heatsink is shaped a little different. Otherwise it is a drop in plug and play replacement. 

[JulianASmith]

 Hello Huffer, 

Thanks for responding and, it's nice to hear from you again.  You last communicated with me about the problem I was having with the processor in my Dv7 (AMD X3 N850) running on only a single core.  What I'd like to ask you is would I notice an improvement in my graphics if I went from my OEM's ATI Radeon HD 4250 to the Dv7 -4200's upgraded graphic card which would be the ATI Radeon HD 6550?  And is the 6550 on the 4200's system board also a switchable graphics system?

Can you tell me anything about the difference between the two graphics cards?  Thank you again. 

[Huffer]

Still not explaining myself I guess. 

The HD 6550M is a much much better video card:

http://gpuboss.com/gpus/Radeon-HD-6550M-vs-Radeon-HD-4250

Still somewhat dated but better than the integrated 4250. 

But if you put in the upgraded board you would not be going from the 4250 to the 6550, you would be adding the 6550. You would have both video systems and that is what makes it switchable...switch from one to the other as graphics needs arise. 

[JulianASmith]

Thank you sir for explaining.