0

I have a system based on Linux Mint working very well, I am really happy of it but I am a newbie with Linux, only 2 years I use it and I cannot solve every problem simply like I was able with my old Windows OS (95/98/NT/2K/XP/Vista).

My working system is based on the motherboard Asus P8H67-M with a CPU Pentium G620 (2 cores, 2 thread, NO Hyper-Threading) installed on it.

The Pentium G620 has a basic low end integrated GPU (HD, Sandy Bridge)

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Pentium_Dual-Core/Intel-Pentium%20G620.html

I bought an Intel i7-3770 (4 core, 8 threads by Hyper-Threading) and it has an Intel HD 4000 integrated GPU (iGPU) that is better (not really great I think but ok for me) but it is a very different integrated iGPU.

http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Core_i7/Intel-Core%20i7-3770.html

Here you can see the different specifications of the iGPU:

cpu-world.com/info/Intel/Features_of_integrated_Intel_HD_graphics_units.html

Now my question is... what happen when I will replace the old Pentium G620 with the new Intel i7-3770 ?!

I will have also to flash a new BIOS to support the i7 CPU and it has 4 cores with Hyper-Threading and a different integrated GPU... Have I to re-install a new Linux Mint OS?!

If a big problem appears I am not able to use the command line to solve it... I will do a data backup before to replace the CPU but if the PC will not start I will have no access to internet and so I have to be ready to take on the problem!

I hope you can help me and suggest what to do before the CPU/iGPU switch!

Thank you everyone, have a nice weekend! :)

2 Answers 2

1

The answer here is we can't say for certain unfortunately... Intel integrated graphics all use a common driver, so that shouldn't be an issue. Upgrading the BIOS could break things, but it is not likely. Upgrading the CPU will just make Linux faster, the detection of the CPU is in the kernel, and unless you recompiled the kernel and are running it extremely stripped down, it should just detect the new CPU and GPU and work fine.

This will probably go fine, upgrade BIOS and verify boot, then install the new CPU... I really don't foresee a major issue and you should not have to reinstall Mint.

That being said, you are making a major change... backup your files and make a bootable Linux Mint USB stick before going through with the upgrade just in case. Then if the worst case happens, you have something to fall back on, but I doubt you will need it. It's better to be safe than sorry though.

7
  • Thank you, friend! :) When you talk about "make a bootable Linux Mint USB stick" (I use Linux Mint 17 Quiana - Cinnamon) do you mean something as explained here?! howtoforge.com/creating-a-bootable-usb-device-on-linux-mint-11
    – James
    Apr 23, 2016 at 17:04
  • @James No, your over complicating it... Download the ISO and open USB Image Writer and select the ISO image file and USB stick and then start. That's it. You just need an image to reinstall or fix an issue if necessary (even though I doubt you will need it).
    – acejavelin
    Apr 23, 2016 at 17:17
  • Thank you very much again! :) I know that kind of software to burn ISO and I have USB Image Writer installed on my system but I see only DVD images on Linux Mint website.. can they really works fine also burned on the USB stick?! I din't know! :) I see the images here: linuxmint.com/release.php?id=22 I also have the Linux Mint installation DVD but not everytime it starts very well, it often freezes and I remember I had a fight to install Qiana by it, 2 years ago.
    – James
    Apr 23, 2016 at 17:35
  • @James Yes, it works fine... the ISO's are designed to be "burned" to either a DVD or a USB stick. You can always test it, writing it to USB stick is not permanent, write the stick, reboot, open one-time boot menu and select the USB stick, it should boot from the USB stick just fine.
    – acejavelin
    Apr 23, 2016 at 17:57
  • I downloaded the ISO and I "burned" it on the USB stick as you told me, it works... not everytime it boots correctly but 1 time on 4 times it boots: it is ok to be used in the case I really need it; OS on the USB stick gives me access to the OS hard disk, not to the data HD. Tomorrow I will backup datas and I will try to flash the last BIOS. Then I will wait for the CPU postal delivery and I let you know if everything worked fine when I switch the CPUs! Thank you for everything, have a nice sunday! :)
    – James
    Apr 23, 2016 at 22:01
-1

I can confirm that the CPU switch was perfect and automatic! :)

Everything worked perfectly at the first boot!

Now I see 8 CPUs (4 cores with hyperthreading) and the average CPU load is pretty low! :)

Thank you for everything!

PS: the website doesn't permit me to vote for you friend, sorry, I have not enough scores, I think!

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .