Before You Replace Your CPU

• When your computer's performance slows down, it usually isn't a problem with the CPU.
  
  First, try defragmenting your hard drive. This process streamlines the way your files are stored and improves system performance. Simply click the "Start" button and type "defragment" into the search box. This will show you the defragment utility.
  
  Second, make sure you have enough RAM, which is much more often a performance bottleneck. You can check this by loading the programs that you typically run all the time and then clicking the "Start" button and typing "task manager" into the search box. In the Task Manager, click the "Performance" tab and look at the graph labeled "Memory." If the bar is more than half full, then you're pushing the limits of your system's RAM. It's relatively easy to add more RAM or upgrade the current RAM to get better performance.
  
  Third, the next time you turn on your computer, take a look at your system tray in the bottom right corner of the screen, right next to the clock and calendar. If necessary, click on the system tray expansion button to display all the tasks that are currently running. Each icon represents a task that the computer has to start and maintain every time you turn it on. Whenever you install a new program, it's likely to increase this load by default unless you change the program's installation settings. Having an icon in the system tray helps a program load faster but slows down overall computer performance by tying up the capacity of the CPU.
  
  You can reduce this start-up load by clicking the "Start" button and typing "msconfig" in the search box. This is the Windows System Configuration Utility. Load it up and click the "Startup" tab. This pane displays a list of all the tasks that load at start-up. Most of the tasks here are optional, meaning they are not critical to running your computer. You can shut off any that you recognize, as well as any that are located in the "Program Files" area of your hard drive. Try shutting off some of these tasks and rebooting your computer. This may [produce a significant speed boost.
  
  

Consider a Professional Service

• If you go ahead with the decision to replace your CPU, and you aren't computer-savvy, consider taking your computer to a professional computer technician. The professional will replace your CPU to your specifications, and you can avoid the risk of messing things up by trying to do it yourself. Be aware that professional labor can be pretty expensive. You may end up spending as much money on the labor as on the new CPU itself.
  
  

Check Your Computer's Specs

• If you decide to replace the CPU yourself, the first thing you need to do is look up the relevant technical specifications on the motherboard. Your CPU plugs into the motherboard, and any new processor must be compatible with the motherboard or else you risk wrecking both of them. Look in the motherboard user manual for stats about the supported "socket type" and "CPU type." Any new CPU you get will need to fall within these specifications or else you will need to replace your motherboard, too -- and that is a more involved project.
  
  

Use Care While Installing

• CPUs and motherboards are both fragile. Follow the installation instructions closely. Make sure your entire computer is fully unplugged before opening it up. Take special care to ground yourself before touching electronic components so that you don't discharge static electricity onto them. Keep your hands clean and oil-free, and avoid touching circuit board surfaces or the connectors themselves. Also, it never hurts to make an external backup of your critical data before performing any hardware upgrades.
  
  

If You Have a Laptop

• If you have a laptop, then unless you know what you're doing you should probably have the CPU replaced by a professional. The working spaces in a laptop are much smaller than those in a desktop tower, and you run a higher risk of damaging your hardware if you make a mistake.