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Have I bought an incompatible CPU

mart280

mart280

mart280

Associate
Joined
30 Oct 2007
Posts
373
Hi guys I did an upgrade for my brother I bought this mobo

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-011-SP&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=

and this CPU

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-280-AM&tool=3

as far as I am aware they should work together and although OC list the mobo as AM2+/AM3 I cant see on the Sapphire site where it says AM3, when I boot I am getting nothing no post no beeeps nothing on the monitor, the board has an led debug readout which both manual and site are hopeless with, it flashes FF and 00 alternatly, I cant find out what that means, any help appreciated.
 
After looking again it does say AM3 on the sapphire site "The Sapphire PURE CrossFireX 790X is designed for AMD Phenom II™ AM2+/ AM3 true quad-core processors"
 
have you tried different ram? or have a look through the motherboards manual to see what the error code is? there will be a list of error codes in it telling you exactly what the issue is
 
I think they are compatible and the motherboard could be duff, it wasnt sealed and the cd had come out of its white case,.aarrrgh I hate it when stuff isnt sealed
 
cheers *****, the manual is next to useless, it mentions the debug port and that is it, I have tried the ram in different slots and just 1 stick
 
looks like its an AM2+ board which had had some AM3 compatability patched in at some point. If you've got an older am2/am2+ cpu anywhere (im sure you could get them for peanuts), you try updating the bios to see if your cpu is supported with the latest revision
 
Two sticks, not sure if I have an AM2 cpu kicking about, got my brothers old cpu here but its single core, doubt if its AM2, or are they ? I cant remember
 
I just noticed on the box it says "Ready to support Phenom Quad core processors" by Ready I assume like thingemajib said I need a bios update

also I just ripped out my brothers old cpu and its an Athlon 64 3200 any chancfe I can use this to flash it or is it not compatible
 
mart280 said:
also I just ripped out my brothers old cpu and its an Athlon 64 3200 any chancfe I can use this to flash it or is it not compatible
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Isn't that either a single core Socket 754 or Socket 939 chip?

In which case it isn't compatible as it physically uses a different cocket.
 
Thanks Surveyor, I thought that would be the case, I dont suppose it would boot if I put my Phenom in there either, its a pita this one.
 
Just been looking on Sapphire's website.

The last BIOS update was 30 March 2010 so I wouldn't hold out that there's going to be a new one.

Nearest I can make out the processor was launched in Q4 2010/Q1 2011, way after the latest BIOS.

I think BIOS code 00 is the first when you switch it on and FF means "boot". It should flick through a whole list of other codes inbetween. If it's just flashing between 00 and FF something is wrong.

Have you looked at the LED as you switch it on to see what it displays?

Do you have any other DDR3 RAM you can try just to rule that ou? Just 1 stick tried in each of the sockets.

I assume you've made sure that the 24 pin and 8 pin power connectors are plugged into the motherboard and that you have a graphics card which you know works and has any power cables plugged in.

Failing that it just looks like the motherboard and processor don't want to play together.

Going by their website I think I would give Sapphire motherboards a miss. It doesn't seem they have the same support as Asus, Gigabyte or MSI.

Have you bought these items mail order within the last few days?

If so can you send the motherboard back under the Distance Selling Regulations and get something from the big 3?
 
I am hugely surprised it dont work, many motherboards dont say if they are compatible with this chip in either the CPU support list or BIOS update details, yet work fine.

It is just an Athlon X4 at the end of the day.
 
stulid said:
I am hugely surprised it dont work, many motherboards dont say if they are compatible with this chip in either the CPU support list or BIOS update details, yet work fine.

It is just an Athlon X4 at the end of the day.
Click to expand...

Either they're incompatible or one or the other is likely faulty (assuming everything else is OK).

If the OP is feeling brave he could try his processor in the Sapphire motherboard or the Athlon processor in his motherboard.
 
Last edited:
Surveyor said:
or the Athlon processor in his motherboard.
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thats what I would do, and being bored, I just check the Asus Crosshair Formula IV cpu support list and its not listed there either. so if it works then it confirms my suspicions that its only a CPU and it just works being based on the Propus core like most of the other Athlons despite its name.
 
If I cant get hold of an AM2 cpu (I know someone who will let me try just cant get hold of him at the mo) by tomorrow I will try the new phenom in my rig, on the sapphire box it lists cpus it supports and then says it is ready to support quad phenoms so I if I can flash the bios I reckon it will be ok, I will try different cards and so on before I send it back, it will have to be dead or totally incompatible for me to return it.
 
mart280 said:
If I cant get hold of an AM2 cpu (I know someone who will let me try just cant get hold of him at the mo) by tomorrow I will try the new phenom in my rig, on the sapphire box it lists cpus it supports and then says it is ready to support quad phenoms so I if I can flash the bios I reckon it will be ok, I will try different cards and so on before I send it back, it will have to be dead or totally incompatible for me to return it.
Click to expand...

The latest BIOS is 12 months old so unless it's pretty old stock I would imagine the motherboard already has it.
 
Yeah I've downloaded it in anticipation, I didnt realize how old these boards were when I bought it, they came out in 09, I have no idea how old the stock is but it wouldnt surprise me if there is an older bios on the board, if I can get it running with an AM2 cpu but have no joy with the 840 phenom it will be easier to send the cpu back and get an alternative
 
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