Help Please, CPU not fitting on to motherboard?

louis

louis

louis

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25 Nov 2009
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Hi all, I'm knee deep in my first build. My PSU is fitted, cd drive fitted, standoffs screwed on to my case (and lining up) so all's going well.

Think I may have encountered my first issue though. I bought a Phenom x4 940 with this motherboard

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-198-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=

I'm almost certain the chip is compatible but I just can't get the buggering pins to line up with the holes on the motherboard. It's definitely going on the right way, the little arrow is lined up with the same one on the chip and both have the 4 little square blocks in the exact same spots, yet I can't get it to sit nicely. The arm lever is raised and the pins aren't bent from what my naked eye can see. At a bit of a loss as to what the problem is.

I don't want to force it since I shouldn't need to and don't really want to damage anything.

Any ideas folks?

P.S Is there no way of getting away with DDR2 memory on this board or must it be DDR3?

Thanks all
 
The CPU should fall into the socket. Use the arrows to line it up and then drop, you shouldn't need any force at all. Then drop the lever and it should lock in.

P.S Is there no way of getting away with DDR2 memory on this board or must it be DDR3?
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No. DDR2 and DDR3 are incompatible.
 
CPU sockets are generally fool proof these days and will only go in 1 way so keep turning the chip 90 degrees till it drops in.

And as already says the board is DDR3 so it needs that memory.
 
I may be wrong but I thought that CPU was an AM2+ and that board is AM3. I may be wrong but I cant see that CPU on the support list! OOOPS!
 
The cpu is socket AM2, you need a AM3 cpu.

AM3 cpus are backward compatible with AM2 boards.
 
The Phenom X4 940 is an AM2 type processor, it requires an AM2 socketed motherboard.

If I remmember correctly the AM2s jave 2 pins more than the AM3s, so an AM3 processor can fit into an AM2+ socket and should work, however an AM2 processor must go into an AM2 or AM2+ motherboard.

Looks like a case of lack of research here. When did you make the purchase? If it was shipped to you when did you recieve it? If it was recently you should read into the Distance Selling Regulations.
 
J.B said:
I may be wrong but I thought that CPU was an AM2+ and that board is AM3. I may be wrong but I cant see that CPU on the support list! OOOPS!
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From OCUK's product description for the motherboard:

"Support for AM3 processors (Note1): AMD Phenom™ II X4 processor/ AMD Phenom™ II X3 processor"

Would the 940 not fall into this category? I've even counted the number of pins/holes either side of the 4 tiny squares on both the chip and the sockets, and all match up so the socket seems fine.

I give up on it, No matter how delicately I move the chip around, it won't sit in the socket. I've checked the pins and there isn't anything screaming out as being out of line (checking both axis) and I've been trying for about an hour now....Catch 22 of course is I can't give the thing any force incase I damage it and ruin any chance of returning it.

I've seen a video on youtube of a guy installing an i7 chip with no effort whatsoever, why can't it just be that easy....are the 940 style sockets notoriously fiddly or am I jut having bad luck in this case? All I can say is the design means that even a pin slightly out of line will cause a headache, which it has.

Any more ideas before I send it back to the site I bought it from?

EDIT* Gents, the last 3 replies came through while I was typing my response. Are we sure it's not compatible? I made the decision based on the product description as above and some friends go ahead....If it isn't compatible I should be able to get it replaced, the site I bought it from are pretty good with returns. Thanks for your help everyone.
 
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J.B. is correct.

AMD confirmed that there is an upgrade path from Socket AM2+ to AM3:

  • AM3 processors work on AM2+ motherboards due to the presence of both the DDR2 and DDR3 memory controller
  • AM2+ processors do not work on AM3 motherboards due to the processor's lack of a DDR3 memory controller
The pin configuration of the AM2+ socket (940 pins)[2] is mechanically different from the AM3 socket (938 pins)[2]
Click to expand...
 
Ouch, now I know why so many people do last minute checks on general hardware forum before buying. Think had you done this it would've been quickly pointed out that that MB and CPU combo would not work
Guess you are going to have to send one of these back or sell it 2nd hand
 
louis said:
EDIT* Gents, the last 3 replies came through while I was typing my response. Are we sure it's not compatible?
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100% sure. The Phenom II 940 is an AM2+ processor, it can't work in an AM3 motherboard because the memory controller on the 940 can only cope with DDR2. AMD physically changed the pin layout on AM3 sockets to prevent an AM2+ chip being inserted, which is why yours won't fit.

Nothing you can do but send either the CPU or motherboard back and get a compatible one.
 
Hmmm, not so good.. Hopefully you can send this mobo back and get an AM2+ board as a replacement..

Either that, or you could send the processor back and get an AM3 quad instead.
 
Cheers for the help chaps, I've sent the chip back along with a radeon 4670, ordered a replacement phenom x2 550 and upgraded to a ati 4850 with the £30 I saved on the replacement cpu.

Silly mistake in the end, being an expensive and from a newish range, i assumed it would be ok with an am3 motherboard. To make sure, I checked this site and sure enough it mentioned the phenom x4 processors being compatible from a quick glance. Should have been 100% sure but with the tweaks I've made, hopefully it'll turn out better than it would have been.
 
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