mcp61sm-am - New processor help

redfoxer · 17 Apr 2009 at 20:32

Hi guys,

I am trying to upgrade the processor on my pc which is an aspire t180. It's currently running a AMD Sempron 3400+ AM2 socket on mcp61sm-am motherboard and from what i've read it is made by foxconn?

I've just bought a new processor, AMD 7750 black edition, and was wondering would my motherboard be able to run this or would i need a new mobo?

Judging from forum posts around i think this mobo supports only upto Athlon x2 6000+ but have not found any real evidence to see what this mobo can support.

Is there a bios upgrade i can use so that i can use this mobo as buying and changing the mobo/reinstalling OS + drivers + progs etc is pretty time consuming.

Also, if i stick the processor in and find out the mobo doesn't support it (but it is the right socket) can i damage either the cpu or mobo?

thanks in advance.

Quixote · 17 Apr 2009 at 20:55

The thing is, the 7750BE is an AM2+ CPU, whereas all the other X2's are AM2 CPU's.
Many AM2 boards got BIOS upgrades for AM2+ but many didn't. Pre-built systems perhaps less likely to. What you need to do is find out the exact model of your board and check out the bios's to see if it got support for AM2+ CPU's.
If it didn't then, as you say, an X2 6000+ or 6400+ will probably be your limit. In any case, these are just a bit slower (6000) and just a bit faster (6400) than the 7750 BE, so would make a good upgrade from the sempron 3400+.

redfoxer · 18 Apr 2009 at 15:34

Thanks for the reply Quixote.

From CPU-Z, it says my motherboard is EM61SM/EM61PM, and on the motherboard itself, it has a sticker saying the model number i posted in the title (mcp61sm-am) and from what i gather it is the same thing.

I went onto acer's website and got a bios update R01-B4. Now here's the thing, i have no idea what this update does and if it doesn't add AM2+ support, i'd rather not risk flashing the bios and chance frying the mobo.

I was wondering if anyone knows if this mobo can run this processor (since i already have it) or am i chasing a lost cause and just get a new mobo/processor.

Quixote · 18 Apr 2009 at 19:31

I THINK it's one of these boards, by foxconn :

http://www.foxconnchannel.com/produ...en-us0000090&Socket=Socket+AM2&Chipset=MCP61S

Using their quite un-inuitive site, I am led to this page, click the top link to see CPU compatability for all 3 varients of the board.

http://www.foxconnchannel.com/produ...el_id=en-us0000310&model_name=MCP61SM2MA-RS2H

As we both suspected, it's AM2 only. The top listed processor is the 6000+. As I said, this is very nearly as fast as the 7750BE, so you could return that or sell it and get a 6000+. This would be a very worthwhile upgrade from a sempron 3400+.

One last thing, there are two versions of the 6000+ :

- one is 3.0 ghz with 2 X 1mb cache and 125w TDP.
- the other is 3.1 ghz with 2 X 512kb cache and 89w TDP.

The latter is the one which is specifically listed as supported by your board and also the one I would consider more desirable, so try and look for this one.

In answer to your dilemma, I would be inclined to return the 7750BE and get a 6000+ if you can at this stage, cheaper and much less hassle than changing the motherboard too and very similar performance. Of course you could also buy a new motherborad for the 7750BE (they are avialable quite cheap) but you would have to consider :

- if your windows can be used with another motherboard (if it came with the pc)
- if it's worth the effort to change.

redfoxer · 18 Apr 2009 at 20:16

thanks quixote! that cpu list was the kind of thing i was looking for.

I'll have a look at my budget, may just get another mobo to future proof my pc a little bit in that regards.

Quixote · 18 Apr 2009 at 22:24

As you prefer.
I would be inclined to go for an Asus or Gigabyte AM2+ motherboard, from my experience these are the ones who have most consistantly provided bios updates for new CPU releases.

Likewise, I would say to go for an ATI(AMD) chipset.

'Native' chipsets (ie ATI/AMD with AMD processor or INTEL with INTEL processor) are more likely to have support for new releases.
Good value for money AMD motherboards right now might be 770, 780g or 790gx chipset based.

Here are a few examles :

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-312-AS&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=805

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-180-GI&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=805