First POST with dual core Opty in a board with old BIOS?

Quentin · 02-06-07, 11:45 AM

I'm sure many of you have been through this long ago so figured this is the place to ask.

I've noticed that a lot of older 939 boards came with BIOSes that do not support Dual Core but they have DC friendly BIOSes available for download.

So, I wonder if the DC Opteron 165 would even POST with the old BIOS? (At least stable enough to flash to a recent BIOS.) Maybe the second core just isn't supported and the DC starts up as a single core? Or will it not even POST? Any harm to the DC chip to post it up and flash to the DC aware BIOS?

I'm looking for an older NF3 939 board so I can use my AGP card - probably the Gigabyte GA-K8NS Ultra-939 nForce3 Ultra or MSI K8N Neo2-Platinum nForce3 Ultra. Sure could present a problem if you need a single core chip to do the flash.

Thanks for reading.

protocol_droid · 02-06-07, 04:18 PM

http://forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=73727

check out the above thread which addresses the topic.

Quentin · 02-06-07, 07:39 PM

Thanks for the link but I'm concerned about the low level BIOS - will the motherboard POST.

protocol_droid · 02-06-07, 11:18 PM

Most people would say use the latest BIOS updates, however when you go to many mainboard websites they sometimes say not to update the bios unless you're having problems. I"ve no answer.

Bashar · 02-06-07, 11:57 PM

Not sure the diffrences in the mobo but I have a Ga-k8nsc-939 that I had my 165 in running at 2.7ghz no problem. But I did update the bios before I installed the 165. I am not sure what it will it do if you have a bios dated before the F7 (2005/07/15 Support dual core CPU).

Quentin · 02-07-07, 09:14 AM

BIOS F7 for the Gigabyte GA-K8NS Ultra-939 also gives dual core support. But if I get a board with an earlier BIOS I wonder if it'll POST with an Opty 165 (so I can immediately flash to F10, the latest BIOS).

Maybe it will POST with only one core active then after the flash and a restart both cores are recognized.

Nobody here ever been through this?

smokie mcpott · 02-07-07, 09:18 AM

i would just go for an ASRock Dual SataII board, native agp and pci-ex

Serlant · 02-07-07, 09:58 AM

i can vouch for this ^ ive got an asrock 939 dual-sata2 itll do 330 htt. havent had any problems with it. "does what it says on the tin"

tuskenraider · 02-07-07, 11:31 AM

Most likely it'll post and have no problems. I used a BIOS on my old Asus board for an Opteron that was 7 versions before the first approved one for the chip with no issues.

Serlant · 02-07-07, 11:44 AM

was it a dual core opteron?

tuskenraider · 02-07-07, 12:08 PM

Nope, and that might affect things, it might not. Just an example of BIOS CPU support lists being "inconsistant" at best.

Konceptz · 02-11-07, 10:05 PM

As long as it supports Dual core, the bios/mb will support the opteron.

02-06-07, 11:45 AM	Thread Starter #1
Quentin Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NorthWest USA	First POST with dual core Opty in a board with old BIOS? I'm sure many of you have been through this long ago so figured this is the place to ask. I've noticed that a lot of older 939 boards came with BIOSes that do not support Dual Core but they have DC friendly BIOSes available for download. So, I wonder if the DC Opteron 165 would even POST with the old BIOS? (At least stable enough to flash to a recent BIOS.) Maybe the second core just isn't supported and the DC starts up as a single core? Or will it not even POST? Any harm to the DC chip to post it up and flash to the DC aware BIOS? I'm looking for an older NF3 939 board so I can use my AGP card - probably the Gigabyte GA-K8NS Ultra-939 nForce3 Ultra or MSI K8N Neo2-Platinum nForce3 Ultra. Sure could present a problem if you need a single core chip to do the flash. Thanks for reading.
	QUOTE Thanks

02-06-07, 04:18 PM	#2
protocol_droid Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: sd, ca	http://forums.amd.com/index.php?showtopic=73727 check out the above thread which addresses the topic.
	QUOTE Thanks

02-06-07, 07:39 PM	Thread Starter #3
Quentin Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NorthWest USA	Thanks for the link but I'm concerned about the low level BIOS - will the motherboard POST.
	QUOTE Thanks

02-06-07, 11:18 PM	#4
protocol_droid Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: sd, ca	Most people would say use the latest BIOS updates, however when you go to many mainboard websites they sometimes say not to update the bios unless you're having problems. I"ve no answer.
	QUOTE Thanks

02-06-07, 11:57 PM	#5
Bashar Member Join Date: Jul 2002	Not sure the diffrences in the mobo but I have a Ga-k8nsc-939 that I had my 165 in running at 2.7ghz no problem. But I did update the bios before I installed the 165. I am not sure what it will it do if you have a bios dated before the F7 (2005/07/15 Support dual core CPU). __________________ Mobo........DFI LanParty UT nF4-D CPU..........AMD Opteron 165 @ 300x9 2.7ghz Vcard........Sapphire Radeon X1950XT Memory....Corsair XMS TwinX1024-3200C2PT HDrive......2x Hitachi Deskstar T7K500 320g Raid0 Scard........SB Audigy Case.........TT Xaser III V2000A PSupply....HIPER HPU-4K580-MS 580w Monitor.....Samsung SyncMaster 204bw
	QUOTE Thanks

First POST with dual core Opty in a board with old BIOS?

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02-07-07, 09:14 AM	Thread Starter #6
Quentin Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NorthWest USA	BIOS F7 for the Gigabyte GA-K8NS Ultra-939 also gives dual core support. But if I get a board with an earlier BIOS I wonder if it'll POST with an Opty 165 (so I can immediately flash to F10, the latest BIOS). Maybe it will POST with only one core active then after the flash and a restart both cores are recognized. Nobody here ever been through this?
	QUOTE Thanks

02-07-07, 09:18 AM	#7
smokie mcpott Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: OKC	i would just go for an ASRock Dual SataII board, native agp and pci-ex __________________ My HeaT
	QUOTE Thanks

02-07-07, 09:58 AM	#8
Serlant Member Join Date: Jan 2007	i can vouch for this ^ ive got an asrock 939 dual-sata2 itll do 330 htt. havent had any problems with it. "does what it says on the tin"
	QUOTE Thanks

02-07-07, 11:31 AM	#9
tuskenraider Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chicago area	Most likely it'll post and have no problems. I used a BIOS on my old Asus board for an Opteron that was 7 versions before the first approved one for the chip with no issues. __________________ Thermaltake V9 BlacX ][ XFX PRO650W ][ Gigabyte X58A-UD3R ][ i7 950@4.2ghz (21x200) Corsair A70 ][ Corsair XMS DDR3-1600 3x2GB ][ Gigabyte GTX660 Ti ][ 90GB OCZ Vertex 2 2TB Hitachi 7K3000 ][ Asus 24B1ST DVD-RW ][ Asus Zonar STX ][ Tannoy 501a heat
	QUOTE Thanks

02-07-07, 11:44 AM	#10
Serlant Member Join Date: Jan 2007	was it a dual core opteron?
	QUOTE Thanks

02-07-07, 12:08 PM	#11
tuskenraider Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Chicago area	Nope, and that might affect things, it might not. Just an example of BIOS CPU support lists being "inconsistant" at best. __________________ Thermaltake V9 BlacX ][ XFX PRO650W ][ Gigabyte X58A-UD3R ][ i7 950@4.2ghz (21x200) Corsair A70 ][ Corsair XMS DDR3-1600 3x2GB ][ Gigabyte GTX660 Ti ][ 90GB OCZ Vertex 2 2TB Hitachi 7K3000 ][ Asus 24B1ST DVD-RW ][ Asus Zonar STX ][ Tannoy 501a heat
	QUOTE Thanks

02-11-07, 10:05 PM	#12
Konceptz New Member Join Date: Feb 2007	As long as it supports Dual core, the bios/mb will support the opteron.
	QUOTE Thanks

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