Fryed amd processor ?

is it always possible to tell if your cpu is fryed by looking at it like i have this duron 800 in front of me and it looks fine but epox board wont boot always comes up with FF straight on start up

No not always. If it is fried, it may have a smell to it on the backside of the cpu.

Try it with the CPU on a differen't borad,
see how it goes.

Have you tried reseating stuff? Unplug all IDE and Floppy stuff, take out all PCI cards and just try your video card and memory, and CPU and if you have more than one stick, try one at a time. Try the other stick. Try a different video card. Try a different processor. Try the video card in a different PC. Try the CPU in another PC. Same thing with the memory.... Just try everything!!!

er... this may have nothing to do with the "ff" on the diagnostic leds... what does it say in the manual what "ff" means?

well if its fried, all you'll get is a black screen, no post no nothing... just total blackness( personal experience ) And yes the mobo will still show FF. Best way would be to test it on anyother mobo as suggested.

well, I have seen a burned AMD cpu. My friend turned on his system w/o the HSF. lol We didnt think anything would happen for a few seconds. this was last yr though.

Anyway, there was this discolored mark on the core.

yea well im 98% sure its the motherboard ( hope it is because i just sent the motherboard back ) i fryed my XP the other day and it smelt like **** for 4 days after , and also it had brown burns on it this cpu doesnt smell the slitest and also it doesnt have any Marks on it so im sure its the motherboard ****in epox

clear the cmos?