Thuban compatibility with AM2+ Motherboards

[AGross]

I would like to ask subscribers to report in this thread links to
attempts to use AMD Phenom X6 (Thuban Core) in AM2+ motherboards with
the following chipsets: 790FX + SB600, 790FX + SB750 and 790GX +
SB750.

Are there any AMD people here who can provide insight into real
backwards compatibility to AM2+.

I need to know if I can upgrade 20+ AM2+ motherboards from various
Athlon II / Phenom II to Thubans. So far, the motherboard makers have
been silent. I am kinda stuck with high-end AM2+ motherboards with
loads of ECC DDR2 and it would be golden if I could upgrade all these
to six cores. I am not interested in TurboCore feature so if that only
works with newer 890* chipsets it is not a loss at all.

 

[AGross]

I just looked here:
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K10/A... Edition - HDT90ZFBK6DGR (HDT90ZFBGRBOX).html
and I don't know if they got it wrong or these new chipsets lack the
DDR2 controller.

On the other hand, AMD's own Key Arch Features for the Phenom II line
lists support for both DDR2 and DDR3:
http://www.amd.com/us/products/desk...ges/phenom-ii-key-architectural-features.aspx

Is it true that they only work with DDR3? :/

 

[Wes Newell]

I just looked here:
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K10/AMD-Phenom II X6 1090T Black% 20Edition%20-%20HDT90ZFBK6DGR%20%28HDT90ZFBGRBOX%29.html
and I don't know if they got it wrong or these new chipsets lack the
DDR2 controller.

They got it wrong and have now corrected it showing support for both.

On the other hand, AMD's own Key Arch Features for the Phenom II line
lists support for both DDR2 and DDR3:
http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/processors/phenom-ii/Pages/ phenom-ii-key-architectural-features.aspx

Is it true that they only work with DDR3? :/

No. I would think the only concern would be the wattage supported by your
MB's. The X6 is 125W, while many MB's only officially support 95W or less.

 

[AGross]

They got it wrong and have now corrected it showing support for both.

Thanks for your reply.

No. I would think the only concern would be the wattage supported by your
MB's. The X6 is 125W, while many MB's only officially support 95W or less.

Oh, no worries there. It ran 125W X2 6000+ then a 125W Phenom X4.

Well, I sent an email to Gigabyte and maybe they'll sort this out.

 

[A Guy Called Tyketto]

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Thanks for your reply.


Oh, no worries there. It ran 125W X2 6000+ then a 125W Phenom X4.

Well, I sent an email to Gigabyte and maybe they'll sort this out.

I'm hoping so. With the specs saying that they support the AM3
with DDR2, I'm hoping all that I need for my board (GA-MA790X-UD4P) is
a BIOS flash. That board already supports a number of 125W PSUs.

BL.
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Brad Littlejohn | Email: (e-mail address removed)
Unix Systems Administrator, | (e-mail address removed)
Web + NewsMaster, BOFH.. Smeghead! | http://www.wizard.com/~tyketto
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[AGross]

Sadly, the flagship AM2+ motherboard from Gigabyte ( the DQ6 with 790FX
+SB600) is listed as NOT SUPPORTED.

It seems all motherboards with SB600 are plagued by this...

I guess upgrades will have to be limited to quad core Phenom variants :
(

So much for backwards compatibility...

 

[Wes Newell]

Sadly, the flagship AM2+ motherboard from Gigabyte ( the DQ6 with 790FX
+SB600) is listed as NOT SUPPORTED.

It seems all motherboards with SB600 are plagued by this...

I guess upgrades will have to be limited to quad core Phenom variants :

It may still work, but just be limited in some way. Same as with early
versions of the K7 Athlon socket A (462). All newer K7 CPU's would work
in them even though they weren't officially supported. Here's what I got
with an Athlon XP 2100+ (rated at 1733MHz) in my old KT133 MB not rated
for XP's using a 24x multiplier.

processor : 0
vendor_id : AuthenticAMD
cpu family : 6
model : 8
model name : Unknown CPU Type
stepping : 1
cpu MHz : 2400.188
cache size : 256 KB

 

[AGross]

Well, I'll give it a try anyway.
The thing is I need to put it into multiple systems that are acting as
a ' poor man's cluster ' and I value stability.
As soon as I get my hands on an X6 I'll test it in the AM2+
motherboards I have and post results.

Still, this is a disappointment. I was expecting more from a 220E
motherboard.

 

[A Guy Called Tyketto]

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I'm hoping so. With the specs saying that they support the AM3
with DDR2, I'm hoping all that I need for my board (GA-MA790X-UD4P) is
a BIOS flash. That board already supports a number of 125W PSUs.

Well.. looks like I'm in luck:

http://www.gigabyte.us/Support/Motherboard/CPUSupport_Model.aspx?ProductID=3031&ver=#anchor_os

The GA-MA790X-UD4P will support the 1055T and 1035T with a BIOS
flash! I'm thinking about grabbing one of these now..

BL.
- --
Brad Littlejohn | Email: (e-mail address removed)
Unix Systems Administrator, | (e-mail address removed)
Web + NewsMaster, BOFH.. Smeghead! | http://www.wizard.com/~tyketto
PGP: 1024D/E319F0BF 6980 AAD6 7329 E9E6 D569 F620 C819 199A E319 F0BF

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[AGross]

Well, I got one and tested it and it doesn't work with SB600-based
AM2+ motherboards. I tried 3 mobos ( 2 Gigabyte + 1 ASUS) and it won't
POST with a X6...

As a rule of thumb, users with AM2+/SB600 should limit themselves to
X4 Phenom II CPUs or switch to a AM3 motherboard or AM2+ with SB700 or
better.

 

[Miles Bader]

As a rule of thumb, users with AM2+/SB600 should limit themselves to
X4 Phenom II CPUs or switch to a AM3 motherboard or AM2+ with SB700 or
better.

Is it likely that SB700 AM2+ MBs will support X6 cpus if the
manufacturer doesn't explicitly say so?

I looked at the web page for my MB and it didn't list any X6 cpus

http://www.gigabyte.co.jp/Support/Motherboard/CPUSupport_Model.aspx?ProductID=2665&ver=#anchor_os

-Miles

 

[AGross]

Don't know about SB700, but AM2+/SB7[1|5]0 works ok, though on some is
'unknown processor' and some post quirks, but after that is 100%
stable.

 

[Miles Bader]

Is it likely that SB700 AM2+ MBs will support X6 cpus if the
manufacturer doesn't explicitly say so?

I looked at the web page for my MB and it didn't list any X6 cpus

Don't know about SB700, but AM2+/SB7[1|5]0 works ok, though on some is
'unknown processor' and some post quirks, but after that is 100%
stable.

Hmm, I looked at the website again today, and now it shows support!
[Only for the 1035T and 1055T, but that's OK, since they're only 95W,
and I'd like to avoid the hottest chips.]

So I guess SB700 systems don't have any fundamental probs.

-Miles

 

[AGross]

Don't know about SB700, but AM2+/SB7[1|5]0 works ok, though on some is
'unknown processor' and some post quirks, but after that is 100%
stable.

Hmm, I looked at the website again today, and now it shows support!
[Only for the 1035T and 1055T, but that's OK, since they're only 95W,
and I'd like to avoid the hottest chips.]

So I guess SB700 systems don't have any fundamental probs.

-Miles

That is more a question of cooling. I had an 125W X2 6000+ (the first
3Ghz X2) on an mATX motherboard (Gigabyte) which officially doesn't
support 125W CPUs. I worked fine in a case ventilated by 3 120mm fans
and a Zalman copper-something cooler. As long as the cooler can absorb
the heat generated and the case is ventilated, there is no danger, at
least not with Gigabyte , ASUS, MSI etc. Maybe very cheap mobos have
poor voltage regulators that might give in.