CPU upgrade

[GuessWho]

I have a MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum mobo with a Athlon64 Venice core CPU.
According to my manual this board supports Athlon64 FX / Athlon64 CPUs. I'd
like to get x2 function because there are times when it would be nice to
have dual core functionality, but I'd rather not build a completely new
system.

According to this site:
http://www.msi.com.tw/program/products/mainboard/mbd/pro_mbd_cpu_support_detail.php?UID=607&kind=1
this board will support Athlon64 x2 processors. I have never upgraded the
BIOS since I bought this board about a year ago and I know there is a newer
BIOS version. However, I've always been advised not to fool with the BIOS
unless I'm having a problem or the new BIOS has functionality that I don't
have but want.

Two questions:

1. If the link info is correct, do I need a BIOS upgrade to get x2 support?

2. If I can replace the CPU, will I need to do a Repair install of my XP Pro
after replacing the current CPU?

TIA,

Wayne

 

[Bob Knowlden]

1) Maybe. Other manufacturers (e. g. Asus) list the earliest required BIOS
revision for a given CPU, but MSI chooses to say only whether their latest
BIOS supports the listed CPUs.

(That's not a big deal. If you follow the instructions for updating your
BIOS, it's unlikely that you'll get a bad flash. I've always used the DOS
boot floppy method. If you have any large dogs or small children, don't let
them pull the power cord while you're in the middle of the update. As that
takes less than a minute, the security isn't hard to maintain. There may
also be a BIOS recovery mode. The recovery method Asus offers requires a
specially-named copy of a BIOS file on a floppy or CD. I've never needed it,
though.)

2) Probably you will not have to do anything in XP. I swapped an X2 4400+
into a system that was previously running a single-core 3500+. (The system
was an Asus A8V Deluxe, with the Via K8T800 Pro chipset.) On the first boot
into XP (Home) after the new CPU, XP detected the new chip and switched to
the proper multiprocessor HAL. I have no reason to believe that things would
be any different with your nVidia nForce 3 Ultra mainboard.

If there's a problem with XP automatically installing the new HAL, it may be
possible to change it manually:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309283/en-us

The above article is a bit confusing. Go to Device Manager, open Computer.
Do a manual driver update to ACPI Multiprocessor PC. (Usual disclaimer: if
your PC is hosed by this, you have my deepest sympathy.)

Hope this helps.


Address scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.

 

[GuessWho]

Bob,

Thanx. I'm very encouraged by your reply.

Wayne