Puter died need advice

[Dirk Broer]

Thanks for the correct link! The 1907 BIOS should be able to handle both Phenoms, provided you have the right settings. Is the multiplier perhaps locked at a setting the Phenoms have no use for? Can you try to set everything to "automatic"? And indeed try to boot from onboard VGA, and set the BIOS to do so.

[BlackAdder]

I will try to boot up the board using only the on board video this weekend, I have cleared the bios several times hoping it will forget it's old settings and run the new processors, but no luck. I have never had a board do this ever.... something odd is going on with this OEM motherboard. If it was retail I'm sure I would not be having these problems...

[AMDave]

I'm a bit late jumping back into this thread but I have been using a M3A78-EH for a number of years with an AM2 9750 cpu
here's what I know
there are 4 variants of this board and they do have differences in support
M3A87
M3A87-T
M3A87-EH (the one I am using)
M3A87-PRO

even though they should all accept the same BIOS update it does not mean that the board will magically support a newer CPU type that it was not built for so check the manual for the exact CPU naming

As far as I know (and I checked this again on their specs) these boards are all ok for AM2 and AM2+

The M3A87 is noted as being power-low and/or power limited to 140W
I only mention this because the first time I tried to boot my board I had the GPU plugged in but the PSU was not rated for the full power draw of the GPU and the Mobo (plus HHD and fans etc).
Adding the right PSU fixed that issue.
(Hey WOW. The old grey matter still works. How about that!)

The current support listing is "AMD Socket AM2+ / AM2 ;Phenom™ FX /Phenom™ / Athlon™ /Sempron™ Processors" including the 45nm Phenom II

Interestingly that does not include the Athlon X2, just the same as it definitely does not include the X6s (which IIRC are AM3)

However, (and I have the manual in front of me) the original support listing was "AMD Phenom™ FX /Phenom™ / Athlon™ 64 /Sempron™ / Athlon™ 64 FX Processors"

You will note the difference in that the current support list no longer refers to the Athlon 64 or the Athlon 64 X2

If you try a CPU from the current support list in that board and it does not work, then definitely there is something wrong with the board.

for the 'original' reference I am referring to the ASUS publish item "E3681" that came with the board that I purchased.

The Phenom II 940 that you have/had in the other board will work because the Phenom II (X4) 940 was one of the later AM2+ editions. (pre-April 2009)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...enom_II_series

The Phenom II (X4) 955 was the AM3 edition after which the state of play changed due to the chipset requirements.

But the Phenom II X3 will not as it is an AM3 CPU which these boards do not support, unless it is very specifically a Phenom II X3 715.
Only 2 of the X4 models might work that are AM2+ (including the 940 that you already have) and none of the X6s will work as they are all AM3.

There was an original theory that came from ASUS - before the AM3 cpu's arrived - that ASUS would be able to patch a BIOS update that would enable them to work.
I never saw anyone say that worked, including ASUS, unfortunately.
Although I may simply be 'unaware'.

[EDIT] I didn't finish my homework there...
Your Althlon 64 X2 also falls into the same category.
I suspect that is also an AM3.
In which case it is also unsupported for that board

Also, if what I suspect turns out to be the case and your documentation says it 'should' work then you should be able to get your money back as you have been led to believe otherwise from the manufacturer &/ OEM's documentation.
(and they had better $#^@^$ check their facts before they sell you the next board!!!)
[/EDIT]


I am hoping my mutterings are more of a help than a hindrance.

[AMDave]

Drat. I should have read further up again, when you purchased the replacement board, you already tried the 715 and the 920.
They are both AM2+ CPUs and should be ok.
(so all my AM2/AM2+ rambling is moot and more of a hinderance than a help)

BUT they are both high watt CPUs and with a GPU plugged in there would most likely be a boot failure due to the PSU load.

As you say you are going to test with the on-board GPU then it may work, but I think your PSU may be failing if you are still using the HX620w.
It should be capable of 467 watts under load (per model HX620w - the 620w in the model name should NOT be used as a guide)

Good luck. Hope it works. Let us know.

[Dirk Broer]

The ASUS M3A78 family which we are discussing here (NOT the M3A87) has even more members, and comes in four sub-families, chipset wise:

AMD 770
M3A78 (AMD 770/SB700)
AMD 780G
M3A78-EH (AMDave's: AMD 780G/SB700)
M3A78-EM (AMD 780G/SB700)
M3A78-EMH HDMI (AMD 780G/SB700)
M3A78-PRO (AMD 780G/SB700)
M3A78-VM (AMD 780G/SB700)
AMD 780V
M3A78-CM (AMD 780V/SB700)
AMD790GX
M3A78-T (Blackadder's: AMD 790GX/SB750)

Amongst the M3A78 boards the M3A78-T has the best chipset/southbridge combination. Both the PhenomII 715 and the PhenomII 920 should be supported from BIOS 1907, as can be seen in the tab "CPU SUpport List". The 715 since 1101, the 920 since 0502 (which both reroute to M3A78-T BIOS 1907) The E4018 Manual is the latest edion for the M3A78-T and can be downloaded from the ASUS site.

[AMDave]

A copy-pasted typographical error by me.

All of my references to the board in question in my posts above 'should' say 'M3A78' and not 'M3A87'

That said, all of my points stand.
(In spite of the fact that they were for naught because he already tested the correct AM2+ CPUs and it failed.)

Yes, as I said, the 715 and the 920 'should' work as they are AM2+.

The fact that they don't work leads me to believe that there is something else wrong, hence my reference to the PSU which has not been mentioned as being swapped out as part of the test.
Good luck with that.

[Dirk Broer]

The fact that they don't work leads me to believe that there is something else wrong

Those were my thoughts as well, that's why I advised to test with onboard VGA

[liuqyn]

it also might just be something locked out due to being an OEM board, beyond that I haven't a clue.

[Dirk Broer]

And this all started when you switched the order of start-up disks in order to access a Vista partition? mumph.......
Switched it back to the original start-up disk, have you yet?

[BlackAdder]

Well... I'm running the OEM board with a Antec 650 Blue PSU, should have the wattage but that may be the problem. I did not get to try booting it up with the on board video only yet, it's suppose to rain this saturday here so I may try it then. I have been running my Vista partition since I got it running again, had to call Microsoft to reactivate the license key. I have not booted up Win 7 yet , that was a OEM version I bought from NewEgg so I wanted to get a quad running again so maybe it wouldn't be too much trouble getting that license key to work with something closer to what I had before. I haven't messed with it much lately because I'm thankful it's running at all cause I use the computer for bills, ect. and all my stored usernames and passwords are in these drives. I still have the burned up board and was told by Asus by e-mail to call the service center and ask to speak to a level 2 rma tech. I will do that soon but don't really have the time at work to stay on the phone for who knows how long waiting to talk to some one. I leave the house before 5 and get home after 6 so I would have to call from work..... I will report back with any further info. Thanks guys !!