MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum Compatible with 90nm Winchesters?

[Waylay00]

I will be purchasing a new 90nm Winchester 3200+ along with an MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum Mobo. Will the 90nm Winchester work with the mobo out of the box? I've read that some have problems while others don't.

 

[Wolftrap101]

I picked up one last night and it was compatible. Had the 1.3 bios
Didn't have any major problems with my install either and i was using a 3200....now have it overclocked to 2.2 no vcore increase at all
The guys at the shop I got mine from knew of the problem as well.

 

[Waylay00]

So do you think that if I purchase the K8N Neo2 from Neweg in say about......3 weeks that it will probably have the newest BIOS?

 

[imported_TimJ]

Originally posted by: Waylay00
So do you think that if I purchase the K8N Neo2 from Neweg in say about......3 weeks that it will probably have the newest BIOS?

I just got one and it's not compatible.

 

[imported_TimJ]

Originally posted by: Wolftrap101
I picked up one last night and it was compatible. Had the 1.3 bios
Didn't have any major problems with my install either and i was using a 3200....now have it overclocked to 2.2 no vcore increase at all
The guys at the shop I got mine from knew of the problem as well.

What is the version number on your motherboard? It's below the 3rd PCI slot, I believe.

 

[Waylay00]

What was your version number Tim?

 

[imported_TimJ]

Originally posted by: Waylay00
What was your version number Tim?

VER: 1

Not very specific, but that's all that was on there.

 

[Waylay00]

Hmm, I'd like to see what other K8N Neo2 owners have on their board.

 

[Kovie]

Nearly all the current ones being sold from major retailers should be using the compatible 1.3 bios. Oftentimes its just that the motherboard just doesnt work, or some other part simply doesnt want to work with it that causes people problems (its can be a very picky board). If you are remarkably concerned with compatability monarch will pretest a board if you wish if you buy them together.

 

[Waylay00]

Downside to monarch is that they use some different thermal compound. Also, you can't select an XP-90 HS. I kknow you can take it off and clean it but I'd rather not do that.

 

[imported_TimJ]

Also, I should mention I got my mobo from ZipZoomFly. You might want to avoid them.

 

[Mrvile]

Actually I got a MSI K8N Neo2 Plat with a 90nm Winchester 3500+ combo from Monarchcomputer.com. They said it should work, I haven't tried yet as I only have about half my parts, but they said they would load the latest bios. I got Farcry for free with the combo

Anyway props to Monarchcomputer, great service, first to ship along with Newegg out of about 7 or 8 venders. They even sent me a free heat sink and fan (I selected OEM CPU, they billed me OEM CPU, they sent me heatsink/fan. 10 dollar value, absolutely free! How awesome is that).

Waylay, it's true that you have to take the heat sink off manually, as I did order the XP-90 from somewhere else, but it's a small price to pay. 1.4 cents worth of rubbing alcohol. DAMN!

 

[Old Gill]

I recently bought a MSI K8N Neo2 Plat with a AMD 64 3500 Winchester and built a new system. It all seems to be working, booted up first time and I have not had any strange errors or issues. I'm not sure what BIOS version I am running, so will check tonight and let you know.

Does anybody know of a way of checking what processor is running in your system. I want to actually make sure that my CPU is a Winchester and not a Newcastle. How could I check this, are there any utilities out there that can detect this?

It didn't mention the core type on the retail packaging of the CPU.

 

[dklingen]

Old Gill,

CPU-Z is the utility most people use: http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php#download

 

[brob23]

old gill, aren't all socket 939's winchester core?

 

[Kovie]

For 939's the 3000 and 3200 are exclusively winchesters, 3500 can be either, 3400 and 3800 are newcastles, and I believe so is the 4000.

 

[tallman45]

Yes all 3000's and 3200's (939) are Winchester cores (90nm).

3500's are both Winchester (90nm) and Newcastle (.13 micron) The Winchester 3500+'s cost more

 

[Old Gill]

I downloaded & used that cpu-z utility which did confirm that my CPU was a Winchester. I also checked my bios version for the Neo2 Plat. and it was version 1.3

So it seems that the MSI Neo2 plat. boards with the 1.3 bios can detect the winchester cpu's ok, whereas the older bios versions might have a few problems unless you update to 1.3

Hope this helps.

 

[iahk]

It's not TOO much of a problem if you get a board with bios 1.2 or below. That's what happened to me when I ordered from ZipZoomFly. Just use one stick of ram rather than 2 and the system will boot just fine. It'll read the Winchester like a champ.

 

[jterrell]

I believe the 4000+ is Clawhammer.