Will this Opty work in this mobo?

[absinthe]

Will I have any trouble using this processor in this motherboard? I've had the board for a while and I need to replace the processor.

Obviously, the Opteron 146 is listed as a compatible CPU, but I'm unsure about what "E4 version" means (that a stepping?), and no core name is specified on the MSI page.

Thanks,

-abs

 

[NXIL]

Yes: if you follow Newegg's manufacturer link, you get the stepping, wattage, etc:

http://www.amdcompare.com/us-e...h=true&opn=OSA146BNBOX

(Click on the "Manufacturer Info" tab, then on

Manufacturer Product Page

But, for a very small price differential, have you considered one of the dual core socket 939s?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...3571%2CN82E16819103604

The 3800 Toledo X2 is even one dollar less than the single core Opteron 146 (though you may need to get a third party heat sink, depending on what you have on hand). The 4200 is about $20 more, and is faster (the smaller cache only makes about a 1-3% speed difference in real life), and the Opteron 165 is $96: you can apparently easily overclock this to 2.0 or 2.2 Ghz with the stock cooler from what I have read. (I have the 170, no OC though....)

HTH

NXIL

 

[bryanW1995]

I used to have a k8n neo4 platinum. It ran a 3700+ for 18mos, and fx55 for 6 mos, and an opteron 180 for 6 days (got crazy messing with voltages and BZZZZZTT!). This board is very similar so you won't have any problems running any skt 939 chip except perhaps opteron 185. I would STRONGLY recommend a dual core processor. x2 4200 or 3800 are both great deals right now, either will keep you going for a little while.

 

[absinthe]

Thanks for advice. This is a "family use" computer (my personal machine does have an Athlon X2 4400+) which has been experiencing weird video problems for several months that I've been unable to get to the bottom of. Basically, the video flickers in and out and sometimes the machine spontaneously reboots. Man, I've tried it ALL. I've swapped out video cards, tried different monitors, changed video cables, replaced the power supply, checked the fans, checked the RAM, updated every driver known to man, and even replaced the power strip.

MSI was nice enough to ship me a replacement mobo, which I changed out, and then reinstalled XP, but the problem persists. The only thing left is the processor, which was a "Venice" core 3000+ that was running overclocked for about 18 months. The problem seemed to improve greatly when I set the processor to run at stock speed, but it still happens. I can only assume that replacing the proc. will fix the problem because it's the only thing left!

Thanks,

-abs

 

[NXIL]

Hi Abs,

OK, that is a bummer to have an undiagnosable problem.

Working from the 110V wall socket outward:

A power strip doesn't help much if your home is having some sort of wiring/surge/dropout issue, maybe from a large appliance kicking in and causing a drop/surge, or, maybe there is something on the neighborhood's power grid that is a problem. A UPS, interruptible power supply can help with that--I have had good results with Opti and APC:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...1136%2CN82E16842107109

Power supply: it was replaced, but, with what brand/wattage/etc: good name brand i.e. PC Power/Cooling, Seasonic, Corsair, Enermax, etc?

CPU cooling? Do you run Speedfan to check CPU temps?

Since you swapped video cards and the symptoms didn't change, obviously it's unlikely to be the card itself.

Mobo: replaced, check; however, possible that the north bridge is overheating, even on the replaced motherboard?

memory: would expect BSOD, not reboot with mem problems.

Overclocked Venice is indeed suspect--over time, maybe the extra heat and such has made CPU deteriorate....if the new CPU fixes problem, would you mind posting a follow up report?

Thx, and good luck,

NXIL

 

[absinthe]

Originally posted by: NXIL
Hi Abs,

OK, that is a bummer to have an undiagnosable problem.

Working from the 110V wall socket outward:

A power strip doesn't help much if your home is having some sort of wiring/surge/dropout issue, maybe from a large appliance kicking in and causing a drop/surge, or, maybe there is something on the neighborhood's power grid that is a problem. A UPS, interruptible power supply can help with that--I have had good results with Opti and APC:

Power supply: it was replaced, but, with what brand/wattage/etc: good name brand i.e. PC Power/Cooling, Seasonic, Corsair, Enermax, etc?

CPU cooling? Do you run Speedfan to check CPU temps?

Yes, I've been dealing with this problem for several months now. I swear, if replacing the processor doesn't fix it, I'm seriously considering junking the whole rig and shopping at Wal-Mart for a replacement .

I replaced the PSU with a highly rated one, a Corsair 520 watt, which was probably overkill, but at the time I was convinced that the Rosewill PSU that was in there was the root of the problem. In retrospect, I probably threw away a perfectly good power supply.

I really doubt electrical problems as there have been no major changes in the house, and all other electric appliances, including computers, continue to run fine.

Also, I doubt heat as a problem because the flickering tends to occur especially right at boot time, in a "cold" machine. In fact, if you can manage to boot it at all, it will run fine for a while, sometimes indefinitely. Also, it's a pretty big case without much in it, except for 2 big case fans .

Originally posted by: NXIL
Overclocked Venice is indeed suspect--over time, maybe the extra heat and such has made CPU deteriorate....if the new CPU fixes problem, would you mind posting a follow up report?

You betcha. I'll be dancing for joy once I can stop hearing "honey, the computer's doing that thing again .... "

-abs

 

[absinthe]

Originally posted by: NXIL
if the new CPU fixes problem, would you mind posting a follow up report?

Well, I put the Opty in Friday evening. I started running Prime95 Saturday morning on the setting for lots of processor testing and lots of heat. So far, it's run great for nearly 48 hours. I'm going to restart Prime95 on the default setting, to include testing lots of RAM (though I feel sure there's nothing wrong with my RAM), and let that run for another 48 hours, but I think I've finally fixed this computer. The signal light on my monitor (located in the power button) would always change from green to orange whenever I would suddenly lose video signal. This was also accompanied by a sort of low electrical buzz noise that was pretty subtle.

Times when the screen normally goes momentarily blank, such as when switching between XP users, were problematic. The light would go orange, and sometimes the video signal would not come back. And if it did, it would come and go and few more times. There were also spontaneous crashes and reboots which were often associated with, as I call them, "clicking events" - i.e. mouse use.

Anyway, of course the screen will still go momentarily black when switching between XP users, but the light always stays green now unless the monitor switches off (set in XP to do so after 20 minutes of inactivity). So I feel good about it.

It's been a strange lesson. I had no idea that a wacky processor could cause video to flicker in and out, sometimes out permanently (until reboot). I tell you, I think I've done my last overclocking.

=abs