Which AM2+ motherboard?

Well it's sad to say but Project spork has developed issues. :(

It's randomly turning off, any where from 30seconds to 5min of powering up. (not just within attempts to load OS but also when sitting in BIOS)
I've tried different memory (and slots), psu, gpu, out of case, reseated the cooler, removed the retention bracket (ie cooler just standing on top of the cpu which I know did work as I originally tested it this way), repasted and reseated the north bridge cooler.

Something is up, it's ether the cpu or motherboard, I'm leaning towards motherboard atm.

So what's a good cheap am2+ motherboard?
ideally with 4 memory slots

atm this is the best I can find http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Gigab...-SATA-RAID-ATX
or
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Asus-M4A785D-M-PRO

Any other sugestions? :help:

Is there still an AM2+ version of the c45 kicking about?

Nowhere has it in stock, only place I can find it is ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Msi-770t-C45-A...95a495fdeba0af

There is a cheaper option of the gigabyte GA-M52L-SP3 which is an nForce 520LE chipset @ £35

also
ASUS M4A77 amd770 @ £54

Gigabyte GA-M720-US3 nForce 720D MCP @£50

What are the nForce chipsets like?

The Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 is one of the best budget AM2+ motherboards IMHO:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159073

However it's £60
That's why I'm wondering about the US3 at £57 or ES3 at £47

EDIT: sorry not the ES3 that's only 2 memory slots

The US3 looks very similar to the UD3 but only has solid capacitors in the VRM area.

TBH,it is a shame that the Asus M3A78-T in the build has issues had it was meant to be a higher end motherboard.

Edit!!

One of my mates had an issue with his computer in which it was taking yonks to boot up. Eventually, we found it was an issue with the PSU.

I am assuming you have a speaker attached to the motherboard to check to overheat bleeping. To me it feels like overheating, you however seemed to have tried everything already, did you try just a single dimm?

In case my guess about what cpu and memory you have below is wrong how about this one Asrock AM3 AM2+ DDR3 DDR2 mATX mobo ... seems to support just about any configuration of memory or cpu under the sun ... even claims to support the x6s aswell, asrock aren't a bad motherboard manufacturer either it also has 4 dimm slots and is 30 quid :). If you want to spend £10 and get a decent chipset ... there is this one AM2+ 790gx chipset £40.

EDIT: it is an nforce chipset no idea how good they are :( also same motherboard is 2 quid cheaper here. Hope that helps.

or

What cpu do you have? sorry I couldn't find it in the post? I am guessing you have a AM3 cpu with ddr2 memory hence why you want a AM2+ mobo!? Just a suggestion but aria have some amazing deals on memory at the moment 2x2gb of muskin DDR3 for 59 quid and some of the 2x1 kits are really cheap as well loads around 30 quid. So if you bought one of those and combined it with one of the cheap AM3 motherboards on scan that would come to slightly more and you could by another 2x1gb kit in the future?

@CAT, it's not the Asus board, that one I had to return because novatech had incorrectly listed it as the AM2+ version when it was actually the AM3 version
The board that is giveing me these troubles is a Gigabyte GA-MA790X-DS4 not quite as good but still high end (I got it here . . . cannot remember who from :undecided )

It's been tested on the original seasonic, a thermaltake TR2 and corsair CX400w, all with the same result.

@oloon, Yep I tried a single stick in every slot, I even tried a single stick of different ram
Yes I've also got a speaker pluged in, there's no warning bleep, I've had it on the BIOS watching the reported temps (around 47c on cpu and 34c on the system) when "Plink!" it just dies.

It's just so random and unexplained, sooo annoying as there's no indication as to why it's shutting down like this.
I've tested and rule out everything execpt CPU and motherboard as I don't have spares of these which I can swap out.

EDIT
@c.ruel the CPU is an Athlon x2 5600 AM2 and it's been running on 2x1gb + 2x512mb ddr2

I had spotted that motherboard, I do love ASRock for these multi function boards they make, however the cpu is AM2

There is a b-grade version of the motherboard that cat recommended on overclockers b-grade section for 40 odd quid. here, don't know if you would fancy a b-grade motherboard after your current experiences though lol ... still though 20 pounds cheaper than on ebuyer.

Well I've never had an issue with 2nd hand stuff before today, however I've got a long running issue with OcUK and I still refuse to buy from them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pob255

I had spotted that motherboard, I do love ASRock for these multi function boards they make, however the cpu is AM2

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The ASRock mobo c.ruel linked to is AM2+, so should support all AM2 processors. However, it's only get 2 memory slots (or at least, it's only got 2 DDR2 memory slots).

I've used quite a few nvidia chipset motherboards in the past without having any difficulties with any of them. I built one computer for a friend based on the geforce 7025 chipset that (afaik, at least) is still running perfectly, and my better half's current machine is an AM2 board based on an nforce 4 sli chipset. I don't have any experience of the N520LE, but the GA-M52L-SP3 looks like a reasonable budget board, and I think it's the one I'd go for: otherwise you're going to be venturing into the £60+ prices or the second hand market (and personally I've sworn off second hand for motherboards ;) ).

I would get an AM2+ motherboard TBH so that an AM2+ or AM3 CPUs have their HT run at full speed. This will be useful if the CPU is upgraded in the future.

Yes I was looking at AM2+ for that reason CAT ;)

We could safely lose the 4 memory slots for 2 as the difference between 2gb and 3gb isn't actually that much.
But I'd prefer to keep it.

If you're happy to lose 2 RAM slots and you're on discrete graphics anyway, then it brings into play boards like the ASUS M4A78L-M LE (£45). AFAICT you'll be looking for 760G chipsets - the 740G don't seem to support HT3.0

The cheapest 4-RAM-slot AM2+ motherboard I can find is the ASUS M4A78-HTPC @ £54. The IO panel is a bit minimal unless you want audio outputs, though!

I have been looking at thoes, the ASUS M4A78-HTPC espcially, although the lack of connectors could be a problem.
It'll all depend on how much money he's willing to spend.

The Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 is quite a decent budget motherboard for overclocking. Here is a review of the first version of the motherboard:

http://www.hardwarecanucks.com/forum...rd-review.html

Ebuyer currently stocks the improved second version of the motherboard.

I've got that mobo so can answer any queries. My has been nice and stable it should get about 280 on the HT ref clk. Thuban support and is a good unlocker ;O)

Fleabay has a few going; the 770s and 790s seem to all go around the same prices. Thought about getting a 790 for a while.......

OK Question which one?

Gigabyte GA-MA770-UD3 £60.55+free P&P http://www.ebuyer.com/product/159073

Asus M4A77 £56.13 + Free P&P http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductID=1210905
It says AM3 but it's actually AM2+ http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=alTDgKGT1KpDnTxA well the support list includes AM2 and AM2+ cpus and it's ddr2 not ddr3 which should make it AM2+

Asus M4A77D £50.42 + £8 p&p = £58.42 http://www.lambda-tek.com/components...prodID=B251443 (I've never bought from Lambda-tek before, don't know what they are like.)

Only difference between the M4A77 and the M4A77D that I can see off hand is the D has firewire (not really needed) it there any thing else that I'm missing?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pob255

Well it's sad to say but Project spork has developed issues. :(

It's randomly turning off, any where from 30seconds to 5min of powering up. (not just within attempts to load OS but also when sitting in BIOS)
I've tried different memory (and slots), psu, gpu, out of case, reseated the cooler, removed the retention bracket (ie cooler just standing on top of the cpu which I know did work as I originally tested it this way), repasted and reseated the north bridge cooler.

Something is up, it's ether the cpu or motherboard, I'm leaning towards motherboard atm.

So what's a good cheap am2+ motherboard?
ideally with 4 memory slots

atm this is the best I can find
or

Any other sugestions? :help:

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hi mate, the 785G board you linked is AM3, the one CAT-THE-FIFTH suggested looks good tho.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zaim

hi mate, the 785G board you linked is AM3, the one CAT-THE-FIFTH suggested looks good tho.

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No the one I listed in the OP is the M4A785D-M PRO which is AM2+ if is was AM3 it would be the M4A785TD-M
Well done. :rolleyes:

Many AM2+ motherboards are listed as AM3 socket by retailers as they can use the AM3 cpu's

It's as following
Socket AM2 = AM2 only cpu, ddr2 memory
Socket AM2+ = both AM2 or AM3 cpu, ddr2 memory
Socket AM3 = AM3 only cpu, ddr3 only memory

You cannot physically put a AM2 cpu into an AM3 socket, an AM3 cpu will fit into an AM2, AM2+ or AM3 socket but it the cpu will not be recognised by an AM2 socket/chipset

You also need to watch out for Wattage as some boards can only support certain cpu wattage levels.

The M4A785D-M PRO supports 140w cpu's so it's not an issue.

Well I've gone for the cheap option of the Asus M4A77 partly because it's cheapest, partly because it's scan and partly because this is the AM2+ version of the board I had originally planned to use.

Isn't it the other way round? I though that as AM3 has more pins (941?) it can't fit in an AM2 socket but an am2 cpu can fit in an am3 socket?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Pob255

Well I've gone for the cheap option of the Asus M4A77 partly because it's cheapest, partly because it's scan and partly because this is the AM2+ version of the board I had originally planned to use.

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is it this:

http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=alTDgKGT1KpDnTxA#

also what cpu are u going to use with it?

I think it's the Windsor core 89w athlon x2 5600+ http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K8/AMD...0CZBOX%29.html

As to the pin situation, yes and no, the AM3 slot has 941 contacts where as the AM2/AM2+ has 940
It's the placement of blanks on the socket that stops you fitting an AM2 cpu in an AM3 socket (the AM3 cpu actually only has 934 pins)
If you cut off the pins or punch out the blanks an AM2 cpu wil fit happly into an AM3 socket, it'll just not work because AM3 motherboards support DDR3 only and AM2 cpu's don't have a DDR3 memory controller.

Quote:

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Socket AM3 breaks compatibility with AM2/AM2+ processors due to a subtle change in key placement. The AM3 socket has 941 pin contacts[1] while current AM3 processors have only 938 pins. Tom's Hardware removed the two obstructing key pins from an AM2+ Phenom processor in order to fit it into an AM3 socket. The processor did not work in the AM3 socket, but still worked in an AM2+ socket, suggesting that compatibility issues run deeper than merely the key pins.[4] It is likely due to the fact that the built-in memory controller in AM2/AM2+ processors only support DDR2 (unlike AM3 processors, which supports both DDR2 & DDR3 memory).[5]

As AM3 processors also support DDR2, they are backwards-compatible with Socket AM2/AM2+, contingent upon a BIOS update for the motherboard. Manufacturers including Asus,[6] Gigabyte,[7] and others have labeled existing AM2/AM2+ boards as being "AM3 Ready" or similar, indicating that BIOS support is provided for the specified boards. This allows existing AM2/AM2+ systems to upgrade the CPU without having to upgrade any other components.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socket_AM3

Although now I'm a bit worried because all the AM2 cpu's listed on the Asus site are the later AM2 cpu's not the eairlier ones . . . well I'll see.

I got the motherboard today, I was a little dissapointed it didn't come with a couple of the nice Asus extras, namely the Q-Shield (back of the IO Shield covered with a thin layer of foam and foil) and Q-Connect two (a connector block for front connectors)
Both are very simple but so handy.

I've not got around to testing it yet, however clearly written on the socket is "AM2" and slik screened on the motherboard "AM3 CPU Support" ;)

Hope it works out! And those Q connect things are great, used a gigabyte board recently to do a mini itx build and really missed having it in such a confined space. I don't see why other manufacturers can't do it as well? ... maybe asus have the rights or something.

Msi do them as well but not the Q-shield which I really like as you don't have all those thin sharp bits of metal to slice your fingers on or only discover that one of them bent and is blocking a port after you've got the board all screwed in.

I have to agree on Q-shield: the first time I encountered an ASUS board with one I almost wept with joy - they are *so* much better than the standard IO shields...

Got around to testing it on friday . . . guess what?

I think it's the cpu :rolleyes: