Core 2 Duo with my mobo

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superdezign
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Core 2 Duo with my mobo

Post by superdezign »

Been a while since I posted. >.<
But I'm in love with my good ol' DevNet, so the first place I'm coming to for advice for getting my sexy new Core 2 Duo to work with my motherboard.

Problem is... I install the chip, turn on the PC, and the power button which normally lights up does not light up. The fans are spinning, the CD-ROM drive is doing it's thing, but nothing further is happening. I tried taking it out and putting it back under the assumption that maybe it was loose but got the same results. Intel's website (http://intel.com/go/motherboards) says that for the Core 2 Duo, my motherboard is compatible. My motherboard's manual says that it is compatible with Core 2 Duo as well, but in parentheses says "For Ver 8.0 only."

Now, specs. The new processor is an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3GHz for socket LGA775. My current motherboard is a BioStar 945P-A7A, which has a LGA775 socket. On the bottom of the description of my processor, it says "Requires electrically compatible motherboard" and after that, says "PCG 06" (I am unsure of its significance, but I figured I'd mention in just in case).

Do you think I need to get a new motherboard? Or maybe the problem is my power supply?
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JAB Creations
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Re: Core 2 Duo with my mobo

Post by JAB Creations »

I haven't had an Intel system since my P4 2.26 / 533 Bus / RDRAM system. For my next main system (since I'm running a maxed out 939 with an Opteron 185) I'm thinking about going Socket B (Intel's next socket coming out very soon).

However from what I've read Intel's CPU's are not backwards compatible with motherboards though their motherboards will take older CPU's. That forces you to buy a newer motherboard of the exact same socket if you want to upgrade to the next generation of the socket's CPU's.

Merely looking at the specs of the E8400 and your BIOSTAR 945P-A7A I can see that the 945P chipset does not support a 1,333 MHz FSB. So in short I hate to say it but that board will simply not take that CPU. You'll need to buy a new motherboard that sports a 1,333MHz bus. Generally this is the rule of thumb to determine Intel CPU compatibility.

Now if you went AMD and had a socket AM2+ motherboard you could drop in a socket AM3 CPU since they are pin compatible. The reason for this is because they moved the (insert something RAM related to DDR2/DDR3) to the CPU itself. That means AM3 chips can work with DDR2. However AM2 processors will not be forward compatible with AM3 CPU's. So if you had an AMD setup you could replace a duo core AM2 with a quad core AM3 early next year. Then a month or two later upgrade the motherboard and RAM to AM3 and DDR3 respectively when DDR3 prices come down.
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Obadiah
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Re: Core 2 Duo with my mobo

Post by Obadiah »

this may be a bit off topic but i thought it was funny and similar to my experience....i thought i had a faulty processor because it had no pins....i was like what the heck...then i thought i was gonna snap the motherboard tryna get the stoopid hinge doohicky to close around it
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