Question My AM2 Motherboard has ddr3 in it, so is it AM3?

[Cornsyrup]

So, I have been looking forward to upgrading my CPU, I looked on my motherboard to see that it stated AM2 but is using ddr3 memory which was odd since AM2 motherboards only support ddr2. I went and looked at another AM2 motherboard I had and saw that it was using ddr2. I wanted to troubleshoot it even further with an AM2 CPU but I didn't have any at hand. The is Motherboard is MB.NBU01.001 from the machine Emachines Et 1352-01

 

[drea.drechsler]

If the socket says it's AM2 it's most likely AM2.

What processor is it running?

You might be interested in this article. It gets a bit confusing with how AMD certifies memory with socket and CPU, but it also sounds like vendors could do just anything they wanted.

 

[Cornsyrup]

The processer is the AMD Athlon II X2 215. The CPU does support Am2+ and Am3, my suspicion is that the motherboard is Am3 but eMachines went out of business in 2013 so more information about the motherboard is not as easily available.

 

[Sohom]

actually from all the google searches, it shows that the board has am2 socket and use ddr3 ram...
MB.NBU01.001 Motherboard uATX Desktop AM2 DDR3 Integrated nVidia GeForce 6150 SE | eBay
i got some info from this site... also EMACHINES MOTHERBOARD ET1352-01 MB.NBU01.001 MBNBU01001 - Newegg.com

 

[Cornsyrup]

actually from all the google searches, it shows that the board has am2 socket and use ddr3 ram...
MB.NBU01.001 Motherboard uATX Desktop AM2 DDR3 Integrated nVidia GeForce 6150 SE | eBay
i got some info from this site... also EMACHINES MOTHERBOARD ET1352-01 MB.NBU01.001 MBNBU01001 - Newegg.com

In Wikipedia it states this in Am3 "Socket AM3 processors are able to run on Socket AM2 and AM2+ motherboards with appropriate bios updates, but not vice versa. AM3 processors have a new memory controller supporting both DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM, allowing backwards compatibility with AM2 and AM2+ motherboards. Since AM2 and AM2+ processors lack the new memory controller, they will not work on AM3 motherboards." So does this make this a Am3 Motherboard with barebone features? Also, can I upgrade to the AMD Phenom II X4 955?

 

[Sohom]

In Wikipedia it states this in Am3 "Socket AM3 processors are able to run on Socket AM2 and AM2+ motherboards with appropriate bios updates, but not vice versa. AM3 processors have a new memory controller supporting both DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM, allowing backwards compatibility with AM2 and AM2+ motherboards. Since AM2 and AM2+ processors lack the new memory controller, they will not work on AM3 motherboards." So does this make this a Am3 Motherboard with barebone features? Also, can I upgrade to the AMD Phenom II X4 955?

First of all, do u have the latest bios for that motherboard??? Try and find the latest bios before trying anything coz without that bios, it wont be much helpful...

 

[Cornsyrup]

First of all, do u have the latest bios for that motherboard??? Try and find the latest bios before trying anything coz without that bios, it wont be much helpful...

Finding a latest bios for the motherboard will be hard, since the death of eMachines. I doubt that there is much support for the motherboard.