Socket 939 CPU Question

[ajhockey3]

I have an older Socket 939 computer that im upgrading for use for my parents to use for email watch youtube ect.
It currently has an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ cpu in it over clocked to 2.2Ghz(stock is 2Ghz)
it has the stock heatsink.
it has a 470W power supply.
my friend has an Amd athlon 64 FX-60 Cpu witch i have been told is the best socket 939 processor for $10 if i want.
Is it worth it?
Will I require a Power supply upgrade?
my motherboard is an Asus A8V-Deluxe.

 

[jimmysmitty]

The biggest question is will that board support it without a BIOS update. I think you should be fine PSU wise. The Athlon 64 3200+ is a 89W CPU and when OCed like that is probably near or over 100W. The FX-60 is a 110W stock CPU.

http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/list.aspx?SLanguage=en&p=1&s=21&m=A8V Deluxe&os=17&hashedid=tvpdgPNCPaABZRVU

The board supports it but needs BIOS version 1017.002. Make sure you have that BIOS version and you will be good to go.

 

[Eximo]

Should work fine with the latest BIOS update: http://support.asus.com/cpusupport/list.aspx?SLanguage=en&p=1&s=21&m=A8V%20Deluxe&os=17&hashedid=tvpdgPNCPaABZRVU

No other hardware changes will be required.

 

[ajhockey3]

OK thanks for the help, I have never updated the bios on a pc before is it a simple task?

 

[Eximo]

Just download the file, put it on some removable media (usb or floppy usually work). Open the file from the BIOS update utility found in the BIOS's menus.

 

[ajhockey3]

Do i put the .zip file on the flash drive? or do i put the containing files on it

 

[Eximo]

Instructions will be in your manual, and available from the above ASUS support link.

Haven't done one in a while, pretty sure it will take the zip though.

 

[jimmysmitty]

You need to use the Asus BIOS update tool in the downloads section for your motherboard. That system is too old for USB based BIOS flashing. It is pretty simple. I had a Asus P4Pe and P4P800 Deluxe that both used the Windows update utility and I never had an issue.

 

[Eximo]

Last bios I flashed was my Athlon X2 ASUS M2N SLI Deluxe, I used my floppy drive. (And an AOL free trial disk just for funs)

I think my rampage III formula took USB. Haven't updated my Hero yet, waiting to see if anything is worthwhile in terms of Broadwell, but I doubt it.

 

[jimmysmitty]

Last bios I flashed was my Athlon X2 ASUS M2N SLI Deluxe, I used my floppy drive. (And an AOL free trial disk just for funs)

I think my rampage III formula took USB. Haven't updated my Hero yet, waiting to see if anything is worthwhile in terms of Broadwell, but I doubt it.

Broadwell is the 14nm shrink to Haswell. For you and myself, I have a 4670K, Skylake will be the next way to go if you want a upgrade as that is a new uArch. Should also support DDR4, PCIe 4 and a whole bunch of new ideas.

 

[Eximo]

I ended up with a pretty terrible i7 sample, and was just hoping to swap chips. i7-4790k is an option, but wouldn't be much of an improvement. So I had hoped for Broadwell support with Z87, but it isn't looking likely. Though since it is a ROG board they might put a little more effort into it. I know ASUS took their sweet time releasing a BIOS update for my AM2 board which promised future support for Phenom processors. Right after I switched to Intel they released the update.

Were I to build a new system today I would probably hop back on to the X platform, even though I have no real reason to do so.