Upgrading FIC K7 board

[tuner]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

Greetings,

I'm attempting to get a little more life out of an old SlotA Athlon box.
The MB is an FIC SD11, with 128 megs of pc100 and the current processor is a
K7600 with AMI bios, vNC610. The specs from FIC state that the board will
support up to an Athlon950 with the NC611 bios (the most current). Some
searching netted me an NOS Athlon 850 (from the web vendor StarMicro, fwiw)
for the bargain price of $42.

So, I download the 611 bios, flash without incident, swap out the 1 stick of
128 for 2 sticks of 256, and snap in the 850 processor.

Sadly, no joy on power up. Power supply spins up, but no post beeps and the
cpu fan doesn't spin, and no video signal to the monitor.

Some trial & error prove that the new RAM works just fine with the old
processor, (good post & bootup, with the cpu fan spinning fine & good
video).

Putting the 850 back in gets the same bad result, no post beep, the cpu fan
doesn't spin, and there is not video (because it's not finishing the post).

The processor heatsink was in place for all attempts, so I doubt there was
any harm done by the few seconds of non-spinning cpu fan, it's just a dinky
4mm one in any event.

BTW, there is no bios setting for the processor and no jumpers for that
purpose on this board.

FWIW, the stamped number from the processor that DOES work is:

K7600MTR518 C

the stamped number from the NOS processor that doesn't work is:

K&850MPR52B A

Have I just gotten a bad processor, or is there something else I should be
trying?

Thx!

Tuner

 

[Tony]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

"Tuner" <Tuner@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:IrWdnaCwFt2bPHXcRVn-tw@comcast.com...
> Greetings,
>
> I'm attempting to get a little more life out of an old SlotA Athlon box.
> The MB is an FIC SD11, with 128 megs of pc100 and the current processor is
> a K7600 with AMI bios, vNC610. The specs from FIC state that the board
> will support up to an Athlon950 with the NC611 bios (the most current).
> Some searching netted me an NOS Athlon 850 (from the web vendor StarMicro,
> fwiw) for the bargain price of $42.
>
> So, I download the 611 bios, flash without incident, swap out the 1 stick
> of 128 for 2 sticks of 256, and snap in the 850 processor.
>
> Sadly, no joy on power up. Power supply spins up, but no post beeps and
> the cpu fan doesn't spin, and no video signal to the monitor.
>
> Some trial & error prove that the new RAM works just fine with the old
> processor, (good post & bootup, with the cpu fan spinning fine & good
> video).
>
> Putting the 850 back in gets the same bad result, no post beep, the cpu
> fan doesn't spin, and there is not video (because it's not finishing the
> post).
>
> The processor heatsink was in place for all attempts, so I doubt there was
> any harm done by the few seconds of non-spinning cpu fan, it's just a
> dinky 4mm one in any event.
>
> BTW, there is no bios setting for the processor and no jumpers for that
> purpose on this board.
>
> FWIW, the stamped number from the processor that DOES work is:
>
> K7600MTR518 C
>
> the stamped number from the NOS processor that doesn't work is:
>
> K&850MPR52B A
>
> Have I just gotten a bad processor, or is there something else I should be
> trying?
>
> Thx!
>
> Tuner
Quote: "The processor heatsink was in place for all attempts, so I doubt
there was any harm done by the few seconds of non-spinning cpu fan, it's
just a dinky
4mm one in any event."

There probably could be. Athlons run very hot and a few seconds without a
fan running would be enough to burn it out even with a heatsink fitted. Did
you apply any thermal grease as well? Clean off any old thermal compound?
You would probably need a bigger heatsink with the 850 anyway.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 17:11:21 -0000, "Tony"
<ttiger@lineone.net> wrote:


>Quote: "The processor heatsink was in place for all attempts, so I doubt
>there was any harm done by the few seconds of non-spinning cpu fan, it's
>just a dinky
> 4mm one in any event."
>
>There probably could be. Athlons run very hot and a few seconds without a
>fan running would be enough to burn it out even with a heatsink fitted. Did
>you apply any thermal grease as well? Clean off any old thermal compound?
>You would probably need a bigger heatsink with the 850 anyway.
>

No, there is absolutely zero chance of burning out an Athlon
merely by havin g a non-spinning fan on a properly mounted
heatsink. That is, for a few seconds of operation trying to
post, especially with a cold heatsink... One could unplug a
running system fan with the heatsink already much hotter and
still expect dozens of seconds of operation before it
crashed, prior to damage. There is a HUGE difference in
temp rise between no fan and no heatsink.

 

[Tony]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

"kony" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:lj9lu092t4a41338jrrblcktdcp0d88oln@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 17:11:21 -0000, "Tony"
> <ttiger@lineone.net> wrote:
>
>
>>Quote: "The processor heatsink was in place for all attempts, so I doubt
>>there was any harm done by the few seconds of non-spinning cpu fan, it's
>>just a dinky
>> 4mm one in any event."
>>
>>There probably could be. Athlons run very hot and a few seconds without a
>>fan running would be enough to burn it out even with a heatsink fitted.
>>Did
>>you apply any thermal grease as well? Clean off any old thermal compound?
>>You would probably need a bigger heatsink with the 850 anyway.
>>
>
> No, there is absolutely zero chance of burning out an Athlon
> merely by havin g a non-spinning fan on a properly mounted
> heatsink. That is, for a few seconds of operation trying to
> post, especially with a cold heatsink... One could unplug a
> running system fan with the heatsink already much hotter and
> still expect dozens of seconds of operation before it
> crashed, prior to damage. There is a HUGE difference in
> temp rise between no fan and no heatsink.

We are all entitled to our opinions but I would NEVER switch on unless there
was a properly seated heatsink and fan attached. I doubt if the heatsink
attached to the K7600 would of been up to much. The K7600 produces around
38 watts of heat. The 850 would produce closer to 60watts - nearly double.
It would need a clean heatsink with fresh thermal compound to survive more
than a few seconds.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 18:21:33 -0000, "Tony"
<ttiger@lineone.net> wrote:


>>>Quote: "The processor heatsink was in place for all attempts, so I doubt
>>>there was any harm done by the few seconds of non-spinning cpu fan, it's
>>>just a dinky
>>> 4mm one in any event."
>>>
>>>There probably could be. Athlons run very hot and a few seconds without a
>>>fan running would be enough to burn it out even with a heatsink fitted.
>>>Did
>>>you apply any thermal grease as well? Clean off any old thermal compound?
>>>You would probably need a bigger heatsink with the 850 anyway.
>>>
>>
>> No, there is absolutely zero chance of burning out an Athlon
>> merely by havin g a non-spinning fan on a properly mounted
>> heatsink. That is, for a few seconds of operation trying to
>> post, especially with a cold heatsink... One could unplug a
>> running system fan with the heatsink already much hotter and
>> still expect dozens of seconds of operation before it
>> crashed, prior to damage. There is a HUGE difference in
>> temp rise between no fan and no heatsink.
>
>We are all entitled to our opinions but I would NEVER switch on unless there
>was a properly seated heatsink and fan attached. I doubt if the heatsink
>attached to the K7600 would of been up to much. The K7600 produces around
>38 watts of heat. The 850 would produce closer to 60watts - nearly double.
>It would need a clean heatsink with fresh thermal compound to survive more
>than a few seconds.
>


Not opinion, it simply won't get hot enough to cause damage
within a couple dozen seconds so long as the heatsink has
proper thermal interface. Not possible for *only* the fan
not spinning, to damage it within that period of time with
any 'sink larger than a tiny socket 7/Pentium 1 'sink...
and probably not then either. One can simply touch-test a
heatsink and see how hot it is, by the time it's hot enough
that the CPU would be damaged (again, so long as it has
proper interface/compound) it would be quite obviously,
severely overheated to the touch.

It's not that I advocate running systems without fans when
they're not designed to accomodate it, but merely having a
non-spinning fan would not have damaged the OP's CPU within
the scenario described.

 

[tuner]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt (More info?)

Thanks for the replies. The processor survived (it works on another slot A
machine). The problem was either or some combination of a worn out PS
and/or a failing motherboard.

After fighting with increasing problems for several hours, I put the hard
disk, optical drives & memory in an old PIII 700 I had lying around.
Reformat & reinstall, all is working great. I think I'll run the other way
the next time anyone asks me to "upgrade" a 6 year old machine.

Tuner

"kony" <spam@spam.com> wrote in message
news:rvklu013ot7dvctddqjvj36jjavdcplqi3@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 16 Jan 2005 18:21:33 -0000, "Tony"
> <ttiger@lineone.net> wrote:
>
>
>>>>Quote: "The processor heatsink was in place for all attempts, so I doubt
>>>>there was any harm done by the few seconds of non-spinning cpu fan, it's
>>>>just a dinky
>>>> 4mm one in any event."
>>>>
>>>>There probably could be. Athlons run very hot and a few seconds without
>>>>a
>>>>fan running would be enough to burn it out even with a heatsink fitted.
>>>>Did
>>>>you apply any thermal grease as well? Clean off any old thermal
>>>>compound?
>>>>You would probably need a bigger heatsink with the 850 anyway.
>>>>
>>>
>>> No, there is absolutely zero chance of burning out an Athlon
>>> merely by havin g a non-spinning fan on a properly mounted
>>> heatsink. That is, for a few seconds of operation trying to
>>> post, especially with a cold heatsink... One could unplug a
>>> running system fan with the heatsink already much hotter and
>>> still expect dozens of seconds of operation before it
>>> crashed, prior to damage. There is a HUGE difference in
>>> temp rise between no fan and no heatsink.
>>
>>We are all entitled to our opinions but I would NEVER switch on unless
>>there
>>was a properly seated heatsink and fan attached. I doubt if the heatsink
>>attached to the K7600 would of been up to much. The K7600 produces around
>>38 watts of heat. The 850 would produce closer to 60watts - nearly
>>double.
>>It would need a clean heatsink with fresh thermal compound to survive more
>>than a few seconds.
>>
>
>
> Not opinion, it simply won't get hot enough to cause damage
> within a couple dozen seconds so long as the heatsink has
> proper thermal interface. Not possible for *only* the fan
> not spinning, to damage it within that period of time with
> any 'sink larger than a tiny socket 7/Pentium 1 'sink...
> and probably not then either. One can simply touch-test a
> heatsink and see how hot it is, by the time it's hot enough
> that the CPU would be damaged (again, so long as it has
> proper interface/compound) it would be quite obviously,
> severely overheated to the touch.
>
> It's not that I advocate running systems without fans when
> they're not designed to accomodate it, but merely having a
> non-spinning fan would not have damaged the OP's CPU within
> the scenario described.