Question Upgrading X370 Motherboard (6 years old!) to Ryzen 5950X :-o- Questions...

[thomas81br]

Hello

I have Ryzen 1700 on X370 Killer SLI motherboard and want to put 5950X in it instead !

I have currently like 6 year old PC setup. I have the mobo - AsRock X370 Killer SLI (non AC version (!)), and have 6 year old cpu in it - Ryzen 1700 ... )

I want to upgrade the CPU (and keep the board - AsRock X370 Killer SLI) to 5950X...

There are few questions i would like to ask...

1) Does my motherboard support Ryzen 5950X...? The 5950X is NOT among the supported CPUs:
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/X370 Killer SLI/index.asp#CPU

But the BIOS section of the website (the bios 7.30 section) states it does: "2. Support Renoir, Vermeer, and Cezanne CPU"
(Vermeer is 5950X correct)...?
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/X370 Killer SLI/index.asp#BIOS

Besides this, there are people online who say they are running Vermeer CPUs (either specifically the 5950X or some other 5XXX family series) on this board... In addition, the AC version of this board (AsRock X370 Killer SLI/ac) (which should differ only by it having wifi and bluebooth modules in addition, besides that it should be the EXACT same board)... HAS the 5950X listed among the supported CPUs:
https://www.asrock.com/mb/amd/x370 killer sliac/index.asp#CPU

SO... 5950X should work in AsRock X370 Killer SLI (NONE ac version) AFTER ALL ...? Correct?

2) I can update the Bios to the latest version (7.30) (with several in-between steps with different bioses versions inbetween (i cannot update DIRECTLY from my current (super old) bios version 1.3 to 7.3) with my old Ryzen 1700 sitting in the CPU socket right...? I would like to firstly update the bios and test that everything (all the other PC components) work OK with the new Bios BEFORE i pull the plug and order (for me personally) rather expensive 5950X...? Even the old Ryzen 1700 should work JUST FINE on the newest version of Bios (7.30) right...?
(it is stated that they removed support for "Bristol Ridge" CPUs in this Newest bios, but ryzen 1700 is "Summit Ridge", so he should still work fine (such and "old" CPU on such a "new" bios version)... Correct?

EDIT: Now i noticed... There are versions of BIOS that say that: "*ASRock do NOT recommend updating this BIOS if Pinnacle, Raven, Summit or Bristol Ridge CPU is being used on your system." From 5.5 version of BIOS to 6.0 it states that i should NOT use these bioses for my 1700...? But they should run right...? At least for Bios Flashes purposes...?



Thank you

 

[Barty1884]

1) Does my motherboard support Ryzen 5950X...? The 5950X is NOT among the supported CPUs:
https://www.asrock.com/mb/AMD/X370 Killer SLI/index.asp#CPU

Appears to, based on:

But the BIOS section of the website (the bios 7.30 section) states it does: "2. Support Renoir, Vermeer, and Cezanne CPU"
(Vermeer is 5950X correct)...?

Correct, Vermeer includes the 5950X

SO... 5950X should work in AsRock X370 Killer SLI (NONE ac version) AFTER ALL ...? Correct?

All signs point to yes.

(i cannot update DIRECTLY from my current (super old) bios version 1.3 to 7.3) with my old Ryzen 1700 sitting in the CPU socket right...?

Correct, you have to go to at least the minimum dependency for any future (so 7.0 before 7.3 , likely quite a few more!) You can likely go from 1.3 to 5.1 though.

I would like to firstly update the bios and test that everything (all the other PC components) work OK with the new Bios BEFORE i pull the plug and order (for me personally) rather expensive 5950X...? Even the old Ryzen 1700 should work JUST FINE on the newest version of Bios (7.30) right...?

"Work", yes, as far as I can tell.... HOWEVER:

EDIT: Now i noticed... There are versions of BIOS that say that: "*ASRock do NOT recommend updating this BIOS if Pinnacle, Raven, Summit or Bristol Ridge CPU is being used on your system." From 5.5 version of BIOS to 6.0 it states that i should NOT use these bioses for my 1700...? But they should run right...? At least for Bios Flashes purposes...?

Interestingly, starting from 5.8
"ASRock do NOT recommend updating this BIOS if Pinnacle, Raven, Summit or Bristol Ridge CPU is being used on your system. "

They don't say it won't work.... but you may have lose some functionality. Can't find any specific reason they don't recommend.

 

[faalin]

Basically what its saying is if you want to run a gen 5 cpu (5000 series) you will loose support of gen 1 and gen 2 cpu's. You will still be able to boot into the bios with them but nothing more.

I want to say i thought i saw a video for jayztwocents where he went over this, basically the bios chip is to small to hold code for every cpu so if your moving to the latest gen for the board your likely not going to go back to a 1st gen so they drop support for it.

 

[Barty1884]

Basically what its saying is if you want to run a gen 5 cpu (5000 series) you will loose support of gen 1 and gen 2 cpu's. You will still be able to boot into the bios with them but nothing more.

Nothing within the listings state they'll lose support for the R7 1700, that I can see at least.
You won't lose support for all but booting into the BIOS - if support is removed from the EPROM, you won't be able to boot to the BIOS. The only 'removed' chips are Bristol Ridge (first-round APUs).

I want to say i thought i saw a video for jayztwocents where he went over this, basically the bios chip is to small to hold code for every cpu so if your moving to the latest gen for the board your likely not going to go back to a 1st gen so they drop support for it.

That's exactly why. EPROM size used by most boards, really never accounted for 5+ "generations" of CPUs. Typically, board vendors will only drop the bare minimum - so the early APUs etc (non Ryzen cores) first. I don't think too many have outright cut support for Ryzen 3's, 5's, 7's or 9's..... but certainly possible, but should be crystal clear on any BIOS page.

 

[thomas81br]

Thank you all

Yeah thats what i thought. I will write directly to AsRock too to confirm (if they answer in any meaningfull way and not just some neutral bussines answer (thanks for your email, our department is on it... blah blah, never hear from them again ). Would be nice to receive some answer.

Yeah they dropped the support for the bristol ridge. Mine should still be supported but with that "ASRock do NOT recommend updating this BIOS if Pinnacle, Raven, Summit or Bristol Ridge CPU is being used on your system. "

I think they are just covering their bases. Basically it should run fine, but you can get here and there into some problems ( i heard/read for example from soem user that some AIDA stress test failed or failed to launch because he was running newer versions of bios; when he "flashed-back-down" it was ok)...

Basically my 1700 should still be supported, i just might have some smaller (unexpected, even from them) problem here nd there... Or maybe some big problem, or none problem at all .. it all depends on the config of your entire pc, programs, wha you are trying to run etc... basically too many variables... But outright "denial" of use is only for the bristol ridge cpus (which is not my 1700).

it would/will be so cool if i can just upgrade my CPU after 6 years, on a 6 years old mainboard and it all runs OK... that would (will ) be so cool... thats why i both this in the 1st place all those years ago, with this in mind . The 5950x is also just a bit slower than the 7950x, which is top line... Ill get basically (almost) top line performance for a "small" price of upgrade on a 6 year old PC... Cool !

I have also "over sizes" my PSU all those years ago, and went with 650W, which should still be ok with 5950x in it. So i should not even have to update the PSU...

ALso my current cooler, Scythe Ninja 4 4000 should be rather still sufficient for the 5950x (!) (maybe ill ad another (2nd) fan on it (and replace the existing) MAYBE...

Basically from all i know and read online, i should be pretty good set, and all i should need really is to buy the new 5950X, and thats it! (+maybe some better thermal paste, but nothing more).

Pretty cool. Lets see if it works in practise ...

(Just in case it fails and i would need a new mother board), what CHEAP but sufficient one would you suggest? Can i go even still with some X370...? (if i manage to find one), or X470...?

 

[Barty1884]

(Just in case it fails and i would need a new mother board), what CHEAP but sufficient one would you suggest? Can i go even still with some X370...? (if i manage to find one), or X470...?

I wouldn't even think about it right now. Cross that bridge if you really have to (#5## series chipsets). Per ASRock's website themselves, short of losing power during an update & bricking the board, you should be set.

and went with 650W,

Just make sure it's a quality 650W unit. Wattage is only part of the equation. If it's a poor unit, you may not be as 'set' as you think you are, 6 years on...

 

[thomas81br]

Barty1884:

Thanks

Its 650 Corsair CORSAIR ATX 650W VS650

 

[logainofhades]

The VS650 is a poor quality PSU.

 

[Barty1884]

Thanks

Its 650 Corsair CORSAIR ATX 650W VS650

Yeah, that's not great - especially at 6 years old.
Hopefully it'll be fine , at least in the short-term.... but you are adding another 100+W in draw between those CPUs, peak (65W vs .... 170W?).

If you run into any issues, it could be difficult to troubleshoot. Could be the PSU, could be the 5950X "support" on the X370 board.

 

[thomas81br]

Yeah, that's not great - especially at 6 years old.
Hopefully it'll be fine , at least in the short-term.... but you are adding another 100+W in draw between those CPUs, peak (65W vs .... 170W?).

If you run into any issues, it could be difficult to troubleshoot. Could be the PSU, could be the 5950X "support" on the X370 board.

Wow 170W for 5950X...? Isnt the TDP rather 105W...?

Or it can spike that above TDP sometimes (im NOT planning any OC...)...

(the 65W 1700 should also be spiking in that case, ...?)

 

[Barty1884]

Wow 170W for 5950X...? Isnt the TDP rather 105W...?

Or it can spike that above TDP sometimes (im NOT planning any OC...)...

(the 65W 1700 should also be spiking in that case, ...?)

Officially, it's 105W TDP, but TDP ratings (generally) aren't quite that simple.
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/amd-ryzen-9-5950x-5900x-zen-3-review/4

With PBO enabled, you can be >180W (not 100% sure where I got 170W from, just memory) and without BBO, >140W. Of course, these are 100% loaded, essentially power viruses - but no matter which way you look at it, it's an increased power draw (40W TDP vs 105W TDP), albeit with efficiency improvements.

 

[GarrettL]

Yeah, that's not great - especially at 6 years old.
Hopefully it'll be fine , at least in the short-term.... but you are adding another 100+W in draw between those CPUs, peak (65W vs .... 170W?).

If you run into any issues, it could be difficult to troubleshoot. Could be the PSU, could be the 5950X "support" on the X370 board.

Please don't, it won't.