Motherboard/CPU Compatibility Question

[chapcat]

I have just purchased my new Antec SOHO tower case and Antec 430 True Power PSU. I am now ready to purchase the CPU and mobo, but I am confused by the FSB speeds that are supported by the mobo I am looking at. I had chosen the P4 2.8C to go with an Abit IS7. In quotation marks below is part of a mobo spec sheet for the IS7 and MSI 865PE Neo2-PFS (Platinum Edition).

"Supports Intel® Pentium 4 Northwood/Prescott (Socket 478) processors.

FSB 400 (for Northwood only), 533, 800MHz.

Supports up to 3.6GHz or higher speed."

Does "Northwood only" in this instance mean that the 533mHz or 800mHz speeds would not apply to the Northwood but only to the Prescott, or is the 400mhz speed in addition to the other two for the Northwood? I have searched quite a bit for an answer around the web, but it is not really clear. Would someone please enlighten me?

 

[etp777]

The Northwood only refers to the 400mhz marking. Prior to the Northwood processors, there was also the 423 pin WIllamette core processors at 400MHz. THese, having a different socket, aren't compatible with that motherboard. But a P4 2.8C would work greaton that motherboard, and is about the sweet spot right now on P4s

 

[Crashman]

Actually it's more complicated than that!

Yes, they mean the "Northwood Only" when refering to the 400MHz bus CPUs. But there were Socket 478 Willies that fit right in!

Yes, there were Socket 478 Willies. Intel made them during the conversion process so they could get the boards on the market before the Northwood cores were available. And the problem is that most new boards don't support the higher detected voltage requirements of the Willies.

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[chapcat]

Thanks etp777 abd Crashman for your replies. I will go ahead with my original plans.