i have a GA-M52L-S3P gigabyte mobo and want to get the best possible cpu here is a link to the compatiable cpu list (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/CPUSupport_Model.aspx?ProductID=3008) its quite hard to understand because theve put uncompatiable ones in the list which was lucky i saw at the last min. anyway what i already know is that the Phenom II X4 925 wasnt availiable to buy retail so i am looking at the Phenom II X4 945 but it says F2D does this mean its the bios version needed and if so how do i find out which one i have
GA-M52L-S3P buying new CPU
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bilbat
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F2D is, indeed, a BIOS revision number... When you power up, you should see one of these two screens (page 32 of your manual):
If you're seeing the first one, hit the <TAB> key as soon as it appears, and you should go to the second, which displays the current BIOS level as illustrated...
If you need help with installing a new BIOS, feel free to post back; under any circumstances, DO NOT use Gigabyte's @BIOS utility to do it - short odds of ruining your board!
If you're seeing the first one, hit the <TAB> key as soon as it appears, and you should go to the second, which displays the current BIOS level as illustrated...
If you need help with installing a new BIOS, feel free to post back; under any circumstances, DO NOT use Gigabyte's @BIOS utility to do it - short odds of ruining your board!
i have just checked my bios version and it looks like i have got my work cut out as i have the bios version F1. since i have never updated a bios version befor i would love the help if your offering but just a few questions. will it cause my pc to delete any important data like the os and everything installed. also what are the risks befor i start
i also forgot to say that if i update the bios and choose not to buy a cpu can i still use my original one which works on F1 in F2D
bilbat
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To flash the latest BIOS:
I must point out here, that there is inherent risk in this. If, say, the power goes out during the process, or your CPU isn't supported properly by the existing BIOS, there's always the possibility that you could 'brick' the board, i.e., turn it into something only suitable to prop open a door... However, with proper technique, the odds of success are very high - and, short of having @BIOS 'die' in the middle of a flash, the built-in recovery stuff (dual or quad BIOS, XpressRecovery, etc.) is very good. I have dumped my BIOS twice (due to a corrupted file) and both times my board simply reverted to the 'as shipped' BIOS, and continued to work fine. Processor support isn't a problem here...
That said, you can get the latest BIOS here:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/BIOS_DownloadFile.aspx?FileType=BIOS&FileID=14748
and you will wind up downloading a file named "mb_bios_ga-m52l-s3p_f2d.exe"; easiest way to do it is to create a folder on your desktop, named, say "NewBIOS", and put the .exe into it. Then, open it, and run the .exe; it will extract to three files: "M52LS3P.F2d" (the actual BIOS binary), "FLASHSPI.EXE" (the BIOS 'flasher' executable), and "autoexec.bat", which can be used to make a bootable, self-loading BIOS flasher disk.
There are a few variations of three basic methods to flash the BIOS. One is the included, windows/inet based utility "@BIOS"; NEVER use this! BIOS flashing has its own risks built-in; you really don't want the possibility of a windoze crash added to them. Every time I post this, someone, without fail, will pop up and say "I use it all the time" (which usually amounts to, maybe, twice), or "I've never had a problem" (once); my response is that you can play Russian Roulette, too, and live to tell about it; you can pull the trigger once, and just get a 'click'; maybe the second time, also - but by the third pull, the odds are stacking up against you, and if you keep pulling that trigger, you will blow your brains out!
The easiest WAY: "<F8> Access the Q-Flash utility" from the main BIOS page, and avoids having to rely on a loaded OS to work correctly to do the flash. If you have a floppy drive, copy the "M52LS3P.F2d" file to an empty floppy, reboot, hit <DEL> to enter the BIOS, hit <F8> to enter the flasher, the first place it will look for the new BIOS is, I believe, the floppy - select the file - it will verify the file, flash, verify the flash, and offer you a keystroke to exit the utility and reboot... If you don't have a floppy, put the file on a USB keydrive, enter the flash utility, and navigate to it; if it doesn't seem 'reachable', you may have to reboot, enter the BIOS, and go to the "Integrated Peripherals" page to enable "Legacy USB storage detect" - remember to disable this after the flash, as it is known to cause wierd problems, including the dreaded "reboot loop"...
Last, but not least, a 'bootable' flasher; if you have a floppy, this is only a little more complicated (but I don't see a real need for it - the BIOS' built-in facility is more reliable, easier, and, if your system is so cooked that it won't enter the BIOS, it's damned unlikely to boot anything)... You need to start out in widows, and format a floppy, checking the "create an MS-DOS startup disk" box; then, open the disk, and erase everything but command.com and msdos.sys to make room for the BIOS goodies; copy the three files your BIOS expanded to, to the disk. Next, a reboot, and a <DEL> to enter the BIOS - go to the "Advanced BIOS Features" page, and set "First Boot Device" to "Floppy", put the floppy we created into the drive, save and exit - on the reboot, the flasher should autoload and 'do' the BIOS; be sure to give it enough time to finish - rebooting during the process (and for some versions of the utility, it doeasn't give you a lot of feedback!) puts your MOBO 'at risk'... If you don't have a floppy, and want to create a bootable USB 'flasher', post back - that gets a little more complex, and I'd like to limit the 'scope' here.
No matter how you've done it, the very first thing to do, after booting to your brand-spanking-new BIOS is to do an "<F7> Load the Optimized BIOS default settings", or simply cursor to it and select it, and then re-boot again; if you still have troubles, try the "<F6> Load the Fail-Safe BIOS default settings" likewise...
I must point out here, that there is inherent risk in this. If, say, the power goes out during the process, or your CPU isn't supported properly by the existing BIOS, there's always the possibility that you could 'brick' the board, i.e., turn it into something only suitable to prop open a door... However, with proper technique, the odds of success are very high - and, short of having @BIOS 'die' in the middle of a flash, the built-in recovery stuff (dual or quad BIOS, XpressRecovery, etc.) is very good. I have dumped my BIOS twice (due to a corrupted file) and both times my board simply reverted to the 'as shipped' BIOS, and continued to work fine. Processor support isn't a problem here...
That said, you can get the latest BIOS here:
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/BIOS_DownloadFile.aspx?FileType=BIOS&FileID=14748
and you will wind up downloading a file named "mb_bios_ga-m52l-s3p_f2d.exe"; easiest way to do it is to create a folder on your desktop, named, say "NewBIOS", and put the .exe into it. Then, open it, and run the .exe; it will extract to three files: "M52LS3P.F2d" (the actual BIOS binary), "FLASHSPI.EXE" (the BIOS 'flasher' executable), and "autoexec.bat", which can be used to make a bootable, self-loading BIOS flasher disk.
There are a few variations of three basic methods to flash the BIOS. One is the included, windows/inet based utility "@BIOS"; NEVER use this! BIOS flashing has its own risks built-in; you really don't want the possibility of a windoze crash added to them. Every time I post this, someone, without fail, will pop up and say "I use it all the time" (which usually amounts to, maybe, twice), or "I've never had a problem" (once); my response is that you can play Russian Roulette, too, and live to tell about it; you can pull the trigger once, and just get a 'click'; maybe the second time, also - but by the third pull, the odds are stacking up against you, and if you keep pulling that trigger, you will blow your brains out!
The easiest WAY: "<F8> Access the Q-Flash utility" from the main BIOS page, and avoids having to rely on a loaded OS to work correctly to do the flash. If you have a floppy drive, copy the "M52LS3P.F2d" file to an empty floppy, reboot, hit <DEL> to enter the BIOS, hit <F8> to enter the flasher, the first place it will look for the new BIOS is, I believe, the floppy - select the file - it will verify the file, flash, verify the flash, and offer you a keystroke to exit the utility and reboot... If you don't have a floppy, put the file on a USB keydrive, enter the flash utility, and navigate to it; if it doesn't seem 'reachable', you may have to reboot, enter the BIOS, and go to the "Integrated Peripherals" page to enable "Legacy USB storage detect" - remember to disable this after the flash, as it is known to cause wierd problems, including the dreaded "reboot loop"...
Last, but not least, a 'bootable' flasher; if you have a floppy, this is only a little more complicated (but I don't see a real need for it - the BIOS' built-in facility is more reliable, easier, and, if your system is so cooked that it won't enter the BIOS, it's damned unlikely to boot anything)... You need to start out in widows, and format a floppy, checking the "create an MS-DOS startup disk" box; then, open the disk, and erase everything but command.com and msdos.sys to make room for the BIOS goodies; copy the three files your BIOS expanded to, to the disk. Next, a reboot, and a <DEL> to enter the BIOS - go to the "Advanced BIOS Features" page, and set "First Boot Device" to "Floppy", put the floppy we created into the drive, save and exit - on the reboot, the flasher should autoload and 'do' the BIOS; be sure to give it enough time to finish - rebooting during the process (and for some versions of the utility, it doeasn't give you a lot of feedback!) puts your MOBO 'at risk'... If you don't have a floppy, and want to create a bootable USB 'flasher', post back - that gets a little more complex, and I'd like to limit the 'scope' here.
No matter how you've done it, the very first thing to do, after booting to your brand-spanking-new BIOS is to do an "<F7> Load the Optimized BIOS default settings", or simply cursor to it and select it, and then re-boot again; if you still have troubles, try the "<F6> Load the Fail-Safe BIOS default settings" likewise...
wow it looks like a big job but i will give it a go soon. can i just get comfirmation that my harddrive will be safe through this proces as it would take me a long time to reinstall everything
bilbat
Splendid
- Sep 21, 2008
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That is a very good, and thoughtful, question! While I have seen one or two posts where people have claimed that a BIOS upgrade caused them to be unable to boot back up, they were 'recoverable' problems, and I cannot verify whether there were other factors contributing to these problems. I can say that I boot eight operating systems through a boot manager, and have upgraded to four different BIOS, which gives me thirty-two chances to have had a problem - and I have never had one!
i have decided to update the usb way and everything seemed to go well untill the last bit a pop up came up saying CHECKSUM = 5600 are you sure to update BIOS? [Enter] to continue Or [Esc] to abort... i thought i would write back here just incase im about to balls it up should i press enter or is this an error and should i abort?
just found a good guide for updating bios through Q-Flash here (http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/FileList/NewTech/old_motherboard_newtech/flashbios_qflash.pdf) but you have helped a lot thankyou verymuch just booted up and everything seems good F2D ready for my new CPU thats if i buy it
right i think i have just realised something else although the AMD Phenom II X4 945 is compatiable with my mobo gigabyte say that my mobo is AM2+ and AM2 does this mean that the cpu will only be as good as the best AM2+ one or will it still be better to buy the AMD Phenom II X4 945.
bilbat
Splendid
- Sep 21, 2008
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GB's support statement is, as is the usual statement from their marketing department, ditzy:
Supports next generation of 45nm AMD AM3 CPU
This motherboard designs with Split Power Plane, 3+1 phase VRM to support AMD the latest 45nm AM3 Phenom™II series processors, delivering the great performance enchantment (methinks they mean 'enhancement'?) to system and ultimate scalability hardware expending<sic>.
Supports AMD Phenom X3/ Athlon X2 processors*
*Note: If you install AMD AM2+ CPU on AM2 motherbord, the system bus speed will downgrade from HT3.0(5200MHz) to HT1.0(2000 MT/s) spec; however, the frequency of AM2+ CPU will not be impacted. Please refer "CPU Support List" for more information
That noted, the support list at;
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/CPUSupport_Model.aspx?ProductID=3008
includes:
Phenom II X4 945 3000Mhz Deneb 45nm C2 95W 4000
Phenom II X4 925 2800Mhz Deneb 45nm C2 95W 4000
Phenom II X4 910 2600Mhz Deneb 45nm C2 95W 4000
as well as:
Phenom X4 9950 2600Mhz Agena 65nm B3 125W 4000
Phenom X4 9850 2500Mhz Agena 65nm B3 125W 4000
Phenom X4 9750 2400Mhz Agena 65nm B3 125W 3600
Phenom X4 9750 2400Mhz Agena 65nm B3 95W 3600
Supports next generation of 45nm AMD AM3 CPU
This motherboard designs with Split Power Plane, 3+1 phase VRM to support AMD the latest 45nm AM3 Phenom™II series processors, delivering the great performance enchantment (methinks they mean 'enhancement'?) to system and ultimate scalability hardware expending<sic>.
Supports AMD Phenom X3/ Athlon X2 processors*
*Note: If you install AMD AM2+ CPU on AM2 motherbord, the system bus speed will downgrade from HT3.0(5200MHz) to HT1.0(2000 MT/s) spec; however, the frequency of AM2+ CPU will not be impacted. Please refer "CPU Support List" for more information
That noted, the support list at;
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Support/Motherboard/CPUSupport_Model.aspx?ProductID=3008
includes:
Phenom II X4 945 3000Mhz Deneb 45nm C2 95W 4000
Phenom II X4 925 2800Mhz Deneb 45nm C2 95W 4000
Phenom II X4 910 2600Mhz Deneb 45nm C2 95W 4000
as well as:
Phenom X4 9950 2600Mhz Agena 65nm B3 125W 4000
Phenom X4 9850 2500Mhz Agena 65nm B3 125W 4000
Phenom X4 9750 2400Mhz Agena 65nm B3 125W 3600
Phenom X4 9750 2400Mhz Agena 65nm B3 95W 3600
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