Will I need a BIOS update?

[Eupolemos]

I'm upgrading my old mainboard with a new CPU for the very first time. I asked around about hardware here on the forums and got some input, and the friendly advice to make sure my BIOS is the latest.

I've been trying to find out about this m'self and I'm going bonkers, no info anywhere and I know even less as it is .

This is my mainboard: http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_nforce_740a_sli_us.html

This is my old CPU: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3500+ 2200MHz single core

This is the CPU I'm upgrading to: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727&Tpk=HDZ965FBGMBOX

This is my current BIOS version:
- Manufacturer: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
- Version: 6.00 PG
- Date: 08/08/2008

Will I need to update my BIOS, and if so, how? I can't even find anywhere to download it.

Cheers

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

If it's the exact board that is pictured in the Nvidia link, then one, yes, it will probably need a BIOS update, especially if you bought it when you got the Athlon 64, and two, here is where you would get it: http://www.asrock.com/mb/NVIDIA/K10N7SLI/?cat=Download&o=BIOS

Having said that, are you sure that your board is an ASRock board? Nvidia didn't make it, that's just the chipset (nForce), so they wouldn't have any support for it anyway.

Edit: Just to be sure, download CPU-Z here http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html and tell me what it says in the "Mainboard" tab.

 

[geekapproved]

It's amazing how someone can write a post on Tom's Hardware but doesn't have time to go to board manufacturers website and look at the cpu support list.

 

[Eupolemos]

a-HAH! Thank you already.

So that's why I've been feeling like a crossover between a "first-day-on-the-internet-kid" and "bad-luck-brian"

Cracked open the cabinet and it says ZOTAC. I went to their website, but I might be looking for the wrong thing again. Should I look for the 740a SLI board (because that unfortunately doesn't exist there, afaict) or something else?

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

a-HAH! Thank you already.

So that's why I've been feeling like a crossover between a "first-day-on-the-internet-kid" and "bad-luck-brian"

Cracked open the cabinet and it says ZOTAC. I went to their website, but I might be looking for the wrong thing again. Should I look for the 740a SLI board (because that unfortunately doesn't exist there, afaict) or something else?

Just read my edit to my reply above and do what I said there. That'll take away all doubt.

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

Actually, if you can take a screenshot of the Mainboard tab in CPU-Z and post it here, that would be even better.

 

[Eupolemos]

Here's a screenshot of the CPU-Z mainboard tab: http://i.imgur.com/R9mll.png

@geekapproved
It's not a question of time but ignorance on my part. I thought I should be looking for the BIOS manufacturer. When you know nothing there are tons of ways to get lost.

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

Here's a screenshot of the CPU-Z mainboard tab: http://i.imgur.com/R9mll.png

Wow, that didn't actually help clear anything up at all. I didn't expect it to say it was manufactured by Nvidia, because it most certainly wasn't (they don't make motherboards).

There isn't a Zotac 740a SLI that I can find, but there is a 750i SLI board. It doesn't say that it supports Phenom II's though, from what I can tell (it may, it just doesn't say so).

I'm kind of as confused as you are, at the moment.

Can you take a look at the board and see what the exact make and model number the board is?

 

[Eupolemos]

Hmm, I tried - but I don't know what to look for. Nothing obvious stood out.

The most obvious thing was a chip with a VIA mark.
Said VT6307
0837CD TAIWAN
2HA4004272

Here's a picture if relevant: http://i.imgur.com/48kGg.jpg

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

Hmm, I tried - but I don't know what to look for. Nothing obvious stood out.

The most obvious thing was a chip with a VIA mark.
Said VT6307
0837CD TAIWAN
2HA4004272

Here's a picture if relevant: http://i.imgur.com/48kGg.jpg

It wouldn't be on any chip, it would be printed onto the motherboard itself somewhere, but one thing I can see in the pic, is that it is at least a Zotac board (the "Z" and half of the "O" on the heatsink in the bottom left of the pic).

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

OK, it has to be this board http://www.zotac.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&product_id=125&category_id=90&flypage=flypage_images-SRW.tpl&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=100180&lang=en

It's the only one that makes any sense.

Just go to the Downloads area and download the BIOS from there (and it does add support for Phenom II's)

 

[DJDeCiBeL]

You're welcome.

 

[Eupolemos]

That mobo does indeed look exactly like mine.

Thank you man, you're 100% awesome. Thank you.

Now I'll try not to botch the BIOS update

 

[Eupolemos]

Best answer selected by Eupolemos.