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Is my mobo preventing me from unlocking cores in my CPU?

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All,

Thx for reading this. I have a Phenom II X2 550 that will unlock the two disabled cores if they are functional. The TDP of my CPU and my mobo is 95W. If I can unlock the cores on this CPU, the TDP should be more than 95W. Is my mobo preventing me from potentially unlocking the cores on this CPU? Obviously it appears so but I want a second opinion before I buy another mobo to try to unlock the cores on this CPU. My mobo has ACC, so theoretically it is possible were it not for the TDP limitations.
 
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It will not provide enough voltage theoretically. You could try downclocking though. I would suggest a motherboard with 140w support.
 
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So you are saying downclock it to see if it will work at all unlocking the cores? That isn't a bad idea if it will work. If it doesn't, I'll get the 965. thx
 
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So you are saying downclock it to see if it will work at all unlocking the cores? That isn't a bad idea if it will work. If it doesn't, I'll get the 965. thx

The 965 requires more than 95w. I would suggest keeping the 550 and getting a better motherboard.
 
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Well, I want a quad now that I can afford it. If this won't unlock to a quad then the 965 is what I want with a completely different mobo. Performance is too similar in this CPU unlocked to a quad and a 965 to justify getting one if this will unlock successfully.
 

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if i was you i would get the new board if this one doesn't unlock your cpu and try your CPU in the new board you could get lucky and not have to buy a quad but if it won't unlock on the new one then time to buy a quad. not like your out anything if you get a board first.
 
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Well, this board won't downclock the CPU so my only alternative now is to get a mobo with higher TDP.
 

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Can't lower the multiplier at all?
 
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This CPU isn't BE
 

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This CPU isn't BE

if it is a 550 then it should be a BE. but that doesn't matter anyways. on non-BE you can LOWER the multy. but not up it.

EDIT: my mistake they made a black and a non black edition 550 :eek: haven't kept up on AMD much.But i do know that even non BE chips you can lower the multiplier just not up it
 
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555 is BE not 550. There is no option in my BIOS to increase or decrease the multiplier.
 

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555 is BE not 550. There is no option in my BIOS to increase or decrease the multiplier.

So no way to set a custom VID when you have CnQ enabled? That's odd....


I never came acrossed a recent chipset aftermarket board without multiplier adjustments. Any of the newer stuff I should say ....
 
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They discontinued the 550 BE before I bought this one.

ECS boards are like that, not for enthusiasts.
 

MohawkAngel

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False in certain point They made C2 and C3 of the 550 but only the C2 version is able to unlock..sometimes ! Not all C2 are unlockable. I have one and it's keeping 2 cores only even if my mobo is 125w. So in fact you must absolutly have a 550 BE - C2 and it does not means it will unlock it only means that the 550 have unlocked multiplier when it a black edition and not unlockable when its not a black edition.

My pinino is that you go to buy a cheap Asus M4A785-M like me so it gives you the chance to keep the same DDR2 memory you already have with lot of onboard features or go for the model after that you can put DDR3 memory for 30$ more the mobo with almost same features.
 

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False in certain point They made C2 and C3 of the 550 but only the C2 version is able to unlock..sometimes ! Not all C2 are unlockable. I have one and it's keeping 2 cores only even if my mobo is 125w. So in fact you must absolutly have a 550 BE - C2 and it does not means it will unlock it only means that the 550 have unlocked multiplier when it a black edition and not unlockable when its not a black edition.

My pinino is that you go to buy a cheap Asus M4A785-M like me so it gives you the chance to keep the same DDR2 memory you already have with lot of onboard features or go for the model after that you can put DDR3 memory for 30$ more the mobo with almost same features.
IRRC the 555 came in with the new C3 stepping and the 550 C2 was discontinued and never made it to a C3.
as for ONLY C2 being able to be unlocked that is false 100% there has been many C3 dual cores unlocked.
 

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IRRC the 555 came in with the new C3 stepping and the 550 C2 was discontinued and never made it to a C3.
as for ONLY C2 being able to be unlocked that is false 100% there has been many C3 dual cores unlocked.

Hate to correct you.

550 = 2 flavors c2 Black Edition and c3 non black

555 = c3

@Mohawk

Both flavors of 550 have the potential of unlocking to 4 cores. Check your bios settings again.
 

MohawkAngel

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In my bios it says Unleashing cores...thats how they call it.
But anyway that cpu does not unlock since they not all unlock cores but i still have the multiplier unlocked :) its enough for me to bet a 3.8 gigs and im happy with that

HDZ550WFK2001

thats the serial number on mine.
 

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Hate to correct you.

550 = 2 flavors c2 Black Edition and c3 non black

555 = c3

@Mohawk

Both flavors of 550 have the potential of unlocking to 4 cores. Check your bios settings again.

it's ok i can't be right all the time :laugh: i haven't really kept up on AMD much since i went to the dark side :eek:
 

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it's ok i can't be right all the time :laugh: i haven't really kept up on AMD much since i went to the dark side :eek:

I tought it was AMD the dark side :p

When you have me n pos, long time amd guys, on intel's latest. It's considered the dark side.

I think my first intel cpu was a celeron d 347, I got that back in 2006.

But regarding the problem at hand:

@t3kl0rd

Get yourself a nice am2+ 790fx. You deserve it. :)
 
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@JrRacinFan

Thx, 790fx is CF only not SLI IIRC. There is an outside chance my GTX 285 will actually arrive someday and I may want to SLI it. Was thinking about getting one as I don't want the GPU lanes downscaling in multi GPU configs.
 

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SLI? Google up 750a. There are some nice MSI and Asus SLI boards out there that support Phenom II.
 

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SLI? Google up 750a. There are some nice MSI and Asus SLI boards out there that support Phenom II.

i agree there are some nice 750a boards out there. Also if you get a good deal maybe a 780a
also don't forget XFX and EVGA have some nice SLI board for AMD too but there hard to find.
 
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I'm also considering getting the i7 930 build I originally wanted. Who needs a car when you have a sweet PC? :p

The newer AMD 8xx mobos have some slight advantages over the 7xx as well.
 
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