• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Quick Question , probably very easy

G

geeford

n00b
Joined
Dec 25, 2004
Messages
15
Just a quick question, i was wondering if a P4 3.2 ghz proc with 800fsb will work on a motherboard that only supports 400 and 533fsb. Basically, my question is do will a P4 cpu at 800 fsb clock down to support the motherboard ?
Thanks guys.
 
EnderW said:
as long as the sockets match up, yes
Click to expand...

Ummm................NO.

Intel processors have fixed multipliers. Thus if the motherboard can't run the processor at the correct multiplier it won't work. Secondly there are voltage issues that come into play. If you try to install a Pentium 4 3.2E in a motherboard that does not support the 800MHz FSB you will almost certainly fry or damage something. The Prescott "E" processors have different thermal and voltage requirements than previous Northwood processors have. Your voltage regulator will not handle dynamic voltage settings and probably won't go low enough to meet the Prescott's voltage settings.

Futhermore CPU microcode won't match up. Your processor will NOT be identified properly. For a 400MHz motherboard and a 533MHz board that doesn't support HT technology this could be another problem that could affect stability, should it actually POST. Which I don't believe that it would. Some features and processor specs were changed based on model and steppings of the CPU, if the motherboard BIOS isn't up to date than the microcode won't be read correctly, thus features of the processor won't be used correctly if at all.

Even if it did, it would only post at 1600MHz on a 400MHz FSB board. Which I don't believe that it would for the reasons listed above.

I wouldn't even attempt the installation.

To sum up

BIOS won't ID CPU correctly
400 and some 533FSB motherboards don't support HT. All 800FSB CPU's are HT enabled.

Prescott's have different voltage requirements an older board will NOT handle.
Even if it did work you'd get a 1.6GHz out of a 3.2. Which isn't worthwhile.

Best advice, is to buy another motherboard.
 
sorry, I don't know WTF I was thinking

maybe I was thinking of of using like a 533 chip on a 800 board :confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top