AMD Phenom 64

Gamer Z · November 20th, 2007, 06:44 AM

what about mine unix???

Syncroneyes · November 20th, 2007, 12:11 PM

Actually, i meant to ask you Unix, whats the best way to update the Bios on M2N? i downloaded Asus Update, which is supposed to do it easily/automatically from the internet but its not seeming to work. I keep getting a message saying the Bios file isnt on any of the servers?

Unixlord · November 20th, 2007, 12:22 PM

First grab the right bios update from asus' pathetic website or directly from the ftp (my preferred method).
Mine is at:
Index of ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/mb/socketAM2/M2N32-SLI Deluxe/

So your should be something similar just replace that at the end or browse socketAM2 for M2N-sli.
The best way to flash is to but the file on a flashdisk, boot into bios and flash from there. The built-in update program first verifies the file to check for errors (bad dl etc) then it flashes away.

Gamer Z: Your motherboard (ASUS M2N-VM) is also in the asus list for AM2+ compatibility.

Syncroneyes · November 20th, 2007, 12:33 PM

Ok (i have never done this before and i'm afraid of messing up my rig) so, i download the file and then just stick it anywhere on a floppy disk? then boot with the disk but how do i flash the bios once the disk is inserted? sorry i know this is noobish of me...

Unixlord · November 20th, 2007, 03:23 PM

I said a flash disk not a floppy disk. While you can also use a floppy disk, in my experience they're not as reliable as I'd like them to be.

You just enter your bios and find the area called Asus EZ Flash. It will automatically find the bios file you have transfered to the flash disk (For safety's sake have another copy of this) and you can select which one (if multiple bios update files are on the media) to use. Exactly like the name, EZ!

Syncroneyes · November 20th, 2007, 04:44 PM

Awesome Unix, thanks for the help!

So, back to the orginal subject, does anyone know what kind of price range the first phenom cpu's going to cost/which pentium processors they will compete against?

zme-ul · November 20th, 2007, 05:51 PM

Pentium is dead, almost ... the last pentiums are the E2xxx series (based on core technology)

Unixlord · November 20th, 2007, 06:33 PM

G-max: If you follow my advice, do not buy a phenom in 2007. Wait until Q1/Q2 2008. Cherish your 6000 X2, it will be a while before it's worthwhile to upgrade it. In the meantime you can use the overclocking capabilities of your motherboard to get some extra juice out of it.

zme-ul · November 20th, 2007, 08:25 PM

agred withe Unix on this

Syncroneyes · November 21st, 2007, 11:21 AM

I know you're absolutely right guys. Trust me, i actually have no intention of upgrading just yet (hey i just got this new rig!) I'm just interested in the development developments (does that make sense? ) and i'm "planning ahead". I'm going to wait until at least last Q of 2008 before i even think about upgrading and I'm certainly going to make sure that it's going to be cheap enough to make it worthwhile - like when AMD significantly dropped the price of Athlon X2 6000+.

I realise now pretty much all my questions about Phenom have been answered in Reg's News article, so i'll read up.

So do you think it's worth me trying to o/c my Athlon? Is it easy to do from the bios Unix? Originally I wasn't going to bother as 3 Ghz is generally satisfactory, but now that i think about it maybe I should. What kind of a person would i be if i turned my nose up at that extra bit of cpu performance, I ask you? Well, i certainly wouldn't be here would I?