CPU installation problems

J

Jakethe8lf

Posts: 6   +0
So I bought a new CPU: an AMD Phenom II x4 945 (socket AM3, absolutely not AM3+), which I read was compatible with my AM2+ socket GA-MA790X-UD4P, a Gigabyte brand board. So I tried installing it and when it booted up it got to the BIOS boot screen (I think its called a Post screen?), and it either sits there, or restarts itself in perpetuity. I let it sit there doing that for about 10 minutes to see what the problem is, and it seems that particular CPU was only compatible after a BIOS update. So I throw the old CPU back in, download atBios and the update, install, put the new CPU back in, but it hasn't really made a difference at all, still sits at the BIOS boot. atBios says the BIOS is up-to-date and there isn't anywhere in the BIOS itself to confirm that, so the mobo and CPU should be friendly with eachother.

I want to know if there are any other factors I need to know, or I've skipped when doing this. I thought it was a simple process of swapping them in and out, but if there's more to it, or my computer isn't up to scratch in some way I was hoping for some answers and maybe a solution.

Other specs:
Windows 7 Pro x64
450w PSU
8Gbs of 800Mhz DDR2 Corsair RAM
Nvidia GTX 460

My old CPU which I have running is an Athlon 64 x2 6000+

Thanks in advance
 
I swapped out my 450w for a 550w I have in another computer with no effect. I bought another CPU off of eBay; an Athlon II X2 270 and put that in and now I can get further than the boot screen but I can't load windows, sometimes it just restarts and sometimes it says "The file may be corrupt. The file header checksum does not match computed checksum." I still don't really understand what the issue is here. The CPUs I'm putting in it officially should be fine with my board and BIOS version.
 
An LG DVD-RW about 4 or 5 years old. I have a feeling it gave me a checksum error because of an XP installation on one of my slave drives and it tried booting to that when the BIOS reset.
 
If that's the case, that's not the issue since its no longer plugged in. I only used that drive to install windows because my computer wouldn't recognise my blu-ray burner without installing a driver first. Its about a year old, would that be causing an issue?
 
If you are getting the "checksum" error booting into Windows it has to be a hard drive or memory hardware issue
 
I think if the hdd has windows in it and you placed a new processor, you need to reinstall windows OS by using a bootable usb flash drive.

your scenario:
you can successfully boot into windows OS using your old processor but cannot progress beyond POST when using your new processor.

alternatively, you can use your new processor but use a blank but initialized hdd.
 
Win7 shouldn't need a reinstall just due to a processor change... it can usually just detect and fix that on first load. You can usually even replace the entire motherboard without a reinstall as long as things like the SATA controller your boot disk is on is the same chipset. Otherwise it takes a bit of hacking before you change the parts over.
 
I always re-install Windows fresh when I change motherboards. I have never changed a CPU without re-installing a motherboard
 
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