Suggestions for upgrading CPU

[drew081886]

I have an IVY GL6 mobo with an AMD Athlon 64X2 3600 Dual core. I'm looking to upgrade to a quadcore but I'm not sure which way to go.

Here are my questions:
My CPU is a AM2 socket type. So exactly which types of sockets are open to me? Is it strictly AM2 or is there backward compatibility with AM2+ and AM3? I read that there is backward compatibility but I'm just not sure.

The specs for my mobo say that the only supported processor upgrades are:

•Athlon 64 X2 with Dual Core technology up to 4800+ (up to 65 watt TDP)
•Athlon 64 up to 3800+
•Sempron

but I have read that often times the manufacturer doesn't list the correct upgrades because some compatible processors weren't on the market at the time the mobo was released. So what's compatible? Is it only what the manufacturer listed, or are there others?

My last question is, what are some suggestions for a quadcore upgrade for my mobo? I was looking at a AMD II X4 but I'm not even sure if that particular model is compatible.

Any help is greatly appreciated,

 

[raybay]

The wise move would be to upgrade the motherboard and the CPU together... watching out for memory that fits... There are always great deals on systems still at online shelves six months after announcement. They have to get rid of the old to make room for the new.
Changing CPU only doesn't result in much noticeable improvement and is a pain in the @ to do

 

[mailpup]

You can install an AM3 CPU in an AM2 motherboard if it is supported but not the other way around but that doesn't mean the motherboard will necessarily support all AM3 processors. The manufacturer will update its list of compatible processors accompanied by the BIOS version that will upgrade the compatibility. When they stop updating their list of compatible CPUs for a given motherboard, that's all they will support.

The list of CPUs supported by your motherboard is short and doesn't appear to include any AM3 processors nor any quad core CPUs.