Biostar NF520-A2 6.0 CPU Microcode Update Request

[Shade00]

I want to say thanks in advance for any advice or help you guys might be able to provide.

I was running an Intel board with an E7200 for a while, and then finally concluded that the board was the reason for all of my random shutdowns, reboots, slowdowns, etc. So I am back to using my old Biostar NF520-A2 6.0 board with an Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 2.8ghz. It is a decent setup, but I would really like to upgrade to a quad-core. Biostar's last BIOS update that added CPU support was in 07 for this board, and it did not add support for any Phenoms. In short, I would like to request a modded BIOS that incorporates support for the latest and greatest Phenom IIs, even if the hardware limitation of the NF520-A2 would keep me at 95w CPUs (or even at 65ws).

Here are the links to the BIOS files:
Biostar NF520-A2 6.0 BIOS files - this is the board I have.

Here is a link to the NF520-A2 TE 6.0 that uses the 520 chipset as well and looks identical to my board.

Any help is welcome. I don't want to go through a mobo upgrade right now but if I cannot get any Phenom support on this board I will have to consider it. Thanks again, and I look forward to your help.

[1234s282]

Well theres no guarantee that this is going to work but heres your bios with an upraded AGESACPU module and the latest phenom II microcodes imported from another board. I modded the biostar bios dated 2009 (Beta). I used the microcode from a gigabyte motherboard. Supported CPUs if this is a success can be found at http://www.gigabyte.com/support-download...x?pid=3342

Flash at your own risk!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/747181/Biostar%2...34s282.zip

Regards
Admin

[Shade00]

Wow, that was quick! I will hopefully have a Phenom in my hands in a couple of days and I'll give this a go. Thanks in advance, and hopefully I will have good news to report, and donations to give! :-)

[TheWiz]

Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree on this CPU mod. This bios is not using the newer award architecture, it is NOT using non compressed microcode and there is no MEMINIT module, which means upgrading agesa and the microcode will probably do little in the way of getting a Phenom to boot.

I also know that even though these modules aren't present, some boards have "inner" CPU code written in the bootblock, which means 1234s282's mod might work for you. The best thing to do though is to first test the CPU with the latest BIOS from biostar, and report your findings so we can look it over.

Thank You,
TheWiz

[Shade00]

Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree on this CPU mod. This bios is not using the newer award architecture, it is NOT using non compressed microcode and there is no MEMINIT module, which means upgrading agesa and the microcode will probably do little in the way of getting a Phenom to boot.

I also know that even though these modules aren't present, some boards have "inner" CPU code written in the bootblock, which means 1234s282's mod might work for you. The best thing to do though is to first test the CPU with the latest BIOS from biostar, and report your findings so we can look it over.

Thank You,
TheWiz

Thanks for the reply TheWiz. I tested the Phenom with the latest Biostar BIOS and got no boot. Power on, fans spinning, but nothing on the screen. I think I am going to go ahead and try the modded BIOS. I would love to get this Phenom going. I can hotflash if I have to.

---

Ok, just flashed the modded BIOS and no go. The board will still not boot with the Phenom, and with the modded BIOS I can't get into Windows 7. It blue screens and complains about the board not supporting ACPI.

[TheWiz]

OK try it, but you may want to get a spare chip ready in case because like i said this BIOS is giving me a gut feeling that it needs the updated binary, but good luck

[Shade00]

Hey TheWiz, I posted already that I gave it a go. I guess my post got automerged. No go with booting using the Phenom after the modded BIOS. I got an ACPI bluescreen trying to boot into Windows 7 with the modded version, but easily restored using a bootable USB drive.

[TheWiz]

OK sorry didn't see tht. I'll brainstorm and post tommorow

TheWiz

[Shade00]

Thanks!

[Shade00]

Any thoughts on this TheWiz? Am I just stuck? I have an ECS 7050M-M that may be moddable... but unfortunately it's micro ATX and can only take 2 sticks of DDR2. Thanks again.