Gigabyte GA-M59SLI-S5 CPU Support Upgrade

[Mr.Chippy]

Just making sure seeing how TheWiz Said to only try it if you have the ability to replace a bricked bios chip.
I'll test the bios out Monday or Tuesday, OCing results later in the week if it works. (the 710 can do 3.5 in my GA-MA790X-UD4P)

did you ever end up trying this? I'm quite curious of the results

[ghosthacked]

I have a spare GA-M59SLI-S5 that used to be my mainboard, but since I haven't been able to do a CPU upgrade on it, I've started using my secondary computer, since that Gigabyte supports AM3 (using an x3 740 95Watt cpu on it). I'm kind of disappointed because I bought that motherboard particularly because it was a high end board, and I'd figure there'd be CPU support for it.

Anyway -- I've tried the last bios listed in this thread on the M59SLI-S5, it won't post and the monitor won't turn on, but the motherboard powers on--that's with an AM3 chip -- the Phenom II x3 740.

Using an am2 x2 4000 chip lets it post and boot up normally.

[UNREAL_AHW]

Any Updates from the Wiz?

I'm really interested in this upgrade as I'm one of Gigabytes victims who fell for their stupid power circuit design of GA-M59SLI-S5

[TheWiz]

Hi Unreal,

After doing some further testing I don't think the current BIOS from Gigabyte can handdle coding AM3 support, yet there is still one opportunity that requires someone with a spare BIOS chip to attempt. The latest EVGA BIOS for their 590SLI does support the entire Phenom range, and I believe if someone could test crossflashing on a new chip to see if it would work that would be the best BIOS image to work off of.

Thanks,
TheWiz

[unnefer]

A question for The Wiz. When looking at the bios, did you notice anything relating to nvidia only cards running in the 16x pcie slots?

I only ask because I also have the M59SLI-S5 mobo, and I purchased a new 5850 graphics card to run in it and if I install the 5850 in either of the blue 16x pcie slots the PC will not post at all, but if I put the 5850 in the 8x slot the pc posts and boots without any problems?

I suspect there is some type of SLI setting in the bios that is blocking non nvidia cards from running in the 16x pcie slot - or possibly a power limit setting that is specific to the 16x pcie slots that is not present on the 8x pcie slots.

Is it possible for you to take a look and see what you can find?

If it is not a power limit, perhaps it is a pcie channel limit of some sort? From what I read, the M59SLI-S5 mobo only has 30 pcie channels, and maybe the mobo is not splitting the available pcie channels up properly or in a way that ATI graphics cards support?

Lastly it possible to set the 16x pcie slots to 8x within the bios? If the 16x pcie slots were limited to 8x, then I could run 3x graphics cards at 8x each (24 pcie channels total).

I will be using this mobo for folding, so I would like to run 3 graphics cards in it.

You help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[HNM]

Any news or testing?
Would be very interested in this matter as i am stuck with this crappy board with maybe the worst support whatsoever-.-

I'd love to test but i am abroad atm. and don't have a spare chip -.-

cheers&thx for your time

[Tigerfox]

Your board allready has two bios chips anyway.

[iPhoneBen]

Hi All,

Just found this forum and thread after having a M59SLI-S5 since brand new, and recently been donated a Phenom CPU code HD9500WCJ4BGD. Been a great board (even after blowing and replacing a few caps) don't want to upgrade just yet....

Willing to be a test bunny, just tell me what to do (dual bios will protect me right?)
Really hoping this works, have a 9800GX2+8600GT in that machine that has been choking for a little while now.....

[bobzilla]

I am also in this boat, my old 4600+ is starting to show its age, would be nice to put something much more recent in this GA-M59SLI-S5. Any news on this front, or am I out of luck?

[TheWiz]

Hi everyone,

If anyone has the resources to do some testing and recovery on their BIOS, we can setup a test using the EVGA BIOS 590 SLI that has the Phenom support everyone has been looking for.

TheWiz