Phenom II support on EVGA 590 SLI

[p4spooky]

OK guys - new BIOS based on the latest BETA 612W2P36!!

1. Added NCCPUCODE and AGESACPU modules
2. Updated Nvidia Mediashield NVRAID.bin option ROM to 9.85
3. Used EPA logo (Energy Star) converted to Bios bmp format to save space
4. Replaced AWDFLASH.exe with a dummy executable to save space
5. Re-inserted MEMINIT.bin at the SAME offset as the original BIOS

I have tested this bios and they work including Win 7 activation

With this Bios I am currently testing X2-240 overclocked to 3.6 Runs fine (vcore 1.34) and recognized properly.

Some bugs I have noticed:

1. CNQ is broken
2. Cannot adjust multiplier (runs at Max multi so some overclocking possible by increasing HTT) - Running my X2-240 at 260HTT (FSB)
3. Cannot run a X4-965 with anything more than a multi of 4. I think this is a hardware limitation of this board as these processors require Dual Plane power
4. Bios identifies SB as 570SLI

Check it out and post your feedback. As always flashing involves risk. Have a backup strategy before flashing. Use a supported (older) CPU for flashing with no overclock before trying any of the new ones.

[luminarycrush]

Also posting my CPU-Z numbers...

Tried resetting CMOS and running with default config (and then also disabling C1E and C&Q). I have also tried increasing the CPU voltage but I'm stuck at a 4x multiplier for some reason.

Is my understanding correct that with C&Q disabled the proc should just run at full speed? And also the reason I'm not seeing the CPU multiplier config in the bios is because it was missing from the original EVGA Beta BIOS?

Here are my specs:

EVGA 590 SLI AMD
AMD Phenom II X4 970 AM3 125W
G.SKILL DDR2 800
GEFORCE 8800GTS
OCZ 700W PSU
Zalman 9500 Cooling Fan

Previously had an Athlon 64 X2 5200+ AM2 89W in there...

Thanks for any advice - I have tried the original mod that had the "AMD Unknown Processor" and the latest from TheWiz that correctly identifies the procs....

Your screenshot of your CPU in this attachment looks just like the post #20's CPU when running in Idle mode with AMD Cool 'n Quiet running.

Have you tried disabling that?

I'm watching this thread and waiting for some solid success stories before upgrading myself :-)

[jasoninaz]

Just installed this little monster and I can see all 4 cores but I too have the unknown processor too. So, am I losing anything by having it listed as a unknown processor?

What is the difference between these two ROMs.
612W2P36_Updated_Roms_SLIC.BIN
612W2P36_Updated_Roms.bin

AMD Phenom II 940 X4 YR9934
3.0GHz Socket AM2+ Quad
Core 125W Processor (OEM)

OK guys - new BIOS based on the latest BETA 612W2P36!!

1. Added NCCPUCODE and AGESACPU modules
2. Updated Nvidia Mediashield NVRAID.bin option ROM to 9.85
3. Used EPA logo (Energy Star) converted to Bios bmp format to save space
4. Replaced AWDFLASH.exe with a dummy executable to save space
5. Re-inserted MEMINIT.bin at the SAME offset as the original BIOS

I have tested this bios and they work including Win 7 activation

With this Bios I am currently testing X2-240 overclocked to 3.6 Runs fine (vcore 1.34) and recognized properly.

Some bugs I have noticed:

1. CNQ is broken
2. Cannot adjust multiplier (runs at Max multi so some overclocking possible by increasing HTT) - Running my X2-240 at 260HTT (FSB)
3. Cannot run a X4-965 with anything more than a multi of 4. I think this is a hardware limitation of this board as these processors require Dual Plane power
4. Bios identifies SB as 570SLI

Check it out and post your feedback. As always flashing involves risk. Have a backup strategy before flashing. Use a supported (older) CPU for flashing with no overclock before trying any of the new ones.

[luminarycrush]

Just installed this little monster and I can see all 4 cores but I too have the unknown processor too. So, am I losing anything by having it listed as a unknown processor?

What is the difference between these two ROMs.
612W2P36_Updated_Roms_SLIC.BIN
612W2P36_Updated_Roms.bin

AMD Phenom II 940 X4 YR9934
3.0GHz Socket AM2+ Quad
Core 125W Processor (OEM)

OK guys - new BIOS based on the latest BETA 612W2P36!!

1. Added NCCPUCODE and AGESACPU modules
2. Updated Nvidia Mediashield NVRAID.bin option ROM to 9.85
3. Used EPA logo (Energy Star) converted to Bios bmp format to save space
4. Replaced AWDFLASH.exe with a dummy executable to save space
5. Re-inserted MEMINIT.bin at the SAME offset as the original BIOS

I have tested this bios and they work including Win 7 activation

With this Bios I am currently testing X2-240 overclocked to 3.6 Runs fine (vcore 1.34) and recognized properly.

Some bugs I have noticed:

1. CNQ is broken
2. Cannot adjust multiplier (runs at Max multi so some overclocking possible by increasing HTT) - Running my X2-240 at 260HTT (FSB)
3. Cannot run a X4-965 with anything more than a multi of 4. I think this is a hardware limitation of this board as these processors require Dual Plane power
4. Bios identifies SB as 570SLI

Check it out and post your feedback. As always flashing involves risk. Have a backup strategy before flashing. Use a supported (older) CPU for flashing with no overclock before trying any of the new ones.

Under load what core speed does it show? If you see 3GHz I think you are good and aren't missing anything (see post #20).

A summary of progress in this thread thus far:

EVGA released a BETA BIOS (the infamous P36 BIOS posted early in the thread) which works with AM2+ processors but mis-reports at POST and even in the OS, but appears to actually operate fine with Phenom II 940's.

thewiz posted a BIOS with fixes to correct the reporting which was said to have bricked one motherboard but worked fine with icicle's motherboard.

p4spooky made an updated BIOS which should report correctly the CPU now and cleared extra cruft from the BIOS image to free space in it. From what I gather he ran into an issue with a max 4x clock on some of the later Phenom II x4 chips - he was unsuccessful getting an X4 965 to operate at full multiplier, and theorized it was due to required dual-plane power on that chip (and other later models?).

thewiz recommended sticking with 95W processors as the board may have unstable power above that.

If I stated anything wrong, please correct me. So far, the fastest reported correctly working processor is the Phenom II X4 940 (including the 125W model).

Any other updates?

[p4spooky]

LuminaryCrush you summarized correctly.

I am little confused by jasoninaz post though. Did you install the bios I made and are still getting unknown processor? Both Bioses I made:

612W2P36_Updated_Roms_SLIC.BIN
612W2P36_Updated_Roms.bin


Should report the X4-940 correctly AND run at the correct multiplier. The board has an issue only with newer C3 chips (X4-965 for example) to set the correct default multiplier.

The SLIC version allows you to activate win 7 using an Asus OEM key. Use google for more information!

[p4spooky]

LuminaryCrush you summarized correctly.

I am little confused by jasoninaz post though. Did you install the bios I made and are still getting unknown processor? Both Bioses I made:

612W2P36_Updated_Roms_SLIC.BIN
612W2P36_Updated_Roms.bin


Should report the X4-940 correctly AND run at the correct multiplier. The board has an issue only with newer C3 chips (X4-965 for example) to set the correct default multiplier.

The SLIC version allows you to activate win 7 using an OEM key. Use google for more information!

[jasoninaz]

I'll try the SLIC firmware later today and I'll report back. I have a nice bootable floppy and no I don't have a back up chip or motherboard. So I'll be making the jump on my primary computer that I use for everything. I can say, going from a 4400 to the 940 3.0GHZ is huge difference. No hanging but I have not tried with any video games. I'll try the windows 7 using google.

I'll use this path again since it worked so well for the me the first time.

DOS: awdflash 612W2P36_Updated_Roms_SLIC.BIN /CC /CD /CP /F /R /PY /SN

I'll report back later today.

LuminaryCrush you summarized correctly.

I am little confused by jasoninaz post though. Did you install the bios I made and are still getting unknown processor? Both Bioses I made:

612W2P36_Updated_Roms_SLIC.BIN
612W2P36_Updated_Roms.bin


Should report the X4-940 correctly AND run at the correct multiplier. The board has an issue only with newer C3 chips (X4-965 for example) to set the correct default multiplier.

The SLIC version allows you to activate win 7 using an OEM key. Use google for more information!

[jasoninaz]

Wow, Worked like a charm. Thank you so very much.

[p4spooky]

Wow, Worked like a charm. Thank you so very much.

Glad to hear. Enjoy!

[luminarycrush]

I'm curious - how much faster are your systems with the new CPU and BIOS given the tie to DDR2 memory? Did anyone run some before/after benchmarks?