Member Avatar for erikas_boy

Okay,
So I've been running a set-up with a Biostar P4M800 Pro-M7 mobo and an old Celeron D processor. I've wanted to upgrade the celeron for ages, but never have the cash on hand. So a friend of mine got a Core 2 Quad Q8300 last week, and can't use it so he gave it to me. The problem is, the mobo only supports up to core 2 duo (though the new chipset is still 775). I tried hooking it up anyways, and indeed, the computer wouldn't post.

So, does this sound like the mobo just cant recognize the cpu? I checked, and the cpu is running (heating up).

If so, is there anything I can do (flash the bios, etc) to get the chip running on my biostar mobo.

Eventually, I can upgrade my mobo, but that's not an option at the moment.

Thanks for your help,
Chris

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Short, practical clarification and next steps (for , and following ’s point):

The problem is not the LGA775 socket itself but the P4M800 Pro‑M7’s chipset/board revision and BIOS support. The P4M800 Pro‑M7 documentation shows FSB and CPU support tied to specific board revisions (Core 2 Duo support only for certain revisions) and lists maximum FSB support up to 1066 MHz for the models that gained newer CPU support. (manualzilla.com)

Why the Q8300 won’t POST even though it “heats up”: the Q8300 is a Yorkfield/Penryn quad with a 1333 MHz FSB (and a 95 W TDP). That combination requires chipset/BIOS support your board doesn’t advertise; powering the chip can make it warm but the board will still fail to initialize it if the BIOS lacks the microcode/FSB handling or if the revision doesn’t support that CPU class. (techpowerup.com)

Actionable checklist (safe, low‑risk order):

  1. Note the motherboard revision printed on the PCB (rev 1.x, 2.0, 7.x, 8.0, etc.) and consult the exact CPU support list for that revision on Biostar’s pages/manual.
  2. If your revision is listed as supporting Core 2 Duo only after a BIOS update, download the matching BIOS for that exact board revision and follow Biostar’s flash instructions carefully — do not apply a BIOS for the wrong revision.
  3. If the revision or BIOS still doesn’t list any Core 2 Quad or 1333 FSB CPUs, the Q8300 won’t work on that board; test the Q8300 in a known‑good board if you want to confirm the chip itself is functional. (manualzilla.com)

If swapping BIOS/revision isn’t possible, your practical options are: pick a used CPU that appears on your board’s supported list (Core 2 Duo models with FSB ≤1066 or compatible Pentium D models), or sell/trade the Q8300 and either buy a cheap LGA775 board that explicitly supports 1333 FSB/Penryn quads or move to a newer platform. Testing the processor elsewhere first will tell you whether you have a usable spare to trade. (techpowerup.com)

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Member Avatar for bryann

Okay,
So I've been running a set-up with a Biostar P4M800 Pro-M7 mobo and an old Celeron D processor. I've wanted to upgrade the celeron for ages, but never have the cash on hand. So a friend of mine got a Core 2 Quad Q8300 last week, and can't use it so he gave it to me. The problem is, the mobo only supports up to core 2 duo (though the new chipset is still 775). I tried hooking it up anyways, and indeed, the computer wouldn't post.

So, does this sound like the mobo just cant recognize the cpu? I checked, and the cpu is running (heating up).

If so, is there anything I can do (flash the bios, etc) to get the chip running on my biostar mobo.

Eventually, I can upgrade my mobo, but that's not an option at the moment.

Thanks for your help,
Chris

Hi

My feeling is that you are not going to be able to use this processor unless you upgrade your mobo. Although they both use the socket 775 if you look at the website with the specs for your mobo it cannot take the processor. For example your mobo supports fsb speeds of 533/800/1066mhz. The quad core you have has a fsb of 1333mhz so i don't think it will support your processor.

Member Avatar for erikas_boy

Bryann,
Thanks, indeed the specs seem to say "no" to the quad. I've got an e-mail in to Biostar, but am still waiting for a reply. I had hoped that it simply wouldn't run as fast with the slower fsb speed (like putting a faster DDR chip into a slower mobo), but would still far outstrip my celeron d, especially in Photoshop, etc.
I won't make any rash decisions till I hear from Biostar.
Thanks again.
C

Member Avatar for erikas_boy

Yeah, Biostar just confirmed. Quad is a no-go. Hardware problem. Sucks. Oh well, I'll stay slow a little longer and save my pennies for a new mobo.
Thanks,
Chris

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