AZUS M3A78-T<AMD2+<AMD790GX/SB750

I have been looking at this MOBO for a possible build using a Phenom II Blk ed. CPU. A review on newegg mentions that the use of the newer CPU requires a updated bios. I have never done this before myself. But in the review its mentioned that a earlier CPU must be on hand to facilitate the bios update. Is this the case?

Or does having another PC capable of retrieving a update For Flashing work? Again, I have never done this process.

This is true, however you could do it rather cheaply with a sempron or Athlon X2 in AM2 package. I'm having some issues with this platform from a few manufacturers. I'm waiting on a replacement is this exact same board from asus. More specifically, it's coming from Newegg as it was recently purchased.

What do you consider your level of technical understanding?

What do you want to use the system for?

Use extreme caution when updating the BIOS, messing it up can brick your PC. According to some reviewers and users at the Asus forums, their motherboards came with the appropriate BIOS installed. Some M3A78-T boards have been released with the newer BIOS installed, but some retailers may have boards with the older BIOS in stock. You won't know which one you'll get until you actually have it. Newegg has a pretty fast inventory turnover rate, so it is a good possibility that you will get a newer one. Over at the Asus website, they indicate that BIOS Version 0502 supports the new 45nm processors, if you want to use ACC (used with overclocking) with those processors you will need to download version 0802. You can usually flash the BIOS with a minimum of hardware since all you're doing is loading new software into the motherboard. Should you choose to update your BIOS, you will need a PC capable of downloading the update from Asus. Follow the directions carefully in the motherboard manual to update your BIOS.

Edited by DJBPace07, 26 January 2009 - 12:37 AM.

But in the review

While the reviews are helpful, I take them with a grain of salt
How many reviewers said they had to do that?

Randomuser, I don't have a real scalable vision of my technical abilities. I have been reading alot on basics since 1999. Making simple video card,sound card, and RAM selections and fighting plenty of malware in MS98 and XPhome(software). As a satalite receiving tech for the military my father has profided alot of basic education related to the factors involved. Had to save a couple hard drives ( replace,partition,ask for xp reauthorization ) . I would say maybe a 4ish, (in 1-10) but thats after reading some of your post and really envying, your up to date knowledge and understanding. My 400mhz gate way still runs well, at any rate . I feel green, in all three of yours presents.

The answer to your sec. question; Well (reluctantly) Gaming. Audio . Photo Editing from time to time. Home office computing. I like engineering (R&D).
The board and CPU I'm looking in to are featured at Newegg as was yours.

DJBpace07, The whole not knowing issue is by far the biggest hurdle before jumping off the fence to purchase the two together. RMAing the board and all that talk, sounds costly from Alaska. But buying through out of state vendor with high turnover seems alot more stable than local market offerings to date. Version 0802 sounds like the one to have even it you don't plan to over clock any time soon, but if the boards supplied BIOS supports the CPU, then I could live without the capability and would most likely leave well enough alone. (For a long while) You mention minimal hardware. If I choose to update. I will read up on this further, but I'm sure PSU,MOBO,CPU,Disk drive ( will a non-Sata drive suffice), peripheral support , And a solidly down-loaded, copy of the BIOS to be installed?

Garmanma, You are correct. Not to many reviews mention the need, and I'm Not sure how recently dated they where. But I bid start with lower reviews and progressed to the better. I have yet to go anywhere other than AZUZ to look at reviews, but I will do so. In one of your many post I've had the pleasure of reading, You mention a sort of dry run build out of the case on the bench? Is this a common practice for Unit preconstruction. It sounds like a fair trial, but static control and surface prep?

Its my hope to put it all in a Smilidon Dirktooth, but all things considered, I'm not off the fence yet.
Thanks to all, for your replies and incite.

You mention a sort of dry run build out of the case on the bench?

It beats getting it all in the case, only to take it all apart because it won't start. That's just me, I have the room and the time.
Doing it on a piece of cardboard works too. Just remember we are dealing with electricity so common sense must prevail, only turning it on and off by the power supply switch
I've never wore an ESD wrist strap, I just make sure I ground myself to something before I work on the computer, but it is cheap insurance

Thanks . I may do that myself.

Asus makes their product manuals available online, just look under the support heading. You can view the BIOS updating procedure to see if it is something you would like to try. If your board comes with the 05 BIOS, I would stay with it unless you really wanted to use ACC. With Asus, you can use EZ Flash 2 or AFUDOS to update the BIOS if you so choose. Refer to the manual for more information. Speaking from experience with Asus motherboards, the EZ Flash utility would be the easiest option.

With the flashing procedure in front of me, it seems the relative ease of the operation could become the down fall. I understand what I'm reading, but of coarse the fine points are what get ya. I would definitely have the guide in hard copy, to check off(being new to the process).

Provided the downloaded zip is clean, then the unpacking of the file is clean, the copy to floppy goes clean, OH my.
You have to have a trust in your floppy drive to boot. Seems like a new floppy drive would be more trustable than the one I have.
?; can another type drive be subbed for the floppy( plz excuse my ignorance)in the operation sequence.

I have no known issues with my rarely used floppy drive, but its probably 2001ish vintage.


to floppy

You may be able to use a bootable CD, but the instructions are for a floppy. Before the BIOS is flashed, the computer will run a CRC to determine if the file is complete and authentic. Many BIOS updating processes run a similar form of validation as well.

So your suggestion is to follow instruction set, with a floppy drive. (I'm paranoid often) So in the end the transfer from floppy to final flashing (reading>installing bios to chip ) it would brick the board if the floppy drive hiccuped the data?
Or at that point, would there still be opportunity to save the process from going bad?
On reboot would be to late, ? yes ?

Sorry, to ponder that which may seem to the educated & experienced, to be trivial.

Chances are, if you're able to copy the file to the floppy, you will be able to copy off to the BIOS. If you mess up the update, you should be able to reset the BIOS back to factory conditions. A severely botched update will brick your motherboard. Just follow the instructions and at least know what to do if you have to reset the motherboard, and you will be fine.

Thanks, I'm reading all I can on the subject. I downloaded the manual for the Board and will search out threads and tech articles as well.
Of coarse the object is to not run into trouble, but trouble just seems to pick its own time and place, to run in to me.
So many options out there for and on boards. To infinity and beyond.