Rastus Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Hi, I am in the process of slowly getting the bits together for my new dedicated game machine and have just come across a cheap Q9650 (EM64T). According to Intel: “Processor will not operate (including 32-bit operation) without an Intel EM64T-enabled BIOS.” So I want to get the right board. I understand the EM64T is for 64 bit OS operation, but I am unsure if I really want to go there yet, though I do want the system to be capable of it. Can you run a 32 Bit OS with this CPU? Upgradability is a major factor in this build and now I need to find a good MB which supports this EM64T thing. I was looking at a high end ASUS MB (780i or 790i to go with a GTX280) but they don’t mention this EM64T specifically. They do mention 64 bit compatibility but I am unsure if it is the same thing. I will go with another brand if necessary & even go intel chipset, but I do want a quality high end board with good OC features. Any help appreciated Rastus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastus Posted January 11, 2009 Author Share Posted January 11, 2009 Guess I will answer my own post for anyone else who is as confused as I was. I have to admit being worried about the Intel message “Processor will not operate (including 32-bit operation) without an Intel EM64T-enabled BIOS”. Turns out all MB/BIOS which support core 2 architecture are capable or running the EM64T CPU. I scored this chip for the same price as an E8500 as (Ebay) seller & buyers were scared off by the EM64T thing. So I took a chance & snapped it up. I do realize that for FC & BS, I would have been better off with the faster E series, but am happy with my purchase. It’s going to S#^t all over my current P4 2.4 AGP system (which has given me a decade of enjoyment & runs BS OK). So now it’s down to building the system around the chip. I have to admit liking all the features of the high end ASUS boards but worried about the shear number of faults being reported at forums, my post was buried behind around 150 others within 24 hrs at the ASUSTek forums. That’s a worry. I wonder if all those fancy OC features make the boards less stable. Anyone with experience, feel free to coment. Anyway I hope this post helps others as I found the (EM64T) info to be very hard to find on the net. And you may even score a cheap CPU out of it :) Cheers Rastus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquidgyB Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) Hope you do well with the Q9650. I got the QX9650 7-8 months ago, and you're certainly right about one thing... It'll sh*t over the P4 from a GREAT height! When I got mine, I got the highest end Asus board at the time, a P5E3 Premium (if I remember right) and had nothing but problems with it. Apparently a lot of the other boards are fine, but many, many people were having issues with this one, even at stock speeds. Anyhow, I have a DFI X48-T3RS now, and though it's not exactly the most intuitive to overclock (for quads in any case), it's certainly stable at stock, and does a marvellous job with a GTX260 in tow. I've been put off Asus from the experience I had with that board, in particular the customer support, lack of BIOS updates, and the quality of the updates when they did arrive. Don't let me put you off, mind, it's entirely possible that other boards are worth getting. I hear the workstation boards in particular are fantastic overclockers, and are rock solid. Add to that the fact that you have the next revision/stepping of CPU from mine, and I'm sure a lot of little creases have been ironed out by now. G'luck, and fly safe :) Edited January 14, 2009 by SquidgyB spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazysundog Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I have the 750i, which is just a smaller version of the 780i, and it was very simple to overclock; I just did my first OC!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geogob Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I'm running a QX9650 on an Asus maximus formula. I had problems with ram timings. The crucial modules I had were probably borderline and as they got older, the timings moved beyond the acceptable limit. Three sets of 4 modules stoped working at after 6 months running time. I finally changed for corsair modules. It has lasted longer. Regardless of what you do, I suggest carefully choosing RAM modules for your rig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rastus Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 (edited) Thanks guys, seems the high end ASUS boards suffer more faults than the cheaper (basic) ones. All the features are maybe just gimmics which add to unreliability? Maybe some models are more reliable, but I am slowly getting put off by all the negative’s I am reading. I'm running a QX9650 on an Asus maximus formula. I had problems with ram timings. The crucial modules I had were probably borderline and as they got older, the timings moved beyond the acceptable limit. Three sets of 4 modules stoped working at after 6 months running time. Yeah that is because of the mother board, not the RAM itself. The “my board worked great for a year until….” Seems to be a common complaint with these particular boards. I want to build this computer around the processor and GPU, not around the MB’s peculiarities. BTW, yes I will be getting best RAM I can. I am not anti-asus yet, but finding a Gigabyte, intel or some other board seems to be my new focus. Some OC ability will be nice but I no intent of going extreme, just a bit of a boost (on air with decent CPU Fan). I am having a low income month at the moment so, plenty of time for research. Any suggestions appreciated. Rastus Edited January 15, 2009 by Rastus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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