95W Mobo, 125W CPU

[Chaoslux]

Not sure if that should go in the CPU Builds (since it seems to be for requesting builds), mods move this if needed.

So, i built a new computer for my cousin, but the only hiccup i found so far is that upon arrival i found out the Mobo can only take 95W, while the CPU is a Phenom II 955 that requires 125W.
I'm planning to get a Phenom II 945 to fix the issue, but while waiting for that to arrive, i still want to finish install the computer and everything he asked because he's going to pick it up during the next week.

Would there be anything bad in using the 955 to install Win7 64bit ultimate and such until the 945 arrive, or would i get the mobo burn to ashes before that? Is it possible to underclock the cpu to prevent it from going above 95W? (Tell me what to change if possible)

[Masterec]

Disable 2 cores if your mobo allows it, problem solved.

[BicycleMafioso]

What motherboard in particular do you have?
I know that some of the AMD motherboards can only accept certain CPUs after a BIOS-update, but I'm a bit too physically exhausted trying to remember offhand.

[gnomepatrol]

Yep, you could easily blow a vrm if the power-plane was not built to handle that load. My suggestion is to get a better mobo and take the 955 you have to 4.0ghz.

[Chaoslux]

Yep, you could easily blow a vrm if the power-plane was not built to handle that load. My suggestion is to get a better mobo and take the 955 you have to 4.0ghz.

I'm definetly not looking at any kind of overclocking, and my cousin is upgrading from a Pentium 4. I doubt the difference in a 945 and a 955 would be even remotely noticed by him, considering the leap in performance between a 10 year old computer and this.

The Mobo is ASUS M5A78L-M LX AM3+ AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

[Evildeffy]

I'm definetly not looking at any kind of overclocking, and my cousin is upgrading from a Pentium 4. I doubt the difference in a 945 and a 955 would be even remotely noticed by him, considering the leap in performance between a 10 year old computer and this.

The Mobo is ASUS M5A78L-M LX AM3+ AMD 760G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

He won't notice, beside that the upgrade is retardedly massive.

A 945 will be plenty, but since you have a 955 spare, what do you intend to do with that?
And no, the CPU is not recommended to be used together as the board very likely won't even recognize it, however on alot of ASUS boards there's a fail safe for AMD CPUs which clocks them down to 800MHz if the BIOS doesn't recognize it, but i would still not take the chance.

[Chaoslux]

A 945 will be plenty, but since you have a 955 spare, what do you intend to do with that?

Probably keep it around for the next computer i build.

As for the current problem... i guess it would be better to not risk it then =/

[Evildeffy]

Probably keep it around for the next computer i build.

As for the current problem... i guess it would be better to not risk it then =/

I suggest you hurry with that then, Bulldozer is slated for release within 2 weeks from now.

Either that or make a cheap HTPC with it.

[Chaoslux]

I suggest you hurry with that then, Bulldozer is slated for release within 2 weeks from now.

Either that or make a cheap HTPC with it.

The computer i "would build next" is most likely going to be another computer build for a family member, so Latest-Technology isnt required.