i7 990X on a GA-X58A-UD9

[chjohans]

I am thinking on replacing my current i7 950 with the new 990X chip on this board, but seeing that the latest official BIOS is F4 dated 2010/08/24 I woder if it's even compatible with the 990X. Can anyone enlighten me please?

[absic]

Hi there,

according to the CPU Compatibility the 990X processor is supported with BIOS F5M which, as you have stated is not available yet for download.

If you want to upgrade to this CPU then the best advice I can offer is to contact GGTS in your area: http://ggts.gigabyte.com/tech.asp?ClassID=2&Country=Singapore&SourceWeb=B2C and ask them to forward the latest BIOS. Remember that you will need to update the BIOS before you can run the 990X though.

[chjohans]

Ok, I just filled in the support on that website and now I'll just have to wait and see. Thanks for your help

One a side note, I am quite disappointed, considering the *VERY PREMIUM PRICE* I paid for this board just recently, that Gigabyte does not immediately support the new extreme series CPU. Especially considering the customers I assume they target with this board. I can sill retunn the board for a few days, which is exactly what I'll do if GB does not respond promptly. I do expect a lot from this board and from Gigabyte when it comes to supporting it - considering the price they charge for it.

I also notice that the F5H BIOS was withdrawn from GBs official download site a few days ago, it was there when I bought this board and set it up a couple of weeks ago but no the latest BIOS is F4.

[Dark Mantis]

Hi

You should be able to download a newer BIOS from either StationDrivers.com or TweakTown try here for TT

http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/28441-gigabyte-latest-beta-bios-3.html#post270437

or here for the latest beta version

http://forums.tweaktown.com/gigabyte/28441-gigabyte-latest-beta-bios.html

[chjohans]

Thank you both absic and Dark Mantis

Howwever the latest beta BIOS I could find on those pages is F5L, and according to absic I need F5M for 990x. Judging by the pattern of the naming scheme I assume that F5M is a later BIOS than F5L so I guess I'll have to wait for support to respond.

Again, thanks for trying to help out, I really appreciate that!

[Dark Mantis]

You are very welcome and obviously the BIOS support staff must be working on it already. I suppose they have had their hands full recently with all the different things happening.

[chjohans]

No response from Gigabyte support yet on the 99x and BIOS issue. This is simply not good enough, this is their top-of-the-line and most expensive board and they don't even have a working BIOS out for i7 990x for it. It is not like this CPU was released all of a sudden and out of the blue and it's not like Gigabyte could not have aquired an engineering sample to try out on their boards a long time ago - if they cared enough to do so.

Will return this mainboard tomorrow while I still can

[Dark Mantis]

Well I am sorry that you haven't received an answer from GGTS it is unusual even though they do usually take several days. I must admit I cannot understand why they don't have a BOS prepared ready for the release of the new CPU. It does seem to be out of character.

[chjohans]

Thanks for the moral support

You're so friendly in here that I've decided to hang on to this board and wait. I *want* to like it and I do, except for this issue and for the useless SATA3 ports, but I can live with those.

[chjohans]

Got a response from tech support now with the f5m BIOS attached. They also adviced that I should not overclock at the moment - I read that as not with the f5m BIOS.

I didn't buy the 990x *NOT* to overclock it so I'll just disregard that advice.....

[Dark Mantis]

Yes I am sure that you are right there. Obviously you are going to push the limits a bit to see how far it will go. Where would be the fun otherwise! Glad to hear that you are staying with us though.

[Fatman]

Curiosity gets the better of me here and I have to ask, just what will you use the 990 for? Is it just to have the latest and greatest?

[Dark Mantis]

To be honest if I could afford one I would probably have one too. Bragging rights can be wonderful!!!

[chjohans]

Curiosity gets the better of me here and I have to ask, just what will you use the 990 for? Is it just to have the latest and greatest?

Well, what can I say? Except that some people drives Toyotas while others prefer Mercedes, both get you from A to B and nobody really "needs" a Mercedes.

I do quite a bit of video editing and conversion so I kind of justify the "need" for a 990x to myself that way. I also like to have "the latest and greatest" - but cdon't really care at all about "bragging rights". And I'm always curious about "exactly how fast is the fastest" - I usually get disappointed tho.

I have owned and still own quite a few of Intels "Extreme series" CPUs, once bought they're not really worth selling so I just keep them all. Not sure what to do with them but I'm sure they'll be useful one day - or then again maybe not.

Oh and in case you wonder, I'm driving a BMW and not a Mercedes

[Dark Mantis]

Me too - the BMW that is! Not that it does many miles nowadays. As for the "bragging rights"  it is just knowing that you have it is enough.