M2N61-AR motherboard - CPU heatsink and fpanel pinout details required

[djmitman]

Hi I recently purchased the m2n61-ar motherboard from ebay as I needed an ITX board for my old athlonX2 5200+. I realise this is a very old board but it would suit my purpose if I coould just find two key bits of information - what type of heatsink to use and the fpanel pinout.

I purchased a AM2 bracket (from ebay as well) but its WAY too big. Playing around it would seem that an Intel heatsink MIGHT fit - can anyone confirm?

Perhaps more importantly I need to know the fpanel pinout - without that I'm not going to be able to get anything to boot. Any help or pointers that the community can provide would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance

[TheOldMan]

Here is the spec page for that motherboard

https://support.hp.com/id-en/document/c01321559

The f_ pinout is a standard that would accept a formed plug.  However if your case has individual pins, this might help

https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/help-with-front-panel-connector...

For the AM2 cooler, I used the one that came with the CPU but it looked about the same as the one shown here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIe2vZZsLU

[djmitman]

thanks for the links - the fpanel alone was worth a thumbs up. However I have a number of AM2 coolers but I cant fit them because there is no bracket and a standard bracket I bought was way too big. ( I know it is a standard size bcause I fitted it to another micro-atx am2 board without a problem).

But thank you again for the fpanel link

[TheOldMan]

Are you saying the black ring, as pictured, around the socket is missing?

[djmitman]

Yes - the board doesnt have the black ring. I bought one from ebay - and it fits another AM2 board (also from Asus FWIW) but its much too big for this board - hence I'm looking for an alternative.

[djmitman]

Hi - just thought I'd post an update and ask another question. 

I managed tio locate a heatsink - i bought a 2nd user one from a dc5850 - it fits perfectly. It looks like an intel 775/ 2011 fittiing - I had to bodge together some nuts to secure it and I also fitted a noctua fan - so far so good.

Powered it up and it said - unsupported CPU - PC will shut down in a few seconds and it proceeded to do so.

I'm using a AMD X2 5200+ which I have read on other forums is supported so I'm thinking that I just have a old bios? However as I dont have an older CPU am I stymied? Is there any way to get this to boot into the BIOS Screens? Any other advice or tips? I'm pretty much at the end of my tether and I think I've invested way more time than this board is worth?

[TheOldMan]

As far as the AMD X2 5200+, It might depend on the cat # of the CPU.  I had a different motherboard than yours but of about the same Era.  It would not run the Brisbane core Athlon X2 but would run the Windsor core of the Athlon X2 5200+.  Get the cat# from the CPU and then see if it is a Brisbane or Windsor core CPU.

BTW: what BIOS is installed?

[djmitman]

Hi the processor ID is ADO5200IAA6CS - which is a windsor core and according to CPU-Z (in another board) its the 65 W part,

How do I determine the BIOS version? When it powers up I get a black screen with white text that says unsupported CPU....

Then it shuts down seconds later. Can I get it to switch into the BIOS first?

[TheOldMan]

It should support that CPU.  I saw a screenshot of the BIOS in another case on that motherboard with that CPU identified on the BIOS page.

F10 should get you into the BIOS, but if the CPU is the actual cause of the problem, IDK.  Since I never actually tried this, what happens if the CPU is not installed?

[djmitman]

Hi - booted it up again and managed to get into the bios - no options to update it or even change any CPU settings.

Its version 5.18 - dont know if that is the latest version? Do you know where I could get BIOS updates from?

Thanks again

Doug