On Sun, 30 Nov 2008 20:24:49 -0600, "Collon"
wrote:

Thank you both for helping.

Hey Paul, this is what I just bought:
ASUS M2NPV-VM (nVidia® NVIDIA GeForce 6150 + nForce 430 chipset)

Paul, would you know for sure what processor I can buy on Newegg.com? I'm
certain I don't have dual core now, but the other two options on this mobo I
just ordered are Athlon 64 FX and Athlon 64 Sempron. I don't have a clue
what the difference is and suspect I wouldn't even notice.

Also, am I gonna need that cpu glue for the new processor on the board?
Can't I just put it in and screw everything back without the glue?

Thanks again!


Unless you buy another HP/Compaq motherboard (and even then)
you may find that windows needs reactivated, or that you
have to reinstall it and call in to MS to get an activation
code.

There have been numerous products with nVidia integrated
video failing. Most of them are laptops due to laptops
typically having more power cycles and reaching higher
temperatures, but the same underlying problem why they ended
up dead due to the thermal cycles and heat is present on
your old motherboard, and may also be present on a "new"
motherboard with the 6150 chipset if that chipset wasn't
manufactured after July or August of this year.

The markings look somewhat like the following, line by line
except "n" is a character that changes, it's the second
field in the second line you would take the date code from:

NVIDIA
nnnnnnnn 0820nn
S Taiwan
nnnnnn.nn
NF-G6150-N-nn

In the above example the date is the twentieth week of 2008,
before nVidia changed their manufacturing to (hopefully)
remove a defect in the solder and packaging.

Since I doubt most motherboards with 6150 chipset have the
new chips, I would recommend a different board which may
allow different processors. If you buy a retail boxed
processor that comes with a heatsink/fan, it will have a
preapplied thermal pad that you can use. If you buy an OEM
bare processor it will need heatsink grease applied before
installing the heatsink. By heatsink grease I am referring
to what you called "cpu glue".

I mention the date because the chip has a date code laser
engraved onto it's surface, so if it is not a more recent
vintage I recommend returning the motherboard and getting
something without an nVidia integrated video chipset (even
if you plan to install a video card into the system).