Adding a processor to my new Motherboard

I bought a new motherboard last week (July,2002)from an eBay auction.
It is made by PCChips model M830LR. It has a Sis 735 chipset (combined Northbridge & Southbridge), and 2 Dimm slots for SDRAM and 2 slots for DDR-SDRAM, which of course cannot be used at the same time. It has a Socket A for the CPU. The PCChips literature says it will support AMD Duron (200 MHz bus), Athlon Thunderbird (200 & 266 MHz buses)up to 1.4GHz, and Athlon XP up to 2200+. BUT.., their motherboard manual (and also the Sis 735 Chipset page on Sis's website) says it only supports Duron(200Mhz bus)to 950MHz and Athlon T_Bird(200 & 266 MHz)only up to 1.4GHz. Who is right? and why? or is it a matter of a bios update? I don't want to buy an XP and waste what little money I have. Or, is their different M830LR motherboards?, like an A, B, & C model? I can't seem to get an answer from PCChips or Sis. Also, on checking Athlon Thunderbird prices on the net, I discovered that in that model CPU(between 1000MHz and 1400MHz)the 200 Mhz bus processor is always more money than the 266MHz bus processor of the same speed between 1000MHz and 1400MHz. Why is this? I thank all of you out there who answer this for your time and effort. Good luck to all of you. Jimi

2. RE: Adding a processor to my new Motherboard
lbyard Jul-22-02 02:13 AM
In response to message 0

>or is it a matter of a bios update? ...like an A, B, & C model?
Could be either or both.
>the 200 Mhz bus processor is always more money than the 266MHz bus processor
Could be they are getting ready to discontinue them?
Now, I don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but you have bought a motherboard made by a manufacturer which I hold in extremely low regard. Please search with PC Chips to the left and spare me having to repeat what I have written before about their products. Checkout http://duxcw.com/digest/guides/buymb/intro.htm. Larry

3. RE: Adding a processor to my new Motherboard
copperpipe Jul-26-02 04:06 PM
In response to message 2

LAST EDITED ON Jul-26-02 AT 04:14 PM (EDT)

Actually, I believe this board is made by ECS - it's the same as the K7S5A. I recall that earlier versions of the ECS board didn't support the new XP chip and the newer ones do. The newer ones which support the XP's are identified by an "XP" sticker on the board near the PCI slots.
There was also a reported problem with the older versions of the ECS board having memory errors when teamed up with the 1.2 ghz - 1.4 ghz Athlon (Tbirds) which was subsequently denied (to the point of threatening to sue the disgruntled owners) by ECS.

6. RE: Adding a processor to my new Motherboard
lbyard Jul-26-02 07:00 PM
In response to message 3

Says a lot for ECS. Larry

7. RE: Adding a processor to my new Motherboard
Us Aug-22-02 04:35 PM
In response to message 0

the K7S5A motherboards...there is a ver 1 which didnt have support for Athlon XP's..Ver 3 supports the Athlon XP's up to 2200+