Windows 7: Need your input on AMD upgrade

Thanks in advance for your input.
All my spec's are listed below but basically I'm ill I have a problem and that is I can't leave well enough alone!
So on that note here we go:
Current CPU is a very solid Phenom X4 9950BE @ 2.6. Now I'm considering going with the Phenom X4 9965BE @ 3.4 which is available delivered out the door for $167.99. My concern is will this be a unplug old and plug in new and let the system see the new chip and I'm off to the races or what am I facing realistically ?
PS; the old chip will eventually go into a system I'm building off spare parts for my girlfriend.

Are these first generation Phenoms or the Phenom II?

Short answer: It should be a simple operation.

You have to be concerned with the processor wattage and how much the motherboard is designed to handle. Also, using an AM3 processor in an AM2+ socket will cause the processor to operate at AM2+ specs.

Phenom II X4 on both the 2.6 for the 3.4. Both are 125watt chips though my board will handle 140 watt max. and is approved for both chips. My issue is will I need to clean install? or can I work around this and update Bios and drivers before or after new chip installed?

Oh, that's easy then.

Just remove and reinstall. You should obviously check first, but you probably won't even need to upgrade the BIOS as those chips are so similar.

Question: Are you sure you have the correct model numbers?

First off, as for "Not leaving well enough alone!" I'm the same, hence why I bought a half decent £400 machine a year ago and have now no original parts left and I'm sitting with a £1000 + machine. I also used old parts for 2 machines for my parents (I upgraded a few times )

I'm currently on a Phenom II x4 965 3.4GHz BE. I switched from a Athlon II x2 2.9GHz. Performance wise I'm sure I would have noticed a greater impact because your Phenom I is probably a better CPU than my original, but you should notice the difference. A friend and I both had the same set up to begin with and the difference in games between the old Athlon II and the Phenom II is night and day. (Also, with the BE if you have the BIOS set to let it work full power, it will hit 3.6 without having to over clock it manually [which I know nothing about])

As for installing it, have you not done it before or are you just asking if it will be a simple swap? I installed a CPU for the first time some months back, I was sort of worried about it, but it was a breeze. I've done quite a few since in friends and family's machines and had my on out a few times installing new coolers etc.

Yeah really my mind tells me that as they are the same family of chips just one at 2.6 currently and the other is at the top end of the range at 3.4 I'm thinking it's a plug and play????? But I've been wrong before and I'll be wrong again.....but I'm looking for people that have made this upgrade and know from experience or the like !

Here is the correct chip he is looking at.
Phenom X4 965 BE

the new chip looks to be about 20% faster.

Does changing from an Athlon x2 7750 to an Athlon x4 630 count? Did that back early this year and Windows 7 didn't even bat an eye. Swapped CPU's, started up and Windows installed the appropriate driver for the new CPU.

About the only time you would have to re0install Windows is if the HAL doesn't update after the change. That sort of thing usually only happens when changing the number of cores. In your case you're going from a quad to a quad, so other than the change in clock speed (not much different than overclocking, and you definitely don't have to re-install when doing that) Windows shouldn't even notice other than updating the driver up first start up.

Just in case you haven't yet, make sure you have the latest bios (7375v25),

MSI Global – Computer, Laptop, Notebook, Desktop, Mainboard, Graphics and more

before doing the swap.

A little more than that depending on what is being done,

Bench - CPU - AnandTech :: Your Source for Hardware Analysis and News

That's correct it's the Phenom II X4 965 BE at 3.4 only surpassed by the limited edition 3.5 which my MSI board doesn't show supported but likely is?
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition AM3 CPU HDZ965FBGMBOX - 3.40GHz, Socket AM3, 6MB Cache, 2000MHz (4000 MTs) FSB, Retail, Processor with Fan at TigerDirect
AMD HDZ970FBGMBOX Phenom II X4 970 Black Edition Processor - 3.50GHz, Socket AM3, 6MB Cache, 2000MHz (4000 MTs) FSB, Retail, Processor with Fan at TigerDirect

Tiger Direct (or Tiger Defect as they are affectionately known around here)?

Newegg.com - AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor HDZ965FBGMBOX

$10.00 less with free shipping.