New hardware not working

[Internet Badass]

I bought some new hardware for my computer, 2x4gb ddr2 ram, a zotac nvidia gt 730, and an amd phenom 2 b59. No response from my computer at all after turning it on. No lights from keyboard or mouse and nothing on monitor. I have a sense that this issue is linked to my processor, as I bought an am3 processor and my motherboard has an am2+ Socket, but I was under the impression that am3 are backwards compatible with am2+?? Let me know what you all think.

 

[Internet Badass]

Everything else was brand new but processor was used and was not shipped in static proof packaging

 

[torchwood]

Did you really mean DDR2 thats old stock, possibly incompatible with motherboard.

Roy

 

[Internet Badass]

Did you really mean DDR2 thats old stock, possibly incompatible with motherboard.

Roy

Yes I meant ddr2, motherboard is ddr2 compatible. Idk if processor has a ddr2 controller

 

[Internet Badass]

Do I need to do anything software wise when using am3 processor in am2+ socket?

 

[Internet Badass]

Just installed old processor, and computer is working. I also have am2 socket not am2+

 

[Mellon Head]

An AM3 CPU will not work in an AM2 socket. You may have caused electrical damage to your CPU.

However, an AM3 chip will work in an AM2+ socket, apparently...

From Wikipedia:

AMD confirmed that there is an upgrade path from Socket AM2+ to AM3:

• AM3 processors work on AM2+ motherboards due to the presence of both the DDR2 and DDR3 memory controllers on the processor
• AM2+ processors do not work on AM3 motherboards due to the processor's lack of a DDR3 memory controller

The pin configuration of the AM2+ socket (940 pins)[2] is mechanically different from the AM3 socket (941 pins)[2]

Even though Wikipedia isn't the greatest source for reliability, it seems to have a point here. I highly doubt that this is a good idea, though. The best practice is to use the correct socket for the processor. In your case, I would buy an AM3 or AM3+ motherboard before you damage that CPU.