Quote Originally Posted by SocketMan View Post
That motherboard is AM2 designed to work with the dual core Athlon 64 (K8). The AM2+ motherboards on the other hand have a separate power plane for the cpu north bridge - which runs at it's own speed along with L3.
I have an Asus M3a which is AM+,but is nothing to right home about.
I think JUSTAPOST has/had the M2A,maybe he can share his wisdom

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/member.php?u=58928
Which would explain the premature (less than 1 year) death of the four main CPU filter capacitors (1000uF 90*C) reinstalled with 105*C versions.
The VRMs and power mosfets, and choke coils heat up like a mother so I have sinks pasted on to all of them that were getting hot around the cpu, so like 15 different surface mount regulators that were getting too hot.

I think though that I won't be upgrading this motherboard, more likely to get a entire new AM3 system with more than one 16x pci slot. I should sell my entire system as I would get better value to buy a Phenom X6 based.