i5 655K woes \ VOGONS

i5 655K woes

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First post, by TheIpex

Posted on 2026-01-15, 01:04

TheIpex Offline

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Location: Australia

Hi Guys, I need a sanity check.

I've purchased two 655K's from eBay and neither will POST.

The board I am using is an Asus P7P55D EVO with the latest (2101) Bios; it functions normally with an 875K installed.
With either of the 655K CPUs installed the board will power up and then hang with the memory LED lit up.

No beeps from the motherboard speaker, but using a POST card gives me this:

The attachment PXL_20260113_192354309.jpg is no longer available

What I've tried:
- Various RAM sticks\slots (All work with the 875K) note: I don't have any sticks from the motherboard QVL
- The Mem OK button on the motherboard
- Reseating the CPU(s)
- Contact cleaner on the CPU socket.

It's my understanding the Lynnfield and Clarkdale CPUs have a somewhat different IMC setup: Could my RAM choices just be very unlucky? Or are both CPUs just faulty/dead?

I don't have another motherboard to test with; I'd sooner return the CPUs or find RAM on the QVL

Does anyone have any additional information that might help me with this? Am I missing something?

Intel 486DX2 66MHz & Cirrus Logic GD5428 VLB
Intel Pentium MMX 233MHz & 3DFX Voodoo

Reply 1 of 5, by Towncivilian

Posted on 2026-01-15, 01:38

Towncivilian Offline

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BIOS 2101 does not have the latest microcode for the i5-655K's CPUID 20655 - but the microcode in the BIOS for the i7-875K is also not the latest version available and yet that CPU works.

I don't know whether this is the culprit, but since you've tested 2 i5-655Ks and neither work, it seems more likely to me.

If you're comfortable with flashing a modified BIOS, I could see if the latest microcode can be swapped in.

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Reply 2 of 5, by TheIpex

Posted on 2026-01-15, 01:46

TheIpex Offline

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Location: Australia

Towncivilian wrote on 2026-01-15, 01:38:

BIOS 2101 does not have the latest microcode for the i5-655K's CPUID 20655 - but the microcode in the BIOS for the i7-875K is also not the latest version available and yet that CPU works.

I don't know whether this is the culprit, but since you've tested 2 i5-655Ks and neither work, it seems more likely to me.

If you're comfortable with flashing a modified BIOS, I could see if the latest microcode can be swapped in.

I'd be keen to give it a go, appreciate the assistance.

Intel 486DX2 66MHz & Cirrus Logic GD5428 VLB
Intel Pentium MMX 233MHz & 3DFX Voodoo

Reply 3 of 5, by Towncivilian

Posted on 2026-01-16, 00:16

Towncivilian Offline

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Here's the modified BIOS. The only change is removing the original microcode revision 2 and adding the latest microcode revision 7 for CPUID 20655. Hope it fixes your issue!

Reply 4 of 5, by TheIpex

Posted on 2026-01-16, 05:01

TheIpex Offline

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Posts: 80
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Location: Australia

Towncivilian wrote on 2026-01-16, 00:16:

Here's the modified BIOS. The only change is removing the original microcode revision 2 and adding the latest microcode revision 7 for CPUID 20655. Hope it fixes your issue!

You're a wizard mate!

The attachment 1.jpg is no longer available

The first CPU wouldn't boot showing the same POST code (The RAM LED didn't stay on this time though)

The second booted up without issue. I'll return the suspect CPU and keep the working one.

Thank you so much for helping me with this.

Intel 486DX2 66MHz & Cirrus Logic GD5428 VLB
Intel Pentium MMX 233MHz & 3DFX Voodoo

Reply 5 of 5, by Towncivilian

Posted on 2026-01-16, 14:26

Towncivilian Offline

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Rank: Newbie
Posts: 50
Joined: 2020-11-26, 19:25
Location: Florida

Very glad to hear that it worked!

I did try to update the other microcodes within the BIOS to the latest versions for thoroughness sake, but AMITool claimed they were not valid microcode files. Maybe they're too new or something - but we are fortunate that the microcode your chip needed was able to be swapped out.

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