AMD offers free boot kit Ryzen 3rd Gen users with incompatible motherboards

AMD offers free boot kit Ryzen 3rd Gen users with incompatible motherboards

AMD offers free boot kit Ryzen 3rd Gen users with incompatible motherboards

AMD’s Ryzen 3rd Generation processors are proving popular amongst PC builders, and if you read our review for AMD’s Ryzen 7 3700X and Ryzen 9 3900X you would know why.    

Even budget builders can jump on the Ryzen train, with AMD’s 400-series of AM4 motherboards supporting the company’s latest processors with little more than a BIOS update. This means that users of older B450 and X470 motherboards will be able to utilise AMD’s latest processors, saving users money on the process by enabling compatibility with more affordable motherboard designs. 

But what if your motherboard didn’t ship with a compatible BIOS? What if your hardware is technically Ryzen 3rd Generation compatible but lacks the required software to make it so? Don’t worry, because AMD has you covered with their “loan boot kit”, which loans PC users an Athlon 200GE processor to allow them to update their BIOS files to support Ryzen 3rd Generation processors. 

Before contacting AMD, the company recommends that users first investigate whether or not their motherboard manufacturer or retailer can exchange their motherboard with a Ryzen 3rd Gen compatible model, or update their BIOS for them. Users are also asked to verify whether or not their motherboard support BIOS Flashback, which allows a BIOS file to be updated without a processor installed on the motherboard. 

If these options are not possible, AMD will allow Ryzen 3rd Generation users to request an RMA to receive a “boot kit”, which must be returned to AMD within 10 days. Below is a statement from AMD. 

     Once you have submitted your claim for a processor loan boot kit, AMD will require pictures of your 3rd Gen Ryzen™ Desktop Processor and AMD Socket AM4 400 Series motherboard, which clearly shows the model numbers and unique serial numbers as well as a copy of the purchase invoice(s) to authorize the request. Additionally, a summary or copy of communication with the motherboard manufacturer is requested to indicate why support from the Original Design Manufacturer (ODM) is not suitable.

Once the RMA request is approved, the AMD Athlon 200GE processor will be sent with pre-paid return shipping. The processor is provided as a temporary loan to you for the sole purpose of updating the BIOS and must be returned within 10 business days of receipt. It is not necessary to return the provided thermal solution.

AMD offers free boot kit Ryzen 3rd Gen users with incompatible motherboardsThose who wish to request a “boot kit” should go to AMD’s online warranty claims page (Link) and fill in the form with all required information. In the Problem Description Field, write “Boot Kit Required” and give AMD your 3rd Gen Ryzen Processor OPN number and serial number. 

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