CPU-Z says I have a different motherboard than I actually have

[jamesnatsu]

Hi, when I use programs like CPU-Z to check my hardware specs, it tells me I have a different MB than I actually have. It says I have a G1 Sniper B5 when I have B6. Can anyone help?

 

[kanewolf]

What difference does it make? They have a bug in their software. If you know from physical evidence (visual, purchase history, etc) what board it is, then just don't use the CPU-Z info.

 

[Phillip Corcoran]

Presumably you know which board model you've got - easy to double-check by removing side of PC case - so don't worry about known buggy software telling you lies - - just don't use buggy software, find an alternative utility.

 

[jamesnatsu]

What difference does it make? They have a bug in their software. If you know from physical evidence (visual, purchase history, etc) what board it is, then just don't use the CPU-Z info.

Well the problem is I bought this gaming pc via internet, from a 16 year old kid who needed money for his drivers license. I want to eventually upgrade the GPU so I need to know if my MB has a 2.0 or 3.0 pci version. I also used dxdiag and Speccy to check it and they both give me a B5. My desktop has a opens side which I can use to see the led lightning of the MB and on the motherboard it says B6, so I am confused.

 

[jamesnatsu]

Presumably you know which board model you've got - easy to double-check by removing side of PC case - so don't worry about known buggy software telling you lies - - just don't use buggy software, find an alternative utility.

Yeah I can check via the side of the PC case, which is see through because the MB has green leds. There it says, on the MB, that it is a B6 but when I check in dxdiag or other software programs it states I have a B5. I need to know which one it really is because if I want to upgrade my gpu, I need to know if I have a 3.0 compatible PCI, which the B5 doesn't have.

 

[The Paladin]

I would double check with Speccy but all above clearly tell you to physically look at the sticker on the motherboard

 

[YoAndy]

Presumably you know which board model you've got - easy to double-check by removing side of PC case - so don't worry about known buggy software telling you lies - - just don't use buggy software, find an alternative utility.

Yeah I can check via the side of the PC case, which is see through because the MB has green leds. There it says, on the MB, that it is a B6 but when I check in dxdiag or other software programs it states I have a B5. I need to know which one it really is because if I want to upgrade my gpu, I need to know if I have a 3.0 compatible PCI, which the B5 doesn't have.

The GPU will work just fine on PCIe 2.0.

 

[jamesnatsu]

I would double check with Speccy but all above clearly tell you to physically look at the sticker on the motherboard

I did both, all programs say it's B5 when the sticker says B6, that is what confuses me.

 

[jamesnatsu]

Presumably you know which board model you've got - easy to double-check by removing side of PC case - so don't worry about known buggy software telling you lies - - just don't use buggy software, find an alternative utility.

Yeah I can check via the side of the PC case, which is see through because the MB has green leds. There it says, on the MB, that it is a B6 but when I check in dxdiag or other software programs it states I have a B5. I need to know which one it really is because if I want to upgrade my gpu, I need to know if I have a 3.0 compatible PCI, which the B5 doesn't have.

The GPU will work just fine on PCIe 2.0.

Yes it does but as far as I know the gpu loses half of it's actual power. At least that's what I read about upgrading gpu's. I just got a pc again after 12 years so I am fairly new to all the modern stuff.

 

[kanewolf]

Look at the pictures on Gigabyte's website The B6 picture shows hash marks along the back edge of the board. The B5 picture doesn't have that.
The B6 has the "Socket 1150 parallel to the DIMM slots the B5 is perpendicular.
The B6 has an M.2 slot and the B5 doesn't.

It should be easy to identify, based on those characteristics which board you have.

 

[jamesnatsu]

Look at the pictures on Gigabyte's website The B6 picture shows hash marks along the back edge of the board. The B5 picture doesn't have that.
The B6 has the "Socket 1150 parallel to the DIMM slots the B5 is perpendicular.
The B6 has an M.2 slot and the B5 doesn't.

It should be easy to identify, based on those characteristics which board you have.

Yeah I checked multiple times, it's a B6. How come then that dxdiag, speccy and others tell me it's a B5?

 

[The Paladin]

check bios versions, someone might of put a b5 bios on it instead of a b6

 

[kanewolf]

check bios versions, someone might of put a b5 bios on it instead of a b6

That was my thought.

 

[cryoburner]

Yes it does but as far as I know the gpu loses half of it's actual power. At least that's what I read about upgrading gpu's. I just got a pc again after 12 years so I am fairly new to all the modern stuff.

That's not actually true. PCIe 3.0 offers up to double the theoretical bandwidth of a PCIe 2.0 slot with the same number of lanes, but that doesn't translate to double the performance, and actually only effects a card's overall performance by a very small degree. Even with a high-end graphics card like a GTX 1080, the performance difference should be a few percent or less, depending on the game, and there should be even less of an impact with mid-range cards. If your motherboard only supported PCIe 2.0, it wouldn't make a noticeable difference.

 

[jamesnatsu]

check bios versions, someone might of put a b5 bios on it instead of a b6

It indeed seems that there is a B5 version installed instead of a B6 but for good measure here is a picture of the system.

So I basically just have to put a B6 update on it right?

 

[jamesnatsu]

Yes it does but as far as I know the gpu loses half of it's actual power. At least that's what I read about upgrading gpu's. I just got a pc again after 12 years so I am fairly new to all the modern stuff.

That's not actually true. PCIe 3.0 offers up to double the theoretical bandwidth of a PCIe 2.0 slot with the same number of lanes, but that doesn't translate to double the performance, and actually only effects a card's overall performance by a very small degree. Even with a high-end graphics card like a GTX 1080, the performance difference should be a few percent or less, depending on the game, and there should be even less of an impact with mid-range cards. If your motherboard only supported PCIe 2.0, it wouldn't make a noticeable difference.

Hmm okay, good to know man. Thanks!

 

[The Paladin]

It indeed seems that there is a B5 version installed instead of a B6 but for good measure here is a picture of the system. So I basically just have to put a B6 update on it right?

*WARNING THIS COULD BRICK YOUR SYSTEM, and I wont be held responsible
in theory, if your board IS indeed a B6 then getting a B6 bios and update the board to the latest should not adversely affect your board.
in theory, if a B5 bios was put in by mistake it shows how little differences there are between the B5 and B6 board
in theory if all goes well, and the world is not flat, you should not have a problem.
in reality.. if you bought the B6 board and it has a B5 Bios, and it was NEW, I would wonder as to why the factory (short of a simple mistake) did that.
If your board was purchase REFURBED it is possible the B5 bios was put it because of USB 3 issues with a B6 bios.. leading a re-bios to a bricking.

would I do it... yeah... but its your penny my friend.

 

[jamesnatsu]

It indeed seems that there is a B5 version installed instead of a B6 but for good measure here is a picture of the system. So I basically just have to put a B6 update on it right?

*WARNING THIS COULD BRICK YOUR SYSTEM, and I wont be held responsible
in theory, if your board IS indeed a B6 then getting a B6 bios and update the board to the latest should not adversely affect your board.
in theory, if a B5 bios was put in by mistake it shows how little differences there are between the B5 and B6 board
in theory if all goes well, and the world is not flat, you should not have a problem.
in reality.. if you bought the B6 board and it has a B5 Bios, and it was NEW, I would wonder as to why the factory (short of a simple mistake) did that.
If your board was purchase REFURBED it is possible the B5 bios was put it because of USB 3 issues with a B6 bios.. leading a re-bios to a bricking.

would I do it... yeah... but its your penny my friend.

Right, clear as glass. Would I run into problems when I eventually would try to upgrade the GPU with the bios version I have now? I bought the pc from a kid so I don't really know if he did that or the manufacturer put that version on.

 

[The Paladin]

I am unable to answer that question, you could ask him why he sold his board in the first place.
I cannot make promises on the functionality of a incorrect bios on a motherboard can cause as issues.