Athlon XP is multiplier locked and not unlockable?

Raystonn · Oct 5, 2001

It would seem the Athlon XP processors are multiplier locked. In addition, the old pencil trick no longer works. To quote someone from the <A HREF="http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=28&threadid=584744" target="_new">AnandTech forum</A>:

"Well, I tied the pencil trick -- it was a no go... On the chip itself -- it seems like where bridges have been severed there is a little microscopic valley all the way down the line. In other words, whereas the old Athlons just has a laser cut that severed the connections, it seems more like something has actually etched away the connections. I hope that makes sense. What I thought were raised bridges is in fact just the opposite. Everywhere the bridges are cut, their is a tiny, even and symetrical gouge or valley betwen the copper dots."

It looks like everyone is once again stuck with overclocking using only the external clock (FSB.)

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

Yahiko81 · Oct 5, 2001

Maybe, maybe not. We'll have to wait until there release to find out for sure.

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Yummy!!

Raystonn · Oct 5, 2001

Follow the link I provided. Someone has already managed to purchase one.

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

Yahiko81 · Oct 5, 2001

I've been there and read that. He could have a chip released to vendors and it may be different than the release version.

Nice Lizards crunch Trolls cookies.......

Yummy!!

jlbigguy · Oct 5, 2001

Those who are determined will find a simple way to bridge the contacts, provided that the multiplier is not locked internally. If so, then overclocking will follow in Intels footsteps - FSB only.

This is a Forum, not a playground. Treat it with Respect.

Raystonn · Oct 5, 2001

Usually engineering samples are the ones that are not locked, not the other way around. Now then, let us move with this train of thought regarding overclocking Athlons using the external clock (FSB.) What kind of memory is available that goes beyond PC2100 while maintaining CAS2?

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

FatBurger · Oct 6, 2001

Crucial went to a 160MHz FSB at 2-2-2 in a review I saw a while ago. I think that qualifies.

And come on, you really have no evidence. One person who apparently has never unlocked an Athlon before, and you're taking his word for it?

I post so you don't have to!
9/11 - RIP

Raystonn · Oct 6, 2001

I am not taking his word that noone could possibly unlock the processor. I am taking his word that AMD went to some greater lengths to make it much more difficult to unlock it, if not impossible.

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

FatBurger · Oct 6, 2001

No need to lie, Ray. You clearly said it couldn't happen.

Athlon XP is multiplier locked and not unlockable

It would seem the Athlon XP processors are multiplier locked. In addition, the old pencil trick no longer works.

It looks like everyone is once again stuck with overclocking using only the external clock (FSB.)

Nope, you seem to be clearly saying that it can't be unlocked.
Although it is at least more difficult to unlock, you can't yet say it's impossible.

I post so you don't have to!
9/11 - RIP

Raystonn · Oct 6, 2001

The old pencil trick clearly does not work. There is nothing wrong with stating so. If it can be unlocked, a new method will need to be used. Additionally, I never said it was a fact written in stone. This is why I said it 'looks' like everyone is stuck rather than saying straight out that they 'are' stuck.

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

FatBurger · Oct 6, 2001

We still don't know that the pencil trick doesn't work. It looks like it doesn't, but one inexperienced person shouldn't set it in stone.

I post so you don't have to!
9/11 - RIP

Raystonn · Oct 6, 2001

Well then we will give to agree to disagree until they are released to the general public and others get their hands on some of them.

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

FatBurger · Oct 6, 2001

Absolutely. Even though you're probably right, I just don't like saying things as fact without much evidence.

BTW, someone else in that thread has one, we'll see what he can do with it.

I post so you don't have to!
9/11 - RIP

Raystonn · Oct 6, 2001

Uh oh... Someone else from the same thread:

"The method they've used to cut the bridges is unique. It actually leaves you no area to make a connection between the two sides of the bridge. No matter how much lead I used I couldn't get it done"

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

Boondock_Saint · Oct 6, 2001

What about those "connection markers" or "connection pens" I heard about somewhere? I do not know exactly what they were, but it was an electircally conductive material in a pen or marker, similiar to White Out pens.

Raystonn · Oct 6, 2001

Noone has tried a conductive pen yet. Unfortunately that would certainly be a more permanent solution than a pencil. There would be little chance of being able to return a dead processor once applying something like this.

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

FatBurger · Oct 6, 2001

This doesn't bode well

Conductive pens? That might work, but I doubt it.

Maybe AMD specifically targeted pencilling the bridges for some reason? That seems odd (and there's no reason why they shouldn't have just left them connected), but that's the only thing I can think of.

If connecting the L1 bridges has no use (CPU still locked), then why would they even have them up there? That makes no sense to me. Only time will tell, I guess.

I post so you don't have to!
9/11 - RIP

Crashman · Oct 6, 2001

It makes perfect sense that AMD MIGHT want to lock their bridges now. Why? To support their NEW lie. OK, they are releasing th XP chip with a new number that does NOT represent the true speed, such as 1800 for the 1533. Are they labling the processor internally as an XP1800, or are motherboard manufacturers supposed to set up a BIOS table that see's 1533 and looks up the name "XP 1800" in the table? If the name XP1800 is assigned by BIOS, then what gets displayed if the processor is running at a different speed, say, 1600? If BIOS does not have the numbers in the table such as "1600MHz=XP1900", then what's left to display? The true speed? AMD already told Motherboard manufacturers that they could NOT list the true speed!

Back to you Tom...

Raystonn · Oct 6, 2001

Heh... What a bind.

Perhaps this is the reason for the "+" in the name. An "Athlon XP 1800+" normally runs at 1.533GHz. If someone managed to run it at 1.6GHz you could label it an "Athlon XP 1800+0.467GHz". *laughing*

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

Matisaro · Oct 6, 2001

To quote a wise man.

"this was posted on an internet message board, and we all know how reliable their information is"

Of course I paraphrased.

~Matisaro~
"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
~Tbird1.3@1.5~

Raystonn · Oct 6, 2001

A single post by a single person is one thing. But many posts, screenshots, 3DMark results, etc. by two to three people are a bit easier to trust.

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

kusek · Oct 6, 2001

I found a website that claims the P4 will soon have it's own PR ratings. When I find it again I will post a link.
It went something like the following.

P4 1.8 GHz will become P4 1.2 TBR
P4 1.9 GHz will become P4 1.33 TBR
P4 2.0 GHz will become PR 1.4 TBR

I'm not sure what TBR means.

phsstpok · Oct 6, 2001

Additionally, I never said it was a fact written in stone. This is why I said it 'looks' like everyone is stuck rather than saying straight out that they 'are' stuck.

Hmmmm, What is the subject of this thread, "Athlon XP is multiplier locked and not unlockable"? Are these not your words? No ambiguity in that claim but you are inconsistent.

Would you like a Quarter Pounder?
No, thank you. Just give me the BIG heatsink. It's an Athlon.

kusek · Oct 6, 2001

Here it is.
www.amdmeltdown.com\dumba$$\ratings

This guy claims he knows what he is talking about so I'm sure it is legit.

Raystonn · Oct 6, 2001

Notice the question mark at the end?

-Raystonn

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my employer. =

Athlon XP is multiplier locked and not unlockable?

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