Questions about AthlonXP CPU Cores?

[Train]

Bright lights and microscope help at times also.

[DrMDJ]

Definately want to be able to see what you're doing, have a steady hand, and be careful what your doing. Done right you get an unlocked cpu. Done wrong you get a shorted out and worthless cpu.

[LotusAstra]

yup, i know what u mean, should be quite a nice mission for me, i'll be quite proud when its done

Just found this 10MB video @ toms hardware site LINK, makes it look almost easy after watching it abouit 10 times, i quite like the look of technique used there, i think this will be the way i'll try (unless anyone disagrees of course), what do ya reckon?

Things i need for the unlock: (just thinking aloud... kinda making a list here to remind me and get u'r advice)

1. Solvent Cleaner (white spirit or nail polish remover anygood?)
2. Super Glue (to fill the pits) (any Super Glue do?)
3. Cunductive Silver Laquer (Defogger Repair i assume, i've seen it mentioned b4?)
4. Roll of clear tape (for masking... and protecting it after)

I have a decent multiMeter to test for shorts between each bridge etc so i don't think i can mess that up, well i'd know b4 trying it anycase... i wonder if i could do it without pulling off the rubber rest thing, probably not, so i guess i'd just glue it back on after if i can keep it in one peice. hopefully that'll be about it other than "Artic Silver 3" and a bigger magnifying Glass

Who's up for comfirming/correcting what i'm about to do (Dr ), i won't touch it until i hear back ofcourse. So many Q's i know, I highlighted them for convienence.

Regards

[DrMDJ]

Hey, I have no problems if people want to unlock their processors. As long as they have a grasp of the pitfalls and what is needed to do it...

Didn't look at the video (I'll catch it when it comes to HBO), but...

For step 1: fine, or you can even using rubbing alcohol.
For step 2: As long as the substance is non-conductive, fine. Often the gap filler is a substance that doesn't harden. Doesn't matter though. Often people put tape over the area after putting down the gap fller, then pull it off (the tape) to remove any of the non-conductive filler that might have gotten on the "dots".
For step 3: What you're using is fine. An alternative is conductive grease, or even the stuff used to repair car rear window defoggers.
Step 4: Yes, mask off and isolate things.

If you like you can buy unlocking kits for only a few bucks that contain everything needed.

Good luck And remember: if it doesn't work or anything goes wrong, we deny ever knowing you or talking about this with ya.

[LotusAstra]

Thanx again DrMDJ for your kindness, like the disclaimer goes without saying really.

Now i know what i need and what to do with it, Just have to get the bits and do it... (and weigh up pros & cons vs new CPU too, as in a few months the 2200+ or close to it would be affordable) i've managed to track down a local store (Maplins, rather expensive) to buy the unlocking bits on their own, but can't find Artic Silver anywhere in Bristol tho so i'm gunna look for some online site in the UK that has it, i have a few in mind, if i can pull this off for around a tenner then i'm game...

I'm not the kinda person who needs the extra speed all the time, for what i do mostly the PC's its plenty fast enuf anyway.

At the moment i only up the FSB to 139 for one reason only... when running some recent games in WinME (all i use ME for really)... where i also have the Geforce running over spec too (from 200/460 to 220/520), with both in combination it gives around an extra 700 points in 3Dmark2001, but as i said before i wanna get my PCI bus back at spec (which requires unlocking).... for the most part, its more of a curiousity thing i need to cure, just so i see what i can pust out of it or sumut without losing stability "thats probably what every one thinks when they start off i'd imagine".

Regards

[LotusAstra]

Well i look at it like this, i wouldn't know if i'd wanted to do it unless i knew what was involved 1st, having spoken about it on this thread has helped me a lot and i'm now fully aware of whats involved...

i've known for a while theres a risk in killing the CPU (or memory or maybe worst) and another thing i dunno if the CPU will like 166FSB for sure and be stable if i did do it (i read other people do it, but most have big HSF's, super PSU's and the rest).... i've also been reading up about PSU voltages and my 5v line is just above minimum, so after raising the volts to CPU i might get instability if its going much below 4.9v... after a lot of weighing up what could happen, i'd be gutted if it killed more than the CPU...

Also i only have PC2100 RAM (my mistake for being impatient) so that could cause probs too.

As time goes by i learn more and more... i found for example THIS and its put me off using super glue for filling the pits too.

so given all the varibles involved i've decided for now that the sensible thing to do is to leave a good thing alone, as really it does me fine as it is, extra is nice but i don't reckon its worth the risk to up it to a CPU worth less that the cost of doing it in the 1st place.

I think most of u will agree that i've made the right choice, however its been very interesting finding out what involved.

Maybe if I OC'ed to a CPU which was worth twice as much or sumut that wasn't even available in the shops it may make sence, but since i don't think theres any chance of a 1700+ doing that i'll settle for what i have now as i'm well happy with it (i moved from an Athlon850 before).

Many Many thx, i'd like to think this thread has been usefull/interesting to other prospective OverClocker's too, in a positve or negitive way i'm not sure, guess it depends on the person really.

Have fun all & i'll c'ya around the board

[Train]

A lot of us reached the same answer for the same reason. If I can not see the difference, it is not worth it.
1.4GHZ to 1.6GHZ oc and other than a benchmark program which says there is one I still can not see it with my eyes. Now from a xp1600 to a xp2200 you might, but still?

[LotusAstra]

I'm with ya on that one, with the slight OC i do in ME i can't say that i see real world differences really when playing games, but 3dMark does sumhow

What 1st got me going on this OC mission was I had been visiting the AMDmb forum when i 1st setup my system and it seemed so many did it over there. (they have very nice BIOS Guides n stuff specific for my MoBo, which without i would've been lost )

But yeah been reading more lately and i'm getting the impression its just not worth it any more cuz the percent of OC is getting smaller all the time... while hardware is getting cheaper too.

Back when the Celeron 300a was king, getting that to run @ 400 MHZ must have really been sumut in those days (heard they go to 450MHZ somehow), but an extra 100 or even 200MHZ on top of 1500MHZ as u say isn't a lot at all when u think about it what one allready has.

Regards

[DrMDJ]

Sounds like you've looked at all the pros and cons and come to a decision logically. Overclocking isn't always all that it's cracked up to be. There can be benefit had, there can also be serious consequences. Some people do it for the fun or challenge. Some to be cool. To each their own. Regardless of the conclusion you've reached, you did (as you say) learn things.