Easy way to Unlock AMD XP Processors

[Gunthr]

Here

[SKurj]

Cool idea!!

I did it the hard way with a conductive ink pen...


SKurj

[Gunthr]

Way to go, Skurj... my hands aren't that steady  

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: Gunthr ]

[-ammo-]

so by using this, I can make my AMD Athlon XP1600 faster than it is now?

[SKurj]

What this does ammo, is it "unlocks" the cpu.  The cpu comes from the factory with the multiplier locked.
By using this tape stuff, you would then have the potential to overclock the cpu.

If you really think you would like to try this, visit some websites that discuss overclocking and do alot of reading and research.  Then decide if its really worth it...

Actually Gunthr my hands aren't as steady as they once were, I lost my temper a couple of times while trying to do it.  What I did was, working with my "shake" put a dab on the cpu and then use a toothpick to shape it.  It took me at least 15 attempts, and the squeak of it is, everything is so close, that if u screw up one u may have to redo a couple of the lines +(

SKurj

[ 10-30-2001: Message edited by: SKurj ]

[Gunthr]

Skurj, you must have been pretty happy when you finally got it!  

Ammo, you can overclock two ways:

1. Overclock just the CPU, if it is unlocked, by changing the multiplier. You are only limited by heat, and the quality of the cpu chip.

2. Overclock your whole system, including your peripherals, by raising the Front Side Bus. Here you are limited by how much your video card, hard drive, etc are willing to run out of spec. That is my understanding.

So yes, if you unlock your CPU, you can play around with the speed of it - EASY to do in your Epox bios. Heat is the problem, because higher speed makes more heat. To seriously overclock, you would need a better fan/heatsink than came with your cpu. You can possibally turn a 1400mhz cpu into a 1700 mhz cpu this way. Most people look at it as a hobby, because you sometimes have to do a lot of fiddling with it, and you risk ruining your cpu if you screw up.

[Defiance]

Hiya's,
You can also try this way if you are having any sticky probs with the tape
Use Tippex mostly waterbased now so don't panic about combustion lol) or alike to fill the groove/trench if it's that bad and then use conductive ink (silver liquid stuff you can get to repair de-mister grills etc in cars) (use a toothpick/cocktail stick sharp ends or a sewing needle to apply)
If you try this and liquid gets spread don't panic, Wait til dry and carefully use something to either slice through if merged or similar to etch it off, As the liquid when dry tends to come off as a flake it's easy enough to work with (hope that makes sense)

Have Fun

Def

[Defiance]

Sorry Skurj i replied by jumping in too quick and just saw the conductive ink part in ya post

Have Fun

Def

[AKSWulfe]

<punt>

I don't know if it's the same, but with my AMD Athlon I used a #2/HB pencil (very common pencils- the one I used was a Dixon Oriole) and unlocked my multiplier by just scribbling over the broken links.

Works fine.
-SW

[Gunthr]

The new Palomino cpu's are a bit different from the regular Athlons, SWulfe... laser-cut pits between the nodes prevent you from drawing a solid line to make the connection. You have to fill in the pits first, or try the trace tape... The regular Athlon 1400mhz is really a great buy.

[bloom25]

http://www.anandtech.com/cpu/showdoc.html?i=1554

You can see from this article that the old 1.4Mhz Tbird is quite competitive with the P4 2 GHz and the new 1.9+ Xp (1.6 Ghz) totally dominates the P4 nearly across the board.

Unlocking the new XP processors is somewhat harder than the older Tbirds.  I personally would use some conductive epoxy or a rear view defogger repair kit.  There are little "trenches" dug where the bridges are cut via laser.  (What's odd is that the Athlon MPs don't have them, and they are identical to the XPs otherwise.)