Intel CPU Stickies (condensed)

The Official Intel CPU Sticky

The official Intel CPU Sticky

Everything you need to know about Intel CPUs, including S.N.D.S. and vid-pinning the Northwoods to general overclocking.

What I have done with this thread is condensed a bunch of stickies into one. I have elaborated in areas I feel need clarifying, but I would like to emphasize that most of these posts are word-for-word what the ORIGINAL author wrote, not me. I have done this to make the Intel CPU forum look a little more organized and get rid of some of the stickies. If you have questions regarding the layout of the thread or posts in it, please PM me.

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"JAZZ'S GUIDE TO OVERCLOCKING"

If you haven't already read this, the Overclockers.com Beginner's Guide Section has some good stuff to know about how to overclock, and other helpful hints about your computer in general. One article I think is definitely worth a look is this one, which was written by one of our Forum Senior Members, Batboy. It is a very thorough article that gives you the do’s and don’ts of overclocking. Likewise, you might find the CPU Database of some help in determining what others have been able to safely overclock your processor to.

Take baby steps... nothing more than maybe 10 FSB over default on your first shot. Boot into Windows and run some sort of processor intensive application or burn-in utility for about an hour, and if it's stable, reboot, and try a higher FSB. Basically, this is trial and error. If you go too high and the system will not POST, you must find the "clear CMOS" jumper, and set it so it will clear the BIOS (your manual should have more info on this). This will restore everything to default, but it should let you boot. Holding "delete" immediately after powering on your computer should also load BIOS defaults.

Some older boards (primarily PII boards and older) use jumpers to set the CPU speed. If you do not have overclocking options in the BIOS, this is probably the case. Look in your motherboard manual and see if there are any jumpers pertaining to the FSB speed.

You'll want to keep an eye on your temperatures. Make sure they never exceed 50C, and try to keep them below 45C. I personally try to keep them under 40C but I am a perfectionist.

If an overclock is somewhat stable, but still gives you some errors, you can boost the voltage, but then keep an even closer eye on the temps as that will raise heat.

Also, you might reach a point at which some of your PCI/AGP cards may not work. Most cards can handle up to a 40MHz PCI frequency well, but after that, start to flake out. Be especially careful if you're using a NIC, as these are known to be very persnickety about high PCI speeds. Of course, most of the newer P4 boards have PCI lock options in the BIOS so you don't have to worry about your PCI cards going out of spec.

Some good programs for burn-in and general system maintenance are Motherboard Manager 5 (MBM5), SiSoft Sandra, Toast, and Prime 95. You can check to see if some of these are available at downloads.com (I know Sandra is available there). You can also Google Search to find a specific program you're looking for.

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"VID PIN WIRE WRAPPING THE NORTHWOOD P-4 FOR MORE VOLTAGE"

This post was part of a sticky which was composed by batboy (senior member). Private messages are welcome if you have questions or comments, but should be directed at him.


Warning and disclaimer

Do this modification at your own risk! If this Northwood VID pin wire wrap procedure is not done correctly, your CPU is going to be an expensive piece of fried junk, which potentially could short out the motherboard too. Be aware, this will undoubtedly void your warranty. Don't blame me if you damage components or injury yourself. However, this procedure has been successfully performed and tested by myself and several others. NOTE: it is now known the overvolting Northwoods (like above 1.75v) for long periods of time can lead to the CPU dying.


References and credits

I have some previous experience in doing this wire wrap trick to increase the default voltage with a Celeron 566 and a P-III 700. However, because I never VID pinned a Northwood P-4 before, I followed the procedures (with some modifications) outlined in an article written by Andy Owens (see below listed link) and a Japanese article (see below listed link). The photos and diagram used in this document were borrowed from these two articles.

http://www.hexus.net/review.php?review=278

http://www2.justnet.ne.jp/~kiti/Paso/00pen4-3/northwood01.htm


Actual VID pin wire wrapping procedure

The first thing you should do is to use a low "user define" BIOS voltage setting before beginning. Do not leave the BIOS setting at default or the computer will automatically boot up to the "new" vcore default the first time after you wire wrap the VID pins.

The second thing you should do is to unplug the computer power cord and ground yourself to protect against static electricity. Always touch the metal computer case to discharge any static prior to working on components inside a computer.

Now, you must decide how much of a modified default voltage you desire, keeping in mind that currently the real default in the Northwood P-4 is 1.5v. Next, you need to figure out which VID pins to connect to obtain your vcore goal. The easiest to do is to connect VID4 to VID3 pins for a modified default of 1.7v. Since there is only two pins to connect if you choose this option, it might be easier to bend a tiny piece of wire into a "U" shape and drop it down into the appropriate socket pin holes. I initially tried this method, but my Abit TH7-II motherboard only increased the max setting from 1.625v to 1.85v, so I decided I wanted more. NOTE: Currently, wiring up just VID #3 and #4 seems to be the best plan, since too many Northwoods have died from overvolting recently.

Another option is to connect VID4, VID3, and VID2 pins together for a modified vcore default of 1.8v. This would probably be a good compromise and should provide more than enough voltage for most overclocking projects. For extreme overclocking freaks (like me) that want maximum voltage settings, the last option is to connect VID4, VID3, VID2, and VID1 pins together for a modified vcore default of 1.85v. This allowed me access to a maximum BIOS setting of 2.2v on my Abit TH7-II motherboard, which is more than enough voltage to get me into major trouble if I am not careful.

IMPORTANT NOTE: this paragraph was added later once the new C1 stepping was released. The new C1 stepping Northwoods have a default vcore of 1.525v. With the original B0 1.5v default Northies, VID0 was connected internally and VID1 was open (not connected), but with the C1 1.525v default Northies, VID0 is open and VID1 is internally connected. VID4 is internally connected on both B0 and C1 steppings. So basically, there are only two easy VID pinning options for the C1 stepping CPUs, which are as follows:

Connecting VID3 and VID4 to give you 1.725v
Connecting VID2, VID3 and VID4 to give you 1.825v




For my project, I decided to throw caution to the wind and wire wrap VID pins #1, #2, #3, and #4 to give me the most vcore I could get. It was not entirely an easy task. I worked carefully and took my time knowing if I made a mistake that it would be very costly. My tools used were a magnifying glass, small tweezers, and a medium sized sewing needle. Having lots of patience and a steady hand would be an added bonus. Be advised that socket 478 CPU pins are tiny and extremely close together.



I took a short length of fine wire strand that I stripped out of standard automotive grade speaker wire. You could also use a single strand out of a length of computer fan power wire or something similar. Next, I made a loop in the middle of this strand of wire by first wrapping it around a sewing needle. Then, I lassoed VID pin #1 with the loop, which was harder than it sounds, because you need three hands to hold the magnifying glass, the tweezers, and the sewing needle (which I used to guide the wire loop down over the pin).

After the loop was over VID1 pin, I carefully pulled both ends of the wire to tighten up the noose. Next, I criss-crossed the wire in a braid pattern around each of the other VID pins for maximum contact with the pins and also to add more friction to help keep it from sliding off the CPU VID pins. Once all of the desired VID pins were connected, I used the tweezers to twist the wires tightly together at the end in a pig-tail. Be careful not to bend the delicate CPU pins. The tail of the wire was trimmed with scissors and curled around the edge of the chip out of the way. This also helps prevent the wire from falling off the pins when the CPU is inserted back into the socket. Make sure the CPU is pushed solidly down into the socket all the way.

Conclusion

After everything was back together, I booted the system and went into the BIOS. Yippee, it worked! The default voltage registered 1.85v since I had wrapped all four VID pins. Better yet, I now had considerably more additional vcore settings than I previously had before. However, I must caution you good folks not to get carried away with running too much voltage. That's an invitation for disaster if you don't have exceptional cooling. If you're using air cooling, I'd think twice before going above 1.8v (real measured vcore) for any extended period of time. That's a 20% increase in voltage above the original 1.5v default.

Good luck and happy overclocking. This new found vcore voltage options should allow you to unlock the full potential of your Northwood. Prior to wire wrapping the VID pins on my Northwood 2.0a gig CPU, the highest I was able to overclock my system was 2.5 gig, even with lots of cooling mods. Now with higher voltage, I have benchmarked my computer up to a maximum of 2.66 gig. I hope your system will soar to new heights like mine did. Just be careful and watch those temps.

The top photo is how the author wrapped VID4 and VID3 pins in the original article for 1.7v modified default.

The bottom photo shows in red how I criss-crossed the wire in between VID pins for 1.85v modified default.

(This post has been taken from a Sticky by one of our Senior Members, Batboy)

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For easier Wire-Wrapping, one might try and use rear-window defogger paint. The details of this procedure are in the following post, written by MrNatural:

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"Rear Window Defogger Paint Vid-Pinning"

Hi all. thought I would toss this up for all those who have been wanting higher default voltages for their P4s but have been reluctant to do the VID Pin Mod or the Pin 7 POT Mod.
This little trick will take care of not having to do both. As you know the VID Pin Mod requires the connection of the VID puns located on the P4. This is done via the use of small thin wires twisted and gently wrapped around the pins. The pins needed to be done can be seen in the illistration below.

This method is again alright but it tends to worry ppl because the area they have to work in is very small and they are afraid of the possibility of breaking the pin.
Well lime I said, this method will do away with that worry all together because you don't even have to touch the CPU pins.
Here's how you go about it.
First you need a few items which are readily availible to everyone.
1 small straight pin
1 small tipped fiber paint bruch (supplied with next item)
1 jar of Rear Window Defogger Kit.

You may also want to have a little alcahol around to clean up with after you are done.
Next get your motherboard which you are going to install the P4 onto. Make sure it has easy access to the socket where the P4 is placed. (See pic below)

Now what you need to do is locate the pin holes in the socket which corresponds to the VID Pins on the P4. (See pin below)

Now with the fine tipped brush get some of the Rear Window Defogger Kit fluid onto the tip. Then simply put a bead of the fluid between the pin holes. Depending on how much you want your default vcore to be will depend on which pin hiles you will bridge with the fluid. After getting a good bead of fluid between the pins you wish to connect then clean your brush and then let the fluid dry for about a minute.
Then take the small staright pin and getly clean up and fluid that may seem like it has spread to far the side and look like it may touch any of the ajoining pin holes. Also gently poke the pin into each hole that you placed fluid into and plugged up the hole.(See pic below)

Once you have done that then you're done. Let the fluid finish drying before placing you cpu in. The pic below will show you what it should look like after you have finished.

I have just finished doing this to my BD7-Raid and with the 7D bios I now have all the vcore I need with no worry of the CBI. I also no longer have the Pin 7 POT Mod on the system. Now when I boot up, my vcore at default reads 1.80v. I can easily move the vdore level up or down with it working properly. The max vcore I can choose using the 7C bios for my BD7 and 7D bios for my TH7II is now 2.2v. This is with Woodies installed in both.
So with a mere 3-4 minutes of work I no longer need to use the soldering iron or make any kind of pin wraps or use the 40B bios for my TH7II or the 6H2 for the BD7. No more CBI on either system.
Ahhhhhhh. Life is good again.
Anyway. Thought this would help some ppl so there it is. If it doesn't wuite give you what you want then it only take a couple of minutes to clean up with a QTip and Alcahol.
That's it for now. Enjoy all.
Oh, BTW. With this mod I'm now able to take my funky ole 2.0ghz Woody and put it at 2.66ghz with out it giving me one beep or non boot. I is happy now.

(This post has been taken from a Sticky by one of our Members, MrNatural)

"Unlocking a PII Slot Processor"

by Lonely Raven

As promised I'm whipping up a quick article on how multiplier
unlock the Pentium II processor.

I'm sorry the photos are so large, but I've only recently re-built
these machines, and I can't find my copy of Photoshop. I
attempted to reduce them, but too much clarity was lost.

This is honestly really really really simple to do, and I know it's
safe, as I've run an unlocked 400Mhz PII @500 for 3+ years
now without a single burp. As you will see later, it works with
other PII processors.

Please read along, read twice, *then* attempt this. While
easy it is, I don't care to be bombed by questions that can
easily be answerd by looking at the photos, and reading my
simple text.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Virst, the victim:



Typical PII 400, slightly modified by a young overclocker known
as The Lonely Raven. While I don't have a kick *** Nikon 950
that takes killer macros, this 3 year old Olympus in my steady
hands does pretty well. You can even read the serial, model,
and batch code!



Note the oversized heat sink and lack of stock fan, typical of
the Compaq computer I pinched it from. If my memory serves
me correctly, I got this from a machine that was struck by
lightening and replaced by insurance. The customer was so
happy with my customer service/technical skills they gave me
what they thought was a useless hunk for "spare parts".



Here we have the mod itself. Just a friggen piece of tape.
This is the same piece of tape that's been key to unlock this
processor for the past 3+ years. The key to the unlock is taking
the processor so the hologram is facing you, and count 11
THICK PINS from the right. If you look at the photo, you will
see thick pins and thins pins. The thin pins actually turn into
thick pins further up the PCB. Just like an AGP video card, two
rows of pins in an over under format.

What I do is cut a sliver of scotch tape thats just about the
size of the thick pin on the processor. It doesn't matter if it
goes over the little pins at all, but don't let it cover any of the
thick pins accept the #11 from the right that is our target!
Simply line up the piece of tape with the pin, press it on as best
as you can, and trim off anything that might roll off the bottom
and onto the other side of the PCB. Remember, only Pin #11!!



Just to retest this "magic tape" unlocking method, I grabbed
a PII 300 processor, unlocked it using above method, and
plugged it into my Dual Slot 1 Server Motherboard. Notice the
clock speed!



Then I thought, Duh! I can run my 400 @ 400 and the 333 @
400 and stop my *******g about how I don't have a matched
pair for this server!! Please excuse the slightly blurry photos,
even my steady hand isn't steady enough for a 1 second
shutter speed needed to shoot a photo in such lighting
conditions...

I'd show you photos of SETI crunching a WU on each processor,
but I didn't realize that I have to completely install windows
again for it to recognize and utalize the second processor.
I figured I'd better get this article up quick before I get lazy and
blow it off for a nice quiet (barring the fans) weekend.

I hope this helps out my new friends and team at
Overclockers.com!

Please ask questions here in this thread, I'll do my best to
answer them when I find time!

Thanx for reading!!

This was taken from a post in the SETI Section of our forums with permission from one of our members, Lonely Raven.

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"Intel Roadmap"

Courtesy of c627627:

http://www.c627627.com/Intel/Pentium4/

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"Reading the FPO/BATCH Code on your Intel CPU"

by TASOS

Since there are many new member here in these forums....that cannot really "translate" the fpo\batch of their cpu....here follows a small guide....the more experienced members can correct me if i'm wrong in any of these....thx.

1st letter or digit=plant code
0=San Jose,Costa Rica
3=..............,Costa Rica
1=Cavite,Philippines
R=Manila,Philippines
7=..........,Philippines
9=Penang,Malaysia
Q=...........,Malaysia
L=............,Malaysia
8=Leixlip,Ireland
Y=Leixlip,Ireland
6=Chandler,Arizona
5=Shangai China

Example:L149A463-0726

L=plant (Malay)

2nd digit=Year of production (2001)

3rd & 4th digits=week (49th week )

(A463)=some kind of traceability number

(0726)=Serialization code

Any more input is welcome
Thanks

(This post has been taken from a Sticky by one of our Members, TASOS)

"Sudden Northwood Death Syndrome- S.N.D.S."

There is some controversy about what exactly causes Sudden Northwood Death Syndrome (S.N.D.S.), however, the general opinion is that raising your Core Voltage above 1.7V or so on a P4 Northwood is risking the health of your CPU. There is also a theory that super-cooling on the CPU (e.g. forcing the CPU to operate in conditions too cold for it, by means of it being Vapochilled or in more extreme examples, dry iced), can cause S.N.D.S. And as always, making a CPU run too hot can cause premature death.

"Vid-Pin Wrapping the Tualatin Celeron"

by Pinky

Much of the information below is a repeat from an overclocking article that was written prior to the release of the Tualatin core. Besides the spec sheet/voltages available, little else has changed (even appears that the PINs are the same ).

On page 61 of the Intel Specs Sheet you will find the diagram of the pins of a Tualatin Celeron. For a close up view, visit here. Please note VID1 and VID2 towards the upper right of the diagram. These are the PINs we will be wrapping.

Vid Pinning your cpu changes the default voltage for your cpu to a higher value, in this case from 1.475 to 1.675 With this additional voltage you will be able to run your processor at higher clock speeds. Beware that increased voltages will generate more heat and require better than retail heatsink cooling. Perform voltage modifications at your own risk!!

There's some additional information/discussion here and here.

This is relatively simple, but careful attention needs to be paid to only connecting the proper pins together and ensuring no stray wire touches the surrounding pins.

Personally, I used a single strand of copper speaker wire cut to about 3 inch length. Created a tiny hook with needle nosed pliers on one end, and patiently wrapped the pins, pulling very slightly to keep the tension. Once wrapped 4 to 5 times, I pulled with a little force. The first few times pulling the wire caused the wire to unwrap and I had to start over, but it's necessary in order to keep them tight once you flip the processor and place it in the socket.

I cut the remaining wire away and ensured the left over wire would not become loose. In this picture it appears that the wire does not run a risk of touching the other pins (NOTE: this was not a picture of my own wrapping ).

This takes a little common sense, a slightly steady hand, and much patience. Total time: 15 minutes. Results: 1530mhz (127mhz bus speed) at 1.82V on an Abit VH6T motherboard.

Good luck!

(This post has been taken from a Sticky by one of our Senior Members, Pinky)

"Collection of BSEL Mods"

by loner

The technique used in my Xeon overclock can be applied to most all CPUs, given the right conditions. These mods can let you overclock a "non-overclockable" board, or unlock new BIOS options, such as some RAM ratios in some 845G boards.

Disclaimer: These mods do involve a certain amount of risk, and I will not be responsible for any mishaps. Mod carefully.

Requirements

• CPU that is not at the highest default FSB of its core (ex. a 400 MHz FSB ("A") P4- the current max is 533 MHz ("B"))
• Motherboard that supports a higher default FSB than that of the CPU (ex. 845E- supports 533 MHz FSB)

What you need to do

One pin needs to be isolated from the socket to change the default FSB. This can be done by:

• Painting it with a non-conductor, like nail polish
• Insulating it with heatshrink or the insulation of an ATA cable
• Snapping the pin

I would suggest painting methods for less dense sockets, such as Socket 370, as I found it too hard (perhaps my impatience) on the crowded Socket 603. If you choose to snap the pin, the eye of a needle works well to grasp the pin, and if you bend surrounding pins, a credit card works well to straighten them. Also note that you can't snap the pin of a Slot 1 CPU , though in that case its a lot easier to paint the pin.

Someone had mentioned isolating the pin using a heatshrink-type material, which might require modification of the socket to allow the thicker pin. I personally think this is too much hassle, but feel free to try it if you want something quickly reversible.

THIS IS REVERSIBLE

To reverse the mod, all you need to do is join the isolated pin to its companion BSEL pin (they come in sets of two) like you would do a wire-wrap volt mod, or remove the insulation (nail polish remover).

In all pictures, the BLUE pin should be isolated. You can join the blue pin to the red pin to restore the original default.

In all cases, a 100 MHz default is changed to a 133 MHz default.

Slot 1

Sorry, no pics here, they aren't provided in the PDF. You need to isolate pin A14. I believe A is the side of the actual core, and A1 is on the far end of the notch. I am not 100% sure on this, so someone please confirm or correct this.

Also, the other BSEL isn't next to this pin, so only insulation removal will reverse this particular mod.

Socket 370



This works for both Coppermine and Tualatin cores, although it may not work on the Coppermine Celeron; someone reported that it failed, and the PDF yields nothing. Doesn't hurt to try anyway

Socket 478



Note that this pinout is from looking down at the IHS; make sure you study it and reverse things accordingly. BTW, the white blocks do count as pins, too. This works on all Socket 478 CPUs

The Socket 603 mod can be found in the article above.

These modifications have been performed on my Xeon, as I mentioned previously, as well as by some others here. This thread is only meant as a central location for all these mods, so that you dont have to search for the questions asked for individual cases scattered everywhere .

Also, if you guys have any input (correct errors, tell me cores/sockets/examples I missed, etc.), or could hook me up with older PDFs (Mendocino Celly, for example), Id appreciate it. Feel free to PM or email me with any questions.

(This post has been taken from a Sticky by one of our Members, loner)

Very great "collection". Nice work.

You missed the Tualatin on BX....
On the CPU
Insulate AN3 , AK4 , AJ3
then Bridge AK4 to AN11

on some slotkets that will not post with only the above mod, some addition bridging must be doneon the slotket to post
for example an Aopen Slotket needs this bridge (as it doesnt come connected from the manufacture)
G35 to G37

Also many people recomend setting the defualt Vcore to 1.65V to help post/stability while overclocking

for a 1.45V & 1.475 Tualatin
VID 2 to VSS

for a 1.5V tualtin
Vid 1 to VSS
Vid 0 to VSS

jAY said:

You missed the Tualatin on BX....
On the CPU
Insulate AN3 , AK4 , AJ3
then Bridge AK4 to AN11

on some slotkets that will not post with only the above mod, some addition bridging must be doneon the slotket to post
for example an Aopen Slotket needs this bridge (as it doesnt come connected from the manufacture)
G35 to G37

Also many people recomend setting the defualt Vcore to 1.65V to help post/stability while overclocking

for a 1.45V & 1.475 Tualatin
VID 2 to VSS

for a 1.5V tualtin
Vid 1 to VSS
Vid 0 to VSS

Click to expand...

Thanks Jay. If anyone else has anything they think would be helpful, feel free to add it as long as it's within reason.

where u find this information??

r u woking in intel company??

Nah, if I worked at Intel I'd be a much happier person. This information was part of a bunch of threads we had here, all I did was condense it all into one thread to make it look a little neater.

S370/Slocket Core Voltage Selector

I was trying to help a fellow member, so I took out my DMM and started measuring on my slocket, with my findings I did a search on google and found this article (I would have written it myself, but there's no need to ).

As far as I can tell it should work on every slocket or MOBO that doesn't let you change CV.

**NOTE** If the VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) on your MOBO doesn't support voltages below 1.8V (Like the early P2B's) this MOD does NOT let you set voltages below 1.8V.

Would it be possible to just put a strand of wire that goes into the coinciding holes in the socket rather than thread it in the pins?

Yes, but if you can't change CV in BIOS and you have a 1.65V Coppermine CPU, your only option is 2.05V (VID3 is the only pin that isn't connected to VSS) which is a bit too high for most people.

Vid pin trick, does it work on the new 'C' core's ?? ie. the 800Mhz FSB ones

The one I was looking at is outlined here

Any idea's?

I don't want to go ahead with this only to find Intel has changed the pin layout in some way and fry my chip.

Thanks for any help fellas

the VID pins are the same for all currurent socket 478 CPU's
so no need to worry

So the article I linked to in my first post will work OK with my P4 3C?

Hope it does, cos my mobo (Gigabyte 8KNXP) only does upto 1.6v and I've got a watercooling setup on the way.

Intel Multipliers...

Multipliers cannot be unlocked on Intel CPUs!


The trace that's cut on the CPU to lock the multiplier is on the die and thus cannot be connected. Some Intel Engineering Samples come unlocked, but to get one you would have to work at Intel as they are considered Intel property for 3 years I believe. Sale without the permission of Intel is illegal.

Thx for such indepth info. I will put it to good use.

What about my Cel Tually 1.3GHz?
Wiring Vid1 to Vid2 gave me 1.6v not 1.675 so that table doesn't fit with this cpu. What am I going to do to get a 1.65 or even 1.70 ?
It's a phillipines tb1 core.
I'm sad

Optix said:

What about my Cel Tually 1.3GHz?
Wiring Vid1 to Vid2 gave me 1.6v not 1.675 so that table doesn't fit with this cpu. What am I going to do to get a 1.65 or even 1.70 ?
It's a phillipines tb1 core.
I'm sad

Click to expand...

Default CV for your CPU is 1.5V right? if so, connecting VID1 to VID2 does indeed give you 1.6V.
Connecting VID0+VID1 to Vss or VID2 will give you 1.65V.