AMD XP Barton

[jEnus]

What is multi-lock for on the Bartons? Is it better have it or no?

 

[thetman]

the way cpus work is to get the clock speed (ie 1.87 for a 2500+) you multiply the multiplier by the front side bus. On the 2500+ the multiplier is 11 and the fsb is 166. Some some chips, it is possible to change the multiplier as a means of overclocking. You could change the 2500+ to 11.5x166. Multi-lock is when you can't change the multiplier. This is bad... very very bad. It makes it much harder to overclock because you can only change the fsb.

 

[BlueWeasel]

The multiplier on the mobile Bartons is not factory locked, and can be adjusted. That's one of the reasons why the mobile chips are preferred for overclocking.

The desktop Barton chips used to be unlocked, until AMD started locking them around Week 32 of last year.

 

[jEnus]

Was the Barton 3000+ or 3200+ 400FSB avail w/o multi-lock?