CPU Multiplier Change Help

sirfergy

Golden Member
Aug 2, 2000
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Hello, I have a question. :)I have a P166MMX, and I was wondering if I could tell if the mulitplier was unlocked.The motherboard doesnt have any multiplier adjustements, but I remember a program from intel that allowed a cpu multiplier to be changed.If anyone has any help, I'd appreciate it. :)
 

spamboy

Banned
Aug 28, 2000
1,033
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I'm pretty sure (correct me if I'm wrong, people!) that they didn't start locking them until the Pentium II, so you ought to be able to change it.
 

KR

Senior member
Oct 9, 1999
324
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Intel started locking the multiplier on the 200MMX chip during the second 6 months of production of that device. Your 166 MMX should be unlocked. The multiplier is a hardware jumper and unless you have one of a few boards that was jumperless, there are jumpers on your motherboard to support setting the multiplier. You didn't say what mfr/model of motherboard you have so there's little help that you can expect to receive without giving more information.
 

barryng

Member
Jan 7, 2000
150
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Intel started locking the multiplyer with the Pentium 133 (pre mmx). Not all the 133s were locked but that was the start. They also did not lock all their production at the time because many of the faster chips, such as the 150, were not locked.

It is simple to determine if it is locked or not. Just try running it at a faster multiplier by making the appropriate jumper change on the mobo or using the cmos setup (if that feature is included). If it runs at the expected speed then the multiplyer is not locked. If it fails to boot or starts at some strange slower speed, it is locked. You will not hurt anything trying this,