Is it safe to put AthXP 333mhz CPU in 266mhz mobo?

[aswinp]

Hi Guys and gals,

I just have a quick Q. I want to buy an AthXP2.6Barton. It's 333mhz but my mobo is 266mhz. Is the cpu or my mobo going to fry if I put a 333 cpu in a 266mb? Can my mobo accommodate the voltage ratings of the CPU?

BTW, my mobo is MSI K7T266 Pro2.

I have updated to the latest BIOS and it says it can support XP2000+ CPUs.

Thanks a lot.
Aswin.

 

[Insane3D]

First off, welcome to the AT forums! :beer:

Now, the XP *should* work fine in your board, but it won't run the rated speed. The 2600+ runs @ 1.9ghz (11.5 x 166), but in your board, it will run @ 1.53ghz (11.5 x 133). Since the new Bartons are all locked now, you wouldn't be able to change the multiplier and make it run it's proper speed without putting it in a 333mhz FSB capable board.

The default voltage is 1.65v, which your board should handle fine. You might want to just check with MSI to see if your board will work with a Barton core.

Good luck...

 

[maluckey]

You could also try the mobile Barton. They work fine in most KT266a and newer boards. They are 266 Mhz FSB, and are unlocked by default, so you can manipulate the multiplier as needed.

 

[aswinp]

Ok. Thanks, I'll try it. Unfortunately the mobile version is hard to find where I am.

I live in Bali. It's quite a paradise here. Beaches and swaying palm trees abound here. But it's d*rned hard to get AMD processors...

Thanks for the help.