Pally unlocking, wierd problem

[skyking]

I recently got a 1600 pally, unlocked. Wierd thing is, multis are 1 lower than set in the bios. I did not unlock it. Is it likely that one of the traces needs repainted?
This is on an abit 333 motherboard I have used to mess around with t-breds, so I have been all over it with multis.
I do not think the motherboard is the problem.

 

[johncar]

Originally posted by: skyking
I recently got a 1600 pally, unlocked. Wierd thing is, multis are 1 lower than set in the bios. I did not unlock it. Is it likely that one of the traces needs repainted?

Yes, the second L1 bridge from the left. Explanation...

1600 has default Multiplier = 10.5X which is set by having the .5X, 1X, 2X, and 4X Bit Value signal circuits set HI. These are the 1st 4 L3 Multiplier Bridges and 1st 4 L1 bridges from the left. So we see that the 1X Bit Value is HI by default, and your multis being 1 lower means that most probably the 1X L1 bridge was grounded during its closing mod. This is easily done if conductive material gets into the laser burned "pit" and makes contact with a sub-surface ground plane...then that circuit develops a "permanent" LO which cannot be reset HI. And any time you reset a multi which needs the 1X to be HI/enabled, the multi will stay LO and the result will be 1X low.
This should have happened for all the "even" multis, 6X, 6.5X, 8X, 8.5X, 10X, 10.5X. 12X, 12.5X.

Fix is to first remove all current conductive material, "especially" clean out the "pit" very thoroughly as that's where the problem lies, not on the surface. We'd use a solvent applied with a q-tip and possibly scratch very lightly with a fine needle so that the surface "dots" do not make contact with the inside of the pit/sub-surface ground plane. But don't scratch the bottom of the pit vigorously.
Then re-insulate the pit and reconnect the dots.

<a href="http://www.beachlink.com/candjac/index.htm">
http://www.beachlink.com/candjac/index.htm</A>
Link to Multiplier Code article, ( and others), to understand AMD's Multiplier Code and how to decode multi problems like the above.
John C.

PS: That L1 bridge is not "open", it if it was the odd multis would be 1X too high...ie bios would not be able to reset it from default HI to LO.

 

[skyking]

John, thank you for a great explanation and links. I had to dig in there to find out the it is referenced with the body of the cpu towards me. I think I will give it a go. I had heard that you can lose all the multis if you mess around enough with one, but knowing which trace means I can mask off the others as they are, and concentrate on the problem.
Further expirimentation reveals you are right on, since 11 and 11.5 work as advertised.

 

[johncar]

Originally posted by: skyking
John, thank you for a great explanation and links. I had to dig in there to find out the it is referenced with the body of the cpu towards me. I think I will give it a go. I had heard that you can lose all the multis if you mess around enough with one, but knowing which trace means I can mask off the others as they are, and concentrate on the problem.
Further expirimentation reveals you are right on, since 11 and 11.5 work as advertised.

Masking = a very good idea, but also consider this...peeling off the mask might pull off conductive material. So we'd be sure to use non-conductive material and installed neatly so no need to remove, risk destruction.

Then also 1 more idea...check for removal of ground by testing Multiplier "before" re-insulating and closing. Set 10X for example, if you set/get 10X/10.5X then the ground is gone.
Or you might be able to do it with Multimeter. Check resistance from upper AND lower "dots" to ground, one at a time. Should get very high res...if very low then still grounded. All text and icons on CPU surface are reported to be at ground level.
John C.

 

[skyking]

I'll do as you suggested, masking with dielectric tape, neatly.
I will also re-install and see if I can get 10x, after cleaning off. I have a broken dental pick that will be perfect, after sharpening

 

[pillage2001]

WOooooo.masking a L1 bridge. That's mad l33t stuff. Just like Kelly is.

 

[skyking]

Man, I gotta watch what I post here

John, I scraped it clean, reinstalled it, and now it is fully unlocked on the evens, but not the odds. I am not going to paint it over, since this chip will be running on a 133fsb board, and it runs fine at 1.6 to 1.73 ghz.
Thanks again.

 

[johncar]

Originally posted by: skyking
John, I scraped it clean, reinstalled it, and now it is fully unlocked on the evens, but not the odds. I am not going to paint it over, since this chip will be running on a 133fsb board, and it runs fine at 1.6 to 1.73 ghz.
Thanks again.

Welcome, glad to hear that you're in full control of the issue.
John C.