Which amd processors can be overclocked. Review of programs for overclocking processors. Chip Specifications

How to overclock AMD Athlon?

As you know, the performance of a computer depends on the parameters of its components and their joint functioning. However, choosing a good PC “composition” is not enough; you also need to be able to configure these elements in such a way as to achieve maximum realization of the computer’s capabilities. That is why such a function as processor overclocking has attracted the interest of many users today. In this article we will talk about how to overclock an AMD Athlon processor.

How to overclock Athlone

Obviously, even the coolest PC model you choose will, after some time, acquire more powerful competitors in the form of new computer products. Some users in such situations begin to think about purchasing a new PC, others - about upgrading their computer. However, there is another method that does not require financial costs - overclocking the processor, which makes it possible to increase the performance of its components.

AMD Athlon processors have a large technological reserve, which allows you to increase performance through overclocking, usually by increasing the frequency of its bus. Overclocking the processor is carried out both using special programs (in our case, AMD OverDrive or PowerTweak2 is most often used) and through the BIOS. Experts use the latter option more often because they consider it safer for the computer.

How to overclock AMD Athlon in BIOS

We will look at overclocking instructions through the BIOS for the AMD Athlon II X2 245 processor. You can get into the BIOS by pressing the Delete key at the boot stage, before the OS loads.

1. In the main menu of the program you need to find the “Advanced” section.
2. Its subsections contain the basic settings that are necessary for overclocking. Here you need to select the “JumperFree Configuration” section to which changes will be made:
   • The “Al Tuning” subsection from “Auto” should be changed to “Manual” in order to be able to set required parameters manually.
   • “CPU Frequency” - processor system bus frequency, which should be increased. Therefore, from the “Auto” status it is changed to 260 MHz.
   • “PCIEX16_1 Clock” (operating frequency for the first slot PCI Express 16x) from the “Auto” value is set to a frequency of 160 MHz.
   • “PCIEX16_2 Clock” (operating frequency for the second PCI Express 16x slot) is also changed from “Auto” to 160 MHz.
   • “CPU Voltage” - the supply voltage of the processor core; from the “Auto” mode it changes to 1.5000 v.
   • “CPU Multiplier” is the ratio of the processor operating frequency to the frequency of its system bus. The “Auto” status here needs to be replaced with the last value - 14.5x.
3. After all the manipulations, the changes in the BIOS need to be saved and rebooted.

Remember that in different BIOS versions the settings may have different names, although their essence does not change. “CPU Frequency” or system bus frequency is the main value that is changed when overclocking the processor. So in some cases you can only get by by changing this parameter. But it is recommended to start with minimal changes, save them and restart your PC for the changes to take effect. Remember that overclocking, especially if you are an inexperienced user, can lead to serious problems for your computer.

Introduction | Overclocking Basics

Of course, our readers know everything about overclocking. In fact, many CPU and GPU reviews wouldn't be complete without looking at overclocking potential. Articles similar to our series "Building a computer for a gamer" For quite some time now they have been specializing in assessing performance achieved after overclocking, and not in normal mode.

If you consider yourself an enthusiast, forgive us a little basic information - we'll get into the technical details soon.

What is overclocking? At its core, this term is used to describe a component that runs on more high speeds, than stated in its specifications, to increase performance. You can overclock various computer components, including the processor, memory and video card. And the level of overclocking can be completely different, from a simple increase in performance for inexpensive components to an increase in performance to an exorbitant level that is normally unattainable for products sold in retail.

In this guide, we'll focus on overclocking modern AMD processors to get the best performance possible given the cooling solution you choose.

Choosing the right components

The level of overclocking success depends very much on the system components. To begin with, you will need a processor with good overclocking potential, capable of operating at higher speeds. high frequencies than the manufacturer normally specifies. AMD today sells several processors that have fairly good overclocking potential, and the line of processors " Black Edition" is aimed squarely at enthusiasts and overclockers due to its unlocked multiplier. We tested four processors from the company's different families to illustrate the overclocking process for each of them.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

To overclock a processor, it is important that other components are also selected with this task in mind. Choosing a motherboard with an overclocking-friendly BIOS is quite critical. We took a couple of mother's Asus boards M3A78-T (790GX + 750SB), which not only provide a fairly large set of functions in the BIOS, including support for Advanced Clock Calibration (ACC), but also work perfectly with the AMD OverDrive utility, which is important for squeezing the maximum out of Phenom processors.

Choosing the right memory is also important if you want to achieve maximum performance after acceleration. Where possible, we recommend installing high-performance DDR2 memory that is capable of operating at frequencies above 1066 MHz on AM2+ motherboards with 45nm or 65nm Phenom processors that support DDR2-1066.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

During overclocking, frequencies and voltages increase, which leads to increased heat generation. Therefore, it is better if your system uses a proprietary power supply that provides stable voltage levels and sufficient current to cope with the increased demands of an overclocked computer. A weak or outdated power supply, loaded to capacity, can ruin all the efforts of an overclocker.

Increasing frequencies, voltages and power consumption will, of course, lead to increased heat dissipation levels, so cooling the processor and case also greatly influences the overclocking results. We didn't want to achieve any overclocking or performance records with this article, so we took rather modest coolers priced at $20-25.

This guide is intended to help those users who are less experienced in overclocking processors, so that they can enjoy the performance benefits of overclocking their Phenom II, Phenom or Athlon X2. Let's hope that our advice will help novice overclockers in this difficult but interesting task.

Terminology

Various terms that often mean the same thing can confuse or even frighten the uninitiated user. So before we go directly to step by step guide, we'll look at the most commonly encountered terms related to overclocking.

Clock speeds

CPU frequency(CPU speed, CPU frequency, CPU clock speed): the frequency at which CPU computer (CPU) executes instructions (for example, 3000 MHz or 3.0 GHz). It is this frequency that we plan to increase in order to get a performance boost.

HyperTransport channel frequency: frequency of the interface between the CPU and the northbridge (for example, 1000, 1800 or 2000 MHz). Typically the frequency is equal to (but should not exceed) the northbridge frequency.

Northbridge frequency: frequency of the northbridge chip (for example, 1800 or 2000 MHz). For AM2+ processors, increasing the northbridge frequency will lead to increased memory controller performance and L3 frequency. The frequency must be no lower than the HyperTransport channel, but it can be increased significantly higher.

Memory frequency(DRAM frequency and memory speed): The frequency, measured in megahertz (MHz), at which the memory bus operates. This may include either a physical frequency, such as 200, 333, 400, and 533 MHz, or an effective frequency, such as DDR2-400, DDR2-667, DDR2-800, or DDR2-1066.

Base or reference frequency: By default it is 200 MHz. As can be seen from AM2+ processors, other frequencies are calculated from the base using multipliers and sometimes dividers.

Frequency calculation

Before we get into the frequency calculations, it's worth mentioning that most of our guide covers overclocking AM2+ processors such as the Phenom II, Phenom, or other K10-based Athlon 7xxx models. But we also wanted to cover the early AM2 Athlon X2 processors based on the K8 core, such as the 4xxx, 5xxx and 6xxx lines. Overclocking K8 processors has some differences, which we will mention below in our article.

Below are the basic formulas for calculating the above-mentioned frequencies of AM2+ processors.

• CPU clock speed = base frequency * CPU multiplier;
• northbridge frequency = base frequency * northbridge multiplier;
• HyperTransport channel frequency = base frequency * HyperTransport multiplier;
• memory frequency = base frequency * memory multiplier.

If we want to overclock the processor (increase its clock frequency), then we need to either increase the base frequency or increase the CPU multiplier. Let's take an example: the Phenom II X4 940 processor runs with a base frequency of 200 MHz and a CPU multiplier of 15x, which gives a CPU clock speed of 3000 MHz (200 * 15 = 3000).

We can overclock this processor to 3300 MHz by increasing the multiplier to 16.5 (200 * 16.5 = 3300) or raising the base frequency to 220 (220 * 15 = 3300).

But it should be remembered that the other frequencies listed above also depend on the base frequency, so raising it to 220 MHz will also increase (overclock) the frequencies of the north bridge, the HyperTransport channel, as well as the memory frequency. On the contrary, simply increasing the CPU multiplier will only increase the CPU clock speed of AM2+ processors. Below we'll look at simple multiplier overclocking using AMD's OverDrive utility, and then head into the BIOS for more complex base clock overclocking.

Depending on the motherboard manufacturer, BIOS options for processor and northbridge frequencies sometimes use not just a multiplier, but a ratio of FID (Frequency ID) and DID (Divisor ID). In this case, the formulas will be as follows.

• CPU clock speed = base frequency * FID (multiplier)/DID (divisor);
• Northbridge frequency = base frequency * NB FID (multiplier)/NB DID (divisor).

Keeping the DID at 1 will take you to the simple multiplier formula we discussed above, meaning you can increase CPU multipliers in 0.5 increments: 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, etc. But if you set the DID to 2 or 4, you can increase the multiplier in smaller increments. To complicate matters, the values ​​may be specified as frequencies, such as 1800 MHz, or as multipliers, such as 9, and you may have to enter hexadecimal numbers. In any case, refer to the instructions for the motherboard or look on the Internet hexadecimal values to indicate different FIDs of the processor and northbridge.

There are other exceptions, for example, it may not be possible to set multipliers. Thus, in some cases, the memory frequency is set directly in the BIOS: DDR2-400, DDR2-533, DDR2-800 or DDR2-1066 instead of selecting a memory multiplier or divider. In addition, the frequencies of the northbridge and HyperTransport channel can also be set directly, and not through a multiplier. In general, we don't recommend worrying too much about these differences, but we recommend returning to this part of the article if the need arises.

The line of processors from AMD is one of the most popular and can compete on equal terms with Intel. The main advantage of processors from this manufacturer is the ability to overclock, while with Intel there may be many restrictions.

How to overclock AMD processors

Since the company relies on the ability to independently increase performance, you can use the official software for this purpose - AMD OverDrive. However, if you do not have the opportunity to use this program, then you can use the old method of overclocking through the BIOS, but in this case the risk of unsuccessful overclocking increases.

Option 1: AMD OverDrive

Conventionally, this option can be divided into three separate stages - preparation for overclocking, overclocking and tuning after overclocking. Let's look at each in more detail.

Preparatory stage

First, you need to make sure that the processor is supported by the program. It must have one of the following names: Hudson-D3, 770, 780/785/890 G, 790/990 X, 790/890 GX, 790/890/990 FX. More detailed list Supported models can be viewed on the official AMD website.

If everything is fine with the processor, then you may need to set special settings or check their presence in the BIOS. The necessary settings are set according to the general instructions:

1. Go to BIOS. To do this, you need to restart your computer and until the Windows logo appears, click on Delete or keys F2-F12. Sometimes key combinations can be used to enter the BIOS, for example, Ctrl+F2. More details about how to enter the BIOS on your computer are written in the official documentation for it, but most often you use either the key to enter Delete, or F2.
2. Now go to the section "Advanced" or "CPU". The name of the section may vary depending on the BIOS version. Control is performed using the arrow keys on the keyboard and the key Enter to confirm your selection.
3. Find and select an item "AMD Cool 'n' Quiet". A menu will open where you need to set a value for it. Put "Disable".
4. You need to do the same with the points "C1E"(may also be called "Enhanced Halt State"), "Spread Spectrum" And "Smart CPU Fan Contol". They are usually located in the same section as "AMD Cool 'n' Quiet", but some of them may not exist.

After making the initial settings, you need to download installation file from the official AMD website and begin installing the overclocking program. Fortunately, the whole process just boils down to confirming the actions and following the installer’s instructions. The only thing that deserves attention is the installer's warning. You need to carefully study it and confirm or reject further installation.

The message is entirely in English, but its essence boils down to the following:

• Incorrect actions to overclock and optimize the processor can lead to system slowdown, image display failures, damage to the motherboard, processor, power supply, cooler, reduced processor operating time, loss of user data, and complete computer breakdown;
• It is advisable to do all actions in the program in strict compliance with instructions;
• For breakdown and/or loss of user data during use AMD programs does not bear any responsibility.

When you're done AMD installation OverDrive proceed to the next step.

Overclocking stage

Now you can move on to manipulations within the program itself:

This completes the main part of the overclocking.

Testing phase

There is nothing complicated here. All you have to do is use the computer at the specified frequencies for a while and see how much it has sped up and how stable it is.

It is recommended to monitor the processor temperature when running “heavy” programs and operations. At maximum load The processor temperature should not exceed 80 degrees. If this value is exceeded, it is recommended to reduce the frequency.

Option 2: BIOS

You can overclock almost any processor through the BIOS, but this method has significant drawbacks. For example, you won't be able to track the temperature in real time, which is very important during overclocking. Another significant drawback this option there is an increased likelihood of harming your computer.

However, sometimes there may be no options other than BIOS. Before you start overclocking, read these instructions:

By overclocking your processor, you risk permanently damaging it. Be careful and attentive. The site administration is not responsible for your actions after reading this article.

Helper utilities for overclocking the processor

First of all, in order to overclock the processor, you will need small set utilities that will help monitor the status of your system and its stability, as well as processor temperature. Below we list a list of utilities and programs and briefly describe what they are responsible for.

CPU-Z- a small but very useful utility that will show all the basic technical information your central processor. Useful for monitoring frequencies and voltages. Free.

CoreTemp- another one free utility, is somewhat similar to CPU-Z, but does not delve so deeply into technical indicators, but displays the temperature of the processor cores and their load.

Speccy– shows detailed technical information not only about the processor, but also about the entire computer as a whole. There is also information about the temperature of various system components.

LinX – free program, which we will need to test the stability of the system after each stage of increasing processor performance. Is one of best programs for stress tests. It loads the processor at 100%, so don’t be alarmed, sometimes it may seem like the computer is frozen.

CPU overclocking

Before learning how to overclock a processor, I strongly recommend that you stress test your computer in an unoverclocked state (for example, with a program FurMark). This is necessary in order to determine the approximate potential for overclocking and generally check the system for errors.

If in an unoverclocked state the test produces any errors or the temperature during testing is prohibitively high, then it is better to end your “overclocking” at this point.

If everything works stably and then we can continue. And it’s better to note for yourself the key characteristics of an unoverclocked system, such as the minimum processor temperature, Maximum temperature CPU, voltage, etc. Better yet, take a screenshot of the screen or take a photo on your phone so that you have it at hand just in case. detailed information. This is necessary to analyze deviations of indicators from nominal values. Not critically important, but very useful and inquisitive.

In general, there are two ways to overclock a processor - manually through the BIOS and using special programs. These methods are equally easy to use, but there are people who are afraid to get into the BIOS, so we will tell you how to overclock the processor using both methods.

Do not forget also that overclocking the processor may be hampered by insufficient power supply power. When buying a computer, it is better to buy a power supply with a small power reserve. This will allow you to painlessly upgrade your hardware, and also, as in today’s topic, will provide an opportunity for overclocking.

Overclocking the processor via BIOS

First of all, I will tell you how to overclock a processor through BIOS. On our website we have already repeatedly told how it is possible. It depends on the manufacturer of your computer's motherboard. When you turn on (or restart) your computer, even before the operating system starts loading, you need to click key to login BIOS settings. You can find out which key to press from the prompt when you turn on the computer or in the instructions (documentation) of your motherboard. Most often these are the keys: Del, F2 or F8, but there may be others.

Once you are in the BIOS, you need to go to the Advanced tab. Next, I will tell you using my computer as an example, but everything should be very similar for you. Although, of course, there will be differences. It's connected with different versions BIOS and various available settings for the processor. Perhaps this tab will be called, for example, CPU Configuration or something else. You need to wander through the BIOS and understand which section is responsible for setting up the central processor.

OverclockTunner by default it is in position Auto. Move it to position Manual in order for you to have access to additional manual settings processor operation.

After this, please note that you will have the FSB Frequency item, in which you can adjust the base frequency of the processor bus. Essentially, this frequency multiplied by the processor multiplier (CPU Ratio) gives us the full operating frequency of your processor. That is, you can increase the frequency either by increasing the bus frequency or by increasing the multiplier value.

What is better to increase, the bus frequency or the multiplier?

Very actual question for newbies. Let's start with the fact that not all processors will allow you to increase the multiplier value. There are processors with a locked multiplier, and others with an unlocked one. For Intel processors, processors with an unlocked multiplier can be identified by the suffix “ K" or " X" at the end of the processor name, as well as the series Extreme Edition, and for AMD - by the suffix “ FX"and for the Black Edition series. But it is best to carefully look at the detailed characteristics, because there are always exceptions. Please note that everything has an open multiplier.

If possible It is best to overclock the processor by increasing the multiplier value. This will be safer for the system. But overclocking the processor by increasing the bus frequency is highly not recommended, especially for overclocking beginners. Why? Because by changing this indicator, you not only overclock the central processor, but also affect the characteristics of other computer components, and often these changes can get out of control and harm your computer. But if you are aware of your actions, then everything is in your hands.

Stages of overclocking a processor via BIOS

In principle, there is nothing complicated about this. But everything needs to be done slowly and carefully. So, for example, if you are planning to overclock your processor to the maximum, then you should not increase the processor frequency by 500 MHz at once, increase it gradually, first by 150 MHz, conduct a stress test, make sure that everything works stably. Then raise the frequency by another 150-100 MHz and so on. Towards the end it is better to reduce the step to 25-50 MHz.

When you reach a frequency at which the computer cannot cope with the stress test, go into the BIOS and return the frequencies to the last successful stage. For example, at a frequency of 3700 MHz the computer passed the stress test successfully, but at a frequency of 3750 MHz it already “failed” the test, which means its maximum possible operating frequency will be 3700 MHz.

Of course, you can still go through various specific tests and identify the “weak link” (power supply or cooling system), but why do we need these extremes, right?

Overclocking the processor with special programs

In general, I would recommend overclocking the processor manually in the BIOS, but if the BIOS environment is alien to you, then you can use special programs to overclock the processor. There are many such programs. Some of them are more suitable for INTEL processors, while others are more suitable for AMD processors. Although the principle of operation is almost identical. So let's find out how to overclock a processor using special programs.

Utility SetFSB designed to overclock the processor on the bus. This is clear from the name. The developers are proud that SetFSB is lightweight and performs all its functions perfectly.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!! I downloaded the program from the “official website” and from the SOFTPORTAL portal. The contents of the archives vary greatly. If on the soft portal the archive weighs less than 200 KB and, in addition to the utility, contains instructions for its use, then on the “official website” in the archive there is another archive, which contains a suspicious .exe file weighing more than 5 MB and there are no additional instructions. On startup Windows file says that the license has been verified, but the license belongs to some Ukrainian shipbuilding company, judging by the name “SUDNOBUDUVANNYA TA REMONT, TOV”. I decided to cancel the installation.

Download the program from the SOFTPORTAL website, and not from the official one. Apparently the official website is fake.

So, before entering the program, it is strongly recommended to check the list of motherboards that this utility works with. This list is in the file setfsb.txt. If you find your motherboard, continue. If not, then you are taking a huge risk by continuing to use this utility.

When you run SetFSB, you will need to enter a temporary ID in the required field. Just retype the name of the small window in the field in it. Why is this? The creators assume that if you have not read the instructions, then you will not be able to go beyond this window and will go read the instructions to find out what you need to enter into it, and at the same time read another useful information, which can prevent damage to your processor (and motherboard).

Next comes the hardest part - you need to choose your parameter Clock Generator. To find out, you need to disassemble the computer and carefully examine the motherboard in search of a chip with a name starting with the letters “ ICS" There may be other letters, but these are found in 95% of cases.

When you do this, click on the Get FSB button and your sliders will be unlocked. And you will need to move the first slider quite a bit to the right, each time pressing the SET FSB button, so that the example = thread changed parameters. And you will have to do this until you reach the desired processor frequency characteristics. If you overdo it, the computer will freeze and you will have to start all over again.

Overclocking a CPU Using CPUFSB

Utility CPUFSB Not much different in functionality from the SetFSB just discussed. However, there is something to praise her for. The first and quite significant plus is that the utility is completely Russified, which is very convenient, you will agree. The program is more tailored to Intel processors, but it can also be applied to AMD processors.

To overclock the processor in the CPUFSB program, you will need to sequentially:

1. Provide the necessary information about your motherboard and the type of clock generator (Clock Generator).
2. Then click on “ Take frequency».
3. Move the slider to the right to change the processor frequency.
4. At the end, click on " Set frequency».

There is nothing complicated. You can understand the settings intuitively even without prompts.

Other programs for overclocking the processor

We examined in more or less detail the most frequently used programs that are used to overclock the processor. However, the list of programs does not end there. But we will not describe them in detail, because the principle of their operation is similar to the previous ones. Here is a small list of programs for overclocking the processor, which you can use if the first ones did not suit you or you could not download them.

1. Over Drive
2. ClockGen
3. ThrottleStop
4. SoftFSB
5. CPUCool

Conclusion

Now you know how to overclock a processor, and maybe you’ve even already tried to do it yourself while reading the article. I hope everything went well for you and without any unpleasant consequences. Remember the golden rule - Better a bird in the hand than a pie in the sky! Therefore, do not overdo it with overclocking, otherwise you will have to buy new processor, and maybe even the motherboard.

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Before moving on to the topic in the title, it is necessary to say a few words in defense of overclocking. The relevance of this stems from the fact that untrained users are increasingly interested in the topic of overclocking. Professionals who want to immediately familiarize themselves with the results obtained are advised to skip this section.

In defense of overclocking

The performance of a computer and its functionality, as is known, largely depend on the parameters of the elements included in the computer system, as well as on their joint, coordinated work. It’s not enough to choose a computer and specify its composition. It is also necessary to configure the computer optimally, achieving maximum performance of its elements and the most complete implementation of them functionality.

However, it should be noted that even a carefully configured and regularly maintained computer cannot meet the ever-increasing requirements for a long time. Sooner or later, every computer user is faced with the problem of insufficient computer performance to solve the assigned tasks. After all the reserves for increasing productivity through comprehensive optimization of hardware and software computers are completely exhausted, we have to move on to more radical measures. Typically the problem insufficient productivity Some users decide by purchasing a new computer, others upgrade an existing one. Both options involve significant financial costs. Moreover, quite often these actions relate to a computer that is not yet old and works perfectly, perhaps purchased only a year or two ago, or maybe less!

However, it should be noted that in addition to optimizing the operation of hardware and software and their modernization, there is another way to extend the period of operation of still new, but already rapidly becoming obsolete computer equipment. This path often gives a second life to those computers that can no longer be called modern. We are talking about a method that is called “overclocking” in English, and “overclocking” in Russian. The essence this method consists of operating some computer elements and components in forced modes. This, as a rule, allows you to significantly increase the performance of each of them and, accordingly, the performance of the entire system. True, it should be noted that sometimes all this is achieved at the cost of some reduction in operational reliability and a reduction in the life of trouble-free operation, which in many cases is quite acceptable.

Indeed, in the context of the constant development of computer technology and the development of increasingly advanced software and hardware, the useful life of components is constantly decreasing. With the advent of modern, higher quality and more productive components, it becomes economically unprofitable to operate outdated prototypes. And this is despite the improvement of production technology, the growth of reliability and the period of their trouble-free operation. Currently for processors, video adapters and hard drives The lifespan of computers is usually no more than 2-3 years. This is on average. However, many users, even before the expiration of this period, try to replace these, as a rule, serviceable and well-functioning elements with more productive samples. At the same time, it should be noted that the high reliability of computer elements allows them to be used for more than 10 years. However, new, more advanced, more productive models appear, as a rule, every few months. Therefore, a possible slight decrease in reliability and service life (for example, from 10 to 5 years) is often justified and quite acceptable, since the period of operation of computer elements is short and the entire resource will not be used up anyway. And possible failures and freezes when the overclocking procedure is carried out correctly are extremely rare and under normal conditions, as a rule, do not lead to fatal results. Of course, these modes should not be used for server elements or, for example, in control systems for potentially hazardous production and vital important processes. There, computer failures are not so harmless.

It should be emphasized that overclocking has recently become popular among owners of brand new computers. Such users, in order to further increase the performance of their systems, often ask to install forced modes for the processors of their computers at the time of purchase. Their more experienced colleagues perform this operation on their own at home, selecting the optimal modes under strict control and careful testing of the subsystems of their computers at all stages of overclocking.

The popularity of overclocking is explained not only by the natural desire of users to improve the architecture of their computers. The fact is that this procedure, which, by the way, is used not only for processors, makes it possible to achieve relatively high performance for computers at relatively low costs. The performance increase for the processor can reach 20-30%, and in more stringent but risky modes - up to 50% or more. Similarly, you can significantly improve productivity random access memory video adapter and even hard drive. Such significant growth automatically moves the computer into a higher category. At the same time, components are often entry level performance successfully compete with more powerful and expensive representatives located at the opposite end of the series. And the important thing is that this is achieved with virtually no additional financial costs. Savings on the processor alone can reach several hundred US dollars.

Despite the obvious economic roots of the crackdown computer components, this method of increasing computer performance should not be considered only from these positions. Quite often, the most modern, newest elements and components, the performance of which is very high, are used in forced modes. This indicator is determined by the achieved level modern technologies, underlying the functioning of computer components. Overclocking them allows you to raise the bar of performance and functionality even higher.

However, popularizing the experience of operating elements in forced modes affects the economic interests of computer component manufacturers. And for obvious reasons, they don’t want to lose even part of their profits. In addition, overclocking capabilities are often used by attackers who, for selfish reasons, falsify the markings of computer elements, for example, processors, memory modules, etc., passing them off as more productive, and therefore more expensive, models of components. Some, usually small firms, go even further. They produce devices, for example, video adapters, motherboards, or even computers with already overclocked elements and, for obvious reasons, do not inform potential users about this.

Considering the possibility of counterfeiting and protecting their commercial interests, many of the component manufacturing companies are making various improvements to their products that prevent counterfeiting of markings and limit the ability to increase productivity through the use of abnormal operating modes.

However, it should be noted that, despite the desperate resistance of some processor manufacturers, who do their best to prevent the operation of their products in forced modes, there is a steady increase in the popularity of overclocking. This is facilitated by the emergence of appropriate motherboards and chipsets, and even special software. Various means of cooling computer components are widely represented on the computer market. All this makes it easier to install the appropriate modes, configure and test.

Not only individual enthusiasts, but also many serious companies, both foreign and domestic, have devoted themselves to the study of forced modes and the development of appropriate recommendations. Sometimes such work is carried out even with the consent of the manufacturers. An example is the cooperation between KryoTech and AMD. As a result of their research, AMD processors in extreme overclocking modes reached 1 GHz long before the release of processors for which this frequency value was already standard. And Compaq even offers platforms for high-performance servers, which are based on KryoTech technology, which provides extreme cooling for AMD Athlon processors operated in forced modes.

Increased interest in the problem of overclocking from a number of computer companies explained quite simply. Such research allows us to improve technologies, improve architectures, and increase the performance of elements and nodes. In addition, this allows you to accumulate statistics of failures and failures, which allows you to develop effective hardware and software tools for increasing reliability. In the end, the ability of computer elements to operate stably in forced modes is an excellent advertisement for the products of the companies that produce these components. And, as you know, modern processors, such as AMD Athlon (Thunderbird) and Duron, have a significant technological performance reserve, which, despite some protection elements, under certain conditions can be realized during overclocking as an additional increase in computer performance.

AMD Athlon (Thunderbird) and Duron processors

AMD Athlon (based on the core known as Thunderbird) Duron processors come in PGA packages. In accordance with the official name, these processors will be called Duron and Athlon in the text. Motherboards designed for processors of this type have a special connector - PGA-socket, called Socket A (462 pins).

The Duron processor has 128 KB of Level 1 cache (L1) and 64 KB of Level 2 cache (L2).

The Athlon processor differs from the Duron processor only in the size of the second level cache: 256 KB.

These processors are designed to work with the Alpha EV6 bus, developed by DEC for Alpha processors and licensed for its products by AMD.

The Alpha EV6 bus, used as the processor bus (FSB), provides data transfer on both clock edges (double-data-rate). It increases throughput, ensuring an increase in the performance of the entire computer system. At a clock frequency of 100 MHz, the FSB Alpha EV6 bus, commonly called EV6, provides data transmission at a frequency of 200 MHz, in contrast to the GTL+ and AGTL+ buses Celeron processors, Pentium II/III from Intel, for which the data transfer and clock frequencies are the same.

In accordance with the features of their architecture, AMD Athlon and Duron processors require special motherboards with chipsets that support these processors. The boards ensure stable operation of these processors provided that sufficient power supplies are used, usually at least 235 W.

AMD Athlon and Duron processors have a significant technological reserve that allows for increased performance through the use of overclocking modes, for example, increasing the processor bus frequency. However, despite all its advantages, the high operating bus frequency of the FSB EV6 processor limits the possibilities of overclocking processors by increasing the processor bus frequency. Usually it is possible to increase the processor bus frequency by no more than 10-15%. At the same time, the maximum possible increase in the FSB EV6 processor bus frequency and, accordingly, the increase in computer performance depends on the motherboard used (on the topology, workmanship, features of the elements used).

When considering the possibilities of using forced modes, you should take into account that AMD Athlon and Duron processors, as well as Intel Pentium II, Pentium III (Katmai, Coppermine) processors, have a fixed multiplier - a frequency multiplication factor that connects internal and external frequencies. Due to the Socket A design used, which excludes changing resistors as was the case with the AMD Athlon for Slot A, changing the frequency multipliers is only possible using special hardware and software, supported so far by a relatively limited type of motherboard.

As a result, speeding up the operation of processors is carried out, as a rule, by increasing the external frequency - the frequency of the FSB EV6 processor bus.

Below are the results of studies performed related to the analysis of the ability to operate high-performance AMD Athlon and Duron processors in forced mode.

It should be noted that it is permissible to increase the processor core supply voltage by no more than 5-10% relative to the standard level. AMD's recommendations regarding power voltage levels for Athlon and Duron processors are presented in the following table.

For more accurate analysis temperature regime computer and an assessment of the necessary cooling means, below are data on the power of AMD Duron and AMD Athlon processors.

The value of the frequency multiplier connecting the internal and external frequencies of the processors, as well as the supply voltage, are set by the corresponding contacts of the processor. Some motherboards, using these pins, allow you to change the values ​​of processor frequency multipliers. Examples include the Abit KT7 and Soltek SL-KV75+ boards, which were used to demonstrate the possibility of overclocking AMD Athlon and Duron processors by changing frequency multipliers.

Main parameters of motherboards

Soltek SL-KV75+

• Overclocking: via DIP switches - 100, 103, 105, 110, 112, 115, 120, 124, 133.3, 140, 150 MHz, via BIOS Setup - 100, 103, 105, 112, 115, 120, 124 MHz.
• Core voltage: 1.5-1.85 V in 0.25 V steps.
• Multiplier setting: via DIP switches.
• RAM: up to 768 MB in 3 DIMM (168 p, 3.3 V), frequency - 100/133 MHz
• Video: AGP 1X/2X/4X.
• Audio: AC"97.
• Input/output (I/O): 2 IDE ports (up to 4 UltraDMA/66/33 devices), PS/2 connectors for keyboard and mouse, 1 floppy port, 1 parallel port (EPP/ECP), 2 serial port, 2 USB port(+2 extra), etc.
• Slots: 1 AGP (Pro), 5 PCI, 1 ISA.
• Form factor: ATX (305x220 mm).

Abit KT7

• Supported processors: AMD Athlon (Thunderbird) and AMD Duron.
• Processor socket Socket A (462 pins).
• The standard FSB clock frequency is 100 MHz.
• Overclocking: via BIOS Setup - 100, 101, 103, 105, 107, 110, 112, 115, 117, 120, 122, 124, 127, 133, 136, 140, 145, 150, 155 MHz.
• Core voltage: 1.1-1.85 V in 0.25 V steps.
• Setting the multiplier: via BIOS Setup.
• Chipset: VIA Apollo KT133 (VT8363+VT82C686A).
• RAM: up to 1.5 GB in 3 DIMM (168 p, 3.3 V) PC100/133 SDRAM, frequency - 100/133 MHz.
• BIOS: Award Plug and Play BIOS.
• Video: AGP 1X/2X/4X.
• Input/output (I/O): 2 IDE ports (up to 4 UltraDMA/66/33 devices), PS/2 connectors for connecting a keyboard and mouse. 1 floppy port, 1 parallel port (EPP/ECP), 2 serial ports, 2 USB ports (+2 extra), etc.
• Slots: 1 AGP, 6 PCI, 1 ISA.
• Form factor: ATX (305x230 mm).

Testing tools

• Test programs: WinBench 99 (CPUmark 99 and FPU WinMark);
• Motherboard: Soltek SL-KV75+ and Abit KT7;
• RAM: 128 MB PC100;
• Video adapter: Asus AGP-V3800 TV (TNT2 video chipset, 32 MB video memory);
• Processor: AMD Athlon 700 MHz and AMD Duron 600 MHz;
• Hard drive: IBM DPTA-372050 (20 GB, 2 MB cache, UDMA/66);
• Power supply power: 250 W;
• OS: Windows 98 Second Edition.

Cooling means

TITAN TTC-D2T was used as a cooler, providing effective cooling of AMD processors. The fan is controlled by the built-in hardware monitoring tools of the VT82C686A chip.

The processor temperature is monitored using thermal sensors (flexible for SL-KV75+, rigid for KT7) of the motherboard and hardware monitoring tools.

Overclocking processors by increasing the FSB frequency

When using the Soltek SL-KV75+ board, the processor bus clock frequency is selected using one of the two DIP switches highlighted in the photo of the SL-KV75+ motherboard and through BIOS Setup. For Abit KT7, frequency selection is performed from BIOS Setup. The Abit KT7 board showed better results. When using this board, the processor bus clock frequency was increased to 115 MHz. Therefore, below are the results of overclocking processors by increasing the bus frequency only for the Abit KT7 board.

Overclocking processors by changing multipliers

The frequency multiplier for AMD Athlon (Thunderbird) and AMD Duron processors is fixed, but Soltek SL-KV75+ and Abit KT7 motherboards provide the ability to change it. But it's not that simple. The advertised feature applies only to the first releases of processors. From some point on, AMD limited this opportunity. For new processors, the signal lines responsible for changing the frequency multiplier were cut. However, fortunately for overclocking enthusiasts, this procedure is performed by AMD over the L1 bridges brought to the surface of the processor. By closing the cut bridges, you can restore the lost ability to change the frequency multiplier. This can be done using a soft, sharpened pencil (M2-M4), rubbing over the cut L1 bridges on the processor. In this case, it is necessary to avoid short-circuiting adjacent bridges. The results of the procedure are demonstrated in the following photographs, which show fragments of the AMD Duron processor.

The advantage of this method is the possibility quick recovery the commercial appearance of the processor using a cotton swab and alcohol.

The AMD Athlon (Thunderbird) processor used did not require a recovery procedure, which can be seen in the photo.

After restoring broken bridges on an AMD Duron processor, changing the frequency multiplier is possible using motherboards.

Selecting the value of the processor frequency multiplier when using the Soltek SL-KV75+ motherboard is carried out using the corresponding DIP switch (highlighted in the photo of the Soltek SL-KV75+ board).

And here the following features of the Soltek SL-KV75+ motherboard should be noted. The documentation for this board states that the LED glow indicates the possibility of using means to change the frequency multiplier. However, the LED was on even when using a processor with the L1 bridges on the processor cut. The next feature is related to the use of a DIP switch. During the overclocking process, it became clear that it was impossible to set some frequency multiplier values. The secret probably lies in the DIP switch combinations repeated for certain multiplier values. Thus, on this board we were able to set only 3 working multiplier values ​​for the Duron 600 processor: 6, 6.5 and 8.

Deprived of such features motherboard Abit KT-7, for which the selection of overclocking parameters is carried out using BIOS Setup. In this regard, only the results obtained on the Abit KT7 board will be considered here.

The overclocking results, as well as the selected modes, are presented in tables and diagrams.

Overclocking by increasing the bus frequency and multiplier

It should be noted that maximum levels performance is achieved by choosing optimal values ​​for the processor bus clock frequency with appropriate values ​​of frequency multipliers.

It should be noted that to achieve high frequencies it was impossible to do without increasing the supply voltage of the processor core and I/O circuits. The following table shows the modes in which the supply voltages were increased.

Some attempts to overclock the processor were unsuccessful: did not pass the initial test (POST), did not boot operating system or the computer froze during the test. The options that at least passed POST are described in the following table. From the presented data it follows that in most cases the problem of unstable operation could be solved by increasing the processor supply voltage. Obviously, by increasing the core supply voltage it would be possible to achieve an even higher processor frequency. However, this increases the risk of its failure.

Below are the overclocking data for the Athlon processor. Despite the fact that the Athlon processor was only able to be overclocked to 825 MHz, a significant increase in system performance was achieved.

When preparing this article, materials from the book “PC: Settings, Optimization and Overclocking” were used. 2nd ed., revised. and additional, - St. Petersburg: BHV - Petersburg. 2000. - 336 p.