Increase the performance of AMD processors by unlocking the cores. Unlocking Intel Processors - Now It's Possible! How to find out your overclocking multiplier

Hello dear friends, Artyom is with you.

In today's post, we'll talk about overclocking processors from Intel.

As you know, all Intel desktop processors fall into several main classes. Pentium, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7.

In this case, processors with the "K" prefix (for example, Core i5 4670K) can be easily overclocked by raising the processor multiplier. Such processors have a so-called unlocked multiplier.

Intel Core i3 and Pentium cannot be overclocked this way (except for the Pentium G3258, and the new Core i3-7350K).

If the processor does not have the “K” prefix in its name, then it is almost impossible to overclock it. Is it possible to raise the frequency of the base oscillator (100 MHz), which, when multiplied by a static multiplier of the processor, will also raise the frequency of the latter. However, this can be done within extremely limited limits.

In this case, the processor will overclock by only a hundred MHz. Plus, you can get system malfunctions, since other frequencies are also tied to the frequency of the base generator - for example, PCI-Express buses. Due to an increase in the frequency of the base generator, the frequency of the PCI-E bus will also increase proportionally, causing the hard disk (SSD) to fall off the system. So the frequency will have to be set to default again.

What to do in this case? Is there a way out? There really is a way out. If you use processors up to the Intel Haswell generation (Corei 2xxx, Corei 3xxx), then there is one interesting life hack available to you.

You can raise the processor multiplier up to 4 stops, up from the maximum TurboBoost multiplier of your processor.

P.S. Let me remind you that the Turbo Boost technology dynamically overclocks the processor cores if the application requires increased performance and the processor does not go beyond a certain thermal package. This is very short, but at this stage this explanation I think will be quite enough.

For instance:

Core i5 2400 processor

Base frequency: 3.1 GHz \u003d (100 MHz x multiplier of 31)

Maximum Turbo Boost Multiplier during normal operation: 34

Maximum Possible Turbo Boost Multiplier: 38

That is, the processor can be overclocked to 3.8 GHz. An increase from the base frequency of 700 MHz. In my opinion it's very good.

In this case, the Turbo Boost technology will be active, even in case of overclocking.

P.S. Turbo Boost multipliers are configured in the BIOS (UEFI) of your motherboard.

Unfortunately, processors with a partially unlocked multiplier are only for the second and third generation Core. Since Haswell, this is no longer possible.

I hope that this information helped you. Unsubscribe in the comments, are you overclocking your processors?

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Introduction

Our readers are probably familiar with the overclocking potential of AMD Phenom II processors. We have published many tests, reviews and comparisons, various detailed guides that allow you to get similar results at home (for example, "").

But for our tests on socket platforms AM2 + or AM3, overclocking AMD processors with extreme liquid nitrogen cooling we used the Black Edition Phenom II models for a good reason. These unlocked multiplier processors are specifically aimed at the enthusiast looking to get the most out of the CPU they buy.

But this time we will focus on overclocking the processor with a locked multiplier. And for our task, we took a triple-core AMD Phenom II X3 710, which costs about $ 100 () and runs at 2.6 GHz. Of course, we cannot say that the processor lacks performance in the normal mode, and even three cores provide good potential. However, the processor multiplier is locked, so overclocking it is not as easy as the Black Edition models (the Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition with an unlocked multiplier runs at 2.8 GHz and costs from 4000 rubles in Russia).

What is a locked multiplier processor? You will not be able to increase the multiplier above the nominal value, and also, in the case of AMD processors, the CPU VID (voltage ID).

Let's take a look at the standard formula: clock speed \u003d CPU multiplier x base clock. Since we cannot increase the CPU multiplier, we will have to work with the base frequency. This, in turn, will lead to an increase in the frequency of the HT (HyperTransport) interface, northbridge and memory, since they all depend on the base frequency. If you want to update the terminology or frequency calculation schemes, we recommend that you refer to the article " Overclocking AMD Processors: The THG Guide ".

To cool the retail version of the Phenom II processor, we decided to abandon the "boxed" cooler included in the package and chose the Xigmatek HDT-S1283. However, hoping to overclock the processor as much as the Black Edition model, we wanted to find a motherboard capable of delivering a high base clock. Following our aMD Processor Motherboard Comparison Testing the winner in this area is the MSI 790FX-GD70, so it should allow us to push the limits of AMD's air-cooled processor.

In this article, we will take a closer look at different ways overclocking the processor with a locked multiplier, including the usual overclocking via BIOS, via the AMD OverDrive utility and via MSI's proprietary OC Dial function on the 790FX-GD70 motherboard. We will consider in detail all three methods, compare their ease and the results obtained. Finally, we will run some small benchmarks to assess the gains from overclocking the CPU, Northbridge (NB) and memory.

In each overclocking scenario, we first disabled Cool'n'Quiet, C1E and Spread Spectrum in the BIOS.

This is not always required, but when determining the maximum base frequency, it is better to disable all these functions so as not to understand the reasons for unsuccessful overclocking. When you increase the base frequency, you will probably have to reduce the CPU, NB and HT multipliers, as well as the memory frequency, so that all these frequencies do not reach the limit value. We will increase the base frequency in small increments and then run stability tests. In the 790FX-GD70 BIOS, MSI calls the HT base frequency "CPU FSB Frequency".

That was our plan, but first we wanted to see what the "Auto Overclock" option in BIOS with a nominal 200 MHz base frequency can do. We set this option to "Find Max FSB" and saved the BIOS changes. The system then went through a short cycle of reboots, and after 20 seconds it booted up with an impressive base clock of 348 MHz!

After successfully confirming the stable operation of the system on such settings, we realized that the value of the base frequency will not be a limitation for this combination of CPU and motherboard.

Now is the time to start overclocking the processor. In the Cell menu, we set the values \u200b\u200bback to the default ones. Then we set the "CPU-Northbridge Ratio" and "HT Link speed" multiplier to 8x. The FSB / DRAM divider was lowered to 1: 2.66, and the memory latency was manually set to 8-8-8-24 2T.

Knowing that the CPU would be stable at 3.13 GHz (348 x 9), we immediately went to the base frequency of 240 MHz, and then successfully passed the stability test. Then we started to increase the base frequency in 5 MHz steps and test the stability of the system each time. The highest base frequency we got at nominal voltage was 265 MHz, which gave us an impressive 3444 MHz overclock without any voltage increase.

Reducing the HT multiplier to 7x did not allow for an increase in overclocking, so it's time to raise the voltage. As we mentioned above, the CPU Voltage ID is locked and cannot be raised above 1.325 V, so the BIOS can set the CPU VDD Voltage from 1.000 to 1.325 V or set the automatic value to "Auto". However, the CPU voltage on the motherboard can still be changed by setting the offset relative to the CPU VID. The offset is set in the MSI BIOS by the "CPU Voltage" parameter, where values \u200b\u200bof 1.005-1.955 V are available for a processor with VDD 1.325 V.

We set the CPU voltage to a fairly modest 1.405 V and then continued to ramp up the base clock in 5 MHz increments, reaching a maximum stable value of 280 MHz, giving a 3640 MHz processor frequency, 1960 MHz HT Link frequency, 2240 MHz northbridge frequency and 1493 MHz for DDR3 memory. Quite normal values \u200b\u200bfor continuous 24x7 system use, but we wanted to achieve the best.

We continued our tests by lowering the northbridge multiplier to 7x and then increasing the CPU voltage to 1.505 V. The actual CPU voltage dropped to 1.488 V during load tests. At this voltage, the Phenom II X3 710 processor reached a stable 3744 MHz from a base clock of 288 MHz. In our open bench, the CPU temperature during the stress test of Prime95 was around 49 degrees Celsius, which is 25 degrees above our room temperature.

If you are not familiar with AMD OverDrive utility, we recommend that you read the article " Overclocking AMD Processors: The THG Guide ". Today we will go straight to Advanced mode to the Performance Control menu.

Overclocking a Black Edition processor via the AOD (AMD OverDrive) utility is pretty straightforward, but now we are dealing with a locked multiplier. First, we need to lower the NB and HT multipliers, as well as the memory divisor. The "CPU NB Multiplier" parameters on the "Clock / Voltage" tab, as well as the "Memory Clock" parameters on the "Memory" tab are highlighted in red, that is, they will change only after the system is restarted. Remember that the HT Link frequency cannot be higher than the Northbridge frequency, and changes to these "white" multipliers are not automatically performed after a reboot, unlike the "red" values. We avoided this problem by making changes to all of these values \u200b\u200bin the BIOS beforehand.

We quickly found out that base frequency changes with the AOD utility were not performed even after pressing the “Apply” button. You can see this if you compare "Target Speed" and "Current Speed".

To start overclocking, in the BIOS, you must first change the value of the base frequency to any value relative to the default 200 MHz. Any value will do, so we just set it to 201 MHz.

After making the above overclocking preparations, we started to increase the HT frequency using the AOD in 10 MHz steps. Everything was great until we unexpectedly hit the 240 MHz threshold. After that the system either "hung" or restarted. We did some fine tuning and then found that the problem starts after 238 MHz. The solution was to set the base frequency to 240 MHz in the BIOS. Then we raised the HT base frequency in 5 MHz steps, and then again rested on the 255 MHz level. After setting the BIOS to 256 MHz and loading, we were able to get the same maximum frequency at nominal voltage as before.

Please note that due to processor blocking, the CPU VID engine is already set to the maximum of 1.3250 V. To raise the CPU voltage, you need to use the CPU VDDC engine, which sets the offset voltage. In addition to setting 1.504 V for the CPU VDDC, we increased the NB VID and NB Core voltages to 1.25 V. This allowed us to increase the HT base frequency to 288 MHz without any problems.

Besides the rather rich multiplier and voltage adjustments in the BIOS, the MSI 790FX-GD70 has other overclocker-friendly features. Notice the OC Dial keys and knob located on the bottom of the board. The power and reset keys will be useful for those testing the system outside of the PC case, and the depressed clear CMOS (Clr CMOS) key is also more convenient than a regular jumper. MSI OC Dial function consists of OC Drive knob and OC Gear key. They allow you to change the base frequency in real time.

The OC Dial function is activated via the "Cell" menu in the BIOS. The OC Dial Step can be increased if needed, but we used the default 1 MHz step. The OC Dial Value indicates the changes made with the OC Drive knob. The "Dial Adjusted Base Clock" value indicates the current base clock, that is, the sum of the FSB Clock + OC Dial values.

Again, we prepared for overclocking by lowering the NB and HT multipliers in the BIOS, as well as the memory divider. The OC Drive knob can be rotated from the BIOS screen, but under the operating system, the OC Gear key acts as a toggle. After holding OC Gear for a second, appears and the OC Drive handle starts working. The knob has only 16 positions, which allows you to increase the base frequency by 16 MHz in one turn. After completing the adjustments, pressing OC Gear again will turn off the function, which is recommended to protect stable performance.

We started overclocking by turning the OC Drive knob and monitoring the base and other frequencies in the CPU-Z. However, after the next change, the system automatically rebooted. Upon entering the BIOS, we found that the reboot occurred after the same 239 MHz base clock that we had problems with in AMD OverDrive.

After this small glitch, the system booted into Windows without any problems at the base frequency of 239 (200 + 39) MHz. We continued to increase the OC Dial value up to 65 MHz, then a voltage increase was required.

We have increased the voltages and decreased the multipliers. On Windows, we controlled the OC Dial in 10 MHz increments. The system began to "crash" after reaching the base frequency of 286 MHz, while the OS refused to boot when the "OC Dial Value" was greater than 86 MHz.

After setting the CPU FSB frequency to 250 MHz, we loaded the OS again. This time we were able to increase the base frequency with the "OC Dial" knob up to our maximum stable level of 288 MHz.

Squeezing out more performance: fine tuning

With the Phenom II X3 710 running at a decent 3744MHz clock speed, it's time to squeeze some more performance out of the system.

We started by overclocking the northbridge, which improves the performance of the memory controller and L3 cache. By setting the CPU-NB Voltage to 1.3V and the NB Voltage to 1.25V, we were able to increase the northbridge multiplier from 7x to 9x, resulting in a northbridge frequency of 2592 MHz.

A further increase in voltages still did not allow Windows to load with a 10x NB multiplier. Remember that because of the base frequency of 288 MHz, each increase in the NB multiplier results in a 288 MHz increase in the northbridge frequency. The chipset's heatsink stayed pretty cool to touch, but reaching 2880 MHz on the northbridge would most likely require a higher CPU-NB voltage boost than we wanted. In this regard, Black Edition processors certainly offer a lot of flexibility. By using a combination of a multiplier and a different base clock, we could get a higher clock speed of the northbridge with a similar CPU overclocking. For example, at a base frequency of 270 MHz, the system was completely stable with the north bridge at 2700 MHz, but without the possibility of increasing the multiplier, the CPU overclocking dropped to just over 3500 MHz.

Of course, you can get a small performance boost by increasing the HT Link frequency, but 2.0GHz already provides enough bandwidth for such a system. Here, increasing the HT multiplier to 8x will result in a 288 MHz increase in the HT Link interface clock rate, which will result in 2304 MHz - higher than we usually set, and stability will certainly be lost.

Instead of wasting time increasing the HT Link frequency, we decided to overclock the memory. In this case, a 1: 3.33 divider would cause our Corsair DDR3 modules to run at too high a frequency of 1920 MHz, so we decided to tackle the latencies. We found 7-7-7-20 latencies to be completely stable in Memtest 86+, Prime95 and 3DMark Vantage benchmarks. Unfortunately, the Command Rate 1T gave stable four cycles of the Memtest 86+ without errors, but resulted in a loss of stability in 3D tests. The result of our subtle overclocking is shown in the following screenshot.

Although we manually adjusted the memory latency for the current overclocking test, additional tests showed that the "Auto" setting did not affect the result. With a memory divider of 1: 2.66, setting the DRAM Timing delays in the BIOS to "Auto" resulted in the 9-9-9-24 mode. Interestingly, the "Auto" delays with a 1: 2 divider led to the 6-6-6-15 mode, and at this frequency the 1T Command Rate parameter gave stable operation.

In performance tests, we'll take a look at our overclocking efforts separately. First, we'll look at the performance gains from increasing the Northbridge frequency only, then we'll examine the effect of memory frequency and latency on performance.

Test configuration

Tests and settings

Performance Results

This article was intended more as an overclocking guide rather than a performance test. But we decided to run a few tests anyway to show the performance gains after our overclocking efforts. Take a look at the table above for a detailed explanation of each test configuration.

In the Sandra Arithmetic test, the results increase after increasing the CPU clock speed, and the tweaked OC did not show any benefit from the overclocked northbridge.

On the other hand, overclocking the northbridge gives a serious increase in memory bandwidth. Thin overclocking (Tweaked OC) is in the lead, and a slightly lower frequency of the northbridge at maximum overclocking (Max CPU OC) yielded lower results than when overclocked with stock voltage (Stock Vcore OC).

Overclocking our Phenom II processor resulted in a noticeable improvement in the CPU benchmark results in 3DMark Vantage. Additional throughput due to the acceleration of the north bridge, it significantly increased the result.

World in Conflict is highly dependent on CPU performance. We tested it at low resolution without anti-aliasing, which allowed us to expose very high details, but at the same time we did not run into the performance of the GPU Radeon HD 4870. Not surprisingly, as the CPU frequency increases, we get an increase in the minimum and average frame rates (fps). But notice the substantially better minimum frame rates after overclocking the northbridge. The performance of the memory controller and L3 cache is very important for this game, as overclocking the northbridge gave the same 6fps increase in minimum frame rate as overclocking the CPU at 1100 MHz.

Overclocking the CPU drastically reduced render times in 3ds Max 2009. Memory bandwidth is not that important here, as overclocking the Northbridge was only one second better.

All tests were performed after setting the BIOS to 8-8-8-24 2T delays. In the diagrams, we used the "Tweaked PC" fine overclocking setting of 3744 MHz for the core, 2592 MHz for the northbridge and 2016 MHz for the HT interface. We tested the four stable modes of memory operation, which we talked about in the article.

In the arithmetic CPU test, we see no difference. However, low latency turned out to be slightly better than high operating frequency.

Here we see that the bandwidth has increased after increasing the memory frequency. With a divider of 2.66 we see very little difference between Auto (CAS 9), CAS 8, and CAS 7 low latency.

Here, our two manual modes are in the lead, although the difference in the 3DMark Vantage CPU test is negligible.

The scaling in World in Conflict seems almost perfect, the minimum delays are leading, which gave an increase of 1 fps in the minimum and average frame rates. Note the noticeable drop in the minimum frame rate as you lower the memory frequency.

Tighter memory latencies on an overclocked system did not benefit 3ds Max 2009 rendering times.

Overclocking without increasing the voltage gives a pleasant performance increase in comparison with the standard settings and at the same time much better efficiencythan at maximum acceleration (with increasing voltage). Also, note that the performance gains from increasing Northbridge frequencies are not "free".

Some readers like to overclock without increasing the multiplier, which allows you to enable Cool'n'Quiet technology without noticeable loss of stability.

Conclusion

The Phenom II X3 710 processor delivers an impressive return for its $ 100 () price. However, locked Multiplier and Voltage ID values \u200b\u200bresult in a loss of overclocking flexibility compared to Black Edition processors. However, if you get motherboardfriendly to overclocking (eg MSI 790FX-GD70), the X3 710 can provide the same core frequency as other air-cooled Phenom II processors.

Of course, your overclocking results may vary. This is especially true for overclocking a processor with a locked multiplier by increasing the base frequency. If you are planning to overclock a locked Phenom II processor on a tighter budget, we recommend that you pay careful attention to your motherboard choice so that it allows you to add offset to the CPU VID and can handle a higher base frequency. However, if you plan to overclock the processor on an inexpensive motherboard or want to squeeze the maximum out of the CPU on an enthusiast motherboard like ours, it is better to pay another $ 20 and take the Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition processor (from 4000 rubles in Russia), work with which is much easier.

AMD's OverDrive utility has been quite useful in the past for overclocking Black Edition processors, but in this configuration it is no longer so ideal. Of course, none of the problems we encountered was critical, but we would not recommend performing any serious overclocking with with AMD OverDrive on our motherboard with a locked processor. However, the utility is still useful for monitoring voltages and temperatures, or even for preliminary testing of small changes in the base frequency in order to enter them into the BIOS later.

MSI's OC Dial technology is also not flawless, but in our case it performed better than AMD OverDrive. In addition to the "Auto Overclock" option to find the maximum base frequency (Max FSB), MSI OC Dial technology can save you a lot of time when you need to quickly change the base frequency. The biggest problems will be how to get to the MSI OC Dial adjustments after installing the board in the case, since it will be quite crowded in systems with a bottom power supply and with several video cards.

As a result, if we consider overclocking a locked processor, then it is impossible to bypass or replace the adjustments through the good old BIOS. Thanks to easy navigation and a wealth of multiplier and voltage adjustments, the 790FX-GD70 has shown its best side. Whether you use the OC Dial function or the AMD OverDrive software utility, overclocking a locked Phenom II processor will still start and end in the BIOS.

If you have a computer equipped with a modern processor manufactured by AMD, then this means that you have a chance to significantly increase the performance of your PC without spending a penny on this purpose. This is a technology called "unlocking the cores of AMD processors." This technology increases the number of processor cores available to the system - usually from two to four or three.

Of course, such an operation is very tempting. Indeed, as tests show, in some cases, the performance of the updated processor almost doubles. Moreover, for the successful implementation of this operation, you need only a little knowledge. bIOS options, well, and, however, a little luck.

First of all, let's try to figure out why AMD needed to “hide” the processor cores from the user at all. The fact is that each processor manufacturer within a certain line has several models that differ both in price and in capabilities. Naturally, cheaper processor models have fewer cores than more expensive ones. However, it is in many cases irrational to specifically develop models with fewer cores, so many manufacturers, in this case, AMD, do it easier - they simply turn off unnecessary processor cores.

In addition, many AMD processors may have defective cores with a number of drawbacks. Such processors are also not thrown away, and after disabling unnecessary cores are sold under the guise of cheaper versions of processors. However, the discovered disadvantages of disabled cores may not be critical for their functioning. For example, if the processor core has a slightly increased heat dissipation in comparison with the standard, then the use of a processor with such a core is quite possible.

It should be said right away that the success of the core unlocking operation largely depends not only on the AMD processor line and its model, but also on a certain series of processors. In many series, only the cores in individual processors can be unlocked, while in other series, almost all processors can be unlocked. In some cases, it is possible to unlock not the kernel itself, but only the cache associated with it.

AMD's unlockable processors are from the Athlon, Phenom and Sempron lines. Usually unlocking is possible for cores # 3 and 4 out of four available cores. In some cases, you can unlock the second core in a dual-core processor, and in some cases, 5 and 6 cores in a quad-core processor.

Features of unlocking various series of processors

Here are some examples of AMD series of processors that can be unlocked, as well as their characteristic features of this process:

• Athlon X2 5000+ - cores # 3 and 4 (individual copies)
• Athlon II X3 4xx series (Deneb / Rana type core) - core # 4 and cache memory
• Athlon II X3 series 4xx (Propus type core) - core # 4
• Athlon II X4 6xx series (Deneb / Rana core) - only L3 cache
• Phenom II X2 5xx series - cores # 3 and 4
• Phenom II X3 7xx series - core # 4
• Phenom II X4 8xx Series - Only 2MB Level 3 Cache Unlocked
• Phenom II X4 650T, 840T, 960T and 970 Black Edition - cores # 5 and 6 (selected copies)
• Sempron 140/145 - core # 2

Which chipsets support unlocking processor cores?

It should be noted that not all motherboards support the ability to unlock AMD processor cores. You will only be able to unlock kernels if your BIOS supports Advanced Clock Calibration (ACC) technology or a similar technology.

ACC technology is used in the following chipsets:

• GeForce 8200
• GeForce 8300
• nForce 720D
• nForce 980
• Chipsets with south bridge type SB710
• Chipsets with south bridge type SB750

There are also several AMD chipsets that do not support ACC technology, but instead support similar technologies. These chipsets include chipsets with south bridges type:

• SB810
• SB850
• SB950

The methodology for unlocking cores on these chipsets varies depending on the motherboard manufacturer.

Unblocking technique

To unlock the cores, the user needs to access the BIOS tools. If the motherboard supports ACC technology, in most cases it is enough to find the Advanced Clock Calibration parameter in the BIOS and set it to Auto.

In the case of motherboards from certain manufacturers, some additional steps may also be required. On maternal aSUS boards In addition to ACC, enable the Unleashed mode option, on MSI boards - the Unlock CPU Core option, on NVIDIA boards - the Core Calibration option. On gigabyte boards you need to find the EC Firmware Selection option and set it to Hybrid.

On those chipsets that do not support ACC technology, the unlocking method depends on the specific manufacturer. Let's briefly list the options that must be used in the case of each specific manufacturer:

• ASUS - ASUS Core Unlocker
• Gigabyte - CPU Unlock
• Biostar - BIO-unlocKING
• ASRock - ASRock UCC
• MSI - Unlock CPU Core

Unlock check and core testing

In order to make sure that the unlocked cores of AMD processors really work, it is best to use information utilities like CPU-Z. However, even if you make sure that the unlocking was successful, it does not mean that the unlocked kernels will work without problems. In order to fully check their performance, it is recommended to thoroughly test all processor parameters. Also, the failure of the unlocking process may be indicated by computer malfunctions, and sometimes the inability to boot it. In the latter case, you will have to resort to clearing the BIOS memory and resetting it to the factory default settings (we discussed how to carry out this process in a separate article).

In the event of a malfunction of the new cores, the user can disable them at any time using the BIOS options. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the operation of unlocking processor cores works only on bIOS level, and not at the level of the processors themselves. In the event that you put a processor with unlocked cores on another motherboard, they will still be locked.

And I would like to note one more point. While unlocking a processor is not equivalent to overclocking it, increasing the number of working cores in your processor will automatically increase the heat dissipation of the processor die. Therefore, perhaps in this case it makes sense to think about upgrading the processor-cooling cooler.

Conclusion

Unlocking the cores of AMD processors is a simple step that can nevertheless help the user to realize the full potential of their computing equipment. This operation is carried out by enabling the necessary BIOS options. Although unlocking the cores is not always guaranteed to be successful, it is nevertheless not associated, like overclocking, with significant risk, and can be tried out in practice by any user.

AMD processors. We will also consider software tools with which this rather complex operation can be performed. In addition to this, practical advice will be given as to which of them is the best to apply in each situation. In addition to this, a list of CPUs relevant to the given manipulation will also be provided.

Which CPU models are suitable?

Before learning how to unlock AMD processor cores, let's take a look at the CPU models that are suitable for this manipulation. This list includes such families of chips from this eminent computer manufacturer:

1. Septron microprocessors can be converted from single-core to dual-core. This allows you to increase, albeit slightly, the speed of work. personal computer.
2. The Athlon II line of computing devices in 2- and 3-module versions can be converted into a quad-core CPU. In turn, some models of this family of microprocessors can be turned into a similar chip of the Phenom II series with a three-level cache system. Accordingly, the speed of the computer will also increase.
3. Younger Phenom II chips can be transformed from dual- and triple-core models into four-block models, just like the previously reviewed Athlon II chips. Again, the speed of work is increased by increasing the code processing modules.

All previously stated transformations are relevant for the AM3 platform. Later AMD sockets no longer support this operation.

Implementation methods

Now let's figure out how to unlock AMD processor cores using software tools... This operation can be implemented in two ways. One of them is using bIOS systems... This method can be used only on newer versions of motherboards in which an option has been added to the ACC / UCC menu. The second option for enabling unused hardware resources is reduced to using special utilities. This method of activating kernels is available on any motherboard.

BIOS. Usage algorithm

Now let's figure out how to unlock processor cores AMD Athlon and other chips within the AM3 socket using the BIOS. Again, this method applicable only to those motherboards that were released in 2012 or later. A special ACC item (for AMD chipsets) or UCC (in the case of using the NVidia system logic set) has been added to the BIOS menu in each of them.

In both the first and second cases, the implementation algorithm is as follows:

1. When turning on the computer system, press the F2 button when the test window appears to enter the BIOS.
2. Next, you need to use the navigation keys to go to the menu item called Advanced and open it using the "Enter" key.
3. At the next stage, we find the ACC / UCC sub-item, translate the pointer to it using all the same navigation keys.
4. Then, using the PgUp and PgDn buttons, set it to Enabled.
5. We save the changes. To do this, just press F10. Next, you will be prompted to save the changes. We answer positively to it.
6. After that, a reboot will occur. Next, you need to check the stability of the PC after the manipulations performed according to the method that will be described later.

If the computer is unstable, then using the JP1 microswitch on the motherboard, we return the BIOS parameters to their original state.

Specialized software

This method is most often used on older versions of motherboards. But it also applies to their newer modifications. That is, it is quite versatile. Like the previous method, this method allows you to turn a low-performance Athlon II series chip into a high-performance AMD Phenom 2 X2 processor for example.

Each motherboard manufacturer offered its own utility for this purpose. For example, Gigabyte recommended using the CPU Unlock program. It could be found on the CD motherboard manufacturer of the same name.

Functional check

This review covered how to unlock AMD Phenom processor cores and more. After performing this operation, it is highly recommended to check the stability and reliability of your computer.

To do this, at the first stage, you need to install a specialized program CPU-Z. Then start it and check in detail the parameters of the microprocessor.

Next, you need to install a specialized utility AIDA64 and use it to carry out a comprehensive scan of the PC. If the computer starts to work unstable, then we reset the BIOS parameters to their original state using the same JP1 switch. You can also try to return the system software to its original state using the integrated program operating system.

Relevance of the operation

This review has detailed the main ways to unlock the cores of AMD processors. The FX - 4300 and other newer CPUs designed for installation in the AM3 + socket no longer allowed such an operation. That is, only within the framework of a computer platform, this practice has become most widespread.

Again, these microprocessor models were relevant in 2010 - 2013. Now this platform is outdated. Therefore, a dramatic improvement in performance due to the activation of additional cores will definitely not work.

Conclusion

This review article focused on how to unlock AMD processor cores within the AM3 computing platform. At the time of the appearance of such chips, this operation contributed to the growth of sales of the previously reviewed CPU modifications. Now it is outdated and is not suitable for the implementation of high-performance computers.

The most rational way to activate disabled resources is to use special utilities. But it is easier to do this using the BIOS. Therefore, if possible, use the latter method. If the computer has old version motherboard, you can use a more complex method, which is based on specialized software.

At one time, many owners of AMD processors, or those who were just about to become such, were very encouraged by the possibility of unlocking additional cores and / or cache memory. This has become possible since the "white-green" company found it expedient to form a line of inexpensive CPUs by disabling some functional blocks in older "stones" that did not pass the stability test in their original form. This approach suited everyone, allowing the company to make at least some profit from rejected chips, and users to take part in a kind of lottery, in which a significant increase in productivity becomes the prize.

In the camp of AMD's main competitor - corporation Intel - they also take an approach in which the same core can serve as the basis for several lines. An example can be processors based on the Clarkdale chip - Core i5, Core i3 and Pentium are released on its basis. The differences lie in the fact that the former have support for Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading technologies, the latter can only boast of Hyper-Threading, and the cheapest Pentium-branded models lack both functions and, in addition, have a L3 cache reduced by 1 MB. However, in the case of Intel, such a division is mainly of a marketing nature, and in fact, the cores of all these processors are absolutely identical and fully functional, as evidenced by a new initiative taken by the largest manufacturer of desktop CPUs.

She got the name Upgrade Service and is as follows: for an additional fee, the owners of some intel solutions will be able to unlock them to the level of more expensive models. The update process itself boils down to downloading a special utility, into which you then need to enter a PIN code with Upgrade Cardthat will be distributed in retail chains. The first and so far the only sign was the card for Pentium G6951.

After entering the PIN, the program unlocks an additional megabyte of L3 cache, and also activates the Hyper-Threading function - thus, at the output we get a Core i3 with a slightly lower clock frequency. Of course, the cost of such a solution will be more expensive than that of the younger Core i3, which negates the feasibility of such an option in case of buying a new PC. However, for those who already own a similar CPU and are ready to part with $ 50 for the improvements listed above, such an offer may be interesting.

It is worth considering that the Upgrade Service program is experimental, and its further fate will most likely be determined based on the reactions of users from the USA, Canada, Holland and Spain - it is in these countries that it is available on this moment... Of course, at first glance, “free” unlocking of AMD processors looks much more preferable, but do not forget that Intel plans to sell 100% possibility of activating additional features, while in the case of their competitors it is nothing more than a lottery.