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Product:
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Upgradeware XP-TMC Athlon XP Multiplier Upgrade Kit |
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Price:
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$40 (CAN) / $28 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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Bytewize Computers
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Author:
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Hi-TEK
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Date:
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August 4th, 2003
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Rating:
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The XP-TMC consists of add-on module that must be installed between the ZIF socket of a standard motherboard
and the AMD XP CPU itself. The XP-TMC module like the CPU core has 462 integrated pins located on the top and
bottom. The bottom side of the XP-TMC includes a series of 5 toggle switches (similar to dip-switches) labelled
S1-S5, which allow you the manually adjust the multiplier setting. As previously mentioned, the two page
reference sheet includes all the toggle switch configuration settings. The XP-TMC has a multiplier range of 5.0x
to 24.0x and users should consult their CPU reference documentation and motherboard manual for the appropriate
setting. If you are running one of the newer AMD based motherboards this option can be adjusted by BIOS. If you
are running an older motherboard chipset with a limited multiplier setting, the option can be set to AUTO in BIOS
and manually set on the XP-TMC to achieve the appropriate overclock setting. Consumers should note that this product
adjusts multiplier settings only and you are still required to adjust voltage requirements to compensate for the
increased power consumption required by the CPU.
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The Upgradeware XP-TMC Athlon XP Multiplier Upgrade Kit is compatible with all AMD XP CPU cores
ranging from AMD Athlon XP (Thorton/Thoroughbred, L2 256K) to AMD Athlon XP (Barton, L2 512K).
The XP-TMC provides a benefit for consumers running old KT266A chipsets where you can effectively
use newer released processors on older motherboards. Assembly of the unit is pretty much straightforward
and requires the insertion of the CPU into the base of the XP-TMC. Consumers should exercise caution
during this process, since it is very easy to bend one of the pins on the CPU if the alignment of both
pieces is off. For testing this product, I will be using an AMD XP 1700+ TBRED-B CPU on an MSI KT3
Ultra2 Motherboard.
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The installation process first starts with the insertion of the XP-TMC into ZIF socket of the
motherboard. As previously mentioned, if your multiplier setting is locked in your BIOS, you
will have to manually set the multiplier setting using the toggle switches before proceeding
with the rest of the installation. Another condition that must be met is that your CPU must be
unlocked prior to use. Most of newer Barton cores can be purchased unlocked but there are a few
Thoroughbred cores that must be unlocked using conventional means. If your CPU is locked you
will not be able to use this product for overclocking. Upgradeware has some reference diagrams
on their site, which show you what a locked and unlocked
AMD XP CPU looks like. The next step is to align pin 1 of the CPU with pin 1 of the XP-TMC and
gently insert the CPU into the module. With the CPU and XP-TMC inserted properly in the ZIF
socket of the motherboard, the next step is to attach the custom extension brackets on the
mounting tabs of the ZIF socket. The custom extension brackets are required for the installation
of a heatsink since the CPU sits 1 inch higher than normal in the ZIF socket of the motherboard.
I opted to not apply the included Stars Thermal Compound and used high performance Arctic Silver
3 as an alternative.
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