K6-2 2x -> 6x

[Guest]

I just wonder which versions of the K6-2 take the 2x multiplier as if it was 6x.

¿Would a K6-2 AFX @ 400 mhz do it?

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[Guest]

All K6 family chips which can be bought now in shops have the 2x -> 6x wiring. This is to enable you to use a 400MHz (and above) chips at 400MHz = 66MHz x 6 rather than 400MHz = 100MHz x 4, for use on older mobos that don't have the super-fast 100MHz bus.

It's also useful for overclocking, i.e. running your K6-2 500MHz at 600MHz using 6x 100MHz.

~ I'm not AMD biased, I just think their chips are better ~

 

[Guest]

I am trying to buy the chip in an internet auction site, and just want to know if that particular chip will do.

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[Guest]

Is there any way to tell on the K6-2's by their serial numbers whether or not they use the 2x->6x wiring, or should I just assume that all K6-2 chips use it?

Also, I'm thinking of getting a used K6-2 450 MHz from my dad to upgrade my current computer (Biostar M5ATB motherboard, jumper selectable FSB speeds are 50/60/66/75/83 MHz, clock multipliers only go up to 4.5x, currently using the K6 300 MHz with 66 MHz FSB and 4.5x multiplier). I only have 2 questions:
1. Assuming the chip uses the 2x->6x wiring, should I set my jumpers up for 2x multiplier and 75 MHz FSB to get the 450 MHz speed (75x6=450)?

2. Should I worry about the core voltage? The motherboard seems to have a max limit of 2.2 V, but I think the chip says 2.4 V on it. Obviously overheating isn't a problem, but do I need to worry about reduced performance due to the lower voltage, or does it mean that I can't use the chip on the board?

 

[Crashman]

Let me put it this way-the SLOWEST you will run at 6x is 400 (6x66). All the k6-2's 350 and over are supposed to be using this feature (they use a newer core design than earlier, slower versions). So for the 6x option, at least get a 400 or higher, because 400 is as low as you can go!

Suicide is painless...........

 

[Guest]

Cool, so that answers #1.

But what about my second question on core voltage? Should I be worried about my motherboard providing lower voltage than the rated amount for the chip? My mobo can provide up to 2.2 V, but I think the chip needs 2.4 V. Am I SOL, or will it still work?

 

[Crashman]

If you have a Socket 7 motherboard (the only kind this chip will work on), you have much higher voltages available than 2.2v. The normal core voltage for the K6-2/400 IS 2.2v, but I have used up to 2.8v on them, depending on what's available on teh motherboard. If your motherboard cannot supply the proper 2.2v core, you can use the default P55C (Pentium MMX) voltage of 2.8v with an adequate cooling fan, or any voltage in between (some motherboards only go down to 2.5v, which would run cooler than 2.8v anyway).

Suicide is painless...........

 

[Guest]

Thanks. I'll see about grabbing the chip this weekend and trying it out.

 

[Guest]

Well, it sorta worked...

The 2 voltage choices I had for the chip onboard were 2.2 or 2.8 V. The CPU fan said it took 2.4 V, so I stuck with the 2.2 V my K6/300 used, figuring I'd see how it did before trying any overclocking. I switched over the FSB speed as well from 66 MHz to 75. For some reason, though, I ended up with it booting up as an AMD K6-2/400 (although Norton SystemWorks' System Information recognizes it as a K6-2/450). However, it did cause one small problem: the memory.

I had 2 DIMM's in it, one 32 MB PC66 (original stick) and one 64 MB PC100 (upgrade stick). After changing the processor, the memory test said I only had 64 MB of memory, instead of 96. I thought maybe it was a problem with the chip itself, or maybe due to the change in FSB speed. However, when I switched the sockets they were in, my memory then went down to 32 MB (!?)

I put them back in their original slots, so I'm at least at 64 MB. However, this really concerns me, as the problem doesn't seem to be with the chip, and while I did hit a chip by accident while changing the CPU, I hit the 64 MB chip. It almost seems like the second slot isn't working now, but I don't see how my upgrade could have affected that. Any suggestions?

Also, I got this wonderful response from Biostar USA (I have their old M5ATB motherboard -- 3 years old, that is :
"Your motherboard may not work with 128MB SDRAM/1pc. It is because most of the memory are HIGH DENSITY memory which the system does not support. We do not support this motherboard anymore, so I cannot tell this motherboard will
support 128MB DIMM or not."

I know that the larger DIMM chips are somewhat recent, but I wouldn't think that 3 years would be such a long time that the manufacturer wouldn't support the board anymore. Especially since I can find more support for other similar boards they made in the same time period (M5ATA/C, M5ALx series) on their website...