AMD 2500 Barton...AQZFA 0339 UPMW???

[blazer99]

AMD 2500 Barton...AQZFA 0339 UPMW ???

Anybody have any experience with or know about O/C-ability for an AMD 2500+ Barton with this stepping code...
AQZFA 0339 UPMW

Thanx...my local computer guy has this one on his shelf...is it a desirable stepping...good enuf / recent enuf, stepping?

Thanx folks, your knowledgeable input would be appreciated,
Jim


__________________
blazer

my system...
ASUS A7N8X rev 2
AMD AthlonXP 1700+ (1466 mhz)
512mb DDR 2100
EnerMax 431w PSU
Maxtor 40gb HD 7200 rpm
ASUS GF4 Ti4200 Deluxe (128mb/ViVo)ASUS video driver-set v.44.71A
Creative Audigy sound
16x10x40 r/w drive
DVD rom drive
WinXP Home Edition, SP1
latest via 4in1 driver

[filip04]

i think that's the latest one, which should kick butt...

[blazer99]

cheers...i think i mite take this one!

But there seems to be much talk in here 'bout people with A7N8X boards and a 2500 not being able to change multipliers with this "latest" stepping?

Any thoughts?

[shiyan]

that sounds really weird. never heard of that before. do you have a link?

I don't think there should be any problems changing multipliers with that board and stepping.

oh yeah,

WELCOME TO THE FORUMS!

http://forum.oc-forums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=241747

[blazer99]

the more i find on this particular stepping i begin to wonder ... could that cpu be a "Thorton" in Barton's clothing? I'm not buyin' a cpu that can't be o/c'd...that doesn't have 512 cache...that you have to mod to "play" with it!

If amd is selling their "latest" chip steppings falsly as Bartons ... no thanx if that's what it is. I read a string somewhere in here where a guy with EXACTLY the same stepping code as this one i was considering buying, yet it was an Athlon XP2100 (Thorton?)!! So what's up with that?

things that make ya wanna go hhmmmmmmmm,
jim

[blazer99]

thanx for the BIG welcome shiyan...

just do an AMD forum search of "AQZFA"

[shiyan]

I did a search and came up with a lot of threads. Thing is, I have seen most of those threads before.

I couldn't find the thread about not being able to change multipliers though. Do you have a link to the thread in question?

(did I confuse you by saying "that sounds really weird"? I meant the problem sounds weird, not the stepping, as the stepping is just the latest stepping of the Barton that I've heard of)

I found a very interesting thread about a multiplier problem, but it's a different stepping, not AQZFA: http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=243879 Here's also someone reporting a multiplier problem, but did not specify which stepping: http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=244006

as for Asus not changing multipliers... maybe stick with Abit just to be safe then?

[blazer99]

i just did a search of AQZFA, here's what I got...
URL]

here's a couple that are curious...
http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=241296&highlight=aqzfa (http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/search.php?s=&action=showresults&searchid=552288&sortby=lastpost&sortorder=descending)

[URL]http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=243926&highlight=aqzfa

There's another one i'd like to read, but it won't let me...its on that 1st search-link i provided...titled "3 day old AQZFA ... thorton"

Star with that...fun reading!

Cheers
:D

[shiyan]

I had a look at that thread that you could not see. It is someone selling a Thorton with the latest Barton stepping. He was selling it as he ran out of conductive fluid before he could unlock the disabled cache.

This issue with locked Bartons does seem rather alarming though.

[blazer99]

it was after doing a google search for "thorton" that i discovered the string (somewhere amongst the search results) that revealed a steeping code IDENTICAL to mine but for an XP2100...that is wierd?

[shiyan]

It's quite possible, and not that strange, because Thortons are just Bartons with half the cache disabled by cutting the L2 bridge.

So for that 2100+ Thorton, they just took a Barton, and cut the right bridges to set the right cache, multiplier, voltages etc.

[c627627]

Originally posted by blazer99
the more i find on this particular stepping i begin to wonder ... could that cpu be a "Thorton" in Barton's clothing? I'm not buyin' a cpu that can't be o/c'd...that doesn't have 512 cache...that you have to mod to "play" with it!

If amd is selling their "latest" chip steppings falsly as Bartons ... no thanx if that's what it is. I read a string somewhere in here where a guy with EXACTLY the same stepping code as this one i was considering buying, yet it was an Athlon XP2100 (Thorton?)!! So what's up with that?

things that make ya wanna go hhmmmmmmmm,
jim

Here's what's up with that:
Thoroughbred production has stopped. Athlon 64s and Bartons are being produced only.

There are no new 1600+, 1700+, 1800+ 1900+ or 2100+ CPUs.

There are 2500+ and up Bartons and

2000+ 2200+ and 2400+ Thortons which are Bartons with L2 bridge laser cut.

AMD is not falsely selling anything.
You pay for a 2500+ Barton you get a 2500+ Barton.
You pay less for a 2000+ 2200+ or 2400+ CPU, you get a Thorton which is the same chip as Barton with 1/2 cache disabled.

No need to mod if you shell out $85 for a Barton.

http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=240564

We should not bash a company that gave us $49 CPUs easily overclockable sometimes way into 3x00+ speeds.

Intel's wonder overclockers cost three times that and you best believe they would charge six or ten times $49 for old CPUs if they had MS-like monopoly which they do not, only thanks to AMD which amazingly only has like 16% of the CPU market compared to Intel's 83% or so.

[blazer99]

but could it be locked? why is there sooo much chatter about locked bartons.

I just wanna be able to get the o/c results others are getting...should i look for a different stepping?

[c627627]

Well CPUs are factory unlocked but you do need a mobo that can post all multis.

Thus far on below 2100+ CPUs it was only Abit and Soltek mobo that could do that without any wire tricks as discussed here:
http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=232303


But now there are reports that even Abit cannot post all multis on post week 41 Bartons.

What we're trying to do starting tonight is to confirm that even wire tricks do not work with post week 41 Bartons. So far there are too few examples to tell...

[blazer99]

ok...
well i'm working with my asus A7N8X Rev.2 mobo
i'm looking for a 2500 barton to upgrade to, and thats what started me on this "stepping" mission...now i'm concerned if i buy that 2500 (week 39...rite on your cusp), i'll be stuck with a lemon.

[c627627]

Asus itself could never post all multis on any T-Bred 1600+ through 2000+ without wire tricks.

I take it it could post all multis on earlier Bartons without wire tricks, could it?

Again, there is exactly one example of this, somebody's bound to have reported this elsewhere and they didn't so it's way too early to be giving up on purchases because of this.

[blazer99]

nope...these asus boards are a fave of the 2500 barton crowd ... so i've read. Achieved some amazing results o/c'g.

sooooo, hmmmmm ... maybe i'll look for one of those AQXEA chips.

[c627627]

..or at least a couple of more examples that new Bartons cannot post all multis, even with wire tricks...

[blazer99]

thats what i'm afraid of

[glussier]

Most mobos will unlock the lower multis (12.5 and down) for the Barton 2500+. Some people at Overclockers Australia have noticed the same thing about the new Bartons. You can read it at http://forums.overclockers.com.au/showthread.php?s=&threadid=221042

[c627627]

Great, thanks glussier for that, I just posted there urging all new Barton owners to try the wire trick to get all multis to post...

We'll find out what's up with new Bartons if they do...

[glussier]

You are welcome. I see that you were already registered on that board. :)

[blazer99]

thanx everyone...c627627...glussier...

yup i popped into aussie land and had a read of that string...
very interesting...may confirm my suspicions? we'll see.

in the meantime, can you advise me as to which "recent" steppings for 2500 bartons, are known to be good o/c'ers...that i mite realistically be able to find somewhere.

Cheers...and goodnite,
Jim

[OC Detective]

I think you should have no worries with the newest stepping such as yours. As for any issues of the cpu being "locked" I think this is merely confusion over the new packaging that appears on these cpus - there is absolutely no issues with doing the wire trick to get the higher multis (should you want them) on mobos that cannt recognise all 5 parts of the multis like the Asus NF2.

[c627627]

It seems something's up with new Bartons OC Detective:

http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=243879

Originally posted by Samildanach
I can confirm that the wire trick on the socket as described at www.ocinside.de will not unlock my Barton 2500+ AQZFA on my Asus A7N8X Deluxe Rev 1.04. :mad:

Have tried multiple bioses: from1.04-1.07, including the uber bios. No change.

Shiyan has kindly linked to my earlier post. Go there to see my specs etc.

Short of actually blowing the bridges and/or sivler painting them I'm fast running short of ideas. :(

Anything else you people can think of?

Samildanach

[blazer99]

well we tested that cpu on a board at the computer store...

its locked ... couldn't change the multiplier.

now to find somewhere that has some "older" stock...

the saga goes on.

[blazer99]

Any advice for me now...

I've found a couple of "less recent" steppings (2500 Barton)...
AQZEA 0332 (***?)
AQXEA 0334 RPMW

I put a reserve on the AQZEA 'cuz i found it 1st...and there's some pretty good history (searched around the forums for both).

Thoughts...advice

Jim

[Audioaficionado]

Think of it this way...

If you get the locked $85 2500 barton but run it at 200fsb, you'll have a perfectly stable $300 equivalent 3200 barton for only $85.

True you won't be able to run them past an 11x multiplier but you're still getting a bargin.

If you want 'em unlocked, now is the time to stock up.

[Ktulu]

Im so freaking confused!!!!


<freaks out>

ok, good thing i read this thread! I was about to upgrade to a barton 2500+, im using a 1600+ right now. So i take it i shouldnt order from newegg.com? Or should i order from them? Should i look at local stores so i can see the steppings on the chips?

[TomaHawk47x]

what about lowering the multi? would the abit board be able to do that? i want the highest fsb possible.

[Audioaficionado]

You can't raise or lower it :(