Old but still useful, need advise.

[eobard]

This question isn't critical to my computing but if I can get some extra out of my backup machine then why not? Here's what I've got: My backup machine is a K6II 450mhz @ 500. It's a box chip that came with the heat sink and fan fixed on the CPU already. In the past I have been able to run it at 550 (100 X 5.5) by upping the voltage to 2.7, it runs hot but it runs almost perfect. The one area it gives me problems is with DVD playback. I had a 12 speed DVD and an ATI Rage Fury Pro VIVO 32meg card in it at the time. The DVD's would play but every 20 seconds or so in a random part of the display instead of the appropriate part of the movie a random block of color would show. Because the only change to my system at 550 was the clock multiple I'm assuming (correctly?) that the problem would have to be in the CPU and not the video card or DVD player. If this is true then I'm wondering just how good the factory issue heatsink and thermal compound are. Could I expect to do away with the DVD problem if everything was the same but I removed the sink, had it lapped and then re-installed with Arctic Silver? Or is AS really only needed and useful with the newer chips like Durons and Thunderbirds? Like I said it isn't critical but hey... this is OVERCLOCKERS.COM forum right?

I'd like to hear and relavent experiences if anyone has any to share. Thanks.

[Bender]

Yes you could lap the cpu and heatsink; add some arctic silver and your problem might go away. On a K6-2 you can even pop the aluminum cover off the chip to expose the core like a duron or T-bird to get better cooling. If you take the cover off you may have to bend the heatsink clip to compensate for the alu cover. The stock heatsink is not very good so upgrading to a bigger one may make a big difference. I don't know if it would be worth the money though unless you wanted to try for 600. Do you have any problems with DVD when at 500?

[SickBoy]

I've seen these K6-2's that have the HSF attached permanently (in Compaqs). Luckily you should be able to seperate the CPU from the HSF by prying the cover off the CPU, since the HSF is attached to the cover. (like stated above). The dvd problem does sound like a cpu problem - my Duron does weirdo stuff with DVD's at higher O/C, so try better cooling, if that doesnt work, I dont know what to tell you. You're just too overclocked for DVD. Maybe a hardware decoder card would solve that, but it's an expensive fix.

SickBoy

[eobard]

Bender (Jul 16, 2001 04:43 p.m.):
Yes you could lap the cpu and heatsink; add some arctic silver and your problem might go away. On a K6-2 you can even pop the aluminum cover off the chip to expose the core like a duron or T-bird to get better cooling. If you take the cover off you may have to bend the heatsink clip to compensate for the alu cover. The stock heatsink is not very good so upgrading to a bigger one may make a big difference. I don't know if it would be worth the money though unless you wanted to try for 600. Do you have any problems with DVD when at 500?

Actually the DVD is now in my Duron system, I could neither afford nor do I need a DVD in both machines. When I had the system at 500 with the DVD the system ran fine. I actually used the DVD problem as my stability check to see what settings the system would hold at. I had to choose between 100*5 or 95*5.5 both were good but 100*5.5 wasn't. If 95*5.5 is good enough then I know I'm close. Hopefully when I get some AS2 I will succeed at 600. Do you know of any links where someone has popped the cover off and taken pictures to show how to safely do it?

BTW, interesting suggestion on what I should do to the clip once the cover is removed Bender. :)

[FRANK]

Somebody had a picture in here a week or so ago. It sounds easy enough though, the cover is attached with some sort of adhesive in the four corners and comes off with a bit of coaxing. Try an X-ACTO knife and work slowly and carefully. From what I saw, the CPU looks very similar to the DURON / T-BIRD socket A's.

I've worked with K6's in the past, I still have a K6III450+ @ 616MHz up and running here. I believe most socket A hsf's will fit the K6's provided you have adequate clearence. I've successfully used the Global Win FOP32 with very good results.

I hope this helps.
Good Luck!

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