***Volt Mod's For AsRock SataII***

[ochungry]

Easy voltmod without soldering

For those who are shy of soldering I have created an easy method that will work w/ the Asrock vdimm mod.
You need
#2 pencil....costless
nail file, sand paper kind is preferred..... 45cents
clear nail polish..... 99cents
nail polish thinner..... 99cents
2 plastic bottle caps. one for nail polish/thinner mixing and one to file graphite off #2 pencil.
toothpic

file about 1/4 tea spoon of pencil (graphite) into a container(I used plastic bottle cap)
in another plastic cap, mix 1:1 ratio nail polish w/ nail polish thinner( not nail polish remover). just use as much as you need. about 1 drop of each should be sufficient.
pour the polish mix into graphite powder and stir well w/ a toothpic. to reach a medium viscosity.
scrape off the clear coat from the metal ends of #2 resistor for better contact.
apply on top of #2 resistor w/ toothpic if solution is thick or w/ a brush (cleaned nail polish brush would do) if the solution is liquidy. you have your vdimm mod.
make sure both ends are covered w/ liquid graphite. wait 15 minutes and check the vdimm voltage and see if it worked. if not you may have to increase the graphite powder in nail polish mix. clean off and redo it.
wait till completely dried. Depending on the amount of graphite powder or how thick the application is, you will have 2.8 to 3.07v vdimm.
I have experimented this method and works great. I used nail polish because it will act as glue, plus it hardens the graphite.
After you have succeeded, you can apply a thin coat of clear polish on top of the mod to give it a protective coat.
Let me know if you tried it and worked for you and make any suggestion if you know of any better medium to bond the graphite that works better than clear nail polish.
#2 resistor

EDIT1:
before applying the graphite compound, scrape off the clear protective coat off the resistor's ends w/ a blade to create good contact.

EDIT2: I made some changes to refine the method.
As you can see it costs less than soldering and is very easy.
Good luck.

EDIT3: mix 1:1 gypsum powder w/ graphite(2b pencil) you will get ~3k resistance. Using the formula R1*R2/R1+R2=(3*1.2)/(3+1.2)=857 ohm. This will give you ~2.8-2.85v vdimm.
You can open any wall outlet and scrape of a bit of sheetrock from the edge in case you dont have any gypsum powder. But be careful not to electrocute yourself. use the nail file(sand paper kind, remember?) to make the gypsum powder. Add the polish mix(1:1 mixed w/ thinner) and stir w/ toothpic. stirring here is very importand to have gypsum mix w/ graphite well.
This mix helps those who just want less than 2.9v vdimm.
Believe it or not, it works. I have made several mixes and every time the result is ~2.9-3.2k which is 2.8-2.85v vdimm.
when dried completely, apply 2 coats of polish (diluted w/ thinner is ok) to protect it. the gypsum mix is porous, protective coats will prevent it from crumbling.

***********Easy Vcore Mod************

I found better location for the VID method Vcore Mod. As the screenshot shows is above and to the left of old VID mod by OCWforum. The VID4,3,2,1 are located away from the CPU bracket and are near the edge of motherboard. With this, No need to remove HSF, CPU and CPU Bracket to get to VID4,3, or VID2 to do the vcore mod (solder or use conductive paint/pen). the old location is also very close to CPU Vcore regulator and prone to accidentally shorting its pins. You solder (or use conductive paint/pen) the same Way as before. The screenshot shows VID4 w/ a solid red line over it(in case you mod VID4) and other VID's are dotted lines to indicate their locations.
The GRND pins are to the left and the VID's are to the right(next to resistors). I myself removed the old VID3 mod and soldered new VID3 location. I am using it as I am typing without any problem.
Screenshot

 

[jonspd]

Great creation.

I have both a pci-e 6600gt and agp 6800NU install working 100%.

My vddim read broke off so I will have to resolder it some other time. I still need to do the vsb and vdroop mod's.

 

[ochungry]

thanks jon
sorry to hear you broke it off. maybe wasn't soldered to the bone.
use little bit of flux on both ends and will fuse together well.
Right now I am experimenting w/ adding gypsum powder(sheetrock material) to the mixture to create various resistance. will let you know if successful.

 

[Gorki]

Interesanting posts ochungry..I must admit U...you realy take time to explain others how to do easy this Vdimm mod... using pencil graphite and nail polish... That is really interesanting ...I must tell you that did cross my mind also and I belive nail polish is a good medium to mix (graphite) with + it acts as a glue as u already mention... Realy nice I must say... I'm thinking of doing it also insted of solder method with variable resisitor...
I'm interested how much graphite should I put in mixture if I decide to use 2B pencil ..I have HB pencil and 2B I dont know whic one would be better for that and how much graphite do I need to put if I wont to have max ~3.00V on output... I dont wont to use more juice on my TCC5 chips . I think that ~2.85V would be enaugh for them! I would also like to know the value of resistor 2# after I do this mod (as planed with graphite) how much Ohms would be enaugh to give ~3.00V ..checked by multimeter after nail polish has dry....

 

[RollingThunder]

Guys,

Couldn't you break off a straight piece of refillable pencil lead graphite? That way you wouldn't have to grind any up and would have a good solid piece to use.

Couldn't you use a clear RTV as a glue?

I might even try that! RT

 

[ochungry]

Interesanting posts ochungry..I must admit U...you realy take time to explain others how to do easy this Vdimm mod... using pencil graphite and nail polish... That is really interesanting ...I must tell you that did cross my mind also and I belive nail polish is a good medium to mix (graphite) with + it acts as a glue as u already mention... Realy nice I must say... I'm thinking of doing it also insted of solder method with variable resisitor...
I'm interested how much graphite should I put in mixture if I decide to use 2B pencil ..I have HB pencil and 2B I dont know whic one would be better for that and how much graphite do I need to put if I wont to have max ~3.00V on output... I dont wont to use more juice on my TCC5 chips . I think that ~2.85V would be enaugh for them! I would also like to know the value of resistor 2# after I do this mod (as planed with graphite) how much Ohms would be enaugh to give ~3.00V ..checked by multimeter after nail polish has dry....

I tried HB just incase, but didn’t have good result. #2b is better.
depending on how much polish is in mixture you get different resistance. use as little polish as can to give you better result and lower resistance.
If you thin the polish (some nail polish remover will act as thinner) you will have better success. I have noticed, that first stroke usually act better than 2nd or 3rd. the reason is because the 1st stroke has absorbed most of graphite and has better viscosity. the 2nd and 3rd, already drying and less graphite thus less success.

Rolling Thunder:
solid pencil led works but how to glue it down is difficult. nail polish is not conductive and the contact is lost if used as glue down.
instead of using solid pencil led might as well use conductive paint or pen. but that will give you full current, 0 resistance. and don’t know if advisable using conductive paint/pen at #2 resistor. Although, You could use conductive pen/paint at 3.13v plate under the mem slots, or for vcore mod(VID method)

 

[jonspd]

Added the easy mod to 1st post.

 

[ochungry]

Added the easy mod to 1st post.

thank you jonspd.
will help those who dont want to use solder to mod the vdimm

 

[RollingThunder]

Added the easy mod to 1st post.

Jons,

Thank you. It's quite clear how it should look and where to do it.................BUT, I ain't going there yet!

How much more vcore do I need from stock? I know what I need for vdimm (2.9v - 3.0v). I have a little Radio Shack soldering iron (2802B) but it may still be too much (30w).

And IF I try this ( I should do vcore first, correct? RT

 

[ochungry]

Jons,

Thank you. It's quite clear how it should look and where to do it.................BUT, I ain't going there yet!

How much more vcore do I need from stock? I know what I need for vdimm (2.9v - 3.0v). I have a little Radio Shack soldering iron (2802B) but it may still be too much (30w).

And IF I try this ( I should do vcore first, correct? RT

RT,
you need a 15 watts soldering Iron and the one that has narrow shaft and soldering point.
Incase you have not tried it yet, can you wait couple of days?
I am trying to find a way to do the vcore mod without use of soldering. Same method as graphite powder but using different medium to achieve max current flow(no resistance).
Also, if decided to use soldering Iron, here is couple of tips:
apply flux to soldering plates(VID3, or VID4 depending which one you use)
clean soldering iron's tip well. when cold sanding it is good cleaning method.
then when hot, dip the tip into flux. this will keep melted solder onto tip.
apply just enough solder to soldering iron's tip (make sure solder is @ tip not side of the tip) hold the iron as vertically as possible. If can rest your wrest on a fixed object as an anchor, so your hand will not be as shaking much.
Apply and slowly lift iron when you see both plates are melting. Slow lifting will cause the solder solidify in stage and keep the 2 plates soldered as one piece. If you lift iron too quickly, the 2 soldering plates may loose contact/separated.
Good luck, and am sure you can do it.

 

[ochungry]

I tried HB just incase, but didn’t have good result. #2b is better.
depending on how much polish is in mixture you get different resistance. use as little polish as can to give you better result and lower resistance.
If you thin the polish (some nail polish remover will act as thinner) you will have better success. I have noticed, that first stroke usually act better than 2nd or 3rd. the reason is because the 1st stroke has absorbed most of graphite and has better viscosity. the 2nd and 3rd, already drying and less graphite thus less success.

Rolling Thunder:
solid pencil led works but how to glue it down is difficult. nail polish is not conductive and the contact is lost if used as glue down.
instead of using solid pencil led might as well use conductive paint or pen. but that will give you full current, 0 resistance. and don’t know if advisable using conductive paint/pen at #2 resistor. Although, You could use conductive pen/paint at 3.13v plate under the mem slots, or for vcore mod(VID method)

Gorki,
I take that back. you can use HB pencil too. After I diluted the polish w/ thinner the result was different and hb pencil worked too.
Next I am going to find some b and f pencil and see if the Resistance lowers w/ softer graphite. if I could achieve lowest resistance (less than 50 ohm) this method can be used for vcore mod (VID4, or VID3 method)
no need to spend $10 to $15 on conductive paint or windshield wiper defrost kit. This nail polish method is almost costs nothing. That is if you steal your wife's make up bag or just borrow it when she is asleep.
pays to have a wife or girlfriend

Edit:
The vcore will not work w graphite, no matter what pencil grade I use.
I guess the vid need to be completely grounded to trip over the binary code.
This is bad and good news. bad because can't do pencil mod the vcore, and good news because it proves that softest graphite pencil still carries some (low) resistance preventing the VID from 100% grounding-which make it safe for vdimm mod not totally grounding the resistor #2. I am guessing that "HB" grade pencil has about 50 ohm resistance. So "2b" pencil should give you ~100 ohm if the mix is denser.

 

[RollingThunder]

RT,
you need a 15 watts soldering Iron and the one that has narrow shaft and soldering point.
Incase you have not tried it yet, can you wait couple of days?

OC,

I'm not going anywhere. My 30w iron has those features but I'll look for a 15w and I have good light and one of those 3x magnifiers you wear with the flip down lenses. Now if I could replace my eyeballs............

The photo jons posted with the wire ground on the vdimm, what kind of wire? Light copper wire, any conductive wire? Does it matter? I like the TechPower vcore method of the VID4 bridge for my skills and I need to practice off the board soldering that light stuff.

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles//overclocking/voltmods/130/2

The vdimm may be a little tougher for me, I like the variable voltage method for me better.

 

[jonspd]

RT I used a 25 watter and was my 1st mobo soldering job wish I could should pic's of the job I did as I'am pretty happy with it but my 4mp camera doesnt seem to take great detail pic's.

For wires most moder's use a strain of a ide or floppy cable.

I practiced on a dead geforce 2 for about 30 min's twice to see when I needed to use the solding iron. ( once it got hot or before)

An SMD grabber with the variable volt mod for vddim is the easiest IMO but then again I havn't tried OCH's method's/

 

[Gorki]

Well I understand you there..but somehow doing this mixture and applying it on blind makes me wonder if I did it right..what if I add too much or... ??? What is the worst scenario that could happen ..I mean If I did it and give like 3.2V and risk by burning my ram chips? I think it's kinda hard to "aim" mixture at ~3.00 V?
What would be the wanted resistance on #2 after I did mod (with graiphite and nail paint) if I decide to check it by multimeter after the paint is dry resulting aprox ~3v on dimms? So lower Ohms meen higher Voltage on Dimms..righ?
You use nail polish remover and gently apply it to mixture after it's dry? That way contact is better and thinner also?

This nail polish method is almost costs nothing. That is if you steal your wife's make up bag or just borrow it when she is asleep.
pays to have a wife or girlfriend

LOOL

 

[ochungry]

Well I understand you there..but somehow doing this mixture and applying it on blind makes me wonder if I did it right..what if I add too much or... ??? What is the worst scenario that could happen ..I mean If I did it and give like 3.2V and risk by burning my ram chips? I think it's kinda hard to "aim" mixture at ~3.00 V?
What would be the wanted resistance on #2 after I did mod (with graiphite and nail paint) if I decide to check it by multimeter after the paint is dry resulting aprox ~3v on dimms? So lower Ohms meen higher Voltage on Dimms..righ?
You use nail polish remover and gently apply it to mixture after it's dry? That way contact is better and thinner also?

LOOL

not nail polish remover. i edited my post. use nail polish thinner. First, make some graphite powder,
then, .
just mix 1/2 tea spoon of nail polish w/ 1/2 teaspoon nail polish thinner in a separate container (I used plastic bottle cap). then mix w/ graphite "enough", not all, to give you "engine oil like" viscosity. stir well. apply on top of #2 resistor.
You will not burn anything. graphite has min resistance of 50 ohm (I believe) and the maximum voltage you can get is 3.07v (that is the chip's limit)
if you use little bit of gypsum(sheetrock powder) you increase resistance.
as said, you will have 2.8 to 3.07v vdimm depending on the mixture you made.
No danger of any kind, except if you short some other (adjacent)components. to measure vdimm use the reference in the opening post by jonspd. shows where to measure vdimm, vcore, etc.
read over my guide and jonspd posts to remove any confusion/doubt.

 

[RollingThunder]

I practiced on a dead geforce 2 for about 30 min's twice to see when I needed to use the solding iron. ( once it got hot or before)

An SMD grabber with the variable volt mod for vddim is the easiest IMO but then again I havn't tried OCH's method's/

Jons,

If I am understanding the vdimm mods correctly, one appears to be a variable vdimm and the other seems to be a static one (of about 3.1v).

I don't think I want to make a mod that is permanent on the vdimm that high if I interpret those URLs correctly. That's just too high for my needs and I would like to stay with stock cooling and selective vdimm voltage. These Patriots are just itching for more voltage, I can tell!

I really don't need much for what I want. The vcore mod appears to remain selective in the BIOS once done with the math corrections for true voltage mentioned. Do I understand this correctly? I just want to make sure I know what I'm going to choose before doing so.

OC's semi-permanent method with the graphite seems like something to try as a test but I don't think I would want to make that a permanent method unless it would give consistent voltage for some time. I'm just not electrically oriented so I don't understand current flow very well.

And I still need some time to work up the courage!

 

[ochungry]

OC,

I'm not going anywhere. My 30w iron has those features but I'll look for a 15w and I have good light and one of those 3x magnifiers you wear with the flip down lenses. Now if I could replace my eyeballs............

The photo jons posted with the wire ground on the vdimm, what kind of wire? Light copper wire, any conductive wire? Does it matter? I like the TechPower vcore method of the VID4 bridge for my skills and I need to practice off the board soldering that light stuff.

http://www.techpowerup.com/articles//overclocking/voltmods/130/2

The vdimm may be a little tougher for me, I like the variable voltage method for me better.

for vcore mod (VID method) you dont use any wire. just little bet of solder to cross the 2 points.
for vdimm mod, you can use any wire. thinner better. As jonspd said strip off 2 strains of IDE wires.
RT, the nailpolish method is as good as any. once you get the voltage it will stay-no fluctuation. When I said between 2.85-3.07, I meant how the mixture is produced. final voltage depends on the mix and is fixed(no fluctuation). Good thing about this method is, you can wash it off (scraping it off if too hard) the variable vdimm is better method, but requires precession and skill. but one you do 2-3 mods, everything will be not so hard.

 

[RollingThunder]

for vcore mod (VID method) you dont use any wire. just little bet of solder to cross the 2 points.
for vdimm mod, you can use any wire. thinner better. As jonspd said strip off 2 strains of IDE wires.
RT, the nailpolish method is as good as any. once you get the voltage it will stay-no fluctuation. When I said between 2.85-3.07, I meant how the mixture is produced. final voltage depends on the mix and is fixed(no fluctuation). Good thing about this method is, you can wash it off (scraping it off if too hard) the variable vdimm is better method, but requires precession and skill. but one you do 2-3 mods, everything will be not so hard.

OC, Thank you.

The vcore mod (VID) is very clear. I understand that one very well, just hope I can get a nice solder like the photo shows but I'll practice that first. If I do this, the vcore will be first as you suggested that's my first weakness.

So I assume the grahpite method voltage depends on its concentration in the nail polish? Removing it appeals to me if not just right. I could live with a static 2.8v - 2.9v I think....... And yes, I see the variable vdimm is a little more involved. What is a "trimmer pin" mentioned on the TechPowerup site?

 

[ochungry]

OC, Thank you.

The vcore mod (VID) is very clear. I understand that one very well, just hope I can get a nice solder like the photo shows but I'll practice that first. If I do this, the vcore will be first as you suggested that's my first weakness.

So I assume the grahpite method voltage depends on its concentration in the nail polish? Removing it appeals to me if not just right. I could live with a static 2.8v - 2.9v I think....... And yes, I see the variable vdimm is a little more involved. What is a "trimmer pin" mentioned on the TechPowerup site?

"trimmer pot" I thing what he meant. pin? is the leg of trimmer.
almost all trimmers (trim pot another name) have 3 legs. in this mod you dont need the 3rd leg. If you decide to use this (trimpot)method let me know, I or jonspd will guide you thru it.
The easiest VR is to attach wire on each end of resistor #2 (like I have done for myself) and the attache a trimpot to the other end of wires.
This #2 resistor soldering is much easier than the one TechPU is suggesting. you have more space around soldering points.
Anyway, if interested in my trimpot method, I will explain.
but for now, practice on how to do vcore mode and we go from there.
Can you exchange the 30watts iron w/ a 15watts? That one is too hot and may damage pcb surface or other components.

 

[RollingThunder]

Can you exchange the 30watts iron w/ a 15watts? That one is too hot and may damage pcb surface or other components.

OC,

I've had the 30w solderer for a long time. I'll get a 15w, they are cheap enough at Radio Shack.