VOGONS


First post, by analog_programmer

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I've one old Abit mobo with nForce4 Ultra chipset, socket AM2 that supports Athlon 64 (X2) CPUs. I suppose it can be base for a system that will be usable in nowadays, but I don't have suitable processor for it. So far I found some local ads for couple of cheap (EUR2.5 to 5) Athlon 64 X2 CPUs, but I'm completely forgotten which one has potential to be good CPU for overclocking. I remember that back in the days 3 to 3.2 GHz was possible on air for these CPUs and (maybe) the older Windsor core was better then Brisbane. Here they are:

#1 Athlon 64 X2 3800+, Windsor core (90 nm), ADO3800IAA5CU (F2): 2000 MHz, 10x, 2x512 kB cache, 1.20-1.25 V (doesn't worth the tryout)

#2 Athlon 64 X2 4400+, Brisbane core (65 nm), ADO4400IAA5DO (G2): 2300 MHz, 11.5x, 2x512 kB cache, 1.325-1.375 V (same as #1)

#3 Athlon 64 X2 5400+, Brisbane core (65 nm), ADO5400IAA5DO (G2): 2800 MHz, 14x, 2x512 kB cache, 1.325-1.375 V (not available at the time I decided to buy this one)

#4 Athlon 64 X2 5600+, Brisbane core (65 nm), ADO5600IAA5DO (G2): 2900 MHz, 14.5x, 2x512 kB cache, 1.325-1.375 V (possible problems with RAM dividers??? and inferior performance to 5600+ Windsor 2800 MHz clock-by-clock)

I'm asking for advise which processor on the list would be best for overclocking on air and why.

UPDATE: None of these are worthy/available. Adding another candidate in the price range up to EUR6:

#5 Athlon 64 X2 5600+, Windsor core (90 nm), ADA5600IAA6CZ (F3): 2800 MHz, 14x, 2x1024 kB cache, 1.30-1.35 V (89 W).

Last edited by analog_programmer on 2024-01-29, 01:59. Edited 5 times in total.

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Reply 1 of 57, by The Serpent Rider

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None. Stick to late 90nm Windsor with F3 stepping (some 5200+and all 5600/6000/6400).

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Reply 3 of 57, by stef80

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Brisbane X2 3600+ 😁
They went to about 2.8-2.9GHz on default voltage, so 900MHz overclock ... but not much beyond that regardless of voltage increase.
You need MBO than can do 300MHz FSB.

But yes, Windsor F3 was better. Mature 90nm SOI process. Part numbers ending with CZ, for example ADA5600IAA6CZ.
I think F3 had soldered IHS, so no thermal problems. Brisbane had paste, and broken internal temp probe (offset of about 20°C if I remember correctly).

Last edited by stef80 on 2023-10-04, 10:53. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 4 of 57, by The Serpent Rider

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Only Brisbane Black has unlocked multipliers, but it just sucks.

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Reply 5 of 57, by shevalier

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analog_programmer wrote on 2023-10-04, 10:29:

I'm asking for advise which processor of these would be best for overclocking on air and why.

Check for a beta BIOS for your motherboard.
Some AM2 mobo had BIOS with support for AM2+ processors.
And there you can take Sempron AM2 +/AM3 and get 4GHz.
Well, or Phenom II x4 (x6) and get performance.

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Reply 6 of 57, by analog_programmer

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The Serpent Rider wrote on 2023-10-04, 10:39:

None. Stick to late 90nm Windsor with F3 stepping (some 5200+and all 5600/6000/6400).

Sorry, but I can't find F3 revision Windsor core (or any other Athlon 64 X2) for such a low price.

giantclam wrote on 2023-10-04, 10:43:

The only ones worth the effort were the 'Black' editions (unlocked multiplier)

Wrong answer. But anyway, thanks that you remind me how pathetic were "black" editions from this generation 😀

stef80 wrote on 2023-10-04, 10:48:
Brisbane X2 3600+ :D They went to about 2.8-2.9GHz on default voltage, so 900MHz overclock ... but not much beyond that regardl […]
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Brisbane X2 3600+ 😁
They went to about 2.8-2.9GHz on default voltage, so 900MHz overclock ... but not much beyond that regardless of voltage increase.
You need MBO than can do 300MHz FSB.

But yes, Windsor F3 was better. Mature 90nm SOI process. Part numbers ending with CZ, for example ADA5600IAA6CZ.
I think F3 had soldered IHS, so no thermal problems. Brisbane had paste.

Listed CPUs are what I can buy for cheap and I don't want to invest wrong money into this system. The mobo is Abit KN9 nForce4 Ultra with overclocking options. Thanks for the detailed info!

shevalier wrote on 2023-10-04, 10:52:
Check for a beta BIOS for your motherboard. Some AM2 mobo had BIOS with support for AM2+ processors. And there you can take Semp […]
Show full quote

Check for a beta BIOS for your motherboard.
Some AM2 mobo had BIOS with support for AM2+ processors.
And there you can take Sempron AM2 +/AM3 and get 4GHz.
Well, or Phenom II x4 (x6) and get performance.

Unfortunately there's no support for Phenoms on this KN9 mobo in the beta BIOS (found one on Soggi's site) and there's no modded BIOSes.

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Reply 7 of 57, by stef80

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analog_programmer wrote on 2023-10-04, 11:04:

Listed CPUs are what I can buy for cheap and I don't want to invest wrong money into this system. The mobo is Abit KN9 nForce4 Ultra with overclocking options. Thanks for the detailed info!

Had X2 3600+@2.85GHz on exactly this mbo 😀. It was the cheapest X2 I could put together new. MBO has Rubycon capacitors and heatpipe OTES cooling, so you're good.
Keep the BIOS on v1.2 if pushing for 300MHz FSB. And don't install Nvidia's firewall with nForce drivers. Forceware v5.10 if I remember correctly.

Reply 9 of 57, by analog_programmer

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stef80 wrote on 2023-10-04, 11:26:
analog_programmer wrote on 2023-10-04, 11:04:

Listed CPUs are what I can buy for cheap and I don't want to invest wrong money into this system. The mobo is Abit KN9 nForce4 Ultra with overclocking options. Thanks for the detailed info!

Had X2 3600+@2.85GHz on exactly this mbo 😀. It was the cheapest X2 I could put together new. MBO has Rubycon capacitors and heatpipe OTES cooling, so you're good.
Keep the BIOS on v1.2 if pushing for 300MHz FSB.

Thanks again for your advise, stef80! I can no longer remember exactly which processors I've used on this board when it was actual about 15+ years ago, and I sold them long ago. The only things I remember are that I first had some Windsor (not of the top models) that was overclocked on air to about 3,2 GHz and later I made a mistake and changed it to a Brisbane that wasn't better.

You're tempting me to chose Brisbane 4400+ just to see if it will pass 3 GHz "border" 😀

from СМ630 to Ryzen gen. 3
engineer's five pennies: this world goes south since everything's run by financiers and economists
this isn't voice chat, yet some people, overusing online communications, "talk" and "hear voices"

Reply 11 of 57, by analog_programmer

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HanSolo wrote on 2023-10-04, 11:28:

Why don't you take the fastest of them and be happy with it? Or for that price take all of them?

Because overclocking was not so easy back then. All of the listed CPUs are with locked multipliers (I think with locked maximum multipliers) and there's meaning in DDR RAM divisors, etc. So, I decided to ask here which one from listed CPUs is the best one for overclocking with potential to go to 3-3.1 GHz on air with DDR400 only by FSB overclock.

And I do not need all of them, just to wonder later how to get rid of three unnecessary CPUs 😁

stef80 wrote on 2023-10-04, 11:42:

doubt it will, but you can try

So, which one from these two Brisbanes - 5400+ or 5600+? If i remember correctly, the locked multiplier on this generation Athlons can go down from maximum locked value, am I right?

from СМ630 to Ryzen gen. 3
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Reply 13 of 57, by The Serpent Rider

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So, which one from these two Brisbanes - 5400+ or 5600+?

Doesn't really matter, same stepping. Although, Brisbanes with x.5 multipliers have weird issues with memory dividers which can provoke OCD.

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Reply 14 of 57, by analog_programmer

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The Serpent Rider wrote on 2023-10-04, 12:03:

So, which one from these two Brisbanes - 5400+ or 5600+?

Doesn't really matter, same stepping. Although, Brisbanes with x.5 multipliers have weird issues with memory dividers which can provoke OCD.

Interesting. I don't remember any problems for these Athlons with non-integer multipliers. Please, explain what you mean with "OCD"? And also, what it will be, if the multi is reduced to integer value i.e. from 14.5x to 14x or 13x, if it is possible (IIRC it was possible, but I'm not 100% sure due-to "faded memories")?

from СМ630 to Ryzen gen. 3
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this isn't voice chat, yet some people, overusing online communications, "talk" and "hear voices"

Reply 15 of 57, by BitWrangler

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The windsor will probably do highest percent overclock, but that only might leave it a little behind or level with the 5400, 5600s have always been a PITA for me, maybe because of that half multi thing, so I'd go with the 5400 when restricted to those choices. I've got a 6000 or 6400 to use with my plain AM2 rig, think that's NF4, but also a little ripper of a AthlonII X2 260, which is unallocated, so if it turns out I can patch BIOS for that, I will.

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Reply 17 of 57, by analog_programmer

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I see, maybe I'm fooling myself that locked multi on the Athlon 64 X2 can be lowered from the maximum locked value i.e. they're not with fixed multipliers. I have factory non-locked Athlon XP Barton (socket A) and its multi can go down and up to a certain values. And of course I still use Phenom II X6 which can go down from the locked max value for the multiplier and that's why I'm wrong that the locked Athlons 64 (X2) could also have their multipliers lowered. Can someone confirm this, please?

BitWrangler wrote on 2023-10-04, 12:53:

The windsor will probably do highest percent overclock, but that only might leave it a little behind or level with the 5400, 5600s have always been a PITA for me, maybe because of that half multi thing, so I'd go with the 5400 when restricted to those choices. I've got a 6000 or 6400 to use with my plain AM2 rig, think that's NF4, but also a little ripper of a AthlonII X2 260, which is unallocated, so if it turns out I can patch BIOS for that, I will.

This particular Windsor seems that has no chance to beat Brisbane 5400/5600+. If these are with fixed multipliers (no option to go down from maximum locked value) I'll take the 5400+. If there's option to go down from 14.5x - 5600+.

I've read on other forums quite a lot about modding of NF4 mobos for Phenom support. Seems that there is no way to insert AGESA code into the BIOS if not already done by manufacturer.

Last edited by analog_programmer on 2023-10-04, 13:23. Edited 2 times in total.

from СМ630 to Ryzen gen. 3
engineer's five pennies: this world goes south since everything's run by financiers and economists
this isn't voice chat, yet some people, overusing online communications, "talk" and "hear voices"

Reply 18 of 57, by brian105

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BitWrangler wrote on 2023-10-04, 12:53:

so if it turns out I can patch BIOS for that, I will.

I'd also love to be able to mod my AM2 BIOS for AM2+ or even AM3. Later Phenoms are just so much faster than the Athlon 64s.

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