to unlock or not to unlock

floppybootstomp

floppybootstomp

sugar 'n spikes
Moderator
Joined
Mar 5, 2002
Messages
20,281
Reaction score
1,794
Decisions, decisions.....

Went to a Computer Fair at Crystal Palace today and picked me up an XP 1800. It's a greenie.

I was thinking about unlocking it, but it does look a little more difficult than those pencil lines I drew on my Duron a whiles back.

Anybody here unlocked an XP yet? Your experiences?

Also, I'm using an Alpha 8045 cooler which bolts on to the mobo, so once it's in place it's a lot of agro to take it out again. I suppose maybe I should make sure the thing works first before marking it. Marking it would mean I couldn't RMA it if it was faulty.

Colour me undecided :confused:
 
Nope ... after your Durons its going to fly anyway. :P

Strap it in, they do run a lot cooler than the Durons or T'Birds, and if after six month you get the itch then do it.

Just wait till WildOne sees this thread; he'll be over to do it for you. :D
 
You could always bump up the FSB a little, and see what that does if you dont want to mess with the bridges :)

I think there are some kits for about £5 that you just rub onto your CPU - making it easier, but still voiding your warrenty.
 
Thanks for the advice fellas, much what I was thinking.

Think I'll just put this thing together and play with the FSB. Then, as Mucks says, I get the itch, I'll get out the superglue/epoxy resin and the conductive paint and give it a go.

My weak point with raising the FSB is definitely my Radeon 7200 32MB DDR, it just won't take much increase before it goes a bit wobbly.

I figure let's get this thing up and running and worry about serious overclocking later.

BTW, it's going into an Abit KR7A-RAID (picked it up used at Overclockers Forum for £75.00) and 512 Crucial DDR.

Just waiting for Wild One to scold me now....:D
 
Goodness - I haven't found anything that really taxes my cpu (Ath 800) yet - let alone a PR1800+.

Those CPUs don't need overclocking.............. ;)
... That's just being greedy :D
 
kristel:

Greedy? Perhaps. But if it can be done then I'd like to do it.

And apart from that, there's this fella called IA who has his 1800 unlocked and is running at 1700. I'd really, really, like to rub his nose in it. :)

I'm sure Mucks will understand where I'm coming from... :D

Oh Hi IA, nice to seeya.... one day matey, one day... :spin:
 
Hehe must be a male thing...... wonder how Freud would interpret it ;) ??
 
Male? Freudian? Size? Speed? Ego? Mother? Insecurity?

S' one way of looking at it I suppose :D :crazy:
 
The unlocking process is not as difficult as it seems. I have unlockes quite a few Athlon XPs, like 6 or 7, for my pc and several friends and they all worked.

I've found that 1800+ are good overclockers, usually reaching 1.8ghz+ with good cooling.
 
Cotita:

Well I still haven't put this system together, you got me tempted now. Hmmm.... what to do, what to do :confused:

I'm using an Alpha 8045 cooler so should be OK. And 4 case fans. 1.8Ghz you say?

Oh boy :crazy:
 
UH OH

... and the guy on the other shoulder says "NO NO DON'T FRY IT ... go down the Chippy instead" :D
 
Mucks:

LOL! Yup, that's exactly what it's like, hee-hee :)

Right now I have an Athlon 1.2 at 1.3, the XP 1800 runs at 1.5 so I'm wondering if I'll actually see a lot of difference.

I do, however, have 512MB DDR RAM as opposed to my current 256 of 133, so that should help.

Nah, I think I'll set it up stock, see what it's like then as I said before maybe consider overclocking later.

But 1.8Ghz? Very tempting.
 
No matter how hard you try, You will fall into overclocking hands.

MOAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
 
I haven't read anyone elses replies to this so I hope my 2p hasn't already been put on the table or discarded as nonscense :)

Should you unlock your xp1800? Of course you should! Why not? breaking your cpu while unlocking is soooo unlikely to happen (never seen it ever), and if you fail (only partially connect, or connect not) what have you lost?

Personally playing with cpu's, fitting the hsf a few times is great practise and being able to do them with confidence and speed is a great skill to have mastered. Stop dilly-dally'ing around, you like playing with hardware right? So go play! :D

Good luck, get her to 1850 for me ;)

r.

p.s. there are loads of great guides to help you too ;)
 
You think that's greedy? My cousin overclocked his 1.6a p4 to 2.2ghz just by changing the fsb. :bow: :bow: :bow:
 
Oh btw, are you sure you never seen anyone fail at unlocking it before? Those bridges look a little risky with a cotton swab...
 
Back
Top