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Intel CPU Upgrades
"Coppermine" Pentium 3
Abit mainboards are famous for their overclocking prowess, but many of the same feature that make them a tweaker's delight help to keep them compatible with newer CPUs. For example, most of the 1998-99 era Abit boards can be upgraded to support CPUs that weren't even invented when the boards were designed. Part of the credit goes to Abit's software engineers, who continue to release "firmware" updates for these motherboards to support newer processors and faster clock rates. However, it is the company's "SoftMenu" system that permits precise control of several hardware parameters that is of an even more critically valuable nature. Similar software-controlled methods of CPU configuration have now been adopted by most other motherboard manufacturers, including MSI and AOpen.
The key feature that allows these boards to support newer CPUs is the ability to control the "VCORE voltage." Newer CPUs require a lower voltage than older motherboards typically provided by default for older generations of processors. For example, the Celeron 300A -- an overclocker's favorite from 1999 -- required a VCORE voltage of 2.0v. Today's Celeron II processors use a split-level voltage setting that expects a VCORE value of 1.65 or 1.75 volts, depending on the model. There are other electrical differences, as well. Thus, even if you acquire an adapter (known as a "Slotket") that allows the use of a new Celeron II or Coppermine Pentium III on one of these older motherboards, the processor will be getting more VCORE voltage than it should. This raises temperatures unnecessarily and shortens CPU life.
This is where VCORE voltage control capabilities come in handy. Via a BIOS menu (or, in some cases, via jumpers on the mainboard itself), you can set the voltage(s) and other critical parameters at will, within a certain range. However, some motherboards don't supply the necessary features to allow full compatibility, as we'll see later in this article.
We successfully configured an Abit BE6-II with a 733 MHz Pentium III "Coppermine" processor, with a front side bus speed of 133 MHz. To do this, we first made sure that our system's BIOS was up to date (visit www.abit.com.tw for updates) and then purchased a processor at a price-point and speed rating suitable for our budget and needs. The BE-6 2.0 supports Coppermine processors as fast as 1 GHz, according to Abit.
Celeron II
We had mixed results using newer processors in the Asus P2B series of motherboards. The Asus website notes that newer PCB versions are required for proper support of Coppermine chips. Unfortunately, our P2B-S was older than that listed on the company's "approved for Coppermine" page.
Undeterred, we configured the P2B-S with a 766 MHz Celeron, using an Eagle Slotket adapter -- an inexpensive (C$17.95) PGA370 to Slot1 adapter laden with jumpers and configuration options. Although we were able to get the processor to boot the system successfully, we wouldn't recommend this as a viable long-term solution. The VCORE voltage provided by the motherboard is 2.0 -- simply too high for a processor such as the Celeron II, which is intended for use at 1.7v VCORE settings. We ran the system for several hours without failure with the addition of a heavy-duty "Hedgehog" heatsink/fan (supplied for our tests by AMK Services of Burnaby, BC), which helped keep CPU temperatures to a respectable 33 degrees Celsius, however, we cannot recommend such a system. The extra voltage would be almost certain to lead to the early failure of the processor due to a phenomenon known as electromigration.
You would be much wiser to consider the purchase of a newer motherboard such as the AOpen AX63 Pro, which properly supports the lower voltages required by Celeron II or Coppermine series CPUs. (Or, you might consider one designed for the better-performing AMD family of processors, instead.) With the AX63 Pro's BIOS-based CPU controls, we easily overclocked the Celeron to 862MHz using the standard Intel heatsink/fan. We didn't push our luck, but with proper cooling and a nominal voltage increase, it's likely that even greater speeds could be achieved. Some users have been able to overclock these processors to 966 MHz or more.
Similar caveats apply to other motherboards without fancy voltage control. These can usually be adapted to support newer Celerons, with the aid of a Slotket adapter, but if the motherboard or Slotket doesn't deliver the right voltages, you're asking for trouble. Indeed, we successfully tested a 600 MHz Celeron II on a 1998-era Legend QDI BrillianX 4 dual-CPU motherboard using the Eagle adapter, but the processor burned out in less than a day. This motherboard/Slotket combo delivered 2.0 volts to the chip: this is less than half a volt more than the Celeron prefers, but it was enough to spell disaster.
Initially, we encountered no stability problems as a result of our torture test. We changed the VID4-0 jumper settings on the Eagle Slotket adapter in an effort to adapt the voltage to fall within the new Celeron's required range. Unfortunately, this doesn't do a thing, if the mainboard is unable to supply the requested voltage, unless the adapter supplies the corrected voltage. PowerLeap's PL-iP3, for example, will correctly adapt a Slot 1 motherboard to the 1.7v level requested by our 600 MHz Celeron II. (Other chips may have different voltage requirements.) You may, however, notice that the thermal monitor function in your computer's BIOS reports that the motherboard VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) is setup for 2.2 volts. Powerleap says this is OK, since the PL-iP3 is taking care of the 1.7V and allowing the motherboard's VRM to do whatever it wants. The company says it doesn't try to set the motherboard VRM to anything specific, since its range is not known and the setting is irrelevant once the PL-iP3 is installed.
Less expensive adapters, such as PowerLeap's Celeron Socket 370 adapter, do not provide this voltage control. For example, we found no difference between the Eagles "VTT" jumper setting and the "Other CPU" voltage default; we left it at the factory set default jumper position. You would be likely to encounter similar results using Asus' own brand of Slotket adapter. Although it provides jumpers for setting voltage values, the motherboard must be able to deliver the values specified, or disaster awaits. With that said, the Asus adapter is on the list of supported Slot-to-Socket Adapters approved by Intel for use with FC-PGA Pentium III Processors, as noted on an Intel SSA support page.
We had even taken extra precaution in the form of a Golden Orb CPU fan from AMK Services. Unfortunately, it didn't seem to help prevent the untimely demise of the CPU. In less than 24 hours, our 600 MHz Celeron was toast; the computer crashed and the processor never worked again. Needless to say, we do NOT recommend you attempt to use a Coppermine series chip in an older motherboard without voltage control unless an adapter such as the PL-iP3/T (noted below) is employed.
Older Celerons and Pentium II chips
As we've seen, some systems can successfully be adapted for use with newer processors with the addition of third-party adapters. The Abit ZM6, for example, maxes out at 600 MHz, as would most Socket 370 mainboards. This system works well with slower chips; we regularly run our 400 MHz Celeron at 500 MHz, using an 83MHz front side bus setting instead of the default 66 MHz clock rate. There are, however, third-party adapters that can push these systems farther. EverGreen Techologies makes a Socket 370 to FC-PGA adapter that allows the use of Celeron II processors in such motherboards.
Generally, you'll find that Slot 1 motherboards have more flexibility when contemplating upgrades.
"Tulatin" Upgrades for Slot 1 boards
[H]ardOCP notes the announcement of an adapter from PowerLeap that allows you to stick a S370 Tualatin chip on your current Slot 1 mainboard. The device, known by the ungainly name "PL-iP3/T," employs patented technologies to adapt Slot 1 systems to the voltage and signal requirements of the new generation of Intel's Pentium III (FC-PGA2) and Celeron-II (FC-PGA2) processors. With the PL-iP3/T, a typical P-III system can reach speeds up to 1.26 GHz with the latest Pentium III-S CPUs (133 MHz FSB required), and up to 1.2 GHz when used with the latest Celeron-II CPUs (100 MHz FSB required). The company warns that not all systems are compatible; consult PowerLeap's Online Compatibility Database for details.
Where to get older CPUs
Some of the CPUs mentioned in this article have been discontinued by Intel and, as such aren't currently stocked by dealers. You may have to look in used hardware stores or on ebay.com to track down some components. We picked up several of the components used in our tests at Cal's Computer Clearance Warehouse in Vancouver BC. We paid C$50 each for a pair of Pentium II/233 processors for our dual CPU rig; we paid $95 for the Celeron 766. A Celeron 600 will probably set you back about $75 -- in fact, slower Celeron models may coast you even more, as the 533 and 566 MHz models, like the classic 300A chip -- are overclocker's favorites. See our feature elsewhere in this section on overclocking for more information on this topic.
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