Secret files
I remember that processor manufacturers were tormented by the question of how to make multi-core CPUs. First, two crystals located side by side on the wafer were “cut out.” Then two different chips were selected into one package, matching each other in frequency. But in the end, the more honest method of multi-core architecture won, when they designed on one monolithic chip maximum number cores. And then a curious situation arose. On the one hand, designing and developing different logic for dual-core and quad-core chips is an expensive proposition. But on the other hand, it is necessary to produce processors with different numbers of cores in order to “work” in all price categories.
AMD decided to “save money.” We made a successful Deneb crystal on four cores and got carried away with cutting. If you waste one kernel, you get Heka (known as Phenom II X3), if you lose the second, you get Callisto (known as Phenom II X2), if you lose the third level cache, this is the basis for the Athlon II processor family. However, American marketers made a miscalculation, because you cannot get under the crystal cover with a hacksaw/scalpel/soldering iron (underline as appropriate) and physically disconnect unnecessary nodes.
To exaggerate, all the key information about processors is hardwired into them, but in order to recognize the entire essence of the CPU, the motherboard must have comprehensive information. Remember the triumphant appearance in the spring of 2005 of the first dual-core AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors. They were compatible with any motherboard, supporting Athlon64 and Athlon FX (Socket 939) CPUs. And at the moment the PC started, the CPUID number of the processor appeared on the screen, and next to it there was an inscription like Model Unknown - as before, everything was running on one core. Then AMD sent the corresponding microcode to platform manufacturers and with the new firmware the second core started working in the operating system.
Now about the secret behind seven seals. At the time of system initialization internal memory The processor, depending on the CPUID, loads the so-called function map from the same code for the CPU. There are keys that activate certain components of the crystal. The smartest motherboard manufacturers figured out to store different versions of the microcode. As a result, you can enable locked cores and L3 cache at your own risk. According to our information, the most daring pioneers were engineers from Gigabyte, and it was their GA-880GA-UD3H board that formed the basis for today’s experiments.
But don’t think that unlocking cores is available to users only on Gigabyte motherboards - this is not the case. But different manufacturers have different names for nuclear unlocking technologies. For Gigabyte this is Auto Unlock, for AsRock, Biostar, DFI, Foxconn, Asus boards the function is called Advanced Clock Calibration, for MSI you need to use the Unlock CPU Core method, etc.
If you look at AMD's 2nd generation desktop processor product line made using the 45nm process, then the next creative avenues open up for enthusiasts. You can take AMD Phenom II X4 820/810/805 models and “increase” the L3 cache from 4 to 6 MB. When purchasing AMD Phenom II X3 740/720/705/700 models, you should try to unlock the fourth core (complete with 512 KB L2 cache). And with AMD Phenom II X2 555/550/545 processors, you can work on unlocking two cores at once, and at the same time increase the total volume of L2 caches to 2 MB. As for the AMD Athlon II X4 grouping, there is a chance to include a 6 MB L3 cache. The most profitable business seems to be working with AMD Athlon II X3 models. Here you can activate the fourth core, with the attached 512 MB L2 cache, and enable the L3 cache (if it is physically present). By the way, there is nothing superfluous inside the Athlon II X2 - these processors are built on a special Regor crystal.
Now we talk about why in the paragraph above with some doubt. First, during the chip production process, AMD specialists weed out “expensive” CPUs from “cheap” ones after qualification tests, although they do this selectively. Secondly, some time ago the AMD factory started producing simplified crystals on four cores without an L3 cache. Third, motherboard manufacturers can easily eliminate working with locked cores in latest versions their firmware.

How we tested
For core unlocking experiments, we purchased four AMD Athlon II X3 425 processors from the same batch (the first line is ADX425WFK32GI, the second is AACYC AC 0923EPMW). The CPUID identification number (hexadecimal) of the crystal is the same for all – 00100F52. CPU #1 had serial number 9063917F90048, CPU #2 - 9063917F90033, CPU #3 - 9063917F90050, CPU #4 - 9063917F90046.
All core unlocking tests and processor testing were carried out on the Gigabyte GA-880GA-UD3H motherboard (F1 firmware). Memory used was Transcend TX2000KLU-4GK (DDR3, 1333 MHz, 4 GB, 9-9-9-24, dual-channel mode), Sapphire Toxic Radeon HD 5850 1 GB video card, HDD Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX (2 GB, SATA 6 Gbit/s, 64 MB cache, 7200 rpm), optical drive Plextor DVDR PX-810SA, Tagan SuperRock TG880-U33II power supply (880 W). Test work was carried out with a monitor connected Samsung SyncMaster PX2370 with 1920x1080 graphics resolution.
Software tests were carried out under Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. The measuring systems PCMark Vantage 1.0.2 and SiSoftware Sandra Pro 2010 SP2 were used. The execution of multi-threaded code was monitored using the WinRAR x64 program version 3.93 within the framework of the SmartFPS.com CPU v1.9 script and. The game tests used were Crysis, Serious Sam 2, The Chronicles of Riddick: EFBB and Enemy Territory - QUAKE Wars. Game applications were launched using the SmartFPS.com v1.11 utility.

"Mom" is an important word
Innovative processor tests are only possible on the basis of modern motherboards. However, it is not necessarily the most expensive.
So today's tests are built around the available Gigabyte GA-880GA-UD3H platform, distinguished by the presence of an AMD 880G chipset with integrated ATI Radeon HD 4250 graphics. Other options with graphics cores could be motherboards GA-890GPA-UD3H, GA-880GMA-UD2H and GA-880GM-UD2H.
The main differences between expensive platforms based on AMD 890GX chips and those available on AMD 880G are the improved characteristics of graphics nodes and a different scheme for using PCI Express 2.0 lanes.
The Gigabyte GA-880GA-UD3H model is built on a combination of AMD 870 and AMD SB850 system chips, produced at TSMC factories using the 65 nm process technology. On board there are two PCI Express x16 ports (one operates in x16 mode, the other in x4 mode), two connectors PCI-E interface x1 and three legacy PCI ports.
The four DIMM slots on the GA-880GA-UD3H board can accommodate up to 16 GB random access memory(in dual-channel DDR3 memory architecture mode). The throughput of the Hyper Transport bus is 5200 MT/s.
The Gigabyte GA-880GA-UD3H platform can connect 8 SATA hard drives with a bandwidth of up to 3 Gbit/s, and 2 hard drives SATA drive, with a throughput of up to 6 Gbit/s. Plus one familiar block for a PATA cable.
The special pride of the GA-880GA-UD3H model is represented on the rear panel by two blue USB 3.0 sockets. This trendy “feature” is made possible thanks to the certified NEC D720200F1 chip.

What the tests showed
Let's start with the main thing. Of the four AMD Athlon II X3 425 processors we purchased, we were pleased with three copies - their fourth core was unlocked without problems. Moreover, we were doubly lucky, since the experimental ones were produced relatively long ago (week 23 of 2009) and a full-fledged Deneb crystal was hidden under their cover. As a result, a third-level cache was added to the extra kernel.
Note that the upgraded processors worked for several days without any complaints. Apparently, it was in vain that these crystals were “rejected” by AMD specialists.
Regarding the “unsuccessful” CPU with serial number 9063917F90050. There were no difficulties in working with it, as long as the CPU Unlock switch was in the Disabled position in the BIOS program of the GA-880GA-UD3H board. In this normal mode operating system I saw 3 working cores without a third-level cache - as was intended by AMD engineers. Switching CPU Unlock to the Enabled position crushed any hopes - no signs of life test bench, had to reset BIOS settings to the original ones. Manipulating the CPU Core Control and CPU core X items does not help - it is obvious that processor No. 3 was “locked” into place.
Let's close the sad topic and move on to the reborn crystals numbered 1, 2 and 4. All tables with the results of numerous tests show a stunning increase in performance. In the set of PCMark Vantage test tracks, we highlight Data compression – +100% performance, Windows Media Center -- +76%, Video transcoding -- +71%, Memories -- +44%, Web page rendering -- +40%, CPU gaming -- +29%, etc. A similar picture emerges in the results of the outright “synthetic” SiSoftware Sandra 2010 - pay attention to all processor tests, including tests of inter-core efficiency. Moreover, separate tests of SiSoftware Sandra for the delay in data transfer between cores demonstrate the usefulness of the included kernel - no failures in time or clock cycles.
The results of gaming tests at low graphic resolutions, which load the processor, are very indicative. Even in outdated hits (without hints of multi-threaded coding) Serious Sam 2 and The Chronicles of Riddick: EFBB we see amazing progress - +24% and +30, respectively. And all this became possible thanks to the opening of the third level cache.
Also pay attention to the interesting picture in the results of the multi-threaded algorithm of the WinRAR program. Here the SmartFPS.com CPU scripting module has created a certain number of parallel calculations. In the normal operating mode of the AMD Athlon II X3 425, there is a step-by-step progress when moving from 1 thread to 2, 3 and 4. If you go further and switch to 5 and 6 computing threads, you get a regression. All three cores of the crystal were fully loaded on 4 more threads, and the extra branches of calculations interfere with the executor (in terms of final performance). In the “unlocked” mode, the Athlon II X3 425 stalls when switching from 5 threads to 6. The benefit is obvious not only from the presence of a 6 MB L3 cache, but also from the “free” core in the CPU.
Let's look at specifications AMD processors. Even without touching the frequency performance of the triple-core Athlon II X3 425 CPU, after unlocking all cores and cache, the $80 processor turns out to be similar to the Phenom II X4 925 CPU, with a price of $155. That is, thanks to the useful Gigabyte Auto Unlock technology and “myopia” » AMD marketers experience a double gain in both performance and price. In our opinion, this approach to overclocking is much more interesting than alternative paths, such as AMD OverDrive/Gigabyte EasyTune (see the article “Obscene technologies are being sought”) and AMD Turbo CORE (see the article “AMD Turbo CORE: successor to the turbo button”).
At the end of the article, we will retell some associations with the results of the experiments. This year, the BMW S 1000 RR sports motorcycle appeared on the world market - the first BMW sports bike in the entire history of the company. Unlike Bavarian cars, BMW motorcycle products are notorious among experienced motorcycle enthusiasts, and the two-wheeled world has been ruled by Japanese manufacturers Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki for the last 30 years. So what did German marketers come up with to quickly enter the competitive sporbike segment?
Firstly, the price of the BMW S 1000 RR was made very affordable. Secondly, the new product was stuffed with all kinds of electronics, such as integral racing ABS and dynamic traction control. And thirdly, they made a trimmed version of the S 1000 RR, in which they offered only 107 hp, instead of 193. Of course, the “strangled” BMW costs less, has minimal annual taxes, consumes “nothing at all” in gasoline, and will break into it's difficult. But most importantly, the S 1000 RR control module can be easily re-asked new program and a BMW motorcycle turns into a full-powered sportbike in just five minutes. Doesn't remind you of anything?
Apparently, the idea of ​​“free” overclocking is so popular with consumers that soon “locked” TVs and “stifled” air conditioners will appear in stores. And experienced PC users can be proud of this, because it all started with computer hardware.

Just the facts: technical specifications of AMD processors

Feature\Processor	AMD Athlon II X3 425	AMD Athlon II X4 620	AMD Athlon II X4 630	AMD Phenom II X3 720	AMD Phenom II X4 925
Core	Rana	Propus	Propus	Heka	Deneb
Frequency, GHz	2,7	2,6	2,8	2,8	2,8
L2 cache, MB	1,5	2	2	1,5	2
L3 cache, MB	No	No	No	6	6
Syst. bus, MTransactions/s	4000	4000	4000	4000	4000
Memory type	DDR3/DDR2	DDR3/DDR2	DDR3/DDR2	DDR3/DDR2	DDR3/DDR2
Memory frequency, GHz	1333/1066	1333/1066	1333/1066	1333/1066	1333/1066
TDP, W	95	95	95	95	95
Connector	AM3	AM3	AM3	AM3	AM3
Audit	C2	C2	C2/C3	C2/C3	C2/C3
Technical process, nm	45	45	45	45	45
price, rub.	2400	3200	3300	3700	4600

PCMark Vantage Test Results

Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)
	6588	7704	16,9
PCMark Memories 1, points	16,81	18,67	11,1
	4,999	5,748	15,0
	56,502	60,627	7,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	3,22	4,04	25,5
	3,217	4,044	25,7
	4,08	5,17	26,7
	0,566	0,903	59,5
	29,429	29,588	0,5
	40,11	53,06	32,3
	53,952	95,062	76,2
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-1160,724745	-1344,6768	15,8
PCMark Memories 1, points	-1457,222582	-1689,712509	16,0
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-1753,720418	-2034,748218	16,0
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-2050,218255	-2379,783927	16,1
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-2346,716091	-2724,819636	16,1
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-2643,213927	-3069,855345	16,1
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-2939,711764	-3414,891055	16,2
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-3236,2096	-3759,926764	16,2
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-3532,707436	-4104,962473	16,2
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-3829,205273	-4449,998182	16,2
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-4125,703109	-4795,033891	16,2
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-4422,200945	-5140,0696	16,2
PCMark Memories 1, points	-4718,698782	-5485,105309	16,2
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-5015,196618	-5830,141018	16,2
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-5311,694455	-6175,176727	16,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-5608,192291	-6520,212436	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-5904,690127	-6865,248145	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-6201,187964	-7210,283855	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-6497,6858	-7555,319564	16,3
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-6794,183636	-7900,355273	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-7090,681473	-8245,390982	16,3
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-7387,179309	-8590,426691	16,3
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-7683,677145	-8935,4624	16,3
PCMark Memories 1, points	-7980,174982	-9280,498109	16,3
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-8276,672818	-9625,533818	16,3
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-8573,170655	-9970,569527	16,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-8869,668491	-10315,60524	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-9166,166327	-10660,64095	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-9462,664164	-11005,67665	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-9759,162	-11350,71236	16,3
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-10055,65984	-11695,74807	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-10352,15767	-12040,78378	16,3
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-10648,65551	-12385,81949	16,3
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-10945,15335	-12730,8552	16,3
PCMark Memories 1, points	-11241,65118	-13075,89091	16,3
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-11538,14902	-13420,92662	16,3
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-11834,64685	-13765,96233	16,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-12131,14469	-14110,99804	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-12427,64253	-14456,03375	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-12724,14036	-14801,06945	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-13020,6382	-15146,10516	16,3
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-13317,13604	-15491,14087	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-13613,63387	-15836,17658	16,3
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-13910,13171	-16181,21229	16,3
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-14206,62955	-16526,248	16,3
PCMark Memories 1, points	-14503,12738	-16871,28371	16,3
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-14799,62522	-17216,31942	16,3
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-15096,12305	-17561,35513	16,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-15392,62089	-17906,39084	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-15689,11873	-18251,42655	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-15985,61656	-18596,46225	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-16282,1144	-18941,49796	16,3
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-16578,61224	-19286,53367	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-16875,11007	-19631,56938	16,3
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-17171,60791	-19976,60509	16,3
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-17468,10575	-20321,6408	16,3
PCMark Memories 1, points	-17764,60358	-20666,67651	16,3
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-18061,10142	-21011,71222	16,3
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-18357,59925	-21356,74793	16,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-18654,09709	-21701,78364	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-18950,59493	-22046,81935	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-19247,09276	-22391,85505	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-19543,5906	-22736,89076	16,3
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-19840,08844	-23081,92647	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-20136,58627	-23426,96218	16,3
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-20433,08411	-23771,99789	16,3
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-20729,58195	-24117,0336	16,3
PCMark Memories 1, points	-21026,07978	-24462,06931	16,3
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-21322,57762	-24807,10502	16,3
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-21619,07545	-25152,14073	16,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-21915,57329	-25497,17644	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-22212,07113	-25842,21215	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-22508,56896	-26187,24785	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-22805,0668	-26532,28356	16,3
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-23101,56464	-26877,31927	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-23398,06247	-27222,35498	16,3
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-23694,56031	-27567,39069	16,3
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-23991,05815	-27912,4264	16,3
PCMark Memories 1, points	-24287,55598	-28257,46211	16,3
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-24584,05382	-28602,49782	16,3
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-24880,55165	-28947,53353	16,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-25177,04949	-29292,56924	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-25473,54733	-29637,60495	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-25770,04516	-29982,64065	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-26066,543	-30327,67636	16,3
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-26363,04084	-30672,71207	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-26659,53867	-31017,74778	16,3
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-26956,03651	-31362,78349	16,3
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-27252,53435	-31707,8192	16,3
PCMark Memories 1, points	-27549,03218	-32052,85491	16,3
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-27845,53002	-32397,89062	16,3
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-28142,02785	-32742,92633	16,3
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-28438,52569	-33087,96204	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-28735,02353	-33432,99775	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-29031,52136	-33778,03345	16,3
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-29328,0192	-34123,06916	16,3
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-29624,51704	-34468,10487	16,3
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-29921,01487	-34813,14058	16,4
HDD - Windows Media Center, MB/s	-30217,51271	-35158,17629	16,4
Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
General assessment of PCMark Suite, points	-30514,01055	-35503,212	16,4
PCMark Memories 1, points	-30810,50838	-35848,24771	16,4
CPU image manipulation, MB/s	-31107,00622	-36193,28342	16,4
HDD - importing pictures to Windows Photo Gallery, MB/s	-31403,50405	-36538,31913	16,4
PCMark Memories 2 scores	-31700,00189	-36883,35484	16,4
Video transcoding - VC-1 to WMV9, MB/s	-31996,49973	-37228,39055	16,4
PCMark TV and Movies 1, points	-32292,99756	-37573,42625	16,4
Video transcoding - VC-1 to VC-1, MB/s	-32589,4954	-37918,46196	16,4
Video playback - VC-1 HD DVD with SD commentary, fps	-32885,99324	-38263,49767	16,4
PCMark TV and Movies 2 scores	-33182,49107	-38608,53338	16,4

SiSoftware Sandra Professional Home 2010 test results

Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
CPU arithmetic test
Dhrystone ALU, GYPSUM	28,85	34,56	19,8
Whetstone iSSE3, GFLOPS	23,33	31,19	33,7
Multimedia processor test
Multi-Media Int x16 aSSE2, MPixel/s	94,14	126	33,8
Multi-Media Float x8 iSSE2, MPixel/s	58	77,12	33,0
Multi-Media Double x4 iSSE2, MPixel/s	31,57	42,12	33,4
Multi-core efficiency
Speed data transmission, GB/s	3	4,5	50,0
Latency, ns	101	99	2,0
Cryptography performance
Cryptography speed AES256-ECB CPU, MB/s	415	554	33,5
SHA256 CPU hash rate, MB/s	373	498	33,5
Memory Bandwidth
Int Buff"d iSSE2, GB/	12	12,48	4,0
Float Buff"d iSSE2, GB/s	12	12,54	4,5
Cache and memory
Cache/memory bandwidth, GB/s	35,79	45,66	27,6
Internal data cache, GB/s	130,33	175,2	34,4
Built-in L2 cache, GB/s	72,9	84,54	16,0
Built-in L3 cache, GB/s	n/a	33,3	--

Memory latency test results for SiSoftware Sandra Professional Home 2010

Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)			Advanced mode (4 cores)
	Core 0	Core 1	Core 2	Core 0	Core 1	Core 2	Core 3
Benchmark results
Memory latency, ns	94	93	92	89	87	87	87
Speed ​​factor, units	85,1	83,6	83	80	78,4	78,4	78,3
Breaking down the dough
1 KB range, ns/cycle	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0
4 KB range, ns/cycle	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0
16 KB range, ns/cycle	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,1	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0
64 KB range, ns/cycle	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0	1,1/3,0
256 KB range, ns/cycle	5,8/15,7	5,8/15,7	5,8/15,7	5,8/15,6	5,8/15,6	5,8/15,6	5,8/15,7
1 MB range, ns/cycle	63,4/171,9	63,6/172,6	62,9/170,5	18,5/50,1	18,5/50,2	18,5/50,2	18,3/49,7
4 MB range, ns/cycle	71,7/194,4	72,0/195,2	71,2/193,1	26,0/70,5	26,0/70,4	26,0/70,5	25,7/69,6
16 MB range, ns/cycle	79,6/215,8	79,8/216,4	78,8/213,8	81,1/219,9	81,0/219,6	81,0/219,7	80,7/218,8
64 MB range, ns/cycle	94,3/255,8	92,9/251,8	92,4/250,5	88,7/240,5	87,2/236,4	87,2/236,4	87,1/236,3

Results of game tests SmartFPS v1.11 in SVGA mode (800x600), fps

Game\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
Crysis	60,6	68,8	13,5
Serious Sam 2	119,7	148,7	24,2
Enemy Territory - QUAKE Wars	81,7	90,4	10,6
The Chronicles of Riddick: EFBB	135,1	175,9	30,2

Archiving results in WinRAR x64 version 3.93 in multi-threaded modes of the SmartFPS.com CPU v1.9 script, s (the less the better)

Test\Mode	Normal mode (3 cores)	Advanced mode (4 cores)	Productivity gain, %
1 stream	84	69	17,9
2 streams	79	64	19,0
3 streams	54	44	18,5
4 streams	46	39	15,2
5 streams	53	35	34,0
6 streams	50	40	20,0

The article will discuss the possibility of turning on the third and fourth cores, and will also present the practical results of such an action - that is, tests. After all, it’s very tempting to get a platform with a top-level processor for a hundred dollars.

Regarding, but one of the main consequences of AMD’s “poverty” is the RATIONAL use of die area.

AMD, much earlier than Intel, and even using an old technical process, managed to create the first quad-core processor on a single chip (Intel made its quads by soldering two dual-core processors).

So - the processor is done, but defects are still present from time to time, even with rich Intel (latest news - ). So AMD, for example, has suspicions that one core is not working. It is simply blocked and you buy some three or even dual core AMD Phenom II 560 X2 Socket AM3 3.3GHz 7MB 80W box or Athlon II X3 445. But physically, it is QUAD CORE!

How to unlock/enable AMD processor cores?

We save the changes and reboot - if everything goes smoothly, then the first step will pass. But only the FIRST.

Do not forget that Athlone and Phenom cores are blocked for a reason and they may be faulty. Next, you should ALWAYS test ALL processor cores for stability, for example, as described in the article.

PRACTICE

An Athlon II X3 425 processor was taken and using the option of the cheap AsRock motherboard - Bios Unlock CPU Core, the fourth core was enabled.

This is what the processor looked like BEFORE unlocking:

As you can see, the CPU-Z utility determines that the processor has three active cores and each has half a megabyte of L2 cache.

Now we turn on the fourth core...

Disappointment awaited. The first test revealed that the enabled kernel was not working. It was there, it was functioning, but it malfunctioned under load. If you look closely at the picture, you will also see artifacts in the desktop image. But something else is noteworthy - the Athlon II X3 processor has turned not into a quad-core athlon, but into Phenom II X4!!!

The screenshot clearly shows from the utility’s readings that not only the core is enabled, but also the extra 6MB of third-level L3 cache.

I decided not to give up and go to the end. Through trial and error, it was revealed that the PHYSICALLY faulty blocked core is the second in a row. What if the L3 cache is fully functional? To test this claim, the processor was unlocked again, but the second core was disabled from the application manager.

Let's take the test...

The test worked flawlessly. And at the same time, we also found out the practical benefits of a large cache. In the 3D Mark 2006 test, its presence, all other things being equal, added +10% in some places. This is certainly not an extra core, but it is still an increase. Smart motherboard manufacturers even provide for the simultaneous disabling of faulty cores especially for such cases.

That is, first we forcibly unblock everything that can be unblocked, and then we block what is inoperative)))))))))))))))

There is still a fly in the ointment in all this. Even though the cache and cores are not active, such processors still have a large die size and get noticeably hot. Take this into account.

WHAT PROCESSORS ARE SUITABLE FOR UNLOCKING?

Triple-core Atlons and two-triple-core Phenoms Athlon-II-X3 and Phenom-II-X2-3 are suitable. There is also a rumor that some quad-core models are unlocked into six-core ones, but there is no such experience yet. Then look for Phenoms on the Thuban core and you may very well be lucky.

CONCLUSION
In general, in this case I was unlucky, because I could have come across a 100% working copy. In this case, from a processor costing $65, I would get a quad-core Phenom II X4 costing $150. Agree - this lottery is worth it. And what’s especially pleasing is that even cheap motherboards can do this.

If you have a computer equipped with modern processor manufactured by AMD, this means that you have a chance to significantly increase the performance of your PC without spending a penny on this goal. We are talking about a technology called “unlocking AMD processor cores.” This technology allows you to increase the number of processor cores available to the system - usually from two to four or three.

Of course, such an operation is very tempting. Indeed, as tests show, in some cases the performance of the updated processor almost doubles. Moreover, to successfully carry out this operation, you only need a little knowledge of BIOS options, and, incidentally, a little luck.

First of all, let's try to understand the question of why AMD needed to “hide” the processor cores from the user. The fact is that each processor manufacturer within a certain line has several models that differ in both price and capabilities. Naturally, cheaper processor models have fewer cores compared to more expensive ones. However, in many cases it is irrational to specifically develop models with fewer cores, so many manufacturers, in this case, AMD, do something simpler - they simply disable unnecessary processor cores.

In addition, many AMD processors may have defective cores that have a number of disadvantages. Such processors are also not thrown away, and after disabling unnecessary cores, they are sold under the guise of cheaper varieties of processors. However, the discovered shortcomings of disabled kernels may not be critical for their functioning. For example, if the processor core has a slightly increased heat dissipation compared to the standard one, then using a processor with such a core is quite possible.

It’s worth saying right away that the success of the core unlocking operation largely depends not only on the AMD processor line and its model, but also on a certain series of processors. In many series, only the cores in individual processors can be unlocked, while in other series, almost all processors can be unlocked. In some cases, it is possible to unlock not the kernel itself, but only the cache associated with it.

AMD processors that can be unlocked belong to the Athlon, Phenom and Sempron lines. Typically, unlocking is possible for cores No. 3 and 4 out of the four available cores. In some cases, you can unlock the second core of a dual-core processor, and in some cases, the 5th and 6th cores of a quad-core processor.

Features of unlocking different series of processors

Here are some examples of AMD processor series that can be unlocked, as well as their characteristic features of this process:

• Athlon X2 5000+ – cores No. 3 and 4 (selected copies)
• Athlon II X3 4xx series (Deneb/Rana core) – core No. 4 and cache memory
• Athlon II X3 4xx series (Propus core) – core No. 4
• Athlon II X4 6xx series (Deneb/Rana core) - only level 3 cache
• Phenom II X2 5xx series - cores No. 3 and 4
• Phenom II X3 series 7xx - core No. 4
• Phenom II X4 8xx series – only 2 MB of Level 3 cache can be unlocked
• Phenom II X4 650T, 840T, 960T and 970 Black Edition – cores No. 5 and 6 (selected copies)
• Sempron 140/145 - core No. 2

Which chipsets support unlocking processor cores?

It should be noted that not all motherboards support the ability to unlock AMD processor cores. You can only unlock kernels if your BIOS supports Advanced technology Clock Calibration (ACC) or similar technology.

ACC technology is used in the following chipsets:

• GeForce 8200
• GeForce 8300
• nForce 720D
• nForce 980
• Chipsets with south bridge type SB710
• Chipsets with south bridge type SB750

There are also several AMD chipsets that do not support ACC technology, but instead support similar technologies. These chipsets include chipsets with south bridges of the following types:

• SB810
• SB850
• SB950

The method for unlocking cores on these chipsets varies depending on the motherboard manufacturer

Unblocking method

To unlock the cores, the user must access the BIOS tools. If the motherboard supports ACC technology, in most cases it is enough to find in BIOS parameter Advanced Clock Calibration and set it to Auto.

In the case of motherboards from individual manufacturers, some additional additional actions. On maternal ASUS boards In addition to ACC, you need to enable the Unleashed mode option, on MSI boards - the Unlock CPU Core option, on NVIDIA boards– Core Calibration option. On Gigabyte boards you need to find the EC Firmware Selection option and set it to Hybrid.

On those chipsets that do not support ACC technology, the unlocking method depends on the specific manufacturer. Let us briefly list the options that must be used in the case of each specific manufacturer:

• ASUS - ASUS Core Unlocker
• Gigabyte - CPU Unlock
• Biostar - BIO-unlocKING
• ASRock - ASRock UCC
• MSI - Unlock CPU Core

Unlock check and core testing

In order to make sure that the unlocked cores of AMD processors really work, it is best to use information utilities such as CPU-Z. However, even if you verify that the unlocking was successful, this does not mean that the unlocked kernels will work without problems. In order to fully check their performance, it is recommended to conduct thorough testing of all processor parameters. Also, the failure of the unlocking process may be indicated by malfunctions in the computer, and sometimes by the inability to boot it. In the latter case, you will have to resort to clearing the BIOS memory and resetting it to the factory default state (we talked about how to carry out this process in a separate article).

If new cores are found to be faulty, the user can disable them at any time using BIOS options. In addition, you should keep in mind that the operation of unlocking processor cores only works at the BIOS level, and not at the level of the processors themselves. If you install a processor with unlocked cores on another motherboard, they will still be locked.

And I would like to note one more point. Although unlocking a processor is not the same as overclocking it, however, increasing the number of working cores in your processor will automatically lead to an increase in the heat dissipation of the processor die. Therefore, perhaps in this case it makes sense to think about upgrading the processor cooling cooler.

Conclusion

Unlocking the cores of AMD processors is a simple step that can, however, help the user realize the full potential of their computer hardware. This operation carried out by enabling the necessary BIOS options. Although unlocking cores is not always guaranteed to lead to success, nevertheless, like overclocking, it is not associated with significant risks, and can be tried in practice by any user.

1. General information.
2. What is ACC? What is NCC?
3. Motherboard requirements. Setting up the motherboard BIOS.
4. A small list of the most common questions and answers.
5. News, articles and polls on the topic
6. List of motherboards that have been confirmed to be unlockable with a specific bios version

general information

Attention! The main condition for normal operation of the system as a result of unlocking the processor is a normal power supply with at least an “honest” 350-400W of power, which it actually produces (and not a “veteran” from the times of Socket 754). With questions like “Will this power supply be enough for me?” contact the corresponding forum "Cases, power supplies, modding".

Often, to release cut-down/lower models of their products, companies do not release new revisions of boards/microchips, but use rejection, not passed the tests to work with the characteristics of older models. However, the level of rejection (which, moreover, decreases as production develops) is lower than the sales of cut-down products. As a result, completely nutritious products end up under the knife. Sometimes, through certain manipulations, you can activate what is disabled.

Processors of the K8/K9 generation (Windsor/Orleans/Lima/Brisbane, etc.) and older ones are not discussed here: there is simply nothing to unlock.

On this moment, to release all processors based on the K10.5 architecture (these are Phenom II and Athlon II, as well as Sempron 140/145 and Athlon X2 5000+), AMD uses only four types of crystals: six-core Thuban, four-core Deneb, its stripped-down version (without cache L3) Propus and dual-core Regor (i.e. all Semprons are initially based on a dual-core chip, just one core is disabled).

Sometimes the older Athlon X2 7750 BE can be unlocked, but in general, it is no longer relevant as outdated (AMD Athlon X2 7750 BE can include two more cores), based on the K10 architecture.

General characteristics (with the exception of Thuban, more about them below):

Addition:

1. Phenom II X4 920 and 940, Athlon X2 5000+:
   Connector: AM2/AM2+ only
   Memory support: DDR2 533/667/800/1066 only
2. The Regor core has been slightly improved compared to Deneb: hardware support for C1E has been added, the L2 cache has become 1024Kb per core (Deneb - 512Kb)
3. Athlon II X2 215/220 have only 512KB L2 cache.

It should also be noted that, as can be seen from the above characteristics, processors of the Athlon II X4/X3 family can be based on either the Deneb core or the Propus core.

Previously, it was possible to distinguish which core was included in a particular processor by the CPUID of the processor: in the case of Deneb, the processor has CPUID 00100F42h, in the case of Propus - CPUID 00100F52h. The CPUID can be seen when the system boots on the POST screen. Also this information can also be seen from the OS environment: in Windows environment- in CPU-Z on the "CPU" tab - the "Model" column ("4" in the first case, "5" in the second); in the Linux environment - the output of the command cat /proc/cpuinfo (model line, similarly - “4” in the first case, “5” in the second). By release date: from the 33rd to the 39th week of 2009, almost all processors are based on the Deneb core, later - Propus with rare exceptions. However, some processors of the latest batches with CPUID 00100F52h now also have a third-level cache that can be easily unlocked to a full 6MB.

Only by the processor marking on the cover can you determine whether there is a chance of unlocking the L3 cache:

• Regor/Sargas (2 cores, no physical L3 cache): **E** series: AAEEC, CAEEC, AAEGC, NAE1C, etc.
• Propus (4 cores without L3 cache physically): **D** series: CADAC, CADHC, AADAC, NADHC, NADIC, AADHC, etc.
• Deneb (4 cores, L3 cache physically present on the chip): **C** series: CACYC, CACUC, CACVC, CACZC, CACAC, CACEC, CACDC, AACYC, AACSC, AACTC, AACZC, AACAC, etc.
• Thuban (6 cores, L3 cache physically present on the chip): **B** series: ACBBE, CCBBE, etc.

The list is not complete (AMD is constantly releasing new ones), so let the author know if you have information about new ones.

From the above we can see what can be unlocked on a particular processor model:

• Phenom II X4 8xx - 2 Mb L3 cache;
• Phenom II X3 7xx - fourth core;
• Phenom II X2 5xx - 3rd and 4th cores;
• Athlon II X4 - L3 cache in the case of the Deneb core;
• Athlon II X3 - fourth core + in the case of the Deneb core - L3 cache;
• Athlon II X2 - nothing to unlock(only a model with index 220 can be found on a quad-core Deneb - look at the markings on the cover).
• Sempron 140/145 is the second core.

A list of such motherboards is given below.

The availability of the ability to control the unlocking function itself must be clarified either in the manual for the motherboard, or by reading the FAQ and user messages in the thread for the corresponding motherboard in the Motherboards section. Studying threads with reviews is preferable: not all manufacturers update instructions for motherboards (and they do not always advertise this possibility), and there are also features of implementing this function on specific motherboards.

Settings in motherboard bios fees:

AsRock

Advanced -> Chipset Configuration -> Advanced Clock Calibration or (different models/bios versions vary)
OC Tweaker -> Advanced Clock Calibration.

Activate Advanced Clock Calibration, then reboot. After this, various options for activating cores will become available.

On nVidia chipsets with NCC support
Advanced -> NVIDIA Core Calibration
Core management: Active Core Setup.
L3 cache management: L3 Cache Allocation.

On motherboards supporting UCC technology
OC Tweaker -> ASRock UCC
Core management: CPU Active Core Control.

Asus

On AMD SB710, SB750 southbridges
Advanced -> CPU Configuration -> Advanced Clock Calibration from Disabled is changed to the desired position. After this, the Unleashing Mode option appears. Setting this option to Enabled activates unlocking.

On AMD SB810, SB850 southbridges
Advanced -> ASUS Core Unlocker and CPU Core Activation.

On nVidia chipset
Advanced -> JumperFree Configuration -> NVIDIA Core Calibration

Biostar

On AMD SB710, SB750 southbridges
I’ll warn you right away: for motherboards from this company, in order to successfully unlock, you sometimes have to underestimate HyperTransport frequency even operating at nominal frequencies (HT is configured here: Performance Menu -> Hyper Transport Configuration -> HT Link Speed)
Advanced -> Advanced Clock Calibration.

On AMD SB810, SB850 southbridges
Advanced -> BIO-unlocKING
When the system starts, the POST screen prompts you to press F2 to activate two cores, F3 to activate three cores, or F4 to activate four. Depending on the processor. If you skip a sentence (the system does not ask for confirmation, but simply starts further), everything is automatically unlocked.

Diamond Flower Inc (DFI)

On AMD SB710, SB750 southbridges
Genue BIOS Setting -> CPU Feature -> Advanced Clock Calibration.

On AMD SB810, SB850 southbridges
No data. Let the author know if you have them!

Foxconn

On AMD SB710, SB750 southbridges
Fox Central Control Unit -> Fox Intelligent Stepping -> Advanced Clock Calibration.

On AMD SB810, SB850 southbridges
No data. Let the author of the FAQ know if you have them!

Gigabyte

On AMD SB710, SB750 southbridges
MB Intelligent Tweaker (M.I.T.) -> Advanced Clock Calibration -> Advanced Clock Calibration - to Auto or another value as necessary, reboot the system, then, in the same place, set EC Firmware Selection to the Hybrid position.

On AMD SB810, SB850 southbridges
Advanced BIOS Features -> CPU Unlock
The CPU Unlock option, which is responsible for unlocking, works independently of the CPU core Control option and has only two positions - Enabled and Disabled. Obviously, with processors that can be patched to a limited extent (some of the cores are broken), a combination of these parameters should be used. There is no option responsible for unlocking the L3 cache separately; it is always unlocked when the CPU Unlock option is activated.

MicroStar (MSI)

On AMD SB710, SB750 southbridges
On an AMD chipset: Cell Menu -> Unlock CPU Core and Advanced Clock Calibration set to Enabled.
After this they appear additional settings, allowing you to selectively enable/disable processor cores.
Detailed instructions with pictures + a list of motherboards that support this function) are available on the official MicroStar website: MSI's Unlock CPU Core Technology Introduction (in Russian) (beware - traffic due to screenshots).

On AMD SB810, SB850 southbridges
No data. Let the author know if you have them!

On nVidia chipset
Cell Menu -> Nvidia Core Calibration set to Enabled.

Zotac, Sapphire, Jetway

There was no data about unlocking. Let the author know if you have them!

ECS (EliteGroup)

On September 8, 2009, official technical support announced that unlocking support would not be implemented. However, then the policy changed.

On AMD SB710, SB750 southbridges
M.I.B. II (MB Intellegent BIOS II) -> Advanced Clock Calibration.

On AMD SB810, SB850 southbridges
No data. Let the author know if you have them!

Some tricks for unlocking.

1. Try varying the ACC percentage values ​​(on chipsets that initially do not support ACC and it is implemented separately by the motherboard manufacturer, these parameters are not available):

We have started to change the ACC setting to other modes besides "Auto" while using the "All Cores" option. By changing it in 2% increments, we were able to get the fourth core back at a -6% setting. And while previously the system could not pass the Prime95 test at all, in this case it worked fine for an hour without errors before we turned off the computer. It seems that a more aggressive ACC setting will stabilize the unlocking of the fourth core.

2. Increase or decrease the voltage on the processor and/or built-in memory controller (NB Core).

3. Reduce the frequency of Hyper Transport and/or RAM.

If suddenly, after unlocking the processor cores, you observe that in the bios the processor is identified as unlocked (the cores and cache are displayed on the POST screen, as well as in the characteristics in the bios), but after loading into Windows the number of processor cores remains unchanged (in the CPU- Z, for example), then follow the following simple procedure.

1. If the "Number of processors" checkbox is checked, then uncheck it.
2. If the "Number of processors" checkbox is not checked, check it and specify the number of cores in the drop-down menu.

Save changes and reboot.

After this, all kernels should be displayed.

Testing an unlocked processor.

CPU tests

Prime95:
Free. Only English interface.

Transforming the Athlon II X3 425 into a full-fledged Phenom II X4 925 with brief instructions by unlocking

There have always been components on the market that, with a certain approach to them, provided the user with much more performance than he paid for them. Such processors or video cards, and sometimes even motherboards, are “offcuts” from top-end products. It happens that, with a successful combination of circumstances, a budget processor can be turned into a flagship one.

Employees of the computer store PCShop Group conducted an interesting research experiment on unlocking the triple-core Athlon II X3 425 processor and turning it into a real quad-core Phenom II X4 925 chip.

As you know, AMD uses only three types of crystals to produce its processors: the four-core Deneb is made from it by cutting the L3 cache into Propus and the dual-core Regor. Athlon II X3 4XX processors can be either on a Deneb chip (the version for the Athlon II X3 4XX is called Rana) or on a Propus core.

CoreDeneb

Propus core

In other words, with some luck you can get a cutting from a Deneb crystal (Phenom II). And you can always get a physically trimmed Propus that simply doesn't have L3 cache. AMD makes no warranty regarding the performance of an unlocked cache or kernel. You buy exactly the model and with the specifications that are printed on the box or cover of the processor.

PCShop Group had at its disposal Athlon II X3 425 processors on the “correct” crystal – Deneb, which made it possible to unlock 6 MB of third-level cache memory along with the core.

After

Comparing the characteristics of the unlocked Athlon II X3 425 with the production model Phenom II X4 925, you can notice some differences:

	Athlon II X3 425	Phenom II X4 B25	Phenom II X4 925
Frequency, MHz
Number of Cores
L2 cache memory size, KB
L3 cache memory size, MB
Technical process, nm

Of course, you can find fault with the fact that the frequency does not match. But this is like the popular saying about a gift horse. Although, we will return to the frequency and show that it is possible to get a more powerful processor from the Athlon II X3 425 model even than the Phenom II X4 965 BOX Black Edition (3400 MHz). In addition to unlocking effective method There has always been overclocking to increase performance. The new Phenom II X4 B25 (Athlon II X3 425) was overclocked to a stable frequency of 3600 MHz (overclocked 33%). Thus, the Athlon II X3 425 processor became equal in speed to the not yet presented Phenom II X4 975 (3600 MHz).

Let us remind you that to unlock the processor, at a minimum, you must have a motherboard based on south bridge SB710 or SB750. You can also use some models of motherboards based on NVIDIA system logic for unlocking, as we have already reported in the news.

In this case, the processor was unlocked using motherboard GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD3P. All that had to be done to convert the processor was to find the “Advanced Clock Calibration” setting in the BIOS and set it to “Auto”. Save BIOS settings and reboot your PC.

Then, in the same Advanced Clock Calibration section, you need to find “EC Firmware Selection” and select the “Hybrid” option.

Testing

Test stand:
Cooler - Zalman CNPS 9700 LED + ZM-CS4A
Motherboard – GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD3P;
RAM - GOODRAM PRO GP900D264L5
Video card - MSI Radeon HD 4890 (R4890 Cyclone);
Storage - Samsung HD252HJ;
Power supply - Seasonic S12D-850.

It is significant that the performance increase from unlocking the Athlon II X3 425 processor in the 3DMark06 test was 25% and is practically equal to the Phenom II X4 925 chip. The overclocked and unlocked Athlon II X3 425 shows excellent speed, which will become available to ordinary users only after the release of the Phenom processor II X4 975. Also notable are the test results of the SuperPi 1M, for which cache memory is important. In it, an unlocked and overclocked Athlon II X3 425 with 6 MB of third-level cache reached the 20-second mark!

Finally, we note that you should not forget that unlocking is a lottery. There are cases when the kernel is unlocked, but does not function stably. Or it may turn out that the Athlon II X3 processor is based on a Propus chip.

PCShop Group

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