Unlocking Phneom II x2

Aastii

Aastii

VIP Member
How can you tell which AMD Phenom II CPUs will unlock, and will any motherobard do so?

I am looking at either:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/AMD-...3-31GHz-7MB-Total-Cache-HT-4000MHz-85W-Retail

or

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/AMD-Phenom-II-X2-545-Sok-AM3-30GHz-6MB-Cache-80W-Retail

If I remember correctly only the black ones will unlock (right?) so I will have to go for the black one right?

And for motherboards, am open to any suggestions from any source (BARE IN MIND I AM IN UK SO CAN'T USE NEWEGG) so long as it is £70 or under and is AM3. I would prefer scan because there is no P&P because I live about half an hour away from where they are based, so can go to the shop itself and pick it all up, but if it is from elsewhere, can also go to Bowlers on any Saturday and find it from there for cheaper because it is just stalld, and again, no shipping because it is only in Manchester so only half an hour or so away :)

cheers guys

=EDIT=

I also know that it can't be done to all AMD CPUs, it is pot luck, however as I can only afford a dual core, or maybe tri core at a push, and hope for the best, that is why I ask, so no need to tell me that one :D
 
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You need a mobo with a chipset that has NB790(FX/GX) and a SB750 to unlock the other cores.
Go with the 550.
 
Your probably more likley to get a 720 to unlock now then a 550 stable.

As far as boards, as long as it has atleast a SB710. Most apply the unlocking feature in the bios (ACC) now.
 
I would go with the Phenom II x2 550 and if it does not unlock to a quad then you can unlock it to a triple core with the new bios that Gigabyte has out.
 
If you get asus crosshair III, all you need to do is update the MoBo (a must), enable unleashing mode and auto acc.
 
AFAIK the reason that the cores are locked is because they failed a test at the factory. If you attempt to use them they could have some bad behavior.
 
Heya

This thread is of use to me as well. I am considering getting the 550 as well. I have had a look at several boards (Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3P - AMD 770 for example) and people have had no problems at all with unlocking the Phenom IIs. However, I have read that some 80% worked from the batches they tested.

Given the price of the Phenom II, it would be nice to get a quad core processor out of it. The only thing that I was always worried about is the fact that the reason for them being locked to two cores could have been because as was mentioned above, they failed factory tests. On the contrary, I have also read that some are merely downgraded on purposes (fully functional pieces) for the reason of catering for the other market segments. I guess I will have to try and see.

JAN :D
 
Drenlin said:
AFAIK the reason that the cores are locked is because they failed a test at the factory. If you attempt to use them they could have some bad behavior.
Click to expand...

Not always, there isn't enough failures VS how many 550's and 720's they sell so a lot only have the core(s) simply deactivated.

My 550 unlocked just fine to a quad and overclocked to 3.9ghz max.

Also, you do NOT need ''only'' a 790/750 chipsets, the 785/710 chipsets unlock as well.

I really prefer gigabyte boards, and unlocking is easy with them because of the dual bios they have.
 
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