Core Unlocking

bobob · 13 Mar 2011 at 22:47

Hi

I have recently bought these parts below I have read on the Internet that some people have managed to unlock 2 extra cores on this processor. I have looked in the bios and have found a core unlock function is this the only thing I need to change in order for the 2 extra cores to be unlocked? I understand that it's best to run benchmarks on the CPU once they have been unlocked in order to make sure that the system is stable.

Parts

AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition 3.2GHz

Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3

Please can you advise

LiamJ · 13 Mar 2011 at 22:52

I have the DDR2 version of that mobo. All you have to do is find ACC on the main OCing page, and change the first two settings to Hybrid and Auto. Save and exit, then stability test to see if it's stable. If not, try increasing the core voltage.

bobob · 13 Mar 2011 at 23:05

Hi

Thanks for your response

One other question can this be done when windows is already installed ? Or do I need to reinstall windows in order for the extra cores to appear in windows ?

vanandjuanunited · 13 Mar 2011 at 23:11

Can be done anytime.

bobob · 13 Mar 2011 at 23:13

Ok thanks

For stress testing I normally use either intel burn in test or prime 95 are these still the best ones to use?

Many thanks

vanandjuanunited · 13 Mar 2011 at 23:15

Never bothered stressing mine. Had no issues since unlocking my 555be

Azuse05 · 13 Mar 2011 at 23:54

Use linx instead of itb (better interface) although you could always use occt, they're all just different interfaces for linpack.

bobob · 14 Mar 2011 at 21:20

Hi,
Thanks for your further replies,

I am trying to unlock the other cores on the CPU and have gone into the overclocking menu on the BIOS and it displays the attached screen is this the correct place?

http://img140.imageshack.us/i/img0857px.jpg/

Also I have bought an XFX 5770 graphics card and I am having problems installing the drivers for that card I have gone to ATI's website and downloaded the drivers for that chip however they dont install. Do I need to get them from XFX's site instead?

Please can you advise,

Thanks

LiamJ · 14 Mar 2011 at 21:30

Why don't drivers install? The 11.2 drivers are the latest I believe on AMD's website.

The picture doesn't seem to have shown up, btw.

bobob · 14 Mar 2011 at 21:34

OK

Have fixed the the graphics problem had to change the display setting in the BIOS to PEG it was on PCI before and now the drivers have installed fine.

Here is the link for the picture I can view it okay from my end if it still does not work I can try uploading it again

http://img140.imageshack.us/f/img0857px.jpg/

paradisiac · 14 Mar 2011 at 21:34

when i unlocked mine, i started prime95 and core 3 workers would not start, so i knew straight away core 3 was a deaden.
bare in mind that unlocking cores increases temps, so keep an eye on them.

LiamJ · 14 Mar 2011 at 21:38

Yep, just go into ACC, then change to Hybrid and Auto. If it boots, load up CPU-z to check all 4 cores are running, then stress with Prime95.

If it doesn't boot, you've probably got a bad chip. If it errors during Prime, up the voltage, but monitor temperatures.

bobob · 14 Mar 2011 at 21:47

Hi
Thanks for your reply.

OK, I have made the changes as below are these correct? Is there a risk that the CPU might get damaged in doing this?

Link

http://img848.imageshack.us/i/img01911.jpg/

Thanks again for your help

bobob · 15 Mar 2011 at 19:59

Hi,
I was just wondering if anyone has had a chance to read my last post yet?

Thanks

paradisiac · 15 Mar 2011 at 20:08

you need to reboot and go back into bios as thats only showing as dual core (last section lets you enable core 0 and 1, should show 0, 1, 2, 3) but yeh, looks ok. is a case of have all of them enabled and the prime. if all workers work without error for a few hours then proper test it, if 1 or more worker fails, then disable that core and try again. once you are happy the extra 1 or 2 cores are stable, then look at overclocking it. like i said before, my last core (core 3) will not start workers at all in prime, so i know its dead. is now running stable (passed IBT 15 passes, Prime 3 hours) @ 3.8GHz Tri-Core, so for £65-£70 its a pretty good buy, you might get lucky and get a quad core 4GHz clock out of yours. if its a Black Edition chip, then overclocking is simple, just up the multiplier and away you go

but i did just shell out £80 on a case and cooler, coz tri-core pushed my temps over the 70C max.

bobob · 15 Mar 2011 at 20:13

Hi,
Thanks for your response,

Is there any risk involved in trying to unlock the extra cores?

Thanks

paradisiac · 15 Mar 2011 at 20:17

nope no risk at all, it will either boot into windows or it wont. they are all quad cores from factory, just they either didnt pass AMDs stability tests, or they were low on Dual or Tri core chips so locked some cores. will do no damage to the chip at all, as the core is either dead or it isnt.

bobob · 15 Mar 2011 at 20:26

Hi
Thanks for your reply.

I have just updated the BIOS on the board, and now the unlocking functions for the CPU are different I have changed them to the one below does this look at it has not been restarted yet.

http://img858.imageshack.us/i/img01921.jpg/

Thanks

paradisiac · 15 Mar 2011 at 20:35

you need the cpu core control to be manual or something, so you can turn on/off cores 2 and 3.

bobob · 15 Mar 2011 at 20:55

OK,
Thanks for your reply.

I had a quick play around with it and the Windows 7 Welcome Screen lots of little squares and different colours, i have put it back on dual core and the issue has gone so I'd imagine that one of the extra cores is not completely stable.