Unlock your XP2100 without cutting Bridges!!

[OPPAINTER]

Thats right folks, I just unlocked a XP2100 without cutting any Bridges.

You have to still close your L1 bridges but then you just use the 2 pin method.
http://www.vr-zone.com/Home/news152/TBred.gif
http://vr-zone.com/Home/news152/news152.htm#2501

Personally I used Conductive Ink instead of the wire.

OPP

[mdzcpa]

Sweet....great info OPP!

[OPPAINTER]

Originally posted by mdzcpa
Sweet....great info OPP!

Works great, all multipliers from 5-12.5

OPP

[MrIcee]

Nice job my man !!

Randi

[DaGooch]

Great find OP! Cutting bridges are not fun.

[OPPAINTER]

There you go Gooch, it will make job much easier

OPP

[candjac]

Kudos, Great mod, conductive trace also much more stable than loose wire loop. Works cause the 8X Bit Value Signal Bus gets grounded thru its closed L1 bridge thru its AJ27 pin to the nearby Vss= Gd pin. Any ground of a default HI Multiplier Signal Bus resets it LO.

Speaking of grounds, the leftmost L1 bridge trace looks to be awfully close to the triangular icon which is reported to be at ground level. Can you set nn.5X Multipliers?? (If not then that wide trace contacting icon might be problem).
Just curious.

[OPPAINTER]

candjac

They all work up to up to 12.5 so it may be close but I guess It cleared the Triangle.

OPP

[Iolao]

greati info!

[Kefka]

I read on that post at vr-zone that that was an alternative to closing the 5th L3 bridge, has anyone tried that?

Also, when connecting the L1 bridges, should the trenches between the bridges be filled with conductive material, or left empty?

[stoopid]

Originally posted by Kefka
I read on that post at vr-zone that that was an alternative to closing the 5th L3 bridge, has anyone tried that?

Also, when connecting the L1 bridges, should the trenches between the bridges be filled with conductive material, or left empty?

I was going to ask a similar question, kinda... yes, the trenches/pits still need to be filled...

My question: what exactly does this PIN mod do? I'm a little behind (and not planning on getting a tbred until the 1700+ version is released and prices come down).

[DaGooch]

Basically, it resets the high multiplier signal (13X and above) to low (12.5X and below) as Candjac explained because of the shorted condition of the NC pin to ground. This has the same effect as closing the right most bridge in the L3 area for the Thoroughbred and not having to cut the right bridge and connecting the left bridge of the L10 area on the Palamino.

[stoopid]

Originally posted by DaGoochMeister
Basically, it resets the high multiplier signal (13X and above) to low (12.5X and below) as Candjac explained because of the shorted condition of the NC pin to ground. This has the same effect as closing the right most bridge in the L3 area for the Thoroughbred and not having to cut the right bridge and connecting the left bridge of the L10 area on the Palamino.

So this only helps to unlock multipliers above 12.5? I have very little experience needing to do anything but unlock and set the L11's for 1.85v

[DaGooch]

12.5X and below with pin mod and the usual L1 area connections.

[stoopid]

Alright alright, so this is THE WAY to unlock the Tbred then, it's another step added to the palomino process... I see now...

[Kefka]

ok, I have an xp2100+ (palimino (im assuming this because its green)) ive tried filling in the the L1 bridges including the pits and trying the pin mod, and connecting the 5th L3 bridge. I tried these and my cpu wouldnt post, now it tells me the cmos checksum is wrong and my computer resets to defaults and sets my cpu to 500mhz, now Ive restarted it once and had to go back to 2100+, but whenever that happens, and I reboot, the computer doesnt boot, so I have to pull the cmos battery, and it goes back to 500mhz... wtf is going on... plus when it sets to 500mhz, I cant change the cpu speed at all or the computer wont boot up... anyone know wtf is going on. And does anyone have a COMPLETE, VERY detailed explaination of unlocking a xp2100+ palimino?

[DaGooch]

Originally posted by Kefka
ok, I have an xp2100+ (palimino (im assuming this because its green)) ive tried filling in the the L1 bridges including the pits and trying the pin mod, and connecting the 5th L3 bridge. I tried these and my cpu wouldnt post, now it tells me the cmos checksum is wrong and my computer resets to defaults and sets my cpu to 500mhz, now Ive restarted it once and had to go back to 2100+, but whenever that happens, and I reboot, the computer doesnt boot, so I have to pull the cmos battery, and it goes back to 500mhz... wtf is going on... plus when it sets to 500mhz, I cant change the cpu speed at all or the computer wont boot up... anyone know wtf is going on. And does anyone have a COMPLETE, VERY detailed explaination of unlocking a xp2100+ palimino?

On the XP2100+ do not do the 5th L3 bridge. All you need to do is the pin mod and the L1.

[The Coolest]

What happened to the Tbred unlocking when all u needed to do is paint the 5th L3 bridge? I think the same thing should apply to XP pally as well? Would be easier, and less chances to mess up?

*EDIT*: Why wouldn't it easier to just cross the 5th L3 bridge? Should give the same effect?

Kefka: The brightside is that u got it unlocked, otherwise u wouldn't have gotten it to post at 500MHz... But its strange, u must have resetted the default multipliers.

*EDIT2*: "This way works the same as connecting 5th bridge of L3 as demonstrated by Gao the previous week so apply either method which is easier for you."

[candjac]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by The Coolest
[B]What happened to the Tbred unlocking when all u needed to do is paint the 5th L3 bridge? I think the same thing should apply to XP pally as well?
*EDIT*: Why wouldn't it easier to just cross the 5th L3 bridge? Should give the same effect?

Answer..No the pally 2100 has a different set of bridges.

[Quote]Kefka: The brightside is that u got it unlocked, otherwise u wouldn't have gotten it to post at 500MHz... But its strange, u must have resetted the default multipliers.

Answer..Yes.

Dagooch has tried to tell you that while the Tbred 2200+ and the Palomino XP 2100+ both have 5 bit Multiplier code and share the "same problem" of Mobo/bios being unable to reset default Multipliers, their Multiplier bridge sets are "different", so the "physical workarounds also differ".

Palomino 2100 L1 mobo interfacing bridges are open, Tbred 220+'s are closed. So Palomino 2100" L1s must be closed for mobo to reset Multipliers.

Palomino 2100 sets 5 bit Multiplier code with 5 bridge "pairs"...(2) L3, (2) L4, (1) L10. Tbred 2200 sets 5 bit code with only 5 L3 individual bridges. So this explains why the workarounds "are also physically different".

Basically, modding the Palomino 2100's L10 bridge pair does the same thing as closing Tbred 2200's rightmost
L3 bridge. But to "understand" this'..........

Go to http://wwwbeachlink.com/candjac/index.htm link to Palomino and Tbred articles to see and compare the Multiplier bridges' circuits details. There is also a section in Tbred article called "Unlocking ...or...Workarounds" which discusses this issue.

BTW, the "pin mod" does the same thing as closing Tbred's rightmost L3 bridge...but as Dagooch wrote, don't do both.

Sorry to add this to thread but it seems that you have not been able to understand dagooch's perfectly correct comments...probably because you do not understand how the different Multiplier signaling circuits work. Hopefully the articles will cure that.
John C.

[The Coolest]

What about doing this mod to the mobo itself it could be easier to use a conductive ink pen or something and remove it if u gonna put in a slower than 2100+ CPU? But if u know you will not then its a good idea, any CPU u put in, has the mod automatically

[candjac]

Originally posted by The Coolest
What about doing this mod to the mobo itself it could be easier to use a conductive ink pen or something and remove it if u gonna put in a slower than 2100+ CPU? But if u know you will not then its a good idea, any CPU u put in, has the mod automatically

Coolest,
Of course, and then why not go one step further and mod the mobo so that it does not need to be "removed" for CPUs slower than the 2100. You do this by soldering fine wires to backside of mobo socket AJ27 and a nearby Vss = Gd socket like AH28 or AK28. Tin the leads first then simply hold in place and heat with tinned soldering iron and the leads should flow right into the blobs of solder at each of those socket ends. Then run the wires to a switch or 2 pin jumper on a very small pcb conveniently mounted thru the side or front of the case.

Jumper OFF = default, jumper ON = LO. Be classy and run a 3rd wire from nearby Vcc = Vcore socket, use a 3 pin jumper. No jumper = CPU Default, 1-2 = LO, 2-3 = HI. Now it works for ALL XP speed grades...right??

Be still classier and run 4 more wires from the other 4 bits, AL25, AN25, AL27, AN27, a little larger pcb with 5 sets of 3 pin jumpers or switches. Now you've converted a mobo like the ECS K7S5A with no mobo/bios support for Multiplier to a mobo with full support.

Use good practice and install 100 ohm current limiting resistors in each circuit...right??;-)
Boker Tov,
John C.

PS: We did this on a FIC 503+ and K6-3+450 running at 616. Have a 10 position dipswitch on pcb on front of case to control/set FSB/PCI Divisor, Memory Frequency, FSB Frequency, and the Multiplier.

[The Coolest]

Great idea!! And thanks for the help, although I don't intend on getting a higher than 2000+ chip yet, but still a really nice one!!
Maybe when the Barton will be out for a while and drop in price

[KnightElite]

candjac: That looks like a really cool mod. If you connect the last 4 pins that you mentionned, would that enable unlocking without connecting the L1 bridges? I doubt it, since it looks like it's just multiplier control, but I'm just checking.

[candjac]

Originally posted by KnightElite
candjac: That looks like a really cool mod. If you connect the last 4 pins that you mentionned, would that enable unlocking without connecting the L1 bridges? I doubt it, since it looks like it's just multiplier control, but I'm just checking.

First, if you do this wires/switches/jumpers mod you want to do all bits, not just 4, in case you might need to reset the 8X Bit Value.

Then, you're right about the L1 bridges, they must be closed, but not because it's "just" Multiplier control, but because the sockets/pins do not "connect to the Multiplier "Signal Busses" unless the L1s are closed. We wrote about that several posts ago....Quote....

Palomino 2100 L1 mobo interfacing bridges are open, Tbred 220+'s are closed. So Palomino 2100" L1s must be closed for mobo to reset Multipliers.... End Quote.

And "mobo" is on same side of L1s as sockets/pins.

To "understand" all the circuits and details, go to
http://www.beachlink.com/candjac/index.htm link to Palomino and Tbred articles, lot's of good stuff there for anyone wanting to do hard mods.
John C.

[KnightElite]

Thanks for the linkage. I figured that the 2100+ would still have to be unlocked with the L1s, just making sure. That's a very neat mod in any case.

EDIT: your link doesn't work. You forgot the . between the www and the domain name.