# Unlocking Athlon II x3 445 (info, screenies etc)



## Mussels (Jan 25, 2010)

As the titles says, i got a new CPU to play with in my media PC. The results may help you choose between an Athlon II x2 or x3, depending how it all turns out.

Will be editing as i go along, please re-check the first post every now and then.

One thing you may ponder about: i'm not concerned with load temps or power usage, since this is a media PC. its hardly ever going to load, so this test is focused on power usage at idle. Its also kinda obvious that a triple/quad core is gunna use more power than a dual.

System setup:
Motherboard: GA MA785GPM-UD2H
Onboard radeon 4200IGP - 128MB Sideport ram + 256MB system ram
6GB DDR 800 CL5, 1.8V


Old CPU:

Athlon II x2 240 2.8GHz
Stock:1.35v
Undervolted: 1.1v (24 hour stable linpack, OCCT, etc. Never a single crash in 24/7 use for 3 months)

Coretemp idle: 23C


New CPU: Athlon II x3 435 2.9Ghz
ADX435WFK32GI
CADAC AD 0945EPFW

Stock Voltage: 1.40v

Undervolted: 1.15v in testing

4 cores enabled:
So far, with 4 cores enabled it 'unlocks' to a phenom II x4 B35. However its not stable at stock clocks. Am testing various combinations to see what it'll boot with.


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## Loosenut (Jan 25, 2010)

Interesting project Mussels. I also had similar ideas for a media pc. 

Good luck with this project, I'm sure to learn something new


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## Mussels (Jan 25, 2010)

sadly, hit a dead end  4th core unlocks but the system wont boot.

no L3 cache to unlock, so tri core phenom is a no go as well


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## HalfAHertz (Jan 25, 2010)

Is it a C3 stepping? Can we get a CPU-Z shot?


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## Mussels (Jan 25, 2010)

HalfAHertz said:


> Is it a C3 stepping? Can we get a CPU-Z shot?









That help?


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## HalfAHertz (Jan 25, 2010)

It's a bit weird they went with a higher stock voltage. From what I've heard, the C3 should OC better due to less leakage, which also means better underclocking. Sorry about the 4th core. Looks good so far, best of luck with the undervolting.


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## Mussels (Jan 25, 2010)

its stable at 1.15, leaving it there for the time being. sad no unlock 

but hey, it was a free upgrade from my x2 240 (which also didn't unlock)


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## 87dtna (Jan 27, 2010)

Regor X2's don't have anything to unlock!


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## HossHuge (Jan 27, 2010)

HalfAHertz said:


> It's a bit weird they went with a higher stock voltage. From what I've heard, the C3 should OC better due to less leakage, which also means better underclocking. Sorry about the 4th core. Looks good so far, best of luck with the undervolting.



For some reason it has C2 stepping.  I would have thought all their new cpu's would have the new C3 stepping.

Edit: I found out that the new C3 stepping is just for the Phenom II's


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## Mussels (Jan 27, 2010)

atm i've got it set to 2.9Ghz 1.15v, and it idles at 800Mz 0.8v

works well, for me.


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## TheShad0W (Jan 28, 2010)

I unlocked an X2 550 BE phenom for someone recently that took 1.42v to be stable on all four cores at stock speeds, could always give the voltage bump a go.


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## Mussels (Jan 28, 2010)

TheShad0W said:


> I unlocked an X2 550 BE phenom for someone recently that took 1.42v to be stable on all four cores at stock speeds, could always give the voltage bump a go.



i have weak cooling. I tried as high as 1.40v for quad core at 2GHz, no go. that was 60C at idle


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## JrRacinFan (Jan 28, 2010)

Mussels said:


> i have weak cooling. I tried as high as 1.40v for quad core at 2GHz, no go. that was 60C at idle



What about L3 cache unlock? You try just that yet?


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## Mussels (Jan 28, 2010)

JrRacinFan said:


> What about L3 cache unlock? You try just that yet?



i dont think it has any to unlock. I managed to unlock it to a phenom II dual core (odd, i know) but there was no cache present.

In the latest BETA bios i have "munaul" (lol) core control.

I have some weird options "disable core 2" "disable core 3"

Disabling core 2 makes it a dual core phenom. (but no L3 cache?)

testing other combination now, as the core 3 option wasn't there last time.


edit: ahah, this explains it. the per core ACC option forgets what its set to when i reboot the machine. buggy beta BIOS at fault here. Had to set some EC firmware setting to "hybrid" to make it remember the settings between reboots.

ACC on 2%, all cores: "core 2" + "core 3" disabled (CnQ is on)







Core 2 on, Core 3 off = no boot

Core 3 on, core 2 off = boot 






the poor things having an identity crisis


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