2nd Update: 310ED & AMD K6-2

[toddyjoe]

In the continuing saga of the Thinkpad 310ED processor upgrade, here is the latest news:

As a follow-up to WinChip C6 240 tests, I tried exploiting the 1.5-multiplier setting to get a 4.0 multiplier and get CPU speed above 200 MHz. However, I was unable to get a post or boot when the voltage DIP switch box (S1) was set to the labeled maximum of 3.1V and the speed was set to anything above 200 MHz. I tried playing with unknown, unlabeled voltage settings to see if I could get above 3.1V but still under the 3.52V the WinChip uses as standard. By setting switch 1 on the voltage DIP to On and switches 2, 3 and 4 to Off, I was able to get above 3.1V. How much more I do not know because there are no voltage sensors detected by software like Everest. I suspect it is probably 3.2V or 3.3V because, with this voltage setting, the WinChip set to 200 MHz runs much more smoothly than at 3.1V. At this higher voltage setting, the computer occasionly gets closer to posting and booting at a 233 or 240 MHz setting but still not a full boot. I may have to explore further unknown voltage settings with the WinChip.

Next came the AMD K6-2 380 AFK (mobile version with lower wattage and current draw). Before testing, I realized the 310ED has a 320-pin Socket 5 and the AMD requires a 321-pin Socket 7. I learned that this offending pin is not connected in any way to the circuit and that the Japanese 310 site linked in the last threads used an AMD K6-2 with the offending pin chopped off. Using a wire cutter, I manager to mod my 321-pin AMD to a 320-pin unit that fit.

The next issue was my Windows 95 OS version. My 310ED had a "B"-labeled version which needed additional files to accommodate an AMD K6-2 running above 350 MHz. No problem... I found a download site for the file "Amdk6upd.exe" at this link http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... 802201E490 and got the drivers installed by running the file and rebooting while still using the WinChip. Although the core voltage for the AMD was listed as 2.2V, I tried the setting listed on the Japanese site for using an AMD K6-2 with a 310 Thinkpad: 2.45V.

The first few tries with the AMD K6-2 in the socket were disappointing. There was no power on at all other than a blip of the start LED. Because the AMD was used and cheap (cost me one U.S. penny), I suspected it may have been fried even though there was no visible damage. Before throwing it in the junk drawer, I tried lowering the CPU speed to something relatively low (66 MHz using a 2.0 multiplier and 33 MHz bus) and lowering the voltage to the labeled minimum voltage, 2.35V. Power comes on and laptop posts and boots!

After some further experimentation, the AMD like the WinChip seems to max out around 200 MHz. The "trick" multipliers with the AMD are 1.5x (which is interpreted as 3.5x) and 2.0x (which is interpreted as 6.0x and explains why the Japanese site uses a 2.0x 66MHz setting to get 400 MHz). At a 200 MHz setting (66 MHz bus and 3.0 multiplier) and 2.35V, the AMD is measurably smoother than the WinChip at the same CPU speed, especially with CPU-intensive MIDI/audio programs. However, so far any CPU settings above 200 MHz with the AMD do not even power on. The computer also does not power on if the voltage is moved up to 2.45V -- it just gives a quick LED start blip and does nothing more.

Further experimentation is in order, but so far the fastest and smoothest performance comes from upgrading to the AMD K6-2 set at 200 MHz (66 MHz bus and 3.0 multiplier) and 2.35V. The WinChip C6 240 performs best at the same 200 MHz setting with a voltage presumably around 3.2V or 3.3.V, but the best of the AMD is smoother than the best of the WinChip. The AMD, however, required extra steps such as chopping the extra non-connected pin on the processor and installing drivers to work with the "B" version of Windows 95. My Acer BIOS version is still original and has never been upgraded so maybe I will look into whether or not a BIOS upgrade will affect performance and/or tap into something above 200 MHz. However, I may have to wait because the latest BIOS upgrade I downloaded will not let me proceed at all until I have figured out a way to get my absolutely-dead battery to recharge.

[AlphaKilo470]

Just out of curiosity, what audio software programs are you running on your ThinkPad and how well do they run?

[toddyjoe]

AlphaKilo, I am just using a bunch of freeware/shareware VST hosts (mainly SaviHOST) and plug-ins for MIDI right now. A long-time guitarist, I got my first MIDI keyboard for Christmas 2005. I wanted to use my old college Thinkpad 310ED to try MIDI and get some Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer sounds. After learning how to set up MIDI stuff, I learned that the best Rhodes and Wurlitzer emulators out there are pretty CPU intensive (stuff like MrRay73, MrTramp, 4Front Rhode, mda ePiano). That started my quest to upgrade my 310ED which is what brought me here. Now I am spending more time with my Thinkpad.

Tonight, I found out I can get a CPU speed of 208-210 MHz if I go with a 60 MHz bus setting and use the 1.5 multiplier setting to actually get a 3.5 multiplier with the AMD K6-2. I also found a way to set the voltage switch to get something closer to the 2.2V the AMD wants. On the S1 DIP box, setting switches 1 and 4 to Off and switches 2 and 3 to On will get a voltage of around 2.17 to 2.18V according to another Japanese site I found.

In addition, for fifteen minutes tonight, I managed to get 233 MHz with the K6-2 with a 66 MHz bus and the 1.5/3.5 "trick" multiplier and the new voltage of 2.18V (effectively 2.2V). It took a couple pushes of the on/off button to start up the computer but it posted, booted and operated crash-free after that for about fifteen minutes before I shut it down. I tried going higher with no success but could not get 233 to work again after coming back down.

Finally, I upgraded my BIOS with a completely dead battery. The original BIOS upgrade disk I created would not let me continue without a fully-charged battery. However, I did some Internet research and found a trick of holding Scroll-lock down when making the initial selection to start the BIOS upgrade just before the battery check. Holding Scroll-lock down while making the selection allowed me to bypass the battery check and upgrade successfully to the most-recent BIOS version. I double checked after it was complete and ensured that it had in fact upgraded to the latest BIOS upgrade for this BIOS. I also tried the freeware program K6 Pro to see if that helped get more performance from the AMD K6-2. I am not sure if it helped or not.

In spite of the new voltages, BIOS upgrade and K6 Pro tinkerings, I have been unable to get above 210 MHz in a stable fashion and unable to go above 233 MHz in any form. I have NO IDEA how several of these Japanese sites are upgrading 310-series Thinkpads with AMD K6-2 to K6-III processors and getting 400 MHz. Even though I can set my 310ED the same way, I am not hitting anywhere near 400. Any ideas out there? I wish I could read Japanese. On the other hand, I have managed to get from 133 MHz to 233 MHz thus far so I should not be too disappointed.