Interesting info in the core i7 datasheet.

So I was looking at the datasheet for these i7 CPUs:
http://download.intel.com/design/processor/datashts/320834.pdf

You can clearly see how to do a volt mod.


But one thing that caught my eye was the following on page 69:

Also I have attached a screenshot of an interesting table (page 17).

So I thought those pins could be usefull.

 

That is not a volt mod. That kind of protection setting would prevent a high power processor from working when the notebook's cooling system and power circuity was designed for lower power processors.

That way someone could not install a quad core X9100 when the notebook was designed to specifically work with P8x00 and P9x00 series processors.

 

What I meant was you can cleary see how to do a volt mod in the datasheet, so I wont even bother mentioning it.


The part of the datasheet I found interesting may be a way to allow upgrades in the future, the part I underlined and put in bold font in the quote.

 

to do the volt mod, you would only have to look at Table 2-1. Voltage Identification Definition (p17).

Then look at the Land Listing to find where each VID pin is.

Then just follow instructions for older processors.

 

Or, put another way............................

Prevent the END USERS from upgrading to an "Unsupported" CPU so Intel can sell you a NEW SYSTEM, now that they have LOCKED OUT 3rd party Chipsets.

I don't want to come off as a TOOL, but.............. protection was about the last thing on the list.

 

You can get around it, you just need to ground or apply voltage to one or more MSID pins.

 

And as you are so well informed why don't you do it/offer link to sites that offer the information?
That would be far more useful to most members.

 

No reason for the attitude...

And no, there is no site that I know of that offers that information.

What you need to do should be pretty obvious; set the MISD pins to that of a lower power processor if you are trying to install a higher power processor on a notebook that won't allow it.

 

Look at the table in my first post.

It shows which MSID pins to set to what values.

 

Actually this may be impossible. The pins aren't dumb, but listed as I/O. VID0, VID1, and VID2 are also MISD0, MISD1, and MISD2. Check out pages 69, 73, and 77 in this document for the i7 mobile processors: http://download.intel.com/design/processor/datashts/320765.pdf Obviously not the way it has been for years.

 

So you're saying they are sampled at startup, then used for other things(voltage)?

EDIT: Looks like you would only have to change VID[1]. That would change the voltage very slightly.
I dont think it would cause any problems?