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Socket 7 cpu (orginal K6 233) in a socket 5 mainboard

twolazy

twolazy

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Strange question I can't really find the question too, but I have a hunch it work. I hate to just bend the pin and find out it wont work, so asking for feedback from others...

Old Dell XPS , with settings up to 166mhz,
K6 - 233 / 66mhz fsb cpu, 3.3 / 3.2v ( should run on 1.5x setting due to remapping)

I heard its a popular upgrade for socket 5, but be damned, this dell doesn't have the hole for the extra pin! :(

From what I have gathered , its not electrically connected. Anyone have experience with this? Can I bend/chop it off? The split voltage is close enough im not worried, board can do 3.3v.
 
Instead of chopping a pin off the cpu why not just add the hole to the socket? I'd use a small drill bit and a dremel to do it very carefully. Assuming of course that it is literally just one pin of course.
 
It's possible the pin is NC anyway. That's a classic way to keep people from plugging newer processors into older sockets and vice versa. But if you aren't sure, drilling sounds like a much better solution.
 
I'd be concerned about BIOS support. Not all older BIOSes could handle the K6 and other non-Intel CPUs.

I did have good luck upgrading name-brand Pentium PCs with IDT Winchip CPUs. They weren't as fast as a K6, but every board I ever tried them in recognized them as a Pentium. They were a nice upgrade for the older Socket 5 systems to take them to 200 MHz and beyond.
 
Thanks for all the advice so far! :D Indeed the k6 has mmx. But technically, it should work, other then the split voltage. Being 3.2v/3.3v, provided the rails are spot on, shouldn't be a problem with a decent heatsink/fan.

Well, I did more digging and found that the extra pin, is indeed just a "key" pin, and it should work...

*** Edit ***

I had a moment of clarity right before i was going to press a new hole into the socket with a red hot pin. I think the k6 takes more power then my p166. Chances are the mosfets/vrm wouldn't hold out long with this increased power draw.If anyone knows the exact wattage/amprage a k6 uses please let me know. I found the specs for k6-2/k6-3 but not for k6. My gut is telling me since its amd, its going to take more power per mhz vs intel. So tomarrow im going to grab the markings off the mosfets and cross reference. Btw chipset is an i430Fx

Sad part is the k6 is a brand new unused cpu i've been looking for a use for , for many years. Guess it will have to sit longer...

Also like to add, I found this thread today, and it seems to be along the same lines as this situation...

http://www.wimsbios.com/forum/topic8822.html
 
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If you really don't want to take a chance on destroying the chip or your motherboard, why not see if someone here has an unused socket 7 board available? You may even be able to get one for the cost of shipping.
 
Because i have multiple socket 7 boards, much faster socket 7 cpus, and since its a dell, it has some strange layout motherboard wise, as well as proprietary connections. The pc itself runs tops, but I already have another machine the same identical speed, so was hoping on upgrading it some. Been kind of busy lately, but hopefully this weekend I can give it a try. I was thinking i can add an aluminum heatsink to the mosfet, and hopefully that work. There seems to be a fan pointed at the mosfet from the front of the chassis, stock from dell. With a heatsink it should do just fine. I'll post an update once I give it a try! ^_^
 
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