http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=9988


Intel warns vendors not to overclock 865 chipsets

Takes firm stance on PAT Canterwood lookalikes


By Mike Magee: 星期五 13 六月 2003, 07:52

CHIP FIRM INTEL warned that system manufacturers and users that attempt to overclock 865 chipsets using PAT (performance acceleration technology) may end up with systems that are not under warranty.
The stern warning sends out a clear challenge from Intel to motherboard makers including Asus, Epox, Abit and others that introducing a BIOS to enable elements of 875 technology in 865 chipsets is meeting strong disapproval from the chip giant.

(See BIOS update will convert Intel 865 boards to Canterwood 875 and Intel's PAT more like a turbot than a turbo.)

Intel is also warning users from buying such products.

A representative from Intel in Santa Clara said: "Intel does not condone over-clocking, and users and/or system manufacturers that employ over-clocking may void their Intel chipset warrantees and subsequently, any failures associated to an over-clocked Intel chipset may be the sole responsibility of the user or system manufacturer".

He continued: "With the 875P chipset, the internal signals, including PAT capabilities, are being run as designed, tested and validated by Intel, and this results in a very robust platform across silicon & board skew and all specified temperature ranges".

The representative also went into details of how Intel positioned PAT. He said it offered a "robust way" to implement high performance features without compromising the integrity of Intel chipset and processor based platforms.

PAT, he said, includes performance enhancements in the 875P chipset design, as well as making sure that every 875P chipset that ships from Intel is fully tested and validated to work as designed over the entire specified operating range, which includes the provisions for silicon skew, temperature & motherboard skew.

But, he said: "So-called 'PAT implementations' provided by a group of vendors on their platforms using Intel 865PE chipsets" do not conform to those standards set by his firm.

"This test and validation criteria is not conducted by Intel for the 865PE chipset and the platform quality and reliability concerning these PAT implementations should be called into question".

He said: "Intel has procured some of these 865PE chipset-based motherboard products that are claiming to enable PAT, and our initial observations indicate these platforms exhibit instability and in some cases actual failure".

That, he added is because the 865PE chipsets are being "tricked" into a non specified and non validated operating mode.

"In the cases that Intel has observed, certain internal data paths and signals are being run at up to 50% above their specified operating range, which can lead to external interface marginality - this is commonly referred to as "over-clocking" .

He adds: "To be clear, the performance increase achieved by these platforms is the result of over-clocking and other non-compliant usage, and users of these platforms are not receiving the benefits of 875P chipset-based platforms with PAT functionality".

To us, this seems the clearest possible warning that Intel is set on taking on the motherboard makers who will offer the BIOS. µ