Re: "TigerTools Says It Can Remove OS/400 Governors" -- MIDRANGE-L

It's been a while since I watched Intel manufacturing procedures, but a few
years ago, this was the process:

The processor chips were all processed to the same specifications.  After
that, testing would take place at its highest performance factor.  Due to
minute differences in the manufacturing materials/process, some of these
chips would fail that test.  They would be culled and put into a bin for
further testing at a lower performance level.  Chips that ran fine in the
second set of tests might be marked "75mhz" processors.  (I said it had
been a while. :-)  Chips that did not fail the first set of tests would be
marked "100mhz" processors.

Now, whether you are able to successfully run this processor at a higher
clock rate than the vendor was able to successfully test, depends a lot on
luck and how much use you put the system to.  (Your success rate will be
higher if you choose NOT to use certain software solutions, but that's a
topic for another day.)

This does not favorably compare to the Tiger Tools issue because in this
case, nobody has ever told you that you're liable if you violate the speeds
certified for the chip.  Warranty is another matter, but assuming you have
no issues from running the processor at a better than rated speed, the
vendor has no complaints against you for your success in doing so.

Dennis





"Brad Stone" <brad@bvstools.com>@midrange.com on 10/30/2001 01:24:52 PM

Please respond to midrange-l@midrange.com

Sent by:  midrange-l-admin@midrange.com


To:   midrange-l@midrange.com
cc:
Subject:  Re: "TigerTools Says It Can Remove OS/400 Governors"


> <Snip>
>  I can't think
> of any consumer product that you can buy that is simply a
> governed version of it's bigger more expensive brother.
> just imagin if Pc manufacturers did this.
> <Snip>
>
> I understand that Intel *does* do this. Within a
> reasonable range of course.
> i.e. 500-800mhz processors come from the same fab. If I
> remember correctly
> they actually *add* a process for the lower spec'd chips,
> making them
> actually more expensive to produce, yet less so on the
> open market.
>

You are correct.  But look how many folks overclock for FREE
and don't get hounded by the manufacturer.

Brad
www.bvstools.com
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