Do you want the short answer, or the long answer?

The short answer is: You can’t do it.

The long answer is: Ever since August of 1998, Intel has locked the multipliers on the CPU’s. Why? To deter unscrupulous dealers who would overclock the CPU and sell it as a higher speed processor (and of course, sell it at the higher price.)

After fabrication and testing, the multiplier is locked on the die itself by using one-time programmable laser-cut fuses. Since this is all done prior to packaging, it would require removing the die from the packaging, and using very, very expensive Etching equipment to repair the fuse (not to mention a cleanroom environment). Basically, it would be completely impractical to attempt to unlock the multiplier.

Note that there are three states of multiplier:



Completely unlocked: Currently, only engineering samples are completely unlocked. Previously, Intel processors up to the Pentium Pro (with the exception of the Pentium MMX) were completely unlocked, in that there was no limit to the multiplier that could be applied.


Multiplier Limited: Pentium MMX and processors produced up until August 1998 were multiplier limited. They could use any multiplier UP TO their default multiplier. For example, a Pentium II 300MHz had a default multiplier of 4.5x. You could use any multiplier up to and including 4.5x, but not 5.0x or higher.


Multiplier Locked: All processors produced after August (week 30), 1998 are multiplier locked, in that the multiplier cannot be changed at all, regardless of motherboard settings.

Wingznut PEZ is a 0.13 micron Lithography Technician at Intel. He is not speaking for Intel Corp.