The end of overclocking near?
 

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=8518

Looks bad, any thoughts? Sure there will be work arounds and or hacks. This could be a bad thing.

Technology wise, the workaround is easy enough. Just replace the 32.768 KHz clock with an alternate clock to fool the processor into thinking it is not overclocked.

Practically speaking it's an uglier hack job than most would want to tackle.

32.768 KHz is used for the real time clock. Just replacing that crystal with a faster one would make the real time clock run fast.

Instead of replacing the crystal, the connection between the CPU and the 32.768 KHz signal could be broken and a faster frequency from another device put in, but not many will be up for that. It may not even be necessary to inject another signal. It looks from the schematic as if just tying the 32.768 KHz input pin either high or low might disable this "feature".

Motherboard manufacturers can probably put in a workaround.

Something to consider is that Intel PATENTED this method. Methinks that it would be unlikely to see AMD license this kind of nonsense, especially since they cater to the enthusiast market. Even if Intel decides to permalock their chips (which is virtually impossible as stated above, but just for the sake of argument ... ), would those of us who already refuse to purchase Intel products care? It would be a WONDERFUL thing for AMD if this happened.

i totally agree with you :cool:

Doesn't mean that can't or will not try to do something similar. I don't think AMD caters to the overclockers market, they cater to the enthuist that build their own computers. Merely a coinsidence that overclockers build their own machines too. They have in the past tried to shut us down. I remember the laser cut bridges

Actually, it's more likely that they will do the same as Nikon did with their camera: trigger something inside that would indicate that the CPU has been overclocked.

I don't think Intel nor AMD would purposely lock their CPUs that way.

AMD definitely caters to the overclockers market: during their Xtreme Performance tour (or whatever the fsck it was called) they demo'd multiple OC'd machines. Laser cut bridges were just a way to make it harder for the stupid and unskilled to unlock their chips, though those with a bit of knowledge (or those that could read a FAQ) could do it relatively easily. The newest chips aren't even locked anymore ....

good news for amd, who cares if intel takes themselves out of the enthusiast market?

So ... if Intel weighs the same as a duck ... that makes Intel a witch ... BURN HER!

I gave up on Intel several years ago just because I thought they really didn't care about me as a user. The money is in domination of the OEM market I would think so I can't seriously blame them.

On the other hand, some times you might patent something just to control it, not necessarily use it. Less hope for our fellow Intel OCers that is the case now.

The patent document is here.

I looked at it briefly. It appears that the patent is focused on implementing this in the chipset rather than the CPU itself.

Interesting to note that a patent attorney appears to have used a spell checker, and replaced the word "quartz" (as in "quartz crystal") with the word "quart" throughout the document.

Hmm. Anyone want to file the same patent application with "quartz" spelled correctly, and see if they can get royalties out of Intel, if Intel tries to implement this with a quartz crystal? :D