Powerleap PL-K6-III User manual

POWERLEAPPL-K6-III
Pentium

CPU Upgrade Kit
--for--
!"
AMD K6-III
Version 2.xx

Copyright 1999-2000 PowerLeap Products, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.
Document v2.0, November 1999
Document v2.1, February 2000
Document v2.2, March 2000
Document v2.3, April 2000
Portions Copyright 1999 Microsoft Corp.
The information in this document is subject to change without prior notice in order to improve
reliability, design and function and does not represent a commitment on the part of the manufacturer.
In no event will the manufacturer be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential
damages arising out of the use or inability to use the product or documentation, even if advised of the
possibility of such damages.
PowerLeap is a registered trademark of PowerLeap Products Inc. PL-PII, PL-ProMMX, IPS,
PL-54C/MMX, PL-C6/200, PL-OD54C, PL-386, and PL-586 are trademarks of PowerLeap
Products Inc. Intel, MMX, and Pentium are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation. Microsoft,
Windows, Windows NT, and MS-DOS are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation. Other product names mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and
may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Visit our Web sites at:
http://www.powerleap.com
http://www.friendtech.com
The PowerLeap web site (http://www.powerleap.com/download.htm) contains links to utility files
available for download.

Table of Contents i
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
About the MMXTechnology ____________________________1
About the 3DNow!Technology __________________________2
PowerLeap PL-K6-III Special Features_______________________2
What You Have ________________________________________3
Getting Started with the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III 5
Quick Start: AMD CPU Settings____________________________5
SW1 Settings: Clock Multiplier, CPU Voltage, System Compatibility,
and CPU Overheating Protection_________________________6
SW1: Pins 1, 2, & 3 (Clock Multiplier) 6
SW1: Pins 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 (Core Voltage) 7
SW1: Pin 9 (Pin AL-1 Compatibility) 7
SW1: Pin 10 (CPU Overheating Protection) 8
Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III 11
Technical Reference 21
Calculating Clock Speeds ________________________________21
SW1: Core Voltage Settings ______________________________24
Windows 95 Updates for AMD CPUs 27
Windows 95B (OSR2) Patch for AMD CPUs_________________27
Windows 95A (OSR1) Patch for AMD CPUs_________________28

ii Table of Figures
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
Table of Figures
Figure 1. PL-K6-III ________________________________________11
Figure 2. Aligning the CPU with the adapter _____________________12
Figure 3. Checking the DIP switch settings ______________________13
Figure 4. Raising the ZIF socket arm ___________________________14
Figure 5. Installing the CPU upgrade adapter into the ZIF socket _____15
Figure 6. Locking the CPU upgrade adapter into the ZIF socket ______16
Figure 7. Removing the paper backing__________________________17
Figure 8. Attaching the retaining bracket (1) _____________________18
Figure 9. Attaching the retaining bracket (2) _____________________19
Figure 10. Connecting the power cables_________________________20

Introduction 1
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
Introduction
Your PowerLeap™ PL-K6-III CPU upgrade kit allows Pentium Socket 7 and
Socket 5 systems to take advantage of the latest CPU technology from AMD. The
PL-K6-III employs patented technology to adapt Socket 7 and Socket 5 systems to
the voltage and pinout requirements of this new generation of processors. It
provides an upgrade solution that would otherwise require the replacement of the
motherboard.
In version 2.0 of the PL-K6-III, we reduced the size of the adapter for easier
installation on a greater number of motherboards. If your motherboard has
capacitors or other components right next to the CPU socket, this new version will
allow installation of the PowerLeap adapter without adding a PGA socket
extender (riser). We also added a DIP switch function that enables/disables the
CPU’s AL-1 pin signal for split-voltage detection. This switch provides an easy
compatibility solution for certain HP Vectra systems and Biostar motherboards
that check the signal.
About the MMXTechnology
Intel’s MMX technology extends the performance of Pentium processors with 57
new instructions, a 32K L1 cache, four new 64-bit data types, and more. For
multimedia and communications applications, MMX can significantly enhance
audio/video playback and image processing. MMX technology is compatible with
a wide range of existing operating systems (including MS-DOS, Windows, OS/2,
and UNIX) and 16/32-bit applications.

2 Introduction
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
About the 3DNow!Technology
AMD’s 3DNow! technology is an innovative group of 21 new instructions for the
x86 architecture that brings powerful performance enhancements for multimedia
and floating-point-intensive applications. With 3DNow! technology, applications
can achieve more detailed 3D imaging, faster frame rates for video playback, and
dramatic improvements in audio. 3DNow! technology appears in the AMD K6-III
processor and works with all existing operating systems and x86 applications.
PowerLeap PL-K6-III Special Features
The PowerLeap PL-K6-III offers the following advanced features:
#" Supports the AMD K6-III CPU with 3DNow! and MMX CPU technologies.
#" Provides chip-for-chip replacement, with no software drivers to install.
#" Supports the 66MHz, 75MHz, 83MHz, 95MHz, and 100MHz system bus
(frontside bus).
#" Provides clock multiplier control from 2.5x up to 6.0x--for a maximum CPU
core speed of 400 MHz on a 66MHz FSB motherboard, 450MHz on a
75MHz FSB motherboard, 500MHz on an 83MHz FSB motherboard, and
600MHz on a 100MHz FSB motherboard.
#" Employs PowerLeap’s patented IPS (Independent Power Source)
technology, which provides pure, abundant, and durable power to the
V/Core of split-voltage type CPUs.
#" Provides large 64KB on-chip L1 cache for high-performance
implementation.
#" Supports the AMD K6-III with internal 1:1, 256KB L2 cache.
#" Incorporates PALs to handle the timing of the CPU's on-chip L2 cache
(running at full CPU speed).

Introduction 3
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
#" Includes high-capacity switching VRM (Voltage Regulating Module) circuitry.
#" Provides CPU overcurrent and overvoltage protection (with a self-repairing
fuse).
#" Offers a unique CPU overheating protection function: if the fan fails and the
CPU overheats, the clock frequency is gradually reduced to a level that allows
the system to stay up and running until the situation is corrected.
#" Includes PowerLeap CPU Control Panel software with integrated CPU
cooling technology and support for advanced AMD K6-III performance
enhancements such as Write Allocate.
#" Delivers the most cost-effective MMX CPU upgrade solution!
What You Have
Your PowerLeap™ PL-K6-III CPU upgrade kit includes the following items:
#" The PowerLeap™ PL-K6-III upgrade adapter
#" Power connector cord
#" PowerLeap™ software distribution media (including the CPU Control Panel
software)
#" CPU heatsink and cooling fan (with retaining bracket)

4 Introduction
PowerLeap™Installation Guide

Getting Started with the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III 5
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
Getting Started with the
PowerLeap™ PL-K6-III
This chapter describes how to choose the correct clock multiplier and core voltage
setting for your new AMD K6-III CPU. It also provides a detailed listing of DIP
switch settings for the PowerLeap PL-K6-III.
Quick Start: AMD CPU Settings
This section shows how to use the SW1 DIP switch to choose the correct clock
multiplier and core voltage setting for your new AMD K6-III processor. (For a
detailed description of SW1 DIP switch settings, refer to the next section of this
chapter.)
AMD K6-III CPU SW1 Settings
K6-III 333 (66MHz / 5.0x) ON
12345678910
K6-III 400 (66MHz/6.0x) ON
12345678910
#K6-III 450 (75MHz/6.0x)
ON
12345678910
# For systems with an external clock speed faster than 66MHz.

6 Getting Started with the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
SW1 Settings: Clock Multiplier, CPU Voltage,
System Compatibility, and CPU Overheating
Protection
This section shows the SW1 clock multiplier and core voltage settings for
supported AMD CPUs. It also lists settings for pin AL-1 compatibility and CPU
overheating protection.
SW1: Pins 1, 2, & 3 (Clock Multiplier)
The default clock multiplier setting for the PL-K6-III is 6x. (For a description of
calculating the bus clock speed, clock multiplier, and CPU speed for a variety of
CPUs, refer to “Technical Reference” later in this document.)
Pins 1, 2, & 3: Clock Multiplier for AMD K6-III
CLKMUL 6x 5.5x 5x 4.5x 4x 3.5x 3x 2.5x
SW1: Pin 1 ON OFF OFF ON ON OFF OFF ON
SW1: Pin 2 OFF OFF ON ON OFF OFF ON ON
SW1: Pin 3 OFF ON ON ON ON OFF OFF OFF
For systems with an external clock speed of less than 66MHz
(50MHz or 60MHz), there may be a slight performance
sacrifice for your new CPU. For example, changing to a
K6-III 400 from a Pentium-75 will result in a system upgrade
speed of 300MHz (not 400MHz). In this case, you can get
improved performance by adjusting the external clock speed
to 66MHz.

Getting Started with the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III 7
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
SW1: Pins 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 (Core Voltage)
To reduce power consumption, dual-voltage CPUs use two separate supply
voltages: an I/O interface voltage and a lower core voltage for the processor. The
default core voltage for the PL-K6-III is 2.4V (for the AMD K6-III CPU).
Pins 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8: Core Voltage for AMD K6-III
Core Voltage 2.4V
CPU Type K6-III
SW1: Pin 4 OFF
SW1: Pin 5 OFF
SW1: Pin 6 ON
SW1: Pin 7 OFF
SW1: Pin 8 OFF
For a complete listing of supported core voltage settings,
refer to “Technical Reference” later in this document.
SW1: Pin 9 (Pin AL-1 Compatibility)
Pin 9 of SW1 lets you enable/disable the pin signal for split-voltage detection. This
function provides compatibility for certain HP Vectra and Biostar systems that
check the signal.
For split-voltage CPUs, certain HP Vectra (VL100 and VL5/133 Series 5 DT)
systems and certain Biostar motherboards (8500TUD and M5ALA) check for the
presence of a signal from pin AL-1. Unfortunately, these systems use the AL-1 pin
signal differently: the signal must be disabled in order for the HP Vectra systems to

8 Getting Started with the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
function properly, while the Biostar motherboards need to detect the signal in
order to boot.
If your HP Vectra or Biostar system does not run properly with the PL-K6-III
installed, try using pin 9 of the SW1 DIP switch to turn the AL-1 pin signal on/off.
Pin 9 is set to ON by default--this setting allows Biostar systems to detect the pin
signal and boot. For HP Vectra systems, changing the switch setting to OFF will
disable the signal and allow the system to work properly.
Most systems (including most HP Vectra systems and
Biostar motherboards) will be unaffected by the pin AL-1
setting.
Pin 9: Pin AL-1 Compatibility
SW1: Pin 9
ON Pin Connected
OFF Pin Disconnected
SW1: Pin 10 (CPU Overheating Protection)
Your PowerLeap CPU upgrade adapter offers a unique CPU overheating protection
function that can prevent damage to your CPU if the temperature increases. When
this function is enabled, the CPU speed will automatically drop 60% if the CPU
temperature reaches 70°C or higher. This prevents the CPU from overheating.
Protection is enabled by default.
Pin 10: CPU Overheating Protection
SW1: Pin 10 CPU Overheating Protection
ON Enabled
OFF Disabled

Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III 9
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
Installing the PowerLeap™
PL-K6-III
This chapter describes installing a CPU in your PowerLeap upgrade adapter,
installing the adapter in your computer, and attaching the provided CPU
heatsink/fan.
Figure 1. PL-K6-III
To compare the performance increase provided by the PL-K6-III CPU upgrade
adapter, we suggest running the PowerLeap CPU Control Panel®both before and
after installation. If you are uncertain about the speed of your existing CPU, you
can determine the speed by running the PowerLeap CPU Control Panel®.
The PowerLeap web site (http://www.powerleap.com)
contains links to files available for downloading, including
the PowerLeap CPU Control Panel®software.

10 Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
$" To install a CPU in the PL-K6-III upgrade adapter:
1. Align the CPU with the adapter so that pin 1 occupies the corner of the
adapter diagonally opposite the adapter’s fan power cable. The pin 1 corner of
a CPU is usually indicated by a dot and/or beveled edge.
Figure 2. Aligning the CPU with the adapter
You must install the CPU so that its pin 1 corner corresponds
to the pin 1 corner of the adapter (which is diagonally
opposite the adapter’s fan power cable).
2. Firmly press the CPU into the adapter socket. The CPU should be pushed
into the socket far enough so that there is no gap between the CPU and the
socket (the CPU pins should not be visible).
Pin 1 corner

Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III 11
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
3. Make sure the adapter’s DIP switch settings are correct (for detailed
information, refer to the previous chapter of this manual).
Figure 3. Checking the DIP switch settings
$To install the CPU upgrade adapter in your computer:
1. Place your computer where you will have plenty of space to work.
2. Turn the computer off and disconnect all power cords and cables from
the rear of the computer.
3. Remove the cover from the computer (as described in the computer
documentation).
4. Locate the CPU ZIF socket on the computer’s motherboard. The CPU itself
may be concealed underneath a CPU cooling fan and/or heatsink.
DIP switches

12 Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
5. If your computer has a CPU cooling fan/heatsink, remove it.
6. Raise the ZIF socket arm and remove the CPU from the ZIF socket.
Figure 4. Raising the ZIF socket arm

Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III 13
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
7. Install the CPU upgrade adapter into your computer’s ZIF socket, making
sure that pin 1 of the upgrade adapter is installed in pin 1 of the ZIF
socket.
Figure 5. Installing the CPU upgrade adapter into the ZIF socket
Pin 1 of the CPU upgrade adapter must match the pin 1 hole
of the ZIF socket. If the upgrade adapter is installed
incorrectly, it may be damaged.
Pin 1

14 Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
8. Lock the CPU upgrade adapter into the ZIF socket by pressing the socket arm
down.
Figure 6. Locking the CPU upgrade adapter into the ZIF socket

Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III 15
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
$To install the heatsink/fan on the CPU:
1. Turn the heatsink/fan upside down and remove the paper backing from the
thermal membrane.
Figure 7. Removing the paper backing
2. Make sure the heatsink/fan’s retaining bracket is inserted between the middle
fins of the heatsink. The longer arm of the bracket should extend from the
same side of the heatsink/fan as the fan power cable.
3. Place the heatsink/fan on top of the CPU so that the fan power cable
corresponds with the power connector on the adapter. It is not necessary to
forcefully press the heatsink/fan onto the CPU.

16 Installing the PowerLeap™PL-K6-III
PowerLeap™Installation Guide
4. Hook the shorter arm of the retaining bracket under the corresponding tab on
the ZIF socket.
Figure 8. Attaching the retaining bracket (1)