Fastest running CyberStorm Mk III?

[johnklos]

I've just recently gotten my CyberStorm Mk III repaired as described here:

http://amiga.serveftp.net/Cyberstorm_socket.html

At the same time I got a 71E41J mask m68060 (.32 micron as compared with .6) which runs MUCH cooler. I've read that this version can be run as high as 100 MHz:

http://www.powerphenix.com/CT60/english/welcome.htm

When I tried to run the CyberStorm with a 100 MHz oscillator, the CPU works - the power LED stays solid for a while, then flashes quickly - but apparently the memory or the rest of the board isn't fast enough because it doesn't get farther than this.

I have 50ns memory installed, and it works fine set to 60ns while running the CPU at 80 MHz, but I'm curious if anyone's had any success running a Mk III faster than 80 MHz, and if so, how.

Any ideas, anyone?

[johnklos]

that link shows how to build a socket,but i dont like that idea.

the problem is when the CPU is going to be removed it can put a lot of stress on the outer pins and can or may removed the pads from the PCB.

a proper socket will add strength to all the pins and work together but if you are going to fit the latest mask why bother with a socket.

from what iv seen and my point of veiw 060 sockets is a bad idea and cause more problems,so any of my future projects will not include 060 sockets.

Unfortunately, there's no way to solder an m68060 directly since the circuit board isn't through-pin - the socket is surface mounted. If you read the repair link, you'll see that they recommend building up the socket because there's no way to get underneath it.

If you think soldering the chip directly is a better idea, though, why would removal of the m68060 from the socket be a reason to support that? If the chip is soldered, then you can't swap it for any reason. If you have a socket, you just have to be very careful if you do swap it... but I don't have any reason whatsoever to ever change it since it's the latest / last mask.

[johnklos]

Suggestions for stretching your overclocking chances:
1-Make a volt mod, the 68060 can tolerate an absolute maximum 4.5 volts as supply
2-Put heatsinks and coolers working at high speed, not only on the processor, but also to the accompanying glue chipset of your CyberStorm. The more extra chips you cool the more likely the CyberStorm will tolerate overclocking.
3-Get a stable PSU, a PC one with at least 2 times the watts than the power consumed by your entire system, to ensure voltage stability at all times.
4-Overclock bit by bit. This means, dont go for 100mhz at one shot. Try 80, 85, 90, 95 and then 100mhz
5-When overclocking a 68060 the first component that will fail will be the built in FPU. So get a proper fpu test/benchmark and use it while you clock up your CyberStorm to ensure you are getting a stable system.
6-Dont forget to have your setup in a proper ventilated case, otherwise cooling will be useless.
7-If you got the money and the will, you can also try some water cooling setup
8-If you have plenty of money, use phase change cooling for the best results. If not you may also hack a beer mini-fridge for your CyberStorm. When using this type of cooling, remember to protect the cpu/chips by putting a heater near the cpu/chip to avoid condensation.

A lot of good suggestions. Most of these I already addressed:

1: decided against that, as this is in a colocated server and stability is more important than speed.
2: have little heat sinks on the chips under the SIMMs, too, since they do get ridiculously hot, and I have a fan moving air across (front of Amiga to back) the entire board.
3: even though I have the stock power supply, I've replaced some of the older components in it because of testing it at full load, put in a variable speed fan, removed a couple of metal fins on the back, and reduced the total power of the system significantly. It used to have a CyberStorm PPC, two 10,000 RPM UltraSCSI drives, and one 7,200 RPM IDE drive. Now it has just one 2 TB 5,900 RPM low power drive.
4: I either have to source some more oscillators between 80 and 100 MHz or I need to build a variable speed clock generator.
5: Good idea. I have been running some FPU-intensive programs to test it.
6: I spent a good bit of time improving ventilation and making sure there are no hot spots inside.
7: Too complicated and not enough space. Also, what would I cool? The CPU at 80 MHz and 100% load is still so cool with the ventilation that you can barely tell it's warmer than when it's off.
8: Same thing. Might be useful for the CyberStorm PPC since the 604e gets damned hot and it's got an original mask m68060.

Thanks! I'll let you know how it goes.

[johnklos]

if a socket must be mounted removing the bottom part of the pin (thin part) and solder a proper complete socket just like how the old socket was removed. but i don't recommend a socket for this PCB as to many changes of CPU may damage the pads.

Why not just put the CPU in the socket and leave it?

[johnklos]

Thanks, the best statement so far.  I've lost track of the number of Cyberstorm boards I've repaired, only to get an Email back a few weeks later saying that the owner has overclocked it (against my advice) and the board no longer boots.  You don't get a second chance after you've killed the programmable logic, the images to program new ones are not available, so you can kiss your hardware goodbye.

I suppose I wasn't thinking that I could damage the programmable logic - I didn't realize that it depends on the m68060 clock. If the programmable logic is a limiting factor and can be damaged from overclocking, then I will not be trying to clock this any faster - as a matter of fact, I'm going to bring it down.

The logic chips get hot, but they don't burn my fingers now that I have a cooling fan running over them. Then again, they always got ridiculously hot on the CyberStorm PPC without any overclocking, so I thought that was normal.

75 MHz is more than fast enough. Thanks!

[johnklos]

I've had a Cyberstorm MK3 overclocked to 66.7MHz for years and it's been 100% stable.  I had it modified at National Amiga (I believe they changed the oscillator and jumper)....maybe I got lucky?  But the card is rock solid.  I believe it's a 60MHz 060 on the card, but I forget.  Heatsink gets in the way

Is there a way to tell the 060 MASK/revision in software?

You could boot a NetBSD kernel - it'll tell you the revision of the chip which will indicate the mask.

[johnklos]

Blizzard PPC card but may apply to Cyberstorm PPC/Mk III card

**depending on settings** anything over 64Mhz can damage the card. i discovered this many years ago.

You're being too general. I'd love to hear what you did to fix your Blizzard, but I doubt it has anything to do with the Cyberstorm, since it's obvious that 66 MHz is perfectly safe since the memory bus of the PowerPC 604e is running at 66 MHz.

[johnklos]

You need good Ram`s (50ns) and a MC68060 Rev.7 CPU.

Revision 7? What mask is that? I've never heard of such a thing. I thought that the 71E41J mask was the last one.