Recent investigations by Intel distributor AXiZ have uncovered remarked processors in the channel, being sold by unscrupulous grey marketers. According to Intel processor product manager at AXiZ, Alex Morse, buyers should be aware of this situation and take steps to protect themselves from being a victim of this kind of grey marketer.
"As a rule of thumb, if a price looks too good to be true - it probably is," she says. "A remarked processor is one which has been overclocked to perform at a higher speed than it was designed for, and then the product markings on the outside of the processor are erased and remarked to show a new, higher speed. In some cases, you can clearly see where the new markings are - however, this is not always the case." Over the years, criminal remarkers have resorted to acids and chemicals to burn off the chip`s original identifiers, or grinders and polishers to eliminate them from the chip`s outer surface. Intel claims that in a recent raid of a large international remarking operation, they discovered the remarkers were using the same equipment Intel uses to label the chips in the first place.
However, help is at hand with Intel`s release of its Processor Frequency ID Utility, a software package designed to assist buyers in determining whether the processor in their PC is overclocked or not. The utility, which can be downloaded from Intel`s web site at http://support.intel.com/support/processors/tools/frequencyid/freqid.htm
(1.3MB), was developed by Intel to enable its customers to determine if Intel Pentium III and Pentium III Xeon(tm) processors are operating at their rated frequencies. Unfortunately, the Intel Processor Frequency ID Utility is not intended for use on earlier generations of Intel processors.
The tool determines the processor`s operating frequency by using a speed test algorithm, and intelligently compares it to the supported processor`s intended frequency. If the utility determines that the actual operating frequency exceeds its rated frequency ("overclocking the processor"), it reports the condition to the user. When the intended frequency matches the processor`s rated frequency, the utility reports a pass message indicating the processor is operating as intended.
The Intel Processor Frequency ID Utility displays information about the processor`s cache size and general identification information, in addition to reporting speed test results. Other information revealed by the utility includes:
Intel processor name
Intended (or rated) processor operating frequency
Reported (or measured) processor operating frequency
Processor Type
Processor Family
Processor Model
Processor Stepping
Cache size
However, Morse points out that as this facility is only intended for use in Intel`s latest processor releases, people purchasing Pentium II and Pentium II Xeon processors should beware. "The only way that you can be sure that you are buying a genuine processor at the speed with which it is marked is to buy through the official distribution channels," she says. "With the reappearance of grey processors in the SA market again, buying through any other channel could put you at risk."
AXiZ is South Africa`s premier computer component distribution company, with offices in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Pretoria and a staff complement exceeding 150 professionals.
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AXiZ
Founded in 1989, AXiZ has evolved from a supplier of memory modules and processors to be the leading distributor of branded end-to-end PC components, from motherboards, processors and PC cards to networking products, storage products, and graphics cards. In addition, AXiZ provides services such as a PC and server configuration and assembly service, customer deliveries, and training and education.
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