NSLU2-Linux Howto Overclocktheslug
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NSLU2-Linux | HowTo / OverClockTheSlug http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/OverClockTheSlug?action=print From NSLU2-Linux HowTo: OverClockTheSlug There appear to be two models around -- please verify that you are running at 133 before doing anything else ''' Tired of sluggish performance? Want to squeeze a bit more out of your slug? Feel that you're not getting the dish you paid for? Overclocking (De-underclocking) the Linksys NSLU2! (or how to get your own TurboSlug) Notes on Slugs supplied at 266Mhz: Edit: My brand new Slug comes from factory with BogoMIPS : 263.78, so it is already running at 266 MHz ?. The Slug is marked with a sticker: Manufactured 05/2006. Maybe someone from Linksys has read this page :) Edit: Mine also comes from factory running at 266Mhz ;) - Manufactured 05/2006 Edit by Bullfrog: Mine also comes from factory running at 266Mhz ;) - Manufactured 05/2006 - R64 is also now no longer fitted next to flash chip near serial port which with R83 fitted and R81 missing - gives the undocumented code for 266Mhz Edit by Charly: Mine also comes from factory running at 266Mhz ;) - Manufactured 05/2006. Also the French power adapter is twice smaller for same power (5V 2.0A) Edit by halfer: purchased 10/May/2007 and found that the " XScale ??-IXP425/IXC1100 " is already running at 263.78 BogoMIPS Notes on Slugs supplied at the standard half speed: Edit by Steve 2/25/2007: Purchased yesterday. Mine came with V2.3R73. Only a windows guy so couldn't verify speed. Task manager showed 31% network usage on large files (>2 GBytes ?). Opened case and found R83. Removed it with my soldering iron with no problems. Closed case and started NSLU2 again and found that task manager showed 48% network usage on large files. Edit by ambanmba 6/14/2007: Purchased at a high volume retail store in downtown Sydney, Australia with Slug supplied at half-speed. No MFG date on the box or motherboard, the serial number is SGA00F101272 ?. Performed mod with a razor blade as per the instructions below and all is well now at 266Mhz. Warning: This is EXPERIMENTAL. Follow these instructions at your own risk! Warning: This WILL void your NSLU2's warranty! The NSLU2 as supplied from Linksys actually runs the IXP420 at half its rated clockspeed using an undocumented setting. You can fix the NSLU2 to run the IXP420 at the full 266MHz by removing a single SMD resistor which sets the IXP420 at a documented and recommended setting. Restoring the rated clockspeed only affects the XScale core inside the IXP420. The external interfaces will stay at their respective speeds. Procedure 1 of 10 27.06.2007 08:03 NSLU2-Linux | HowTo / OverClockTheSlug http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/OverClockTheSlug?action=print This is really, really simple (If you've got the proper tools). All you need to do is to desolder one resistor (albeit small , it's rather easy). You might need some solderwick, if you make a mess. The process goes like this: 1. Read the whole procedure first. Make sure you understand what you're doing. 2. Optional: To verify that your slug is slow; from a telnet window, cat /proc/cpuinfo You should see a BogoMIPS value of around 133. Bogo means "Bogus", so don't worry if it's +/- 10! 3. Plug in your soldering iron. 4. While waiting for it to heat up, unplug your slug and open the case . 5. Locate R83. It's just right of the flash chip (The one that says Intel). Between the flash and the power button there is a row of resistors, with an empty space on the bottom. The one just above the empty space is R83. You can confirm this by looking at the legend on the top right of the flash chip. 6. Use soldering iron, tweezers, solderwick or whatever means necessary to remove the resistor. Just make sure you don't damage anything else or drop it on the floor as it's pretty small. You may wish to keep the SMD resistor just in case in the future you want to add it back. Not that there is any good reason you'd want to. 7. Make sure you haven't shorted anything. Check again. 8. Plug in your slug. 9. Power up and enjoy your MHz*2 slug. The slug, as manufactured by Linksys, is running at ½ the default speed. 10. While you're waiting for it to boot, add your entry to the database . 2 of 10 27.06.2007 08:03 NSLU2-Linux | HowTo / OverClockTheSlug http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/OverClockTheSlug?action=print 11. Optional: To verify that your slug is now faster; from a telnet window, again cat /proc/cpuinfo You should see a BogoMIPS value of around 266. Bogo still means "Bogus", so don't worry if it's +/- 10! This is actually the result of a delay loop calibration in the kernel, and certainly not the total perfomance story. But it will confirm that you made the change that you thought you did. --- If you just cannot wait until the soldering iron heats up: Alternative method of removal of the resistor requires sharp box cutter or a scalpel. Position of the resistor on the board makes it easy to simply cut the resistor in half. Resistor is fragile, it will shatter and pieces will fall out. Make sure pieces do not stick around on the board. Enjoy ! Andrei Volkov -- --- I used a small cutter (looks like a wire cutter) that came with screw driver kit to shatter the R83. I found this to be a little safer than using a box cutter or exacto knife because there is less of a chance of damaging the PCB. With one snip, it was quickly and cleanly cut in two. Lastly, I used one of those 'dust off' cans to clear the dust and fragments. -Martin J. Hsu --- I have around ... zero soldering skills so I didn't want to accidentilly destroy anything else on the board. So I used a razor blade (the kinds you can get in those 50 packs). I picked at the solder joint on the left side, and eventually broke that whole joint. then just lifted the resistor up, and it snapped off. Fairly quick, took about ... 10 minutes all togeather. -Sharth --- After seeing Martin's post above, I realized that a simple, cheap 0.99c pair of small pharmacy-store nail clippers would do the trick in cleanly removing the resistor without cutting or with heavy force. Same idea as using a pair of pliers: carefully position the "mouth" of the clipper perpedicular to the resistor and apply consistant pressure. A slight twist and the surface mouth resistor should come off quite happily. "- Wei A. Tsang" --- Just want to second Wei Tsang's recommendation about nail clippers. First thing I did with my slug, before I even plugged it in, was to crack open the case and clip off R83. It worked perfectly and was really easy to do. The resistor's small enough that it took me one or two tries to get the clippers to grab on, but once I'd found the proper angle (YMMV) it took one snip and that was it. Reassembled the case and the slug booted perfectly. -acm. --- Ditto to success with Nail Clippers. Resistor just ends up as dust. Very quick and easy. -mjed. --- I sawed off R83 with an XActo ? knife, and it worked perfectly. Be aware that increasing the clock frequency will also shorten (to about 0.8 seconds) the window within which RedBoot is open to a telnet connection, making it that much more difficult to gain access (see HowToTelnetIntoRedBoot ). -Ian --- Cut with a standard cutter, After I go from 3.94mb/sec to 5,35mb/sec -overlord If you're happy about overclocking your slug, you may want to send in a donation to the project. You might want to keep an eye on the temperature, especially if you're running the slug inside its casing. In my experience running outside the case, it keeps a comfortable temperature around 40°C. YMMV! --- The easiest way might be the 'solder ball trick'. Get a soldering iron (no more than 25W or you'll tear the tracks off the board) and melt a blob of solder onto the tip. Move it into position so that the blob is touching both ends of the resistor simultaneously. Wait for the resistor to stick to the solder, then just lift off the iron. Use some desolder wick to remove any solder left on the pads, check for shorts, then put the Slug back together again. Beats trying to melt one side, then flip to the other before the solder cools down. It also pretty much removes the risk of destroying tracks on the board that the knife/boxcutter method carries. Unless you decide to use a 100W solder gun instead of a 25W iron (or a temperature controlled 3 of 10 27.06.2007 08:03 NSLU2-Linux | HowTo / OverClockTheSlug http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/OverClockTheSlug?action=print iron set to about 330 Celsius). --- Tried the nail clippers trick - but found it v difficult to get a grip. I eventually used the point of a compass to destroy the resistor - probably not to be recommended. Rebooted, and it took ages, with the "ready LED" flashing continuously - I thought I'd squashed my slug!. Eventually it came up, and everything is OK and BogoMips confirmed I has performed the procedure successfully. - Luke --- I also used a nail clipper.