What is a GFD?

Written by Stein Magnus Jodal
Published 5 February 2001

What is this little thing that some people mention from time to time... GFD or Gold Finger Device? The usual answer is: a little piece that you put on a connector inside your Athlon CPU, but then you have to take off the plastic cover.

GFDs will probably be forgotten in a couple of years from now, together with the slot processors. It is used to overclock the CPU by changing the multiplier. Multiply your system's bus speed with your multiplier and the product are your CPU speed. With slot processors it is usual to only overclock the bus, since the multiplier cannot be changed as easy as the FSB (Front Side Bus). The FSB can on many modern mobo's be adjusted in the system BIOS, while the multiplier has to be changed the hard way, with hardware.

There are many different GFDs on the market. They are usually not available in normal computers stores, but are more common in specialized online shops. Some GFDs need extra power from the PSU, while others doesn't need more than the CPU can offer. You can get GFDs from 10 USD and upwards. The difference between the cheap ones and the expensive ones are the number of options you get. The cheap ones are often small, and with some few options for multiplier and maybe some core volt settings.

My choice

I've used The Computer Zone's GFD, bought from The Overclockerz Store. It is very small, doesn't need any extra power, has four switches for the multiplier and two switches for the core volt. This gives you the following options: multiplier from 3x to 12x, with 0.5x jumps, and core volt at 1.75, 1.85, 1.95 and 2.05. I have an Abit KA7-100 mobo, so the volt settings were no problem since I use the BIOS to adjust that and much more. If you have a system where you can't override the volt setting with the BIOS and wants to adjust the volt with the switches/jumpers on the mobo, you can find a nice mod at AthlonOC which disables the volt switches.

One important thing to notice: if your BIOS can adjust any settings normally set by jumpers or switches on your mobo or on fx. a GFD, it will. Thus I ignored the volt-settings on my GFD and used my BIOS, just like I ignored the switches on my mobo.

Installation

To install the GFD you have to strip off your CPUs plastic case. The metal plate which you attach your CPU fan to remains untouched. I'm not going to cover the stripping process here, but The Tech Zone has a great guide on that. This guide also covers the removal of the metal heat transfer plate, which is several grades higher on the hardcore scale. I have ripped four Athlon's, all successfully, and one little thing I have experienced that isn't mentioned in The Tech Zone's guide: if you are looking at the AMD logo at the CPU, the pin in the lower right corner are always real hard to losen, compared to the other three pins. My solution to this is to fix the three other corners first, then hold the metal plate and CPU still in my one hand and bend off the plastic cover with my other hand.

There are lots of reasons to take off your cover, compared to not taking it off. Taking of the plastic case on your CPU also takes away lots of isolating material, and makes your CPU cooler. Your serial number is printed on a label on the CPU plate, so if you don't feel to hang the plastic piece, formerly know as a part of your CPU, over your bed, you can throw it away. The downside is dust at the CPU, and the disappearance of your warranty.

When I first discovered GFDs I could not figure out where to put it, so now I am telling you, in case you didn't know: There is a connector on the top of the CPU plate inside the plastic case, fitting perfectly to a GFD. The reason AMD made this is for me unknown, but if you got any opinions on this try our forums.

I hope this can give your good old slot Athlon a longer life ;) Good luck!

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