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AMD introduced a new wrinkle in multiplier locking with the Athlon Palomino. The primary way to unlock this chip remains the same as for the Athlon Thunderbird: simply reconnect the L1 trace-route circuitry. This process is difficult to apply to the Palomino, however, because the design features a ceramic base, containing small pits, which short to a grounded gold foil between the connection points of the L1 circuit range.
Common sense dictates that these grounded pits be filled to allow connection of the L1 circuitry. Simply drawing a connection line with a pencil will not work. Even without the holes, a pencil would be ineffective: the Palomino requires a low-impedance connection between the L1 bridges to communicate the unlocking directive. Conductive paint, intended for use in the repair of printed circuit boards, will connect the L1 bridges. This paint can be purchased from most electronics retailers. It can even be found in window defroster repair kits. A small amount goes a long way, so use conductive paint sparingly.
The Palomino needs additional hardware hacking to fill the holes between the L1 interconnects. Various methods have been used. Some enthusiasts have developed painstaking procedures for applying glues and epoxies, for example. Silicon thermal paste, available and inexpensive, works just as well for most configurations. Just apply the paste to the pits, then use a tiny, flat plastic scraper or pencil eraser to remove any excess paste that protrudes above the ceramic surface. You can also buy an XP unlocking kit that includes a cleaning agent, a non-conductive gap filler, conductive grease, an applicator, a magnifying glass, tape, and instructions, from HighspeedPC.com.
With the voids properly filled, the Palomino can be unlocked. Using a narrow needle or pin, draw connections between each L1 circuit bridge with conductive paint. As in the Thunderbird pencil trick, avoid overlapping any lines. Be patient and accomplish this procedure correctly the first time. You can try again, but removing the conductive paint is tedious. Some overclockers have taken it off with isopropyl alcohol or a pencil eraser. Neither method is easy.
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