Overclocking...

jakelm

I'm interested in tweeking my Pc alittle more.

System:

AMD 4200 X2
ASUS 939 A8V-XE

ATI Radeon X600 Video Card

1g Kingston RAM

Any advice on overclocking this system. I have read that the ASUS mobo's are default in auto in BIOS, which mine is. And that ASUS is one of the best boards for overclocking.

I see a CPU multiplier. Which is set to Auto. And a FT? which is also set to auto. I believe the Ft? is controling the FSB. I was reading how increasing the FSB will increase the performance of the inter PC. Any of you , more knowledgable pc users, know if this is correct?

Any idea on what can be done?

edbert

Here's one method.

And another.

Have fun and make sure everything runs nice and cool. That will be one of the biggest things that you need to watch. I know that there are voltage issues as well, I just don't know enough about that stuff.

steveinaz

With the speed of today's processor's, limited motherboard fs bus speed (and "FAT PIG" OS's) will render any over-clocking a moot point, IMO. Sometimes CPU voltage has to be tweaked in BIOS (or possible hard strapping on the MB) to get some clock rates to work with any reasonable stability.

I don't even mess with overclocking anymore, so my info may be a little dated. I prefer a stable system over one that is potentially unstable, and a few milliseconds faster.

jakelm

Right now the CPU runs @ ~42c.

Thanks for the info edbert..

The voltage I know should only increased be .5volts. One step at a time with rebooting.

jakelm

steveinaz wrote: »

With the speed of today's processor's, limited motherboard fs bus speed will render any over-clocking a moot point, IMO. Sometimes CPU voltage has to be tweaked in BIOS (or possible hard strapping on the MB) to get some clock rates to work with any reasonable stability.

I don't even mess with overclocking anymore, so my info may be a little dated.

I undertsand Steve. I just built this PC, and wanted to push it alittle harder. I have multiple fans, case fan, nice cpu fan and a monster PS fan. These fans are doing a great job for air circulation.

jwhitakr

I used to OC every component in every PC I had ... so I understand why you want to do it. But, in the end, it's not really necessary unless you have some game or application that is not running as fast as you want it to. Or, if a particular game cannot be run on your system unless you lower the graphics settings.

In either case, OC'ing will give you a small boost but will typically not solve issues of gaming or application performance.

What are you trying to accomplish with OC'ing? Are you just wanting to do it for the sake of OC'ing?

jakelm

jwhitakr wrote: »

What are you trying to accomplish with OC'ing? Are you just wanting to do it for the sake of OC'ing?

Nothing in particular. I would just like to see what the AMD and the Radeon are capable of. And to learn how to do it.

I have read alot about ovewrclocking and how gratifying it is to see, what a user can accomplish, outside the relm of the manufactur.

[Deleted User]

The thing with overclocking these days are not like how it was back in the days. I remember OC'ing my 300 mhz to get it up to 500. That was well worth it(Abit mobo) Today's OC'ing does not produce that type of result.

It is exciting though. Dont melt anything!

Halen

jakelm

edbert wrote: »

Here's one method.

I just read the article. They mananged to get it to 2.7ghz. 500mhz faster than the stock 2.2ghz. I dont if that would make any difference in performance. Maybe overclocking the FSB, may increase the CPU a few hundred mhz and increase the graphics card abit too.

In the BIOS, do I put the multipliers all the way to the highest level? And how do I adjust the FSB?

bigyank

Getting the system cleaned up with unnecessary services running (Windoze) is far better these days.

Does your card have 256 MB of RAM installed? That would be a bigger boost IMO then attempting overclock.

Your board I think supports 4 GB RAM, maybe pump that up as well?

Yank

jakelm

Quick question, How do you measure the CPU temp? In bios, after running for a few minutes it read 42c, is this an accurate reading?

And I think its the HTT that needs to be adjusted for FSB?

bobman1235

The temp in the BIOS is going to be as accurate as you're going to get. It's most likely a little device either in the die itself or very close by that is designed to monitor temperature.

ShinAce

There was a windows software called (Sandra?) that gave you lots of good info in windows.

Run a program like Seti@home to get the CPU working and check the temp again after 5-10 minutes.

jakelm

bobman1235 wrote: »

The temp in the BIOS is going to be as accurate as you're going to get. It's most likely a little device either in the die itself or very close by that is designed to monitor temperature.

Thanks Bob. How long should you run your system before getting a max temp reading? I dont want to overclock it , then have it peaking 10 degrees higher.

Also, I read that the 4200 can get as warm as ~50c. Is this correct? Is there a temp limit I should be aware of? Or is it like other systems, when it starts locking up, its too hot?


If I keep increasing the HTT and not increase the voltage, would that hurt the CPU? Or will it just stop it from running even faster?


My v card is only 128, will upgrade in near future, until then, what can I do to encrease performance? Increase FSB?

From what I understand, 3 things need to change for overclocking. CPU multiplier, HTT, and voltage. Is this correct?

bobman1235

50 C seems fine to me. I dont' know about Intel chips but the processors we use at my company are rated to up above 85 C (and we routinely run them in the 70s). But just check the published spec for both your processor and MOBO and see what they say, they should have max and min operating temperatures. YOu'll want to keep it as far below the max as humanly possible.

As for how long it takes to get to operating temperature... not long at all. Granted it depends on how good your heat sink and cooling are, but just run something stressful (computation intensive) for several minutes and you'll have a good idea of what's happening.

jakelm

ShinAce wrote: »

There was a windows software called (Sandra?) that gave you lots of good info in windows.

Run a program like Seti@home to get the CPU working and check the temp again after 5-10 minutes.

You want me to run Seti and look for ET?:eek:

jakelm

I dont know if I have anything stressfull enough, maybe a virus scan? Or run multiple scans at one time for a half hour?

or I'll just surf for an hour. Run some updates and virus scans.

WilliamM2

From what I understand, 3 things need to change for overclocking. CPU multiplier, HTT, and voltage. Is this correct?

Not really. Most CPU's have the multiplier locked. You can change it in the bios, but nothing actually changes. You may not have to change voltages, better if you don't.

I'm running a 4 year old old P4 3.0ghz at 3.8ghz, simply by increasing the bus speed, which also increases the memory speed, everything else, including voltage, is stock.

bobman1235

jakelm wrote: »

I dont know if I have anything stressfull enough, maybe a virus scan? Or run multiple scans at one time for a half hour?

or I'll just surf for an hour. Run some updates and virus scans.

Well, I have to ask, if you dont' have anything that's very processor intensive.... why bother overclocking?

The only reason to do it that most people are ever going to use is running high-end games.

jakelm

WilliamM2 wrote: »

Not really. Most CPU's have the multiplier locked. You can change it in the bios, but nothing actually changes. You may not have to change voltages, better if you don't.

I saw in the BIOS options, x4, x4.5 x5 x5.5 and so on.

I'm running a 4 year old old P4 3.0ghz at 3.8ghz, simply by increasing the bus speed, which also increases the memory speed, everything else, including voltage, is stock.

So just increase bus speed, and that will increse CPU, memory and graphics card speeds? I have to take HTT off of auto and what else? Or is it just HTT?

Systems

One thing to watch when overclocking.....as you step around and change settings for the overclocking you'll sometimes notice that your memory will be effected. ie....you'll see a change from your memory being read as follows 4gb ddr-2 667 down to 4gb Pc3200. I noticed this last time I started **** around with my stuff. Try adding more memory using the fastest your board and cpu will handle. Add a better video card, say going from 256mb card to 512mb. You'll notice a difference there. Disable unused programs from running in the background. Set unused or not often used programs from starting automatically on start-up. I'll shut-up now.

Chuck

PolkThug

halenhoang wrote: »

The thing with overclocking these days are not like how it was back in the days. I remember OC'ing my 300 mhz to get it up to 500. That was well worth it(Abit mobo) Today's OC'ing does not produce that type of result.

It is exciting though. Dont melt anything!

Halen

Google overclock E6750

Some of the newer chips are pretty good for OC.

jakelm

http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=71

Specs say 71c degrees max. So I should be good

jakelm

I'm not overclocking to increase performance, I'm doing it just to see what my system is capable of. I have no need, currently, to purchase any upgrades. This is purely a scientific research...lol...:p(ok maybe not too scientific)...its for me to play around with.:D

To push a peice of electronics beyond its "factory" limits, is kind of a sickness with me...:eek:

ShinAce

Yes, find ET.

If you do find ET, accept becoming famous for no good reason.

You will need to run a new game or some other program that taxes the CPU to get a real temp reading. Only then will you know that your system is stable. My old celeron used to idle at 45C but could jump up to 70 when running full tilt. My P4 runs between 50-60 all the time.

The temp you are reading is between the CPU and heatsink. You can go up to about 80 C without too many worries. The actual internal temp of the CPU is over 100C, ususally around 150.

p.s. Newer intel processors throttle themselves if they get too hot. They can run with no heatsink, but they won't run fast.

jakelm

ShinAce wrote: »

Yes, find ET.

If you do find ET, accept becoming famous for no good reason.

You will need to run a new game or some other program that taxes the CPU to get a real temp reading. Only then will you know that your system is stable. My old celeron used to idle at 45C but could jump up to 70 when running full tilt. My P4 runs between 50-60 all the time.

The temp you are reading is between the CPU and heatsink. You can go up to about 80 C without too many worries. The actual internal temp of the CPU is over 100C, ususally around 150.

Thanks Shin, it does look like an interesting progam. Maybe I could click on those pron sites, that pop up endless amounts of windows, that will tax the CPU.

jakelm

Well, I know a CPU will lock up very quickly with no cooling. Learned that when my older PC cpu's fan broke. So I know it doesnt take laong for a CPU to warm up.

ShinAce

jakelm wrote: »

Well, I know a CPU will lock up very quickly with no cooling. Learned that when my older PC cpu's fan broke. So I know it doesnt take laong for a CPU to warm up.

Not true with a P4.

Google it, there are videos where the heatsink is removed from a running CPU and it just slows down the system instead of locking up.

jakelm

ShinAce wrote: »

Not true with a P4.

Google it, there are videos where the heatsink is removed from a running CPU and it just slows down the system instead of locking up.

I had a P4 lock the system up on me, I thought it was form heat, but maybe it was something else. I changed the fan and it ran fine after that.

I do admit, here @ work I do minor service work on our pc's. Alot of lag problem is from dust. Dell has absolutly no ventalation and the cpu's keep runing. Multiple time i open the case to find the fent shaft and heat sink fill entirely up with dust, no way can there be circulation. But the system never shuts down. Just crawls at a snails pace.

I have however, found the pIII's locking up with substantial cooling.

Have yet to lock up a AMD. Of corse I dont run accross them too much, with all the Dells here.

jakelm

Question:

With 2.2ghz and a bus of 200. The multiplyer is 11. If I take it off of Auto and go to x4. Is it multiplying times 4 now instead of 11. So its slower?

The bus is 200, to increase this, only next higher option is 400 in the bios. Does this sound right?

ShinAce

I just noticed you are running AMD.

AMD has started implementing temperature compensation, but it is not as good as Intel's work. I don't know how much you should trust the AMD chip to keep itself alive.