Overclocking

[Marcel Hulsbergen]

I see more people on here like to overclock their CPU.

This can be done easily in many ways and i will try to help as much as possible.

Things i need to know are:

CPU :
Motherboard :
Bios version :
Cooler :
RAM (brand and type) :
Case :
Pictures of the bios screens so i can send them back with my comments.

Some good links:
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/index.php?
Overclockers.com - Computer Component News and Reviews, Overclocking and Modding Tips and Tricks - CPU, Ram, Video Cards
Overclock.net - Overclocking.net

After the overclock download Everest or a simular program to see the temps stressed:
Lavalys - Comprehensive IT Security and Management

Stress the system with:
http://www.overclock.net/attachments/downloads/36840d1165737486-orthos-orthos_exe_20060420.zip
Prime95 (32bit) - 25.6 Download - EXTREME Overclocking

Let it run for a few hours and see if you do not get BSOD's, also use 3DMark or simular program.
Overclocking can be a seriously satisfying experience with great results with little or no extra cash investments ... but it can also seriously damage your social life (eg. hours or days spent searching for settings to get your machine just to boot, or to keep it stable once it does load your operating system ... then there are benchmarks and burn tests to consider ).
Worst case scenario is that you can mess up you PC big time or even fry parts of it (although this last one is quite a rare scenario in my experience).

 

[Lee Downham]

Man you are asking for trouble now Marcel :lol:

I imagine this will be a very useful thread, but I think it would be prudent to add a warning to people who have never done this kind of thing before ...

Something along the lines of the following should cover it ...

Overclocking can be a seriously satisfying experience with great results with little or no extra cash investments ... but it can also seriously damage your social life (eg. hours or days spent searching for settings to get your machine just to boot, or to keep it stable once it does load your operating system ... then there are benchmarks and burn tests to consider ).
Worst case scenario is that you can mess up you PC big time or even fry parts of it (although this last one is quite a rare scenario in my experience).

Disclaimer: Fiddle at your own peril and don't blame "da man" trying to help if things all go pear shaped!! :amen:

 

[Marcel Hulsbergen]

Thanks Lee I added it to my post, of course it will always be on their own risk, i only tell them save settings.

Normally when you overclock to far the system will not boot at all and will fall into save mode by restoring default values.

 

[James Yates]

Marcel, you a member at Overclock.net? If so, what's your name there?

 

[Jacco Cornelissen]

I want to overklock my CPU
CPU : Intel CoreQuad Q9450 4x2,66 GHz 12M Box
Motherboard :EVGA nForce 780i SLI DDR2 mainboard
Bios version : phoenix
Cooler : Coolermaster 700W PRO700 ATX2.91
RAM (brand and type) :At this moment 3x2GB DDR2/800Dimm but i want to buy the OCZ 4GB DDR2-1150
Case :

 

[James Yates]

Jacco, don't waste your money on that DDR2 1150 ram, go for a DDR2 1066 or 1000 kit instead. Also, try to get 2x2GB, something like this or this would suit you very well.

 

[Jacco Cornelissen]

How about this OCZ DDR2 PC2 8500SLI Ready Edition 1066mhz. ?
I have SLI 2x280 GTX.

 

[Marcel Hulsbergen]

Jacco you can keep the ram, use 2 x 2 GB 4GB is enough, using 3 banks is not stable for overclocking.

I will try to keep the ram speeds at 800 so your ram should be ok. Can you make some photo's from the bios overclock sections and ports them here.

@James, no i am not a member there but i do read there a lot, as i found out how to overclock my system now i am not that active there, i will when i get a new system in about 6 months.

 

[Jacco Cornelissen]

What is the advantage of faster ram speeds maybe it's better to buy some new ones ?

 

[Lu Chan]

I want to overklock my CPU
CPU : Intel CoreQuad Q9450 4x2,66 GHz 12M Box
Motherboard :EVGA nForce 780i SLI DDR2 mainboard
Bios version : phoenix
Cooler : Coolermaster 700W PRO700 ATX2.91
RAM (brand and type) :At this moment 3x2GB DDR2/800Dimm but i want to buy the OCZ 4GB DDR2-1150
Case :

Fantastic Machine!!..Superb!!:hail:

 

[James Yates]

What is the advantage of faster ram speeds maybe it's better to buy some new ones ?

You will only see a small difference once overclocked, but it doesn't make a massive difference. The main thing is how much ram you have, and either using 2 or 4 sticks so you run dual channel

 

[Jacco Cornelissen]

You will only see a small difference once overclocked, but it doesn't make a massive difference. The main thing is how much ram you have, and either using 2 or 4 sticks so you run dual channel

I think i am going to buy this : OCZ DDR PC2 8500SLI Ready Edition 2x2GB
1066mhz. Because i have SLI maybe the performence off my PC will be much better .
I think my DDR2 800mhz is not fast enough for my system and also not SLI ready.
But if you guys say it isn't really necessary ? But i don't want a bottleneck in my system.

 

[Simon Bacon]

Cool topic. Have you tried undervolting with an overclock. This is my Q9450 at 3.2GHz, pulled the voltage down from 1.2V to 1.17V in the bios. Unfortunately I've got a crap camera on my phone so I can't get a decent snap of the bios but here's one of CPU-Z. Don't know how far I can lower it, I've had it this way since I got the cpu and it's nice and stable.

 

[James Yates]

I think i am going to buy this : OCZ DDR PC2 8500SLI Ready Edition 2x2GB
1066mhz. Because i have SLI maybe the performence off my PC will be much better .
I think my DDR2 800mhz is not fast enough for my system and also not SLI ready.
But if you guys say it isn't really necessary ? But i don't want a bottleneck in my system.

The SLI ram is just a marketing gimmick, it won't actually make any difference compared to the OCZ Reapers that i posted earlier. If anything, the Reapers will be cooler and this may allow them to run at higher speeds because if the heatpipe cooling.

 

[Jacco Cornelissen]

A strange thing happened I overclocked my CPU a little bit and it didn't work out fine so i set everything on default :0
Everything works fine again CoD4, Race07 etc but the 3dMark vantage has a really strange screen with strange lines ?
I removed 3dmark and downloaded it again and the strange lines are again there ? How is this possible al the other grapics from the games work fine .

 

[Marcel Hulsbergen]

Jacco here are your screens edited by me, try these and i wil hear your comments about the settings, this gives you 3.4 Ghz instead of 2.6 Ghz.

he last screen is not yours but do not forget to set these in the bios too.

 

[Jacco Cornelissen]

Thanks Marcel
First time i tryed your settings it didn't work out wel i think i did something wrong.
The second time i used your settings again and my computer started up just fine It says 3.41GHZ so i win a lot comming from 2.66
I'm going to test some games and i hope it will turn out fine.
I'm thinking off buying some new Rams 1066mhz instead of 800mhz.
What do you think about this i don't want to have 800mhz as a bottleneck for this system.
I going to stress my PCU a little bit to see how it turns out.
Thanks for the settings for now Marcel


I did some stressing with Core temp 0.99.1
Core 0 = 82
Core 1 = 72
Core 2 = 79
Core 3 = 78
I now that Quad 9450 are always hotter than dual core but isn't this a little to hot Or maybe i need watercooling

 

[Marcel Hulsbergen]

You are very welcome, i don't think you will notice the new ram, it maybe gives you 1 or 2 fps more thats all. Better save the money for the next system, you have a hell of a machine now.

 

[Jacco Cornelissen]

Can you take a look at the temp settings are they not to high
If i buy new ram must i change some thinks again in the bios.
That was almost the last question ray:
--------------------------------------------------------------------
To bad
I was playingCoD4 and everything was fine but, then i got the idea off restarting my computer again and that didn't work out fine
I tryed it 4 times but he didn't do it.
So now i am back at default settings again. Maybe the 3.4GHZ was a little bit to much

 

[James Yates]

Thanks Marcel
First time i tryed your settings it didn't work out wel i think i did something wrong.
The second time i used your settings again and my computer started up just fine It says 3.41GHZ so i win a lot comming from 2.66
I'm going to test some games and i hope it will turn out fine.
I'm thinking off buying some new Rams 1066mhz instead of 800mhz.
What do you think about this i don't want to have 800mhz as a bottleneck for this system.
I going to stress my PCU a little bit to see how it turns out.
Thanks for the settings for now Marcel


I did some stressing with Core temp 0.99.1
Core 0 = 82
Core 1 = 72
Core 2 = 79
Core 3 = 78
I now that Quad 9450 are always hotter than dual core but isn't this a little to hot Or maybe i need watercooling

That is way too hot, you shouldn't be going above 65 max load.