Ever finally said "Enough!"

[Darkstar850]

Ever finally had it with tinkering with your PC?
I mostly rebuilt my PC a few months ago. New processor, motherboard, RAM, case, fans. Basically kept the HDs, opticals, and vid card from the old machine.
My goal with my XP-M was 2.4 ghz. Despite getting what was considered the best or 2nd best stepping, the most I could get it to run stable at was 2.2. Many times while tinkering I would screw it up so it wouldn't post, and then I would have to reset the CMOS. Eventually I got it to run 2.4, but the volts it needed to maintain this speed were not justified by the sad excuse for a video card I am running, so back to 2.2 it went.
A few weeks ago I got some new memory to try out. Everyone on newegg was saying good things about its price/performance ratio.
Well, I was pretty busy at the time, so I just slapped it in, and left it running the same timings as the old RAM, 2-3-3-11. The manufacturer claims it'll run 2-3-2-5.
So tonight I decided I would get the timings where they should be. Rebooted the machine, went into the BIOS, and changed the timings. Saved the settings and...... no post.
Turned it off, waited, turned it back on... no post. Cleared the CMOS. Posted now. Went in and put the RAM timings back. Rebooted..... no post.
To make a long story short, I eventually had to put everything back to default (13.5X133, 3-3-3-11) to get stable. I eventually got it back to the way it was running at the beginning of my quest, at 2.2 with 2-3-3-11.

So at this point I am declaring ENOUGH! with this PC. It clearly doesn't want to OC, and it also clearly doesn't like me. Anyone else finally say ENOUGH! I am done @#%$ing with this machine? Got any good stories?

 

[darktiger]

Never, still love tinkering with my PC. Have been tinkering/building since 1993....

 

[jaffy]

I killed a 9800pro that I purchased for over $450 when they were first released. Somehow cracked the core when bolting on a custom heatsink. I swore I would never tweak, overclock or modify a component ever again. The very next month I got another 9800pro and modded it

 

[nst6563]

I got pissed at my p4 3.0c when it wouldn't get stable past 240fsb (3.6ghz). It wasn't my ram. I ran a 2.8c at 273fsb and the ram was perfectly stable at that speed (Geil sticks). So I did some benches and the system was faster when I ran the 3.0c at 225fsb (3.3ghz) with PAT enabled and GAT=Turbo than the system was at 3.6Ghz w/no PAT and GAT=Auto/disabled.

long story short...I hate my 3.0c pretty much, though I'd get lucky and land one of them that would hit 3.9 on air...but no luck. Which is why I'll try again around the 1st of the year with a new AMD A64 system.

 

[Synful Serenity]

When I upgraded my 1995 Gateway P5-100XL (a 100MHz Pentium, upgraded to Pentium 3 in 1999) to a Pentium 4 motherboard in 2003, everything went smoothly. New hard drive, new 9800 np-> Pro, memory, power supply, power switch, even cutting out a panel in the back of the AT case to make room for the ATX I/O ports....everything checked out okay. Except for my AWE64G....for some reason, even though this motherboard supports 3 ISA slots, the AWE64 crackles and hisses during 16-bit playback. I had originally wanted to continue using it to support all the old DOS games I loved to still play (even kept a FAT 1gig drive in, with a DOS boot disk that's the only drive that shows up and it's like a pure DOS system again), and I would rather be able to run everything from 1 comp and not worry about making a DOS box...

Well I've been no stranger to hardware problems over the years, so I tried EVERYTHING....drivers, BIOS settings, Windows settings, hardware settings, jumper settings, patches, moving the card around, and even BIOS mods for goodness sake! Nothing worked. I am pretty sure it is a PCI bus optimization or latency issue that caused this, but when I tried changing the PCI latency in the BIOS in combo with other measures, it didn't solve the problem, and there didn't seem to appear to be any other way of changing the way the motherboard runs things to accomodate this. I think the problem is similar to what the VIA 686 patch fixed for the SBLives...except this is no VIA board...and this is an ISA card and there would be differences with the PCI->ISA bridges and such...

Finally, after disappointing experiences with onboard sound, I gave in and bought an Audigy 2 ZS and upgraded to Win XP...Glad I did, the XP games run much better than on 98....The only problem is that I miss the Awe64's reverb, which had 1 setting basically, off and on, and the Audigy's has like 50 different settings that I have been unable to make to sound like the Awe64s stellar reverb.

 

[SimGuy]

#1: The P4 From Hell

Bought a P4 2400C & P4C800-E back in August 2003 back when the 2.4C D0's were all the rage and were OC'ing like mad.

Except mine.

Somehow, I manage to get the WORST GOD DAMNED 2.4C that's out there... won't hit 3 GHz on air no matter what I try (even VCore up to 1.75).

Motherboard failed less than a month later.

Get a replacement IC7-MAX3.

CPU will only clock to 2700 MHz now (225x12).

In the end, it was just a bum CPU (I've had a 2600, 3000 & 3200 all clock real well with the IC7-MAX3 and a VapoChill XE, Mach II & on high-end air with no problems), but it pissed me off royally.


#2: The SB Audigy 2 Platinum from Hell

After selling my *snap* Audigy 1 *crackle* back in January 2003, I went out and grabbed a SB Audigy 2 Platinum for $300 smackers.

Worked fine until one day the system (P4 2.26B, P4T533-C, 512 MB RDRAM) refused to recognize the card. BIOS wouldn't even show "Multimedia Device - IRQ 5" during startup.

I spent the next 3 hours moving the card between PCI slots, cleaning the card, reseating it, using a multimetre to check both the cards and PCI slots. Damned card wouldn't work.

So, in disgust, I take it out and utilize onboard sound for 2 days.

On a hunch, I stick the card back into its' original slot and start the computer.

Bloody card is detected, I reinstall the Creative drivers and it works flawlessly..... until the magic SB Audigy 2 bug strikes again.

This time, its' in a completely different system. I'm listening to MP3 tunes when WHAM. System locks hard. I restart... no "MultiMedia Device - IRQ 5" during startup on the new system (P4 2400C, P4C800-E, 512 MB DDR). Screw with the card again. No luck.

Take it out for 2 days, let it sit in the open. Pop it back into the computer. WHAM. Works again just like before.

I think its' cursed... as just last week the fucking card did it again in my new A64 system. I tell ya...

 

[Buckus]

Hmm...let me get this straight...
you bought a computer processor....some forums say "you should get xxxxx mhz no problem" and now you can't.

Let's rephrase this: you bought something, now you're getting 10-20% more performance out of it by tweaking a few things. That's more than you paid for. Even if you get one mhz more than you paid for, you're getting more than you paid for. Be happy that it will run faster than what you paid for and that you've reached the limit of what your existing hardware will do.

I'm tired of people ranting that their processor/memory/motherboard is crap because it won't go past a certain overclock speed. The fact is when you are overclocking you're running your equipment past spec, so be happy that you can get away with that without hosing your machine; being mad that you can't get more out of your hardware is illogical - you got what you paid for.

If people would just approach overclocking from this viewpoint, maybe there would be a few less people who say "Enough!"

BTW, I can get my Athlon64 to 2.1Ghz without a problem. I'm happy with that. That's halfway betwen a 3200+ and a 3400+. So I've gotten a 3300+ or thereabouts while only having paid for a 3200+. If I wasn't able to get an overclock at all, I'm still happy, because I'm getting the performance I paid for.

 

[SimGuy]

I don't want to start any flame wars or anything, but when like 97% of all P4 2400C's are hitting 3 GHz, you've got a pretty good chance that yours will too.

Just that it didn't.

Was I angry? Not really.

Was I disappointed? Yep.

Either way, Intel got more money from me as I bought other CPU's from them to compensate for the lack of a good clocking 2400C.

 

[markt435]

I have said enough before. But that never works as I always feel like screwing around with my comps. Even if there is nothing wrong with them i'll take em totally apart and rebuild em. Just a habit I guess.

 

[Darkstar850]

Hmm...let me get this straight...
you bought a computer processor....some forums say "you should get xxxxx mhz no problem" and now you can't.

Let's rephrase this: you bought something, now you're getting 10-20% more performance out of it by tweaking a few things. That's more than you paid for. Even if you get one mhz more than you paid for, you're getting more than you paid for. Be happy that it will run faster than what you paid for and that you've reached the limit of what your existing hardware will do.

I'm tired of people ranting that their processor/memory/motherboard is crap because it won't go past a certain overclock speed. The fact is when you are overclocking you're running your equipment past spec, so be happy that you can get away with that without hosing your machine; being mad that you can't get more out of your hardware is illogical - you got what you paid for.

If people would just approach overclocking from this viewpoint, maybe there would be a few less people who say "Enough!"

BTW, I can get my Athlon64 to 2.1Ghz without a problem. I'm happy with that. That's halfway betwen a 3200+ and a 3400+. So I've gotten a 3300+ or thereabouts while only having paid for a 3200+. If I wasn't able to get an overclock at all, I'm still happy, because I'm getting the performance I paid for.

Hrm, this was more a thread/story about our general inability to leave well enough alone, and the frustrations that come from that urge to tinker. I am well aware that my CPU is clocked higher than it comes from the factory.
I think most people approach overclocking with the viewpoint of trying to get as much as possible out of their hardware. That's alot of the reason people are on this forum. I was relating the fact that every so often I get the tinkering bug, mess with my computer, push it a little too far, and usually have to spend some time straightening it out... a situation I figured most [H]'rs could relate too and have some interesting stories on.

You being mad about someone else's frustration with their own hardware is what is illogical.

You need to chill out.

 

[Darkstar850]

I have said enough before. But that never works as I always feel like screwing around with my comps. Even if there is nothing wrong with them i'll take em totally apart and rebuild em. Just a habit I guess.

Ya, every couple of months I mess with one or more of them. Sometimes it ends well, sometimes.....
I doubt I will be able to stick to my pledge.

 

[Major_A]

Seems like every time I get my computer 100% stable I start tweaking shit and end up reverting back to what was stable.

 

[TheMostWantedPolishTwin]

nope.. I'm not done yet.. currently my mobo is limitting my OC.. and I know my 1700+ can do better than 1800 Mhz since it's running at ~41 C under full load.. on a stock lapped HSF!

 

[Buckus]

Hrm, this was more a thread/story about our general inability to leave well enough alone, and the frustrations that come from that urge to tinker. I am well aware that my CPU is clocked higher than it comes from the factory.
I think most people approach overclocking with the viewpoint of trying to get as much as possible out of their hardware. That's alot of the reason people are on this forum. I was relating the fact that every so often I get the tinkering bug, mess with my computer, push it a little too far, and usually have to spend some time straightening it out... a situation I figured most [H]'rs could relate too and have some interesting stories on.

You being mad about someone else's frustration with their own hardware is what is illogical.

You need to chill out.

Perhaps I meant to say it is illogical to expect a certain level of overclocking from a certain item just because other people claimed to have overclocked to that degree. Then they have the gall to call it a piece of crap because it won't get a 25% overclock. Then they have the further gall to RMA it even though it runs fine at it's rated speed. Just because other people get a certain overclock does not guarantee that everyone will.

As for tinkering, yeah, I used to tinker on my computers about every 2 weeks. Now having a working computer that doesn't crash every other day is more important than absolute performance, although my Athlon64 is pretty bitchin performance wise anyways. I love tinkering though. Got my A64 up to 2200+, but it crashed on me. I blame the lack of AGP/PCI lock on these early A64 boards. I leave it where it is and it's happy.

Remember, stability good!

 

[Shane]

Great experience.... purchase a 3.2c processor and clerk gives you a 3.2 ee hehe walks out with a huge smile.

 

[markt435]

Great experience.... purchase a 3.2c processor and clerk gives you a 3.2 ee hehe walks out with a huge smile.

Damn, no fair. Direct me to where you got that...lol