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Overclock help

F

frozeninferno

n00b
Joined
Dec 7, 2014
Messages
32
I didn't see anything when I searched about my particular CPU.
So I thought I would add a new one.
I have an AMD FX 6100 and I am wanting to overclock it. Looked over at 3dmark.com and noticed that my CPU is rated at 92, ha. That is terrible especially since the Motherboard I have is number 10 and the video card I am trying to buy is ranked 18.
Anyway, I am wondering what all Needs to be done to overclock. I am obviously extremely new to the concept so I do NOT want to do anything wrong.
I am also wanting to OC my GPU because I am going to be replacing it anyway so figured why not run it hard until I replace it. Right?
Anyway, any help would greatly appreciated.

Mobo: running a Gigabyte mobo right now until I redo windows install onto the SSD M5A97 R2.0
Storage: Samsung 250GB SSD, Hitachi 1GB HDD
RAM: unnamed 8GB DDR3 @ 1600
CPU: AMD FX 6100 (if I remember right, the specs match up at least)
GPU: Zotac GT440 1GB
PSU: can't remember the Name, maybe lepa? 500W
Case: NZXT, don't know anything more than that


Thanks!
 
Well my computer has changed a little bit since this all happened.
Still have yet to try my hands at OCing though, probably will start this week or weekend. Been reading up about it.

Now the computer has:

Mobo: Asus M5A97 R2.0
Storage: Samsung 250GB SSD, Hitachi 1TB HDD 7200rpm, WD RE4 1TB HDD
RAM: Ballistix Sport 8GB DDR3 @ 1600 & unnamed 8GB DDR3 @ 1600
CPU: AMD FX 6100 3.3, under water with Corsair H100 with push and pull fans
GPU: 2 x Visiontek 270X
PSU: Corsair CS850M
Case: NZXT phantom (full size) in red

Every spot that there was possible to put a fan, I added one on. I have a total of 11 fans inside my computer? I think. Can anyone explain to me how you run dual radiators though? Do you just mount them to each other with the brackets essentially?
I just noticed there is dual radiator support, just don't know how that works.
 
I haven't had an AMD CPU in a long, long time so I don't think I can help you much there. That said the basic principles of overclocking don't change much over time.

The two important variables are Front Side Bus ( or in the newer Intel chips BClock) and VCore (voltage to the CPU) AMD calls their FSB something else if I recall.
Increases in BUS speed coupled with increases in Voltage take you where you want to go.

You need a good software package to test the OC and monitor heat produced by the voltage increases.

As far a double radiators go, you won't be able to do that with a closed loop all-in-one system. Generally in custom loops like I run, the radiators are connected to each other in series, in other words the water travels in one direction through each component connected to each other via tubing.
The only way you could run two radiators would be to somehow disconnect the tubing at the rad and connect another.
That said you would then need more coolant and hope the Corsair pump could handle the load.
There are very few all-in-one loop systems that can be "violated". I think Swiftech makes one, but not Corsair. The draw of the All-in-one is the benefit of the water cooling without the work,knowlege or investment in components like bigger pumps, reservoirs and connectors.
 
If I understand correctly, Intel's FSB is AMD's BCLK, or at the very least, BCLK is directly linked to the FSB speed. So, if your BCLK is 100 and your CPU multi is 40, your processor will run at 4GHz (100MHz * 40 = 4000MHz = 4GHz). If your processor is "unlocked" you'll be able to adjust either your multi or BCLK, otherwise you'll be able to adjust the BCLK but the multi can only be lowered.

Just remember, as you increase the BCLK (baseclock) just about everything else (including your RAM) will increase in speed. As such, you'll probably have to adjust other things slower (or increase voltage on seemingly unrelated things) in order to get a stable system if you increase BCLK much. That said, it's a good idea to adjust everything else down if you plan on BCLK overclocking, then once you reach your desired OC, slowly adjust the other things back up.

On the other hand, multiplier overclocking only increases the speed of whatever the multiplier applies to (cpu multi:CPU clock::ram multi:RAM clock). However, I've noticed that an increased CPU multiplier can have an affect on RAM bandwidth, so keep in mind that increasing the RAM speed isn't the only way to increase performance, and that your once stable RAM OC may not be stable if you increase your CPU multiplier.

For best performance, you should try to balance your RAM and CPU OC, or else they could end up starved for resources (RAM waiting on CPU, or CPU waiting on RAM). And be absolutely sure your RAM is stable before booting Windows--generally, an unstable CPU OC will just result in a BSOD and some frustration, but an unstable RAM OC can result in lost data, corrupted partitions, and various other problems before a BSOD even happens, if it happens.

As far as dual radiator support, you could run multiple AIO's in one system, but you'd have two separate loops, two pumps (=more noise, if you care about that). I recommend against mounting one radiator on top of another (if that's even possible), because you'd have hot air coming out of one and going into the other, although depending on what it's cooling, it may not make a huge difference. If they're separated by an inch or three, I guess it'd be fine. Generally in a dual-radiator setup, they're mounted on two separate walls of the case, either with both taking air in or with one taking in air and one exhausting air. It's generally difficult to have both exhausting air using conventional airflow patterns, unless you have a really large case. In your case, it looks like you could install one 240/280mm or two 120/140mm radiators in the ceiling of the case, and one 120mm radiator in the rear. You may be able to fit another 120/240mm rad in the side or on the bottom with a little modding.

I've never used software for overclocking, and I'm not familiar with ASUS's AMD motherboards, so I can't really help you there. Doing it from the BIOS/firmware take more time, but that's what I'm used to. If anyone sees any mistakes, please correct me--just woke up a little while ago.

@magoo: I've seen a few customized H80i's, but that's not for someone just getting into watercooling, I guess.
 
BCLK is the Intel FSB in the newer chips and you are correct, mostly the multiplier is way to OC the new chips. As I said, the last AMD chip I owned was an FX something or other and single core.

You should be able to OC the CPU independently of the RAM.

I've never been much on OCing RAM. I'm really not sure it aids the overall performance much on a day to day basis.
 
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As far as overclocking goes, everything you guys have said matches with what I have read recently about it all.
And no, I didn't mean to make my AIO watercooling have two radiators in line. Just meant that apparently I can have two 240mm radiators in my computer. I think the other mounts on the very top of the case underneath the top cover. That would be more of a spot for a cstom loop though as I have no idea how you would get an AIO loop down into the computer effectively.

I have a friend that hopefully soon will be able to sit down with me and teach me the innerworkings of an OC. I started to do it at one point a few months back but I decided I didn't want to be in the middle of doing it and have to go do something else. So, I stopped and put it all back the way it was.

I plan to soon get a custom loop but for now my computer is built well enough, in my opinion that I can wait a little while and work on my vehicles that need my attention a little more.

Thank you guys for your input, it helps. Seems like AMD is a little more finicky when it comes to OC versus an intel chip. I know someone that has a 2500k up to 4.9ghz right now under a single radiator AIO. I just really need more of the hands on, watching how it's done and knowing how it works before I'll feel completely comfortable doing it myself. I get the idea, just so many different variables that need to be changed.

Add another 32GB adata SSD to my computer list up there too. Now I just need a dual 2.5 to 3.5 tray so I can mount both SSD's in one tray then copy my OS files to the new one so it is solely boot drive.
 
Sorry I kind of just spill on this post.

I don't really get to post in places that I want to so I figure I'll say some things on this. Haha, I forget to post in threads a lot. I'll mean to and then get sidetracked. So my post count is always low.
 
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