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Overclocking for dummies

D

djohn3853

n00b
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
28
Hi all. I run a slight oc on my older rig and want to tweak my "newer" rig. I was running stock for the last year. I could play COD, Crysis, Farcry2 well enough so I didn't do any oc. Ran cpu-z and discovered speedstep, which I don't like and have been unable to disable. But people say don't worry about, you get the performance when you need it. Anyway I installed Easytune and allowed it to oc me to 9x400=3.6 but after an hour of gaming my video went funky so I went back to default, I think. I'm running 9x333 now. Never touched mem or gpu or voltages, but Easytune probably did. So I'd like to do slight oc. When I say slight I mean as much as I can get without doing anything with my current cooling setup. With that in mind, I'm all ears.
 
the people are correct.. theres no reason to disable speedstep unless its causing your system to be unstable.. it helps save power and takes the unneeded strain off the CPU and not to mention works very well..

as far as overclocking goes your ram will be your only limiting factor.. my best suggestion would be to go around looking for reviews on the E8400 and looking at their overclock numbers for the processor if they have any then use that as a guide line for what you should be able to do on the processor.. and remember to leave your ram at 1:1 ratio with your FSB because it will make the overclocking easier at the beginning.. with your ram you are good up to 500mhz FSB with the ram at 1:1 ratio.. if your 4gigs of ram is 4x1GB sticks you might need to raise the NB voltage as you overclock.. if its 2x2GB sticks then dont worry about it..

this is the easiest way to learn how to overclock your processor on your own if you have any more questions, ask and either ill attempt to answer the ones i know since i havent overclocked an intel processor in years but i know all the basics of overclocking an intel processor or some one that knows intel processors or the e8400 better will answer them.. good luck and have fun.. that processor should easily do 3.6-4ghz so just mess around with it.. just remember not to go above 1.4v on the cpu then you wont have to worry about breaking/killing anything..
 
Yes 9x333 is default for your cpu.

Try 9 x 366 for 3.3GHz Memory Multiplier of 2.6 (or number closest but not over, cant remember whats available off top of head - this will run memory at slight underclock.) Memory Performance Enhance on Fast (or whatever the middle value is). Memory voltage at 2.1V, (G)MCH voltage at +.1

Litte worried that what you report (video card going wonky after an hour) sounds like a heat issue with rising internal case temps affecting the video card. However you have a good case with a 120mm side fan blowing cool room air right at the video card intake fan so I am susprised you ran into this particular problem.

Anyway just tone it down a bit and see what happens. Then we can look at creeping back up on the FSB until issues arise.

Assuming you have the front, side and rear 120mm fans installed and the side fan is in the lower position on the side panel. If not you need a fan blowing air at the video card. Also if the bottom front of the computer is full of Hard drives it can block and greatly reduce the ability of the lower front fan to get air into the machine. If this is true see if you can space out the drives leaving an open position so that front fan can push air into the case better.
 
BillParrish said:
Yes 9x333 is default for your cpu.

Try 9 x 366 for 3.3GHz Memory Multiplier of 2.6 (or number closest but not over, cant remember whats available off top of head - this will run memory at slight underclock.) Memory Performance Enhance on Fast (or whatever the middle value is). Memory voltage at 2.1V, (G)MCH voltage at +.1

Litte worried that what you report (video card going wonky after an hour) sounds like a heat issue with rising internal case temps affecting the video card. However you have a good case with a 120mm side fan blowing cool room air right at the video card intake fan so I am susprised you ran into this particular problem.

Anyway just tone it down a bit and see what happens. Then we can look at creeping back up on the FSB until issues arise.

Assuming you have the front, side and rear 120mm fans installed and the side fan is in the lower position on the side panel. If not you need a fan blowing air at the video card. Also if the bottom front of the computer is full of Hard drives it can block and greatly reduce the ability of the lower front fan to get air into the machine. If this is true see if you can space out the drives leaving an open position so that front fan can push air into the case better.
Click to expand...

not to mention the HDD's will heat up the case a lot.. just the 6 hard drives in my xclios case even with one of the 2x250mm fans blowing air directly over the hard drives raises the temp in my case 11C..
 
Feeling dumb now. I just opened the case, probably the first time since I built over a year ago, and the side fan (yes, in the lower position) has the power cord still neatly tie wrapped and not plugged in.

Only have one hdd.

I will uninstall Easytune
 
Then I wont mention the time I was in a hurry and turned on the power to a new AMD Thunderbird system several years ago and was reminded with a loud "POP" and a chuck of the cpu core flying by that they instantly self destruct without a heatsink attached. Oops.....


Side fan should cure the video. Carry on, those free MHz are waiting,
 
BillParrish said:
Then I wont mention the time I was in a hurry and turned on the power to a new AMD Thunderbird system several years ago and was reminded with a loud "POP" and a chuck of the cpu core flying by that they instantly self destruct without a heatsink attached. Oops.....


Side fan should cure the video. Carry on, those free MHz are waiting,
Click to expand...


lol i guess i shouldnt bring up the time when i got my very first athlon xp 1700+ and put it in and forgot to put thermal paste on my heatsink and turned it on and heard a large pop and crack sound and looked inside my case and the heatsink was hanging on one mount.. the cpu half way popped out of the socket and the motherboard with a huge crack about 5 inches long going right across the cpu socket..

or the time i was in a rush testing hardware and forgot to take off my overclock i had on my athlon 64 3200+ (130nm clawhammer)which was running at 1.88v and threw in my sempron 3100+ (90nm) and saw a big puff of smoke come out around the heatsink.. :p

im sure most of us have a ton of stories like these.. ahh the fun times of building systems..
 
I'd like to know what software (or hardware) is most popular for monitoring temps and especially fans? I guess I should say controlling fans as well, it thats needed.
 
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