Overclocking questions

[synaps3]

I'm new to overclocking and have a few questions:

First, do I want my PCI-E frequency to increase with my processor's FSB to keep the 1:2 ratio, or do I just keep it at stock?

My friend tells me that my RAM will overclock with my FSB, so I don't have to touch it... Is he correct or do I have to keep a certain ratio between my proc and RAM?

Thanks in advanced.

 

[444]

I think your pci-e should be locked in place unless you want to overclock whatevers connected to it. Your ram doesn't have to match the fsb, if your cpu can go farther than your ram can then use a ratio. Remember cpu speed is more important than ram speed, but if you can get both it's great.

 

[snefan]

AMD cpu's and DDR Dimms is best run on 1:1 ratio iirc

and u will have to play with ram timings and volt for best results

 

[444]

I hear 1:1 doesn't matter for a64, unlike axp... the cpu speed is of utmost priority.

 

[synaps3]

So I have to adjust the memory frequency too? Or does it do it automatically? My BIOS does not have an option that I can see for the memory...

And should the PCI-E stay at the stock frequency or increase relatively to the fsb? I want to be sure I am doing this for best performance...

 

[rysher]

AMD cpu's and DDR Dimms is best run on 1:1 ratio iirc

and u will have to play with ram timings and volt for best results

The NEW AMD64 doesn't get a performance hit if you ran a memory divider, as the memory controller on the A64 are built into the chip.

So I have to adjust the memory frequency too? Or does it do it automatically? My BIOS does not have an option that I can see for the memory...

And should the PCI-E stay at the stock frequency or increase relatively to the fsb? I want to be sure I am doing this for best performance...

Before you begin w/ overclocking, please read the thread or the sticky and learn it and disregard everything your friend said as he is WRONG!!.
http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=795444 and for memory please read http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=760374

 

[synaps3]

I have read it

It is extremely long and tells you way too much information for someone who doesn't give a damn what is going on, but just wants higher speeds.

Now since I have been given two conflicting answers, I don't know what to think. It is simple, someone that knows a lot about overclocking needs to just answer yes or no to the following two questions:

1. Should the PCI-E bus frequency stay at the stock frequency or increase proportionally with it?
2. When I overclock, do I have to adjust RAM timings too, or should they adjust as I bump the FSB up?

I appreciate everyone attempting to help so far, but it is rediculous when I get conflicting answers and then are told to read a frickin huge document I have already read twice...

 

[rysher]

1- lock PCIE to 100, some boards at 101 or 102
2- depends upon ur RAM, if you have a pc4000 w/c is a DDR500 w/c actually runs at 250.(you with me so far?) and your htt is OC to 250, so you dont have to adjust ur ram freq as it is running at 1:1 ratio. but if you have a pc3200 w/c is a DDR400 w/c actually runs at 200, and you set your htt at 250 then you have to adjust ur memory timings & volt you might want to loosen the timings to run at 1:1 speed w/ ur htt or you can use a divider and not tweak your timings & volts.
2nd question is not a simple YES or NO. if you don't read and understand the sticky, people can only explain too much.

 

[synaps3]

Well you just explained it perfectly. Thanks for the help

 

[(cf)Eclipse]

I have read it

It is extremely long and tells you way too much information for someone who doesn't give a damn what is going on, but just wants higher speeds.

Now since I have been given two conflicting answers, I don't know what to think. It is simple, someone that knows a lot about overclocking needs to just answer yes or no to the following two questions:

1. Should the PCI-E bus frequency stay at the stock frequency or increase proportionally with it?
2. When I overclock, do I have to adjust RAM timings too, or should they adjust as I bump the FSB up?

I appreciate everyone attempting to help so far, but it is rediculous when I get conflicting answers and then are told to read a frickin huge document I have already read twice...

even though rysher already did a good job, i'll throw in my own 2 cents

if you want to get higher speeds, you should give a damn. good overclocks don't just fall out of the sky into your lap, you need to know wtf you're messing with

1. yes, keep pci-e at stock.
2. simple: yes
complex: you may or may not have to mess with ram timings. you can always lower the memory ratio to keep the speed below it's max if needed. ram generally has an optimal spot between loose timings and tight timings where an ideal mhz/latency is met for your system. it will take a bit of tuning to find that balance, and a bit more to be able to use those speeds in conjunction with your cpu overclock.

to make like simple, you want to know this:
1. max htt/fsb the board can do. helps you know whether or not you hit a cpu limitation in step 2...
2. maximum mhz the cpu can do at varying voltages. helps if you have a hot day, and want to turn down the heat a bit, but don't want to go all the way back down to stock. also gives you a rough idea if you hit a limitation elsewhere, as you will usually get a relatively smooth curve when the maximum mhz at a given voltage is plotted on a graph
3. what your ram can do at various timings and voltages. this is the most time consuming, and least performance rewarding step, but to me, for whatever reason, it's the most fun. once you find out what your ram can do, try to integrate the highest speeds you can into your cpu overclock without dropping the cpu clock at all