Leeeeet'sss get reaaadddddy to overclooock!

[ahartman]

Okay, I'm ready to take the plunge. I want to overclock my computer but I need some help.

I think I've copied all the pertinent BIOS info - please let me know if I missed anything.

Current BIOS (* - current setting):

DRAM TIMING
Bank 0/1
Bank 2/3
Bank 4/5
Options:
10(*), 8, Normal, Medium, Fast, Turbo

SDRAM Cycle Length - 3(*), 2
DRAM Clock - Host (*), Host-33, Host+33
Read around write - Enabled
Concurrent PCI/Host - Disabled
System BIOS cacheable - Enabled
Video RAM cacheable - Disabled
AGP Aperature - 128(*), 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2

CPU Speed
Auto -> 550 (100x5.5)
Manual
------
ratio (2-8 by .5)
frequency (100, 103, 105, 110, 112, 115, 120, 124)

-------------

I'm looking to speed up my system as well as learn what all this stuff does.

I know I need to change the timing on my memory (to what - the MB manual doesn't explain what Normal, medium, fast & turbo mean - 10/8 are milliseconds)

SDRAM Cycle length - 3/2 - this is the CAS, correct? Do I want to set this to 2?

DRAM clock sets the memory to either FSB speed or +/- 33MHz.

AGP aperature only goes up to 128M in my BIOS (I have the latest flash)

I'd like to have AGP 2x but right now I have it at 1x (dark screen on bootup - people say this is the failure of 2x and fallback to 1x).

As far as speeding up my FSB, I understand (I think...) the following:

- AGP is most comfortable at 66MHz but some have it at 89 okay (66 = 133/2 or 100*(2/3), 89 = 133 * (2/3))

- I need to keep AGP in mind when choosing an overclock

- Though my motherboard is advertised as a 133MHz board, it apparently can only do 124 (what's up with this?!?)

- My CPU is a P3 550 Katmai (Sandra says 552)

- Voltage is set via 2 jumpers - looks like I can choose from 3.4/3.6/3.8 while the other jumper is no change/+5%/+10% (this may be beyond my comfort level...)

It seems to me that the key is to speed up the FSB as much as possible and get the memory up there as well. Does this mean that 110*5 is better than 100*5.5?

Current internal temp is 95(F) with the cover on. I'm willing to put extra cooling in my case, but I'm not going the peltier route or drill holes in my case for extra ventilation. I'll put in another fan or something like that.

Can you guys give me suggestions on how to start and how to step the increases?

I'm also interested in overclocking my G400 (vanilla) DH 32MB.

Please let me know if I've left out any important info.

Thanks in advance!

Andy


------------------
PIII 550 (not O/C'ed...yet)
IWill Motherboard VD133
VIA Chipset
256MB PC133 CAS2 Crucial
G400 DH 32MB (5.41 Drivers)
DirectX 7.0
SB Live! Value
8x DVD (Toshiba)
6x4x24 CDRW (Sony)
Intel Pro/100+ NIC
3Com CMX Cable Modem!!!
Optiquest V95 19"
HP 812C Color Ink Jet
Microtek flatbed scanner
Intellimouse Explorer
Surround Sound w/two subwoofers
AND WAY TOO MANY GAMES!!!

[Thundrchez]

One of my buddies in Austin just got one of a VIA Apollo Pro 133 based mobo and a coppermine p3-550, and he has oc'd it to a whoppin' 144 MHz FSB for something like 792MHz. He's also got some kind of case (tornado something?) that has a huge buttload of fans. However, the older katmai p3's with external L2 cache are not quite that oc friendly. I've got an ol p3-450 that I oc'd to a 124 MHz FSB.

I hate it when they don't call CAS latency as CAS. I think that "SDRAM cycle length" means CAS. 2 is better than 3.

If you can oc to a 133MHz FSB, you're doing spectacular. I dunno why your mobo thinks it is maxed out at 124. That is just spooky. I would probably slowly work my way up to 124 FSB while keeping the ram sync'd on the same speed. (i.e., run it at 112 and make sure it is stable, then at 117, then 124, or whatever FSB increments come with your mobo). Some good 3D gaming is probably your most intense stability check. Give it a good 10 minutes of crushing; in theory, this will give it time to get up to the hottest temperature where it is more likely to crap. You are generally safe with overclocking as long as you slowly increment the FSB. When you go past what it can handle, something strange will happen, but you can still reboot and lower the FSB. For me, norton antivirus thought it detected a virus in emm386.exe when I tried 129MHz, but everything worked OK at 124. Your "strangeness" will definitely vary.

Yup, AGP is officially spec'd at 66MHz, and you have every right to complain loudly if your AGP card can't handle 66. 89MHz is a bit more of a hit and miss situation, though. With overclocking, your results will always vary, but this seems to be a bottleneck several video cards have trouble with. Many murcers have got their g400 working fine at 89, but doing agp4x of 66 ain't too shabby.

That voltage is definitely not the CPU voltage or else you just bar-b-q'd your p3. I think that it is the SDRAM + AGP + PCI + chipset(?) voltage. You're probably best to keep it at 3.4.

Yup, 110 * 5 is better than 100 * 5.5. However, Intel has locked the multiplier that you can use with your CPU. Therefore, you have to use the 5.5 multiplier, but you can tweak the FSB.

[Thundrchez]

Doh, forgot to recommend bios settings.

With the ram you just got,
set to "Turbo" for DRAM Timing
Set SDRAM cycle length to 2
Set DRAM clock to Host
Read around write - I remember that a bunch of SS7 users had to disable this, but this is not a SS7 board. Theoretically "enabled" is faster, if it works for you
I'm not sure what concurrent pci/host means.
enable system bios cacheable
I enable video ram cacheable, but several others say not to enable it.
agp aperature 128 is ok

I would start with 5.5 * 110, and as stability is proven, work the way up to 112, 115, 120, and 124.

[ahartman]

The manual says that because the CPU external frequency is 100, the highest option for FSB speed is 124.

What cooling solutions do you suggest? I have a large aluminum (?) heat sink on my CPU with an attached fan. I also have two fans in my case - one for the power supply, the other at the bottom of the case. I'm at work and I can't remember which direction each blows.

What should I shoot for as far as temperature inside my case? It sounds like 40-45 c is what people like to keep theirs around.

Thanks again!

[Genom]

Welp. I just got a shiny new P3-600E

Have 133Mhz SDRAM. I popped it in and savagly set the FSB to 133Mhz as well. Bolted on my Globalwin dual fan heatsink. Startedc up. CRASH

Increased CPU voltage to 1.7. Booted up. Started UT. CRASH

Increased voltage to 1.75. Booted up. NO PROBLEM.


WOOHOO!!!

Running at 800Mhz as I type this. Using the Wicked400 demo for UT I went from 23FPS at 800x600 (on my P3-450@556) to 36FPS.

DAAAAMN

[Thundrchez]

The heatsinks that are in contact with the P3 and the L2 cache chips are the best. The fan on the heatsink should blow down onto the heatsink. The fan at the bottom of your case should blow into your case, and the PS fan blow out.

I really haven't kept up with what average case temperatures are, or what you should shoot for. As long as my rig is stable, I could care less what the temperature is.

I'm not sure if your mobo allows you to tweak the voltage to the CPU like Genom's. That is another tweak for getting stability when you are overclocking.

[Pace]

I was thinking of getting a Soyo 6BA+IV motherboard with 600E and 256Mb PC133.

Anybody know if this mobo will take CuMine?

Also, Andy, where'd you get your RAM?

Anybody know what PCI bus and AGP run at on this mobo if using non-standard FSB? e.g. 124MHz.

Also, how do you run UT benchmarks?

TIA, Paul.

[ahartman]

I got the memory from www.crucial.com

$130.00 (includes tax & shipping) for 128M CAS2 PC133.

[Greebe]

Andy, what mem did you get specifically?... I paid $131.39 for "7E" each + s/h or 275.92 w s/h. That was about a month ago now and their prices have gone up just a tad since then.

By the way, "7E" is the mem to get!

[ahartman]

I got the 7E. I imagine prices are down a little bit - they list for 112.00 on the web site, but tax (Chicago tax, no less) plus shipping made it $130/stick.

Not having much luck overclocking - gonna try some different stuff but expect to see more questions here.

I tried 112 FSB and it wouldn't get past the Windows screen on bootup. I'll try smaller and see what happens.