Over Clocking, help... plz... *begs* Options

[kyro]

Hi, i've had an account here for a while but I haven't posted much. I need some help now though.
Ok, I just bought this computer from frys.
It is a pretty good comp for $300.
It has a 741GX-M motherboard or at least I think that is what its called, not sure, thats what the manual says.
The processor is an AMD 2600+ but for some reason it is the same Ghz as my moms 2800+, but I'm not complaining
It came with 128mb of RAM which was pathetic so I bought a 512mb stick and installed it, now I want to see if I can overclock it but I am not sure how. I heard you have to take the jumpers off and move them around but I am not sure. If the motherboard isn't overclockable then is the fsb?
I just want to speed this thing up some more.
Thanx for whatever help you can provide.
If you need pictures just say so and I will take some.

[ThGreenMoFo]

Overclocking is a complex task to endevour in. From the information that I can find on your MB (741GX-M) @ at the following address:

http://www.ecsusa.com/products/741gx-m.html

It appears that your MB isn't really equipped to be overclocked. I am having problems finding the manual for your MB though. It is true that some motherboards come with jumpers of DIP switches that can be adjusted to set the FSB Multiplier - usually now you only find those with higher end MBs designed for this function. Sometimes you can adjust the FSB Multiplier in the BIOS settings. You have an AMD Athlon XP 2600+. There are actually two versions of this CPU; Model 8 w/ 333 MHz FSB and Model 8 w/ 266 MHz FSB (CPUID 681) base specifications of the 333 MHz chip are (I figured this is the one you have as your MB only supports 333 MHz FSB):

AMD Athlon XP (Model 8) 2600+ :

Processor Speed - 2133 MHz (2.133 GHz)
Processor Bus Speed - 333 MHz
Multiplier - 6.25x
Voltage - 1.65V
Max Current - 41A
Max Power - 68.3W
Process - 0.13 micron
Transistors - 37.2
Die Temperature (max) - 85C

Knowing this information should help you (if you can) push the operating speed of your processor up a bit.

[Atomic]

when i built my computer, about a year ago, i oc'ed it.
i saw some minor improvements but they only manifested themselves as higher benchmark scores and any performance gain was insignificant enough to be regarded as unnoticible. i really DID NOT feel any change

i dont recommend oc'ing especially on a system that you obviously dont know so much about and seems to be a budget system

anyhow, i dont oc anymore and really dont recommend anyone to do it unless they have a watercooled system and want to have the lowest ping in the server so they can get more headshots, a pretty dumb reason to lower the life expactancy of your cpu.

if you REALLY want your computer to run faster, id beef up the ram even more, anything else would really just be too minor and damaging to your system.

[kyro]

ok, I guess I will just buy another 512 stick.
I was also thinking about buying a new case and moving it all over.
Btw, do I get to the multiplier settings through the bios?

This post has been edited by kyro: Feb 5 2005, 06:06 AM

[ThGreenMoFo]

Yeah multiplier settings are generally accessed through the system BIOS settings. I don't reccomend changing anything or trying to overclock if you don't understand the consequences that your decisions face for your system and data. A quick rundown on multipliers:

A multiplier is simply the difference in speed between the FSB on the motherboard to the CPU clock rate. For instance, your CPU clock speed specification is @ 2133 MHz with a FSB at 333 MHz with a multiplier setting of 6.25.

333 MHz X 6.25x ~ 2133 MHz

Lets say you were running your FSB @ 266 MHz you would need a multiplier setting of...

2133 MHz / 266 MHz ~ 8.0x

The FSB is the clockspeed of the connection between the CPU and the system bus. The CPU clock speed is the internal clock frequency of the CPU. The multiplier tells the CPU at what speed the FSB is running at in order to "sync" the two together to allow for data exchange and offload from the processor and cache memory (L1/L2).

Basically it works like this. If you have something running much faster (CPU) than something else (FSB) then the problem you have is how to get them to work together without slowing the one (CPU) down. Here's an analogy. There are two telemarketers. One telemarketer is making 10 phone calls an hour while the other telemarketer is entering the data collected by the first telemarketer into a computer but at a rate of 2 calls an hour and can only have 5 files on his/her desk at one time. Obviously the first telemarketer (the one actually calling) can't just finish 10 calls and dump the files on the second telemarketer's desk because he/she can only have 5 files at once. So the second telemarketer is working 10/2 = 5 times slower than the first one. Knowing this information we can "time" their schedules together so that at certain times the appropriate number of files can be delivered from telemarketer one to telemarketer two to ensure that the flow of files is continuous.

The important thing to remember about overclocking is that increases in speed generally result in a higher CPU operating temperature. As that temperature approaches the die temperature (max) of your CPU (for yours 85C) the processor slows down and can eventually melt or burn out. It's up to whether or not this risk is worthwhile. Some of the newer Pentium 4 Processors can generate above 100 watts of heat energy. Just think about turning on a 100 watt light bulb and trying to hold onto it. This is the same amount of heat being sent out of your CPU in a much smaller area. That's why heat is such a killer!

[kyro]

I am absorbing you knowledge and thinking about doing it, whatever the risks
btw, the closet shrine has been upgraded to a backyard temple, I now need a 3d scan so that i can cast a golden statue of you.

[binary]

to be honest an overclock on a system of that spec wouldnt even be worth it.

in my opinion overclocking should only take place on serious gaming machines or ones which run CAD or other types of demanding programs.. at the end of the day as mentioned you wont see any difference and u are at risk of overheating ur cpu , i overclocked my cpu by 100mhz and got blue screens everywhere after trying many different options i just said its not worth the hassle for 100mhz extra which i wont notice... and that was an amd 64 3000+


i know its a craze people trying to over do each others system in 3d mark scores but i say its not worth it!

[kyro]

Well, I have overclocked it to 2.2 from 2.08ghz
I had to add a fan though.
I also got the networking working
had to use cat5 first then use the wireless

[Atomic]

well, congrads, u have just shortened the life expactancy of ur proccesor, for an extra 120 mhz

did u add any ram at least?

ram is an awesome way to boost speed because its reusable.... a proccessor gets out dated, u throw it away, ram can just be added to the next computer you buy and unless u screw with the ram settings, its probly going to last quite a while. proccessors, if u try to oc them, i doubt theyll last more then a few years.