overclocking CPU

[kippendrecht]

I just built my new computer.

it as an P5N32-SLI MB and an intel core2duo E6400

my CPU stays really cool. its now 13C according to PC probe.
my MB is 36C.

but 13C is really low, its just a waste to not let the CPU run faster.

but I dont know how to do that....can somebody help me?

[Drayu]

http://www.bleedinedge.com/cms/

[Drayu]

Look in their forums, they have a section for different motherboards and a section for different processors. have fun :D

[kippendrecht]

they must be talking another language bc I cant understand half of what they are discussing there :dunno:

[LordBeer]

That's a pretty cool site there Drayu. Going to have to look more at it.

Kipp - If the PC is running fine for you, is it worth blowing the warranty on it this early?

[kippendrecht]

Kipp - If the PC is running fine for you, is it worth blowing the warranty on it this early?

dont know..

I'm just trying to get a idea of what overclocking is, if it will be better for my computer or not.

I always thought a CPU was limited bc of the heat? with 13C when I'm browsing the internet and plzying music and 20C when I'm playing bf2 it seems like a waste to me :dunno:

[LordBeer]

Thinking of it in terms of heat is good but not always the case. The CPU could still be within temp limits and become unstable while overclocking. Sometimes it's up to luck.

Trying to think of how to explain this correctly. Bear with me. When Intel or AMD produce a batch of CPU's they'll test em out and figure out what their stable maximum operating speed is. Technically they are all the exact same chip, but they've tested and seperated them into the different models. They test them to see what clock multiplier the CPU is stable at. Sure they could run them faster but it might upset some of their customers.

Overclocking involves setting that clock multiplier higher then the one it was originally rated for. Your CPU speed is the Front Side Buss speed times the Multiplier factor. My System has a FSB of 200mhz and a multiplier of 11.5 for a total speed of 2.3ghz. These number would be WAY different for your Core Duo. No idea what they'd be.

Anyway this will usually generate more heat just because the CPU is running faster. Sometimes you'll also have to bump up the voltage in order to have an overclocked CPU run and be stable. Pumping up the voltage can be kinda risky though. Well overclocking alone can be risky, but setting the voltage wrong can fry your hardware. I think Echo has some experience with that aspect of overlocking.

Was looking up stuff on overclocking the Core Duo and it looks like it's pretty easy to do. It didn't look like you had to physically unlock the multiplier on the CPU. That makes it a simple matter of changing the multipliers in BIOS. I'd recommend reading up the subject more then just jumping in and doing it. You could really screw yourself and I'd hate to see that. I'll see if I can find you any guides that make it simple to understand. Those forums Drayu listed though are about as simple as it will get.

Here is a Wikipedia article that kinda explains it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overclocking

(I'm sure I screwed up something in the above writting but I'm sick.. give me a break :thumbsup: )

[kippendrecht]

I just got into the BIOS

in the advanced menu. I turned on the AI or AL :dunno: overclocking.

then I could just choose between 5% 10% 15% and 20%

so does that mean that the mobo will overclock all the components 5,10,15 or 20% faster?

if so, thats kinda easy to do. and then I wont have to struggle with voltages, heat, fsb and multipliers :dunno:

[LordBeer]

Why wouldn't heat still be an issue? If you OC it then it will run hotter. Please keep an eye on that if you decide to kick it up a notch there. (I'd imagine you already have..)

As for the rest of it.. I'm reading up a little more on how that works with your MoBo. I'd suggest you do the same . I really have no clue how that works or what settings it changes. Kinda interesting way of doing it but I'd like to know just what it's changing.

Just start with little increases. You've already got a pretty bitchin' rig. Increase it a little bit and run a stress test on it. Prime95 is a pretty good one.

http://www.mersenne.org/freesoft.htm

Run the 'Torture Test' under options and see how it does. If it can't do it, then you'll probably have to back off the OC a little. Keep a close eye on the temps while the test is running.

I found some things on Toms Hardware's forums saying that the AI nos or preselected overclocks were kinda unstable. If they do work for you then cheers. I'd still be wary though since I dont know what settings it is changing.

Going to mention this one more time just in case... Please Kip, do a little more homework on the subject. There is no rush to do it and if something goes wrong.. Well, you wont be able to RMA any of your parts. We dont want to loose you man. :thumbsup:

[kippendrecht]

I will read some more on it when I will go overclock

last night, I tried that AI overclocking and I increased it with 5% until I got to 20% my CPU was then 30C and MB 40C when playing BF2 my CPU was 35C and MB 42C.

with CPU-Z I saw that the CPU was running at 2556 Mhz.

dont know if I will notice the difference and I was a little scared of that 0.4 Ghz increase so I turned the AI overclocking off.

maybe later, when my computer is getting 'old' I will overclock it to get it going some longer, but for now, I think its good enough

[LordBeer]

Good idea man. I waited until my CPU was old and well past it's prime before I did it. I was more after the FSB increase to remove a dual channel memory bottleneck though. I just lucked out that my CPU was an older version and would be more likely handle it.

You were scarred of the .4 increase? :hehehe: Isn't that what you wanted? The temp doubling would be of more concern to me, but then again I dont know much about the Duos. No idea what their max temps or voltages are. All I know is that I want one, but that's about it. :yaya:

[Gruthar]

35C is definitely an acceptable temperature for a CPU. Why're you afraid of the 400MHz increase? That's what overclocking does! If you were able to run BF2 with a 20% OC with no issue, just set it to 20% and forget about it! 20% is enough, and at 35C you're far from harming anything.

[kippendrecht]

and nothing else will get damaged? wont it shorten the lifespan of the CPU?

[lamah]

wanna o/c like mad?

instruction on using your swimming pool
http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/user/ebuehl/pool_cooling/

[Gruthar]

and nothing else will get damaged? wont it shorten the lifespan of the CPU?

At 35*C? By the time that CPU dies, it will have become more obsolete than a 486 is today.

[LordBeer]

Heat accelerates electron migration which is the thing that will kill any cpu over a long enough time frame.

35C is still cooler then my CPU runs at though.

[Gruthar]

It takes many years for electron migration to do sufficient damage to start causing errors. For the 65nm cores like the Conroe, you generally want to stay below 60*C and it won't be a problem. I also heard it recommended to stay within 15% of the stock voltage when overclocking... but that was a while ago.

[sir_digalot]

hell mine sits at about 62-65 under load, but mine does have netburst *L*

i am sorry 35 under load? i could chill a drink on that (j/k) i want a core 2 more then ever now!