Daz34

I have just discovered that my Athlon XP 2400+ cpu is unlocked.
At present it has a retail cooler on it and temp is 32c for both cpu & mobo. What should I be able to overclock it to? Am I best just increasing the FSB or should I also lower the multiplier. The memory ratio is also set at 4:5 but do I need to change that to 1:1?
For the cooler, I am thinking of the new Vantec AeroFlow or maybe a ThermalRight SLK-800. I have experimented in the past with watercooling but want to stay with air cooling but I don't want a noisy fan either. Any suggestions on one for the SLK-800 that doesn't go above 40db? Any advice appreciated from the overclocking gurus out there (Mr Footlong & super_si are you listening!?)
Mobo is Asus A7V333, Memory is Samsung original DDR2700

Darren



[Edited by Daz34 - 3/25/2003 12:04:37 PM]

super_si

Arent most AMDs unlocked anyway?

Dont talk to me about CPU's. Mines become very veru fooked. Even stock speed i now need to run 5% more voltage.

Ask nick im not an AMD man, but i know the Xp2100 is the best overclocker

Si

Jye_0

Hi Daz, a very, very OC'able CPU the 2400. The main advantage is you will be able to use a 166 Mhz FSB NP with your present setup (similar to mine). You will be restricted by the Asus (no access to multiplyers lower than 13). I run my A7V and 2.4 @ 13 X 170 giving 2210 Mhz and it will run at 180 Mhz for most games and apps.

You will need to choose 1:1 although I think this option is decided for you after the bios upgrade.

Have you considered the Thermaltake Volcano 9 which is a smartfan, i.e. will speed up/slow down in line with temps.

Daz34

Just experimenting with my standard heatsink and fan combo, I have upped the FSB to 166/33mhz, lowered the multiplier to 13x, adjusted the memory ratio to 1:1 & set the memory timings to SPD (CAS2.5) as before I ran it at CAS2. I also upped the core voltage to 1.75.
That gives me 2.17Ghz which I believe makes it an XP2700+!!
My temps are now CPU 37c & mobo 33c.
It seems rock solid.
Am now considering getting some Corsair RAM so I can run at CAS2 to go with a better heatsink& fan & the Samsung stuff will not have it.
Is this any good and how much further should I go?? I do not wanna fry anything.

Darren

Daz34

I just incresed the multiplier to 14x giving me 2.33Ghz
I have left the vcore at 1.75
Cpu is now 39c (45c under load) & mobo still 33c
Don't think I will bother with the Corsair RAM just now. That would be greedy!
Are these temps ok? Do I really need to change the heatsink & fan?
Is that Vcore voltage ok for long term use??

[Edited by Daz34 - 3/25/2003 3:26:09 PM]

Jye_0

Temps are well within specs, if your Ram runs at CAS2 (faster than CAS2.5 obviously) I'd keep it at CAS2 unless you have mass instabilities. You will never fry any CPU with an Asus A7V as the board has very good thermal protection built in. The worse case scenario is that you might have to reset the bios if the PC fails to boot.

If possible keep your core voltage standard, Asus have been known to up the voltage at manufacture even though it wont show in the bios.

All you can do now is play with your ram timings but I doubt you will get far with the Asus or your present ram.

super_si

Whats more important Bandwidth or clock speed?

I can run 1:1 or 4:5, the later option gives me over 3000mb/per sec bandwidth which is more usful then a high clock speed.

Si

Jye_0

Yeah Si, but 1:1 is only any use if the fsb is at 166, if the fsb is at 133 then your wasting cycles trying to sync the mem bus to the fsb.

super_si

1:1 is generally used to hit the CPU limit, then generally use the other option.

Wish id gone XMS3500 or above

Anyone want 512mb stick

Si

Daz34

Thanks for the advice.
I tried lowering the Vcore to its default level (1.65) but it would not load up windows. I have upped it to 1.725 and set the ram at CAS2 with standard timings and it seems fine now. I think I will run it at this with a decent heatsink & fan.
I am happy with this as basically my mobo & ram are not overclocked as they are designed to run at 333Mhz & it is just my cpu that is being pushed.
Not bad considering it now runs faster than an XP2800+

Darren

P1 Enthusiast

Play about with it.

Dont worry about the mult or FSB really as long as your system is stable, at high FSBs your memory will struggle so might need to make the memory relax a little on its timings (Eg up the CAS).

Max temperature under load of the cpu should be 50 Degrees C for safety.

Daz34

As the core doesn't actually get that hot, I think I will go for a Vantec Aeroflow. Has great reviews and costs/weighs a lot less than a Thermalright Heatsink.

Jye_0

--Dont worry about the mult or FSB really as long as your system is stable--

Do worry, if only slightly, high FSB speeds that are well out of sync with the PCI bus can cause serious hard drive errors. If you have valuable data on your HD dont OC at all. In fact anything that uses the PCI bus can become unstable when raising the FSB. If you run about 10% above the PCI bus (33Mhz)you should be OK.

super_si

or you could just set the PCI bus frequency can on mines

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Can someone explain this ratio thingy to me ? I've just got a new motherboard which has it (never seen it before). My machine is running very slow and its set to 1:1, should it be set to something else ?

Don't want to overclock, just want to get the proper speed from my machine. Seems to take forever to boot up with my new mobo.

Jye_0

Doubt its the mem ratio Dunk as it makes v little diff. 1:1 mem is set at CPU bus speed, (133 or 166 prob), 4:5 set at ram speed i.e 166 for PC 2700 etc. Only problem is when your CPU bus speed is say 133, and your mem is set at 4:5 (166) then you have problems syncing both busses which can lead to lost cycles and a slight slow down overall. Basically 4:5 gives you a 25% increase in your memory speed but you wont see this as an increase in most benchmarks.

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Gotcha thanks.

I think its down to the IDE drives were not defaulting to use 32-bit access. Changed it and seems much faster now When did BIOS get so complicated

Jye_0

--I've just got a new motherboard which has it (never seen it before)--

You did format C: and installed a fresh OS I take it?

Daz34

Is there much noise difference between a 28db fan & a 34db fan?
I am thinking of changing my case fans to some higher output ones to aid cooling.

Darren

super_si

Id have to disagree Jye, using 4:5 gives you a better Ram bandwidth which is more usful then plain clockspeed.

1:1 is generally just used to test the CPU ceiling, then overclock from there.

Si

Jye_0

Si, please read

--Basically 4:5 gives you a 25% increase in your memory speed--

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Yep, did a format. 3 times in fact.

As per my MSI post, its going back to the shop, to be replaced with an Abit nForce board.

gallagher120

i have a AMD 2400+ in my machine and wondered if anyone had any overclosking info for me never done it before so wouldnt mind giving it a try

gallagher120

i have a AMD 2400+ in my machine and wondered if anyone had any overclosking info for me never done it before so wouldnt mind giving it a try

gallagher120

oops didnt mean to post twice!

Jye_0

--i have a AMD 2400+ in my machine and wondered if anyone had any overclosking info for me never done it before so wouldnt mind giving it a try--

It will depend on a few things, mainly your mobo, bios and ram.
Basically you will need to run your XP 2400 with a 166 Mhz (or more, 200 is possible with the correct mobo and ram) front side bus speed rather than the 133 it normally defaults to.

Whether you can do this or not will depend on your motherboard and the bios it uses. It could possibly be jumpers that set this even although I doubt it, have a look at your mobo manual.

It may require a bios upgrade or flash and it will depend on this whether you can choose a lower multiplyer than 15 (normal 15 X 133 = 1995), say 13 X 166 = 2158. Its not really the increase in clock speed which makes OC'ing worthwhile but the increase in the front side bus bandwidth that matters most.

If you bought your PC from somewhere like PC World, Dell, Dixons, Currys, Time etc then forget even thinking about Oc'ing)

gallagher120

my pc was built up by me, i can do that but when it comes to stuff like Oclocking! well ??? lol, just wondered if anyone knew a website that would give me a step by step guide on how to do this?? cheers

adam

Jye_0

Top 50 OC sites .






[Edited by Jye_0 - 3/27/2003 2:32:39 PM]

P1 Enthusiast

200 FSB is possible on the Asus A7n8X delux boards and the Epox 8rda+ boards (sp on those possibly)