Newbie Here... Need Help With Overclocking My System

[sawyen]

Hi there guys. Anyone mind showing me how to allow my Barton 2500+ XP to run at 200 MHz FSB? I've tried lowering the multiplier to 9.0 and increased the FSB clock to 200 MHz... but to no avail... Before I can even load into the Window XP slash screen, the system reboots. I've recently bought a pair of 512 Kingston PC3200 and its almost going to waste if I cant get my system to run at DDR 400.

My System Specs are as below,

CPU: Athlon XP 2500+ Barton
Motherboard: ABIT NF7 Nforce2
RAM: 2 x 512 MB Kingston PC3200 (I have an old spare pair of 512 MB Kingston PC2700)
Sound Card: On-board
Graphic Card: Leadtek 6800 GT 256MB 8X AGP (a waste on an old system... I know... it was a gift last xmas)
HDD: Maxtor 120GB 7200 rpm

PLease help... Oo.. I would be also nice if someone could shed some light on overclock-ing my 6800GT using stock Leadtek (as large as a brick) fan.

Thanks!

[darrensen]

At work i have the same mobo as you with the XP 3200+. I tried clocking that and only got it to 2.3ghz, stock cooling though. i had the FSB running at 210 and running X11.

If i went any higher than that it would crash, i tried lowering it to X10 and increasing the FSB, but still same problem.

[Rave]

It sounds like either the motherboard or memory is holding you back. Some NForce2 boards have difficulty running 1GB of RAM at 200MHz. For a start, what memory timings are you using in the bios?

I wouldn't say that a 6800GT was wasted on a system like that.

[ed^chigliak]

The standard voltage to the CPU is 1.65. Increase the FSB in smaller increments and when it becomes unstable increase the voltage 1 notch. Be aware that increasing the voltage will increase the temperature so use a hardware monitor to check the temps until you are confident it's OK with your cooling setup. Use Prime95 to torture the CPU and check stability with each increase. My 2500+ does 11x200 @ 1.725 volt and I wouldn't advise going past 1.75 volts unless you have good cooling.

[Rave]

He's only trying to run the CPU at 1.8GHz for the moment though. He shouldn't need any extra voltage for that. As I say, I think his problem is the memory or the motherboard.

[sawyen]

I've set the memory timing to automatic... I'm not a pro in all these stuff.. I thought I might as well let the BIOS handle it for me. Well... The motherboard is already 1.5 yr old. When I got hold on it, it came wif 1GB of 2700's. The RAM are brand new... 1 month old... at the most... But its hurts my heart to see that a 3200 is running at 333MHz. I don't intend to overclock my CPU. 2500+ is still a decent enough punch at 1280x1024 for any of todays games with my 6800GT. I just want to make my RAM work at 200MHz FSB so my 150 quids won't go down the drain. Anymore suggestions? I'm dying for anything that might work.... again... 9x multiplier with 200 MHz doesnt work... should I go lower on the mutiplier? But its gonna mean lower clock speed for my CPU.. no? Umm... just another silly question... Would running FSB at say... 180 MHz... hurt my 3200 memory? I mean... since if I can't push it to hit 200MHz.. I might as well make it run as high frequency as possible.

My 6800GT is now running at 380MHz GPU and 1100MHz DRAM and its operating at around 60C ambient and 75C when Im playing HL2.. 1024x768 4xAA.. 8xAF... Is the temperature comsidered high? Cs I've always been sceptical about my GPU going above 65C.

[Rave]

I've set the memory timing to automatic... I'm not a pro in all these stuff.. I thought I might as well let the BIOS handle it for me.

That could well be your problem then. In the bios, choose manual memory timings, and set them to CAS 2.5, TRCD 3, TRP 3 , TRAS 11. Then try again. If it still doesn't work, then try 3-4-4-11.

As a thought, if the board allows it (I think it depends on which revision of NF7 you have) you could try increasing the VDD- this is the voltage going to the chipset. Try 1.7 or 1.8V. Before you do that, check that the fan on the northbridge is still spinning, I seem to recall they have a reputation for dying.

Umm... just another silly question... Would running FSB at say... 180 MHz... hurt my 3200 memory? I mean... since if I can't push it to hit 200MHz.. I might as well make it run as high frequency as possible.

No that's fine- my board can't cope with running 2x512 of memory at 200MHz- well it can, but it's not Prime stable. I run at 185MHz- the performance difference between that and 200MHz will be minimal, 1-2% probably.

My 6800GT is now running at 380MHz GPU and 1100MHz DRAM and its operating at around 60C ambient and 75C when Im playing HL2.. 1024x768 4xAA.. 8xAF... Is the temperature comsidered high? Cs I've always been sceptical about my GPU going above 65C.

It's high but not that unusual for the latest generation of cards. You could look at improving your case airflow though. Also check that the card's heatsink isn't full of dust- get the hoover out if it is.

[sawyen]

thanks a million guys.. will try it tonite when I finish work. Will give u guys an update tomorrow. Cheers..

[sawyen]

oh.. another question... should I also leave the CPU FSB/DRAM ratio on auto? the options on manual available to me are... 3/3, 3/4, 3/5, 3/6, 4/3, 4/4, 4/5, 4/6, 5/3, 5/4, 5/5, 5/6, 6/3, 6/4, 6/5, and 6/6.. any comments?

[Rave]

Hmm...auto should work, if not try 6/6. You definitely don't want to use ones like 6/5, always keep the RAM running at the same speed as the FSB.

[sawyen]

thanks again Rave... Will try ur suggestions tonight...

Umm... do u have any nifty methods in clearing out dust in the CPU/GPU fan? It seems blowing it out wif 'artificial pressurised air gun a.k.a my lungs' doesnt really work... not to mention the rediculously long coughs I get after attempting to mimic a pressure gun on the CPU fan.

Cheers again,

[Rave]

I usually just use a hoover. Be a bit careful with the fans, because they can apparently spin up to warp speed and then break. I do it in bursts, or just put something in the fan to stop it spinning. On a lot of CPU heatsinks you can remove the fan altogether which makes things much easier.

To get it really clean, a can of 'compressed air' (actually butane) will completely blast all the dust off, but they tend to cost a fiver or so.

[sawyen]

thanks

[sawyen]

umm... the memory timing didn't seem to work.
Here's what I've tried:
I've changed the memory timing to 2.5,3,3,11... and allowed 200MHz FSB with 9x multiplier. I've increased the board voltage to 1.7v (the northbridge fan is working). When i saved the new BIOS settings and reboot... the system won't even enter my 6800GT memory count screen. The screen is blank.. and I keep hearing the same noise my mobo makes everytime i start my rig... on and on. When I turned the power off... pulled out the BIOS battery and place it back again, it boots fine but at CPU 1100MHz.. (10x mult at 100MHz FSB)... however the memory states its DDR400. WIERD!!!! HELP!!! ITS A MESS!!... i've set everything back to default now. PLEASE HELP!!

[sawyen]

Helllppp!!!!

[johnnr892]

ok, this happened to me also, set the user define clock settings to enables and fiddle around there, this will then set it to the speed it should be, don't panic it's nothing major i don't think