What is overclocking?

JuanTutors · 2004-06-21, 21:52

What is overclocking?

JuanTutors · 2004-06-21, 21:55

Sorry for the double-post. The site automatically told me I couldn't post more than twice every 60 seconds, and I posted to another thread. I assumed it didn't create this new thread.

S80780 · 2004-06-21, 22:27

(feel free to correct or add to the following)

Overclocking means the gain of performance by running certain hardware like processors, memory etc. above the manufacturer's specification. The maximum gain of performance depends on the hardware and the software you run on it. Although some manufacturers give moderate specifications and the hardware stays stable even when heavily overclocked, (especially excessive) overclocking can cause system failures and shorten the life of certain components or the system as a whole. Be aware that usually you lose warranty by overclocking!

Benjamin

JuanTutors · 2004-06-21, 22:51

Can you force your computer to overclock?

mephisto · 2004-06-21, 23:33

Normally, yes. Either by settings in BIOS or by setting switches on the motherboard.
Not really recommended unless you enjoy spending a lot of time fiddling with hardware setup, and is prepared to buy the occasional new CPU when you burn out the old one by accident.
That is, for enthusiasts only :)

Citrix · 2004-06-22, 00:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by mephisto

Normally, yes. Either by settings in BIOS or by setting switches on the motherboard.
Not really recommended unless you enjoy spending a lot of time fiddling with hardware setup, and is prepared to buy the occasional new CPU when you burn out the old one by accident.
That is, for enthusiasts only :)

Is there a how to guide available?

Citrix

mephisto · 2004-06-22, 10:31

Sort of. There are plenty of details that differ between CPU's and motherboards, and some systems cannot be overclocked at all.
Still, these links may serve as a starting point:
http://cahtech.beigetower.org/howto/misc.php
http://arstechnica.com/tweak/oc_cooling.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20000808/

optim · 2004-06-23, 01:25

Overclocking is like running a car at speeds exceeding the proposed default speeds of its manufacturer. Substitute car for CPU and speed for frequency (MHz).

optim · 2004-06-23, 01:58

Overclocking in modern personal computers (introductory text)

Written June 2004. Public domain. May be redistributed and modified without restrictions.

Overclocking is like running a car at speeds exceeding the proposed default speeds of its manufacturer. Substitute car for CPU and speed for frequency (MHz). It is also possible to overclock the main memory (RAM) and the video card's GPU.

A modern personal computer has a a northbridge chipset, a memory controller, a central processing unit (CPU), some amount of main memory (RAM) and a video card which contains a graphics processing unit (GPU). The memory controller may be either in the northbridge chipset (this is the case of 32bit Intel CPUs) or inside the CPU (this is the case of AMD 64bit CPUs).

The memory controller communicates with the main memory (RAM) by the means of a front side bus (FSB). The FSB has a frequency, usually about 200MHz in modern PCs. The internal frequency of a CPU is defined by the FSB frequency multiplied by a number, called multiplier, which is usually around 10 or 12 in modern PCs. The FSB frequency advertised by the marketing departments of hardware manufacturers is usually more than the real FSB frequency because of some special technologies employed to increase the performance of the FSB, like DDR (double data rate). Common advertised FSB frequencies are 400MHz, 533MHz, 800MHz and 1GHz, however the real hardware frequency is usually in the 133MHz-200MHz range.

In many systemboards it is possible to change the FSB frequency and the multiplier of a PC. This ability is employed by overclockers to change the frequency of their CPUs. There are two common ways to do this: Either by increasing the multiplier or the FSB speed, or both. Some also increase the electrical voltage applied to the CPU.

Overclocking can lead to increased temperatures which may lead your CPU, main memory, systemboard or video card to die or become unstable (more system crashes).

Many CPU manufacturers lock their CPUs to work only with certain multipliers. This is the case of both AMD and Intel CPUs, but some of their models marketed to enthusiasts don't have a multiplier lock.

Overclocking may make you be in the need of more powerful system cooling solutions, such as watercooling. It may also cancel your computer's warranty.

clowns789 · 2004-06-23, 15:48

I was thinking that since overclocking barely helps you would lose more cycles posting about it and running overclocking software than gain by the tiny speed improvement.

Uncwilly · 2004-06-23, 16:09

12% is nothing to sneeze at. 2 more L-L's a year for a machine.

2004-06-21, 21:52	#1
JuanTutors "Juan Tutors" Mar 2004 2⁴·5·7 Posts	What is overclocking? What is overclocking?

2004-06-23, 01:58	#9
optim Nov 2003 European Union 2³×13 Posts	Overclocking in modern personal computers (introductory text) Overclocking in modern personal computers (introductory text) Written June 2004. Public domain. May be redistributed and modified without restrictions. Overclocking is like running a car at speeds exceeding the proposed default speeds of its manufacturer. Substitute car for CPU and speed for frequency (MHz). It is also possible to overclock the main memory (RAM) and the video card's GPU. A modern personal computer has a a northbridge chipset, a memory controller, a central processing unit (CPU), some amount of main memory (RAM) and a video card which contains a graphics processing unit (GPU). The memory controller may be either in the northbridge chipset (this is the case of 32bit Intel CPUs) or inside the CPU (this is the case of AMD 64bit CPUs). The memory controller communicates with the main memory (RAM) by the means of a front side bus (FSB). The FSB has a frequency, usually about 200MHz in modern PCs. The internal frequency of a CPU is defined by the FSB frequency multiplied by a number, called multiplier, which is usually around 10 or 12 in modern PCs. The FSB frequency advertised by the marketing departments of hardware manufacturers is usually more than the real FSB frequency because of some special technologies employed to increase the performance of the FSB, like DDR (double data rate). Common advertised FSB frequencies are 400MHz, 533MHz, 800MHz and 1GHz, however the real hardware frequency is usually in the 133MHz-200MHz range. In many systemboards it is possible to change the FSB frequency and the multiplier of a PC. This ability is employed by overclockers to change the frequency of their CPUs. There are two common ways to do this: Either by increasing the multiplier or the FSB speed, or both. Some also increase the electrical voltage applied to the CPU. Overclocking can lead to increased temperatures which may lead your CPU, main memory, systemboard or video card to die or become unstable (more system crashes). Many CPU manufacturers lock their CPUs to work only with certain multipliers. This is the case of both AMD and Intel CPUs, but some of their models marketed to enthusiasts don't have a multiplier lock. Overclocking may make you be in the need of more powerful system cooling solutions, such as watercooling. It may also cancel your computer's warranty.

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2004-06-21, 21:55	#2
JuanTutors "Juan Tutors" Mar 2004 2⁴·5·7 Posts	Sorry for the double-post. The site automatically told me I couldn't post more than twice every 60 seconds, and I posted to another thread. I assumed it didn't create this new thread.

2004-06-21, 22:27	#3
S80780 Jan 2003 far from M40 5³ Posts	(feel free to correct or add to the following) Overclocking means the gain of performance by running certain hardware like processors, memory etc. above the manufacturer's specification. The maximum gain of performance depends on the hardware and the software you run on it. Although some manufacturers give moderate specifications and the hardware stays stable even when heavily overclocked, (especially excessive) overclocking can cause system failures and shorten the life of certain components or the system as a whole. Be aware that usually you lose warranty by overclocking! Benjamin

2004-06-21, 22:51	#4
JuanTutors "Juan Tutors" Mar 2004 1000110000₂ Posts	Can you force your computer to overclock?

2004-06-21, 23:33	#5
mephisto Feb 2003 Norway 2³·7 Posts	Normally, yes. Either by settings in BIOS or by setting switches on the motherboard. Not really recommended unless you enjoy spending a lot of time fiddling with hardware setup, and is prepared to buy the occasional new CPU when you burn out the old one by accident. That is, for enthusiasts only :)

2004-06-22, 10:31	#7
mephisto Feb 2003 Norway 2³·7 Posts	Sort of. There are plenty of details that differ between CPU's and motherboards, and some systems cannot be overclocked at all. Still, these links may serve as a starting point: http://cahtech.beigetower.org/howto/misc.php http://arstechnica.com/tweak/oc_cooling.html http://www.tomshardware.com/howto/20000808/

2004-06-23, 01:25	#8
optim Nov 2003 European Union 104₁₀ Posts	Overclocking is like running a car at speeds exceeding the proposed default speeds of its manufacturer. Substitute car for CPU and speed for frequency (MHz).

2004-06-23, 15:48	#10
clowns789 Jun 2003 The Computer 2⁴·5² Posts	I was thinking that since overclocking barely helps you would lose more cycles posting about it and running overclocking software than gain by the tiny speed improvement.

2004-06-23, 16:09	#11
Uncwilly 6809 > 6502 """"""""""""""""""" Aug 2003 101×103 Posts 7·37·41 Posts	12% is nothing to sneeze at. 2 more L-L's a year for a machine.