The Best way to overclock on Vista

Hello, I've recently Built a PC and exhausted funds so have to live with what i have for while. It's Running:

AMD Sempron 1.8Ghz
MSI K8N Neo V2
1GB DDR2 667MHz
ATI Radeon HD 4350 512MB

Running Vista Home Premium, Upto Date.

I'm aware that the Sempron can be cleverly overclocked, i was wondering the best way to go about this. Whether it be best to go by the Few Bios settings im able to change or to install software to help manage.

Has anyone tried with a similar system, and can share insight on what is the best settings to utilise.

Thanking you in advance

Hello crevitz,
My advice to you would be to o/c through the bios every time. The o/c software is easier but a lot less reliable, (DANGEROUS IN FACT) also i would suggest you read every bit of info you can get your hands on before you attempt anything, go low and slow with the settings, dont be tempted to go for a huge o/c first time, you will need to keep an eye on temps too, do you have good cooling on your system ?, i know funds are tight but another stick of ram would help you out alot, i have never had a system that i did not o/c, its easier than you would think to get good results, (its easy to fry your system too) lol, if i can help in any way give me a shout. Good luck.

Hello Again :D

What info should i be looking into in particular? I've been told before how you inch your way up. The CPU cooler is the stock that came with my Athlon X2 2.9, and ive used Artic Silver on all my builds, but yet when its idling Vista it's about 28 - 35'C which i think is really high to begin with, but i am prepared to buy a new Cooler as long as it doesnt cost more than a New Processor lol! The stick of ram is coming pretty soon

Hi,
Your first stop is your cpu's home page, (link below), here you will find the rec voltage and temp's, unless your going for a really high o/c i have found it best to try and keep to their recommended settings, although you may have to tweak the voltage a bit but that is unlikely, visit other o/c sites and see what other people are doing with the same type of cpu, i was able to learn a lot by doing that, as for the temps you can see mine at idle but mine is o/c to 3.7Ghz so they will be a bit hotter, they max out around the 50c mark playing Far Cry 2, and Crysis, speedfan and cpu'z are two good tools that are worth downloading, as for your the temp's i would see what other people are getting from theirs, they dont seem too hot to me but i have just come off a striker 2 motherboard that idled at about 50+c and maxed out at about 65c, Asus said that was good, lol, let me know how you get on.


CPU, Processor Information | AMD





just keep clicking on picture untill you can see it.

I've come to halt as i find the AMD website confusing, where should i be looking on the Sempron Page?

Here is a list of what my bios allows me to change (there were a few others but they didnt seem relevent)

CPU FSB Frequency (200.9 - 370.0)
CPU Ratio (x4.5 900Mhz - x9 1800Mhz)
CPU Voltage (1.400v - 1.200v)
PCI-E Frequency (100 - 150)

I've read a few other reviews regarding the same processor, they are good success stories with Stock cooling

EclipseOC | Processors | AMD Sempron 3400+ AM2
Am2 amd 3000+ 1.8 oc


what do you reccomend i push forward? At default my CPU Ratio is x9 1800Mhz and the FSB frequency is 200.9. CPU Voltage is on Auto and PCI-E frequency is at 100.

What type of progmram would you reccomend i use to ensure my computer is running stably as i havent a clue how they work and cant really decipher which one would be good to use.

Thanks

First of all download and install CPUz, and Speedfan, this will give you all the info on your CPU and allow you to keep an eye on the temps. Just how high were you looking to o/c this cpu ?, Have a read here it will give you some insight as to what you are about to under take, It's where i went, and still go, if you dont want to get in to this in a big way just try raising your multiplier one step at a time, raise it to x10 and see what you get, you may be surprised, it's a very basic way to o/c but it works, i would not mess with PCI-E settings. these sites will give you everything you need to o/c


site 1. Ultimate Overclocking & Stability Testing - Dev Hardware



site 2. The Memory FAQ - PC Perspective Forums

I've read the sites and have the general Gist of overclocking, although the CPU is half locked. So i've been inching in the FSB Frequency and have it running at 2.2Ghz. The temps seem ok rarely above 30. I was hoping to overclock it higher, to 2.6Ghz. Would you recommend i pursue and if so is it achievable?

To double check, i keep inching up the FSB, if windows wont load, Should i then start to up (slightly) the Voltage???


:-)

Hello crevitz,
Can you post a screenshot of your cpu in CPUz, then i will be able to tell you the safe max voltage of your cpu, if it's the cpu i think it is then i think 2.5Ghz on air cooling may be your safe limit but i will be able to tell you more when i see the screeny, good results so far though, have you noticed a change in performance at 2.2Ghz ?, also dont change the voltage just yet though.

here is a screenshot of my CPU in CPU-z and Speedfan running. (I had just ran the 32mb Stress test from SuperPi)

Its seems to be running stable. i was running a Prime95 test for a couple of hours but was unsure what the safe temps for my processor would be.

The only setting ive changed on the Bios is the FSB, voltage is on auto at the moments so im presuming its giving more power when and if needed.

Hello crevitz,
The voltage, you can leave that where it is for now, your getting more than enough juice, if you start to get issues then you can turn it up, (increase slowly), the max voltage you should go to is 1.40V, if your going to 2.6Ghz, you should not have to go to the max voltage setting, (more volts more heat). The max temp you can run at is 55-69C, (why dont they just say 69C),











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Found this, it's for your CPU, you can see at 2.6Ghz you only need 1.3V, yours is showing the default setting of 1.35V, you should get to your 2.6Ghz without any trouble or with too much heat looking at the temp's your getting now, if it was me i would stop at 2.6Ghz, anything more and it will eventualy impact on the life of the CPU. When you get to 2.6Ghz post your results, one last thing, dont be tempted to follow the chart to the end, they had some serious cooling. Good luck.

Howdy,

I've managed to get my CPU stable (After running 1hr,31min Stress test with Prime95)
at just under 2.5GHz, if i increase the FSB anymore windows boots then Bluescreens.

Ive included Screenshots of the CPU Idle (after 5 mins) and then one after the stress test.

The temps seem to be good, i will run the test for longer time soon, just to double check, is there anything else you reccomend i do?

Did you say that you cant adjust the multiplier ?, if you cant then it wont matter, thats a nice o/c with really good temps. when you get the other stick of ram you can have a go at o/c'ing the memory, glad you got there. Good luck.

I can't increase only decrease, i believe ive read the term is 'Half-Locked'. I'm happy with the speeds and the temps. You notice the improvement via the Processor not maxing out near as much, almost constant when at 1.8. I will get the RAM next week. Im still on the budget, but can you reccomend any Suitable RAM, In MY system i use OCZ Platinum range - but to be honest i only really bought them because they looked very pretty I know the timings are good but havent exactly read into to them much. But because im not really met with problems i never bother to.

The RAM in the system is only generic tat i got given. So im sure a replacent would work some magic.

Thank you very much BTW, you have been such a great help.

Take a look at my system specs, i cant fault this ram in any way, if you google it there are some good deals out there. Thanks, it has been good fun.