Overclocking a 2.4C

Bobendren · Post by **Bobendren** » 18 Feb 2005, 23:04

ok right, so i reckon i'm quite clued up on the subject of overclocking and in particular my 2.4C chip, but before i go ahead (and do something stupid) i've got a few (i.e a lot of ) questions to ask (even if they are stupid).

So if someone could please give me some advice about the following:

ok firstly these are my specs:
P4 2.4GHz(C)
GA-8IG1000 Pro-G (865G) mobo (check it out on pg54 of this months mag)
1 x 512MB DDR400 Trancend RAM

1) the rams probably going to be a problem, i thought of: 2 x 512 ddr500, either AData or KingMax (Corsair and other more expensive makes are exactly that; too expensive).
[i've never used a semi-colon before (unless Word told me to), but it seems appropriate]

2) should i use Easy-Tune 5 or just go through the BIOS. How does Easy- Tune work, does it adjust the BIOS settings for you or do the settings only take affect once you enter windows?

3) my giga-byte mobo doesn't allow one to change the RAM timings, not even CAS. Should i update my BIOS (how do i find out what version it is, to see if should bother updating it in the first place?) or is there a program that can adjust the timings from windows?

4) i'm going to try and overclock it to 3.0GHz (FSB 250), this shouldn't be a problem as several oc websites have oced the same chip to 3.3GHz with stock cooling and without increasing the vcore. (i'm getting a zalman 7000B AlCu, so hopefully temps won't be a problem)

5) i'm going to keep the chip/mem in a 1:1 ratio, will i need to increase the vcore if i'm running the ram at ddr500, even if the ram modules are specified at ddr500?

6) the cooling on the north-bridge is passive, (i've noticed even newer giga-byte mobo's have passive cooling, presumably to promote a quieter system) will i have to by a new HSF for the north-bridge? at the moment there's a lot of air passing through the nb heatsink from the cpu fan, so i thought of just upgrading the heatsink to a zalman passive nb cooler.

7) what does one use to pack bubble-wrap? oh wait...

this is by far the longest post i've ever written, even longer than most of my emails....so if someone could please help me out here, it would have made typing all of this worth while.

Fishzn · Post by **Fishzn** » 18 Feb 2005, 23:48

Well lets see, what i can help you with Bob.

1) If you want extremely high FSB speeds then the RAM might prove to be a setback. But for 3ghz it should be more than sufficient. If you really want to get the best out of that 2.4c then you should look at RAM with some tight stock latencies.

2) Personally i would overclock through the BIOS, since it allows more options and doesn't freeze on setting changes since it has to boot after each one. If anything goes wrong just flash the bios. Easytune i think, changes the setting while in windows without restart

3) Haven't worked with this mobo or read anything on it, so im unsure why it doesn't have RAM timing settings. The BIOS version should be displayed at boot. Check it up on the GB website and d/l the update and flash it. Read up on how to do it properly. RAM timings are important since if it adjusts it automatically, you wouldn't be able to get the tightest latencies as possible thereby slowing ur machine down.

4 & 5) 3ghz on this CPU should be cake. Using a 250FSB is fine and it will run on stock cooling but i doubt ur RAM will reach ddr500 speeds, what you need to do is set the memory divider to 4:5(83%) which will give boot at FSB 250 and RAM ddr400(200 some odd mhz) which is 3.0ghz on this CPU, if i remember correct. Personally after using Transcend ram i got up to 220mhz max(ddr440), so you should be good upto 265mhz FSB. The amazing thing about this CPU is that no Vcore increase was required most of the time for 3ghz to 3.3ghz clocks, so yeah no vcore increase.

6) I doubt the northbridge will act up with the overclocking you're going to be doing but i do suggest you get a 4cm fan and screw it on for that extra cooling assistance thats so much needed in OC. If you want to buy a NB cooler go for an active cooler and buy some good thermal paste for it as well and then stick the passive one onto the southbridge!

7) Why Styrofoam of course, that is universal packing material dude and it by far owns bubble wrap.

So yeah, hope you come right! As you go along you'll realise what a cracker of CPU you have there and be very happy! Any help i can give, please ask! Cheers and hope you come right!

Bobendren · Post by **Bobendren** » 18 Feb 2005, 23:55

whoa!!!, that's way more than i thought anyone would ever reply with.

thanks so much

[edit: just because fishzn was so generous, doesn't mean the rest of you don't have to be, come on, anyone?]

Fishzn · Post by **Fishzn** » 19 Feb 2005, 00:34

No Prob, just try to do all these things right! That way you can enjoy that CPU and all of ur games!

WoolyBadBaba · Post by **WoolyBadBaba** » 19 Feb 2005, 07:15

I've also got a 2.4C, and i'm using a proggie called CPUFSB to change the FSB, coz my mobo doesn't have any o/c options.

Fishzn wrote:4 & 5) 3ghz on this CPU should be cake. Using a 250FSB is fine and it will run on stock cooling but i doubt ur RAM will reach ddr500 speeds, what you need to do is set the memory divider to 4:5(83%) which will give boot at FSB 250 and RAM ddr400(200 some odd mhz) which is 3.0ghz on this CPU, if i remember correct. Personally after using Transcend ram i got up to 220mhz max(ddr440), so you should be good upto 265mhz FSB.

Could you please explain this relationship between the FSB, CPU and RAM when overclocking? Coz, i've got 512MB RAM (266Mhz)

Bobendren · Post by **Bobendren** » 19 Feb 2005, 09:32

ok i'm guessing u're running a 133MHz bus.

FSB = 133 * 4 (quad pumped) = 533 effective

ok i'm not sure how the multiplier works here, on mine (FSB 200) *(12, the multiplier) = 2400MHz.
so on yours (FSB133)*( 18 ) = 2400 or there abouts

i think that's right....anyone else wanna comment?

right onto the ratio bit: i wanna run my cpu/mem in a ratio of 1:1 so if i oc the bus speed to 250 then cpu will run at 3.0GHz (250*12) and mem at ddr500 (250*2).

if i run it at a ratio of 3:2 then the cpu will still run at 3.0GHz but the memory will run at ddr333 (250/3*2 then *2 coz it's ddr) incase your mem can't support higher speeds.

sorry if u already new half this stuff, but i don't know how much you already know.

Bobendren · Post by **Bobendren** » 19 Feb 2005, 14:18

ok sorry to do this but i do have another promising question:

i've read about TCCD memory, what is it and why is it better than standard memory, and does it allow for better overclocking??

any insight would be greatly appreciated