AGP help (warning: I wrote a book here.)

[noobinberg]

My new video card came with OC software and was wondering how it would effect performance if I used it. Don't wanna fry my box or the bus slot. (did that on a crappy msi board b4) Also, I'm looking to gain just a measly 5 -10 fps's in some mmmorpg's.

The OC software is built into my Catalyst Control Center Version 9.2 application. They call it ATI Overdrive.

My GPU status is set at 547 MHz and the slider will go up to 660.
My Graphic Memory Status is set at 398 MHz and can slide up to 468 MHz.
There is an option to run automated clock configuration utility. Also a box to check for Preserving Overdrive settings at logon.

Video Card:
Sapphire X1650 PRO (has fan with no speed settings)
512 MB DDR2
AGP X8
Running dual monitors. LG L1710S 17" LCD at 1280 X 1024 (3D game-play at 1024 X 768 in full screen) and KDS generic 15" LCD at 1024 X 768 (no game-play on this.) Plus, I switch between 15" and S-Video out to watch movies on a standard tube 4:3 33" TV.

My Aging Box:
MOBO: ECS P4M800PRO-M V1.0....VIA CHIPSETS GALORE!....<:-(
CPU: P4 506 2.66 GHz 533 MHz FSB Socket 775 (Max CPU for MOBO is E6700 with bios update)
Memory: Kingston Value RAM 2 GB (1024 X 2) DDR2 533 MHz (maxed out)
PSU: Logisys 550 W (dual fan)
Case: RaidMax Scorpion
Case fans: 5 X 80mm (2 front, 2 rear, 1 side)
HDD: 2 X Hitachi Deskstar 7200 RPM 400 GB SATA. 1 X WD 250 GB (IDE to USB) External
Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 PCI Sound
Toshiba DVD ROM (IDE)
Pioneer DVR-111D DVD +ReWritable Dual Layer (IDE)
Floppy (Generic)
Internet connection via USB Alfa (really bad assed) WIFI adapter on a 6 Mb/s line (download rate for iTunes was around 1 MB/s)

Quad OS Booting:
Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit
Windows XP PRO SP3
Kubuntu 9.10
Ubuntu Studio 9.04
(Plus a few Live distros from time to time)

Both Windows OS's Virtual Memory set to 4096 MB
8 GB Flash USB entirely dedicated to ReadyBoost in Win7.

I think that if I do my OC'ing in the bios that all OS's will be affected. Or does Overdrive app make the change at the bios level too? Never successfully OC'd before.

How can I OC video and ensure that I don't fry my AGP bus? I'm not really concerned about the card failing as ATI Overdrive was made for the chipset...am I right? Is there some kind of test I could do to find out what my MOBO is capable of as far as voltage for the AGP bus? Would OC'ing the CPU or RAM in the bios show measurable results to game-play without damaging anything? I also noticed in the bios there is a place where I can adjust voltages and stuff for the video too...IDK, lots to think about.

So, I'm just looking for a performance boost that's not at the expense of my hardware. Don't wanna just try it out and find out I blew hardware that has no replacement.

I really want to improve my frame-rate in some games. Usually when I walk around in a 3D game lower fps make the scenery choppy. Kind of hard to stab a moving target at 10 fps and I've seen it as slow as 5 fps. I've seen it go as high as 15 fps during movement but, of course, the more information on the screen the lower the frame rate. Watching stuff go on around me and standing still I get up to 25 fps. This was measured in DDO (Dungeons and Dragons Online 3 GB free version download) while in online play. www.ddo.com

 

[Shaitis_06]

Visit me in Poland I have my old X1950 I can give it away.

 

[noobinberg]

This forum sux! If I'm not running quad core and crossfire or sli nobody gives me the time of day! Not everyone can afford to build a new $4,000 rig with water-cooled assjets. So, for the little guy to get help in here is pretty much a waste of time. All you with your upity responses (glad that got deleted btw! Thanks Tom!) and smart assed replies. You don't care about any budget that's as low as mine. Huh, I was actually pretty stoked that I was able to upgrade at all let alone have the possibility to overclock. I know that back in the day when AGP was new all you fnckers were overclocking the sh|t out of it...but now that you've moved up to PCI-E you couldn't give a sh|t about those of us just being able to touch that outdated technology. I have always looked to Tom's for info and stuff about hardware. Now I know better than to look to the readers. Cause you d|cks can't stop sucking each others @sse$ long enough to give help.

I mean even a "Dude, you shouldn't bother overclocking that old stuff. It's not worth it" would be welcomed. And I'd understand. Instead I get "your hardware is worthless" and sh|t. Telling me that I'm on disability and stuff like that. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. That's irrelevant. The fact is that my budget doesn't allow me to build a new box, so I make due with what I have. My kids can't eat ddr3 and sure as hell can't drink whatever that sh|t is you put in the water cooled overpowered boxes. And for the smart a$$ telling me to fly all the way to Poland for a crappy x1950? If I could afford that I would've just bought the HD 3850, dumb a$s. I'm not stupid. Just ignorant (and that's not the same as stupid) about overclocking.

I bet none of you can even utilize the power you fervently put into those rigs. "I got 12 gb DDR3 2000mhz!" So what? Nothing you run even uses more than 6 gb! Fnckin idiots just gotta say "I have the FASTEST!"

Go and fnck yourselves, all of you.

Don't bother responding to me. I reported this email notification as SPAM. I wouldn't care to read your bu||sh|t anyway.

 

[noobinberg]

Visit me in Poland I have my old X1950 I can give it away.

Screw you d|ck

 

[Shaitis_06]

Ok it seems my answer will not be choosen the best

Problem with AGP is not that its not overclockable, or the differences between your platform and modern are so big in terms of "how to do it". Even if you overclock your platform 50% it or even 100% it would be like 5% overclock on normal computer in terms of performance. Its just not enough. I didnt wanted to say anything wrong, that text about 1950 was kinda joke. but bear in mind that semi modern pc (last year spec) would be like 250$ now.

 

[alexcheng]

This forum sux! If I'm not running quad core and crossfire or sli nobody gives me the time of day! Not everyone can afford to build a new $4,000 rig with water-cooled assjets. So, for the little guy to get help in here is pretty much a waste of time. All you with your upity responses (glad that got deleted btw! Thanks Tom!) and smart assed replies. You don't care about any budget that's as low as mine. Huh, I was actually pretty stoked that I was able to upgrade at all let alone have the possibility to overclock. I know that back in the day when AGP was new all you fnckers were overclocking the sh|t out of it...but now that you've moved up to PCI-E you couldn't give a sh|t about those of us just being able to touch that outdated technology. I have always looked to Tom's for info and stuff about hardware. Now I know better than to look to the readers. Cause you d|cks can't stop sucking each others @sse$ long enough to give help.

I mean even a "Dude, you shouldn't bother overclocking that old stuff. It's not worth it" would be welcomed. And I'd understand. Instead I get "your hardware is worthless" and sh|t. Telling me that I'm on disability and stuff like that. Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. That's irrelevant. The fact is that my budget doesn't allow me to build a new box, so I make due with what I have. My kids can't eat ddr3 and sure as hell can't drink whatever that sh|t is you put in the water cooled overpowered boxes. And for the smart a$$ telling me to fly all the way to Poland for a crappy x1950? If I could afford that I would've just bought the HD 3850, dumb a$s. I'm not stupid. Just ignorant (and that's not the same as stupid) about overclocking.

I bet none of you can even utilize the power you fervently put into those rigs. "I got 12 gb DDR3 2000mhz!" So what? Nothing you run even uses more than 6 gb! Fnckin idiots just gotta say "I have the FASTEST!"

Go and fnck yourselves, all of you.

Don't bother responding to me. I reported this email notification as SPAM. I wouldn't care to read your bu||sh|t anyway.

Dude, chill out, people are willing to help in Tom's forum.

People might not have answered your question because they don't know about old AGP cards, they're actually quite old.

As for not getting answers, I don't get answers all the time too, and I would suggesting Googling, it always helps me. Depend on yourself more than you depend on the others will bring you to great achievements.

Not trying to act like an asshole here, just chill out. Me? I personally know nothing about AGP cards, and I respect you for still using an AGP card.

Just trying to chill you out, Tom's Hardware is a great place to ask questions and find out answers, don't give up on it!

 

[lashton]

lock your AGP to 66MHz in the bios then start your overclock, check the 3DMark probably 03 for you to make sure there are no artifacts, but the performance gain wil;l be very minimal if any at all, for you best to use the CCC auto tune function it does NOT make the overclock at bios level