First timer overclocking help

[Steve of NY]

I have never overclocked before but would like to learn how to do it with my current setup to get it to around 3.4 clock speed. My rig is currently

case: Thermaltake Amor A90

motherboard: ASUS M4A79XTD EVO

memory: CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 635 Propus 2.9GHz

video: PNY XLR8 GEFORCE GTS250

power: 700w

hard drive: WD Caviar Blue WD10EALS 1TB 7200 RPM

I understand to use BIOS and that's about it. I don't really understand what to do with memory or anything else after altering the FSB. I tired watching videos and reading into it but I'm just not sure enough to go ahead and risk (start) messing things up. I do not wish to get into changing the voltage either unless its necessary for something.

 

[acer0169]

Upping the multiplier is the easiest way to overclock. My CPU is at 3.2GHz at stock, with a 200MHz FSB and 16 multi, making 2800MHz. I've put the Multi up to 20 and now I'm running at 4GHz, but to get stable at that speed you need to increase slowly.

I popped the multiplier up by one point (or sometimes half a point) and then booted Windows and ran Prime95 for an hour to make sure the overclock is stable.

Once I was happy it's stable, I up the multi again until the overclock is unstable (blue screens / crash) and then I upped the voltage by a single increment until stable again.

DO NOT just go for a high speed straight the way. I would assume this is how 50% of noobs fry their computers.

Do it in small steps and you'll be fine. And eventually you'll get to a speed where it doesn't matter how much you up the voltage, you won't be stable. You dial your clock back a little bit and that's your max speed.

If you're multiplier is locked, meaning you can't just overclock how I have. You need to increase your FSB as well as or instead of the multiplier.

NOTE: Increasing multi only increases the CPU speed. Increasing the FSB increases nearly everything on your motherboard including your RAM.

If you need further help, post again in this thread and I'll try to help anyway I can.

 

[Steve of NY]

Unfortunately I would need to do it through increasing my FSB speed. could you help explain what would need to be done to the RAM timings to account for the FSB increase please.

 

[guardianangel42]

Unfortunately I would need to do it through increasing my FSB speed. could you help explain what would need to be done to the RAM timings to account for the FSB increase please.

You are right to be wary of voltages. Each CPU has a stock voltage and their own buffer in which you can increase the voltage without damaging the chip.

However, it would help if you could tell us what multiplier your CPU is currently set at. I'm not familiar with how AMD's lower end chips overclock within the Bios, my mom has a Phenom II x4 965 BE so her multiplier is unlocked.

Maybe you could upload camera pictures of your bios screen, particularly the bit where you change the FSB speed.

 

[acer0169]

AMD Athlon II X4 635 isn't exactly low end..

Anyway yeah, pictures of your BIOS would be helpful so we can give you as good instructions as possible. You're on an ASUS board, so you should have a screen in your bios called "AI Tuner".. take a picture of that screen and we'll be able to help.

 

[saint19]

I have two questions:

1- What cooler are you using?
2- What are the specs of your RAM?
3- What temps are you getting?

Before that, give you advices is like drive with the eyes closed.

 

[Steve of NY]

1- I am currently using the stock cooler

2- my ram is corsair xms3 2x2 DDR3 1600 CMX4GX3M2A1600C8 with stock timings of 8-8-8-24 at 1.65 volts and 8 cas latency but I don't believe it's running at that.

3- when you ask what temps I'm not exactly sure what you want to know.

Sorry it's taken me a while to reply but I will be back to my house soon and able to take a picture of my bios

 

[saint19]

1- Not good, if you want overclock you need a CPU cooler better that stock cooler.
2- Not problem, we can do it run at that speed.
3- Use HWMonitor, that program gives your the CPU, GPU, NB and mobo temps.

 

[acer0169]

If you're using the stock cooler I would suggest getting a better one before overclocking. Although you might be able to push it a little, you might infect burn your CPU out and that could damage all sorts of things. Best thing to do would be spend £15-25 on a good cooler, and then come back to this thread and we can advise you further .

 

[cmi86]

Propus Core AMD's are locked multiplier chips meaning that you will have to overclock the system through adjusting the FSB. I have written a basic guide that should help you.

This is my overclocking guide for locked multiplier AMD cpu's, Its does not pertain to your specific system configuration But is written specificly in regard to the AMD Athlon II & Non B.E. Phenoms

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This chip has a locked multiplier so you are going to have to Increase the System refference speed (FSB) to raise the core clock.

Remember to get some good temperature monitoring software
(Speedfan), a cpu identifier software (CPU-Z) and a very intensive system tester for stability testing ( I recommend Prime95 )
I dont know if you are running an aftermarket cooler or not but keep a good eye on the CPU Temp (Max temp is 71 C)

1-Enter BIOS, Set CPU Clock Frequency to manual

2-Decrease ram frequency by one settiing Example>>800 to 667(because speeding up the bus is speeding up your ram aswel)

3-Increase system referrence speed (FSB) starting at 200 in increments of 5Mhz

4-Repeat this process booting into windows each time and running Stability testing software until machine becomes unstable (Minimum 15 min test time in Prime95, longer it runs the more thorough the results)

5-Once unstable level is reached set the system referrence clock back 5Mhz to gain the highest stable system clock

6-If your referrence clock is at or below 240 save and exit BIOS, your done. If you referrence clock is above 240 There is a little bit more adjustment needed

7-Open CPU-Z and write down VCore Voltage

8-Enter BIOS and set VCore Voltage to manual and Increase voltage by values of 0.01,After each increase boot to windows and run stability tests( This is where you really need to watch the temps). Repeat process until a stable environment is found

FYI any referrence clock above 245-250 (depending on mobo) is also going to require NB & SB Voltage increases, possibly RAM Voltage ingreases aswell.
Referrence your motherboad in this case as all chipsets are different in their voltage tolerances. Above stated Increments and methods apply

**WARNING**
Voltage increases drastically increase hardware Temperature Indexes, entering incorrect values could result in damaged hardware !!!

My referrence clock is set at 240Mhz yeilding a core clock of 3600Mhz and a NB frequency of 2400Mhz, the increase has returned my ram frequency to 800Mhz OC from the 667 setting in BIOS " This is why I set the RAM frequency back in the BIOS.
Temperatures are at 32c Idle and 42c Full load with Coolermaster Hyper 212+ Cooler, stock cooler will run significantly higher at these settings. I strongly recommend an aftermarket cooler especially if voltage increases have been made.

**My system settings are purely for example and my cause damage to a system with an insufficient hardware profile**

Hope this helps, Good Luck!