First Time Overclocking

[nmunro]

For reference here is my build: http://pcpartpicker.com/ca/p/iOiw

I'm picking everything up in a few days and I'd like to overclock the CPU, and possibly the RAM.

So I've never overclocked a CPU, but I watched a few videos on it and it looks simple enough, but I haven't been able to find a good guide for Ivy Bridge CPU's.

What steps should I take to determine what voltage and multiplier to use?

What max temp should I reach?

What is the best stress test to run?

What clock will I likely be able to reach with that Zalman 9900?

Also is it worth it at all to OC the RAM, and if so how would I go about doing that?

Thanks.

 

[Jay-Z]

First off, it looks like a pretty good build to me.

I would start by having a goal of what overclock you want on the CPU. (Let's say 4.5 GHz). Also, before you start, set a temperature limit. It is hard to say what a "safe" temp is but for 24/7, under 72C should be OK. Max voltage is probably around 1.35V but the lower the better. I would aim for 1.24-1.3

Now, to overclock. This is only my opinion, there are probably all sorts of techniques and would be explained better by a video. I would start by increasing the max turbo from 3.8 to 4.2 and leaving the base clock. Then try save and exit. It is possible to get this overclock at stock voltage. If you can boot then it is time to test the OC. If not, increase the Vcore by 0.01V at a time until you can. Three great programs:

CPU-Z - Execellent for keeping an eye on you Vcore and Frequency

Core Temp - Records the actual cpu temperature in real time

Prime95 - Best Stress test around. If you can run this for 20 minutes, the OC relatively stable. If you can leave it overnight for ~24 hours, it is ready for 24/7.

Repeat this process of increasing Frequency, then stabilising until you reach your desired OC. Stop if the voltage or temperature goes too high.

I haven't had experience with the Zalmann Cooler but you should get close to 4.8GHz.

Finally, in regards to RAM, just run it at 1600Mhz. OCing the RAM is of limitted benefit and could cause more problems. Hope this helps