MSI Overclocking Challenge: French Final

Solidarity In The Face Of Adversity

Before starting the trials, the teams chose their configuration at random. Obviously, when you’re dealing with overclockers, you don’t use a hat, so the drawing was done out of a liquid-nitrogen canister!

Once each team had its computer, everybody got down to work to see who could reach the highest clock speed. But the teams quickly ran into an unexpected problem—it was impossible to increase the processor multiplier factor beyond 9! Yet one particular aspect of the Core 2 "Extreme" series, which includes this QX9650, is the possibility of adjusting the system bus frequency multiplier factor, downward as well as upward. The source of the problem proved to be simply a bug in the motherboard BIOS—MSI obviously has some work to do before they can make use of all of the potential of the P45 chipset. But let’s not be too hard on them. This kind of bug is common on teething models, and they’re often quickly solved with a BIOS update.

Our competitors had to rack their brains and test a plethora of different adjustments to overcome the obstacle. Fortunately a solution was quickly found: changing the CPU strap, a BIOS option that usually controls the relationship between the memory and FSB clock speeds. Moving to a different strap, oddly, freed up the multiplier.

  • kitsilencer
    It's small articles like this tht keep me coming back to Tom's. People with enough disrespect, enthusiasm and skill to dispel myths like "maximum clock frequency."

    Yeah right, Intel. Maximum is not what you say. It's what I (and hopefully some liquid nitrogen) say.

    Once again, a nice article.
    Reply
  • randomizer
    To go higher, certain competitors didn’t hesitate to give the Hyper 212’s 120 mm fan a little help... by vigorously flapping the caps MSI had handed out (for just such a purpose?). As we said, extreme overclocking is a true sport!Overclocking is so physically demanding, you guys must be exhausted. :lol:
    Reply
  • thepeganator
    How did this manage to give no numbers at all?!

    I don't know if everyone is like me, but I want numbers on how much who won by what in what benchmark!!!

    What scores did who get?!?!

    This is like the third time you've failed to give any numbers in this kind of thing Toms, it can't be that hard to get some figures for the falling amount of people that read here.
    Reply
  • one-shot
    No Benchmark scores? Really? Did I miss a page?
    Reply
  • Would like to show you the first Pre-exams round-video on Tweakers.net at http://tweakers.net/redactieblogs/53614/video-overklokwedstrijd.html

    The winners (3 people went out for a semi-final, and the winner from there (Snot_aap) heads out to amsterdam. It was nice to be there, i unlucky finished last, some overclocking problems even tho i used a Vapochill.
    Reply
  • apache_lives
    ROFLMAO MSI best for overNOTing
    Reply
  • nicodeuru
    Hmm... Scores please!....
    Reply
  • sirrell
    Does any competitions like this happen in Australia?
    Especially in Queensland?
    If so when & where, and how do I apply.
    From
    Technician
    Reply
  • Joe_The_Dragon
    why only 1gb for ram suck it up and at least go to 2gb.
    Reply
  • apache_lives
    sirrellDoes any competitions like this happen in Australia? Especially in Queensland?If so when & where, and how do I apply.FromTechnicianroflmao nothing happens in queensland :)
    Reply