Overclocking Guide

Features
By Thomas Pabst
published

Overclocking Step By Step

  1. Turn off computer, open it up, get your motherboard manual
  2. Check your CPU markings on top and bottom of CPU, write them down and put your CPU back in again
  3. Check the current clock speed and multiplier jumper settings on your motherboard, compare them with your manual, write them down
  4. Check the supply voltage jumper settings on your motherboard, compare them with manual and your CPU marking, write it down
  5. Have you thought of a decent cooling for your CPU ? Apply it !
  6. Change the jumper settings for clock speed and/or multiplier according to your manual
  7. Check if everything is ok, no jumper forgotten or put wrongly
  8. Start computer
  9. Does it reach BIOS setup ?
  10. If yes, go to 13
  11. Turn off computer and change jumper to higher supply voltage according to manual, if possible
  12. If you still shouldn't reach BIOS setup, forget about overclocking to this speed
  13. Change BIOS setup settings to the right values
  14. Does it reach full working operation system ?
  15. If yes, start testing (I recommend Winstone or the BAPCo Suite. Don't take this job too easily! It's better to occur crashes or lock ups now, than coming across them when it counts!)
  16. If no, you should try 11 or check your cooling, you also can try some more conservative memory timings in the BIOS setup. This means increasing the wait states or the read/write cycles; but don't forget to check later if you gained speed by trying some benchmarks, cause there's no point in overclocking if your memory access is getting slower.
  17. If everything works well - congratulations, if not, try 11, check cooling
  18. Don't change supply voltage unless you have to. It only makes the chip hotter.
  19. Never forget: cooling is of main importance !

One additional thing: Windows 95 is much more picky about overclocking. Therefore it might be that you can't run Windows 95 properly with your o/c CPU though it was working just fine with DOS and Windows 3.11. You'll either have to improve the cooling or you'll have to forget about overclocking your CPU with Windows 95.

Thomas Pabst
6 Comments Comment from the forums
  • alzheimerz
    Wow! History..
    Reply
  • I started reading it and got to " Pentium 120 to a Pentium 133." and realised the article is 13 years old, amazing!
    Reply
  • mewithsfi
    quotemsg=1553,1,1]What is overclocking? Why? Why not? Is overclocking immoral? Requirements, Goals, Techniques of overclocking. How can I find out, which bus speed my motherboard supports? Special Precautions for 75 and 83 MHz Bus Speed. Overclocking the Intel Pentium. Overclocking the Intel Pentium Pro. Overclocking the Cyrix/IBM 6x86. Overclocking the AMD K5. Overclocking Step by Step.

    Overclocking Guide : Read more
    Even though this article is 14 years old the basics are still the basics. Technology has changed alot since this post. Talking about a trip down memory lane. Thanks Tom

    Overclocking to the EXTREME
    Reply
  • overclocking generates a lot of heat, .i think that when you overclocked that processor it will cause a damage to mobo, because some of the pentium pro processor doesn't require heat sink?
    Reply
  • Great article
    Reply
  • mHonfy
    Yes, great Article! I still have my Pentium MMX 166Mhz @ 233Mhz in a Packard Bell Legend Tower Computer.
    As far as I remember, there were 2 types of P1 166MMX processors. Only special types could be overclocked. Easy 233Mhz from 166Mhz.
    Ages ago, when I got my 166MMX I swapped it to another one, and changed the jumper setting on my motherboard. My PC still runes @233Mhz. There is no heat generated although I applied a small fan over the silent heatsink. Good times! :)
    Reply