Ft

1l

V-t)

*.12
CP] GVHRC{.,OC$({NG
>' CPU speed is orie of the most impor'tant
perfolrnance
\.
.

)tihtt(yrw b.L.

lt

I ^[

3
capy

facton irrrrolved

ir *.,'r'i'.r,:;'.rr'
ciinlputer

Faster

& better CFUs have been a dnving f,orce in

develpomen'r, 6l older CPLIs are frequently upgt'aded witll urL:'w ones in ordel'to "'vring even ft1ore performance from current s.l/sti:i't"i:-r 'rV[,i]e, CPU replacements are cornrtron, they can also be expensloie"
\.

i3r,'-'rtliocl..-ing is used s an alternative to CFU replacement

Overctrocking Ivfeans maximizing the perfbrnrance

ol ;lr ,

.l:,iirrg

Cverclocking is basically the practice of teson ,guinn:l

':l .["'!,,

!q

'i QPLI_q!a higherlplqfuheq_the particular CFIJ has lr_een qpecl.qi.l X.,,' iris
arccomplished by adjusting the bus speed
pifCIcessor clocl<.

& multiplierto result in it 'rr,;[rr'r

systern can

be

recorifigured to ovel'cic,cr1,:;l r.r

il

rr"r ;r

,:.;itrlinii:es simpl-, bv chaitging one or iwo junipers otr ii,e itici:t;; ,, .-.r',-rfvvcal<inq Chr{CS settings. Ideaily, this higher clock speeci should incl"eas* iir,,: '-"}}[

,i)i'

j's

ptrl'l.bnnance wittror:t ctarnaging the CPU or reducing its working oi' <;vr:rcIocking ca;n be colnpciling.

tritb.-[-tri\:]

t]criiorrics

Cv,t"rclocking

is Lhe process Of n"lalting a oomtilt;',iril^

i',1-r{,rl"ili-C

i:isitr-li'ia-rr tire speciiie,C clock- fieeluel-lcy by the manufarcturer by r-nodifyilli:i ,iirrtdl.ll

runningjrt-4-hk|g1*t,iti.ii lillg

(iiioi'c clr>cli cycles per second; hence the name "overclocl'ling"

i,

i..

,r,.

t,'rllit;ri'

mgr"qy tlmings, can alscl 'De r:iii;rii:.ird .itrcl r,.r,,liiiiri he considerecl l-o be ovei:clockir-rg. Operating votrtages may a1-'c ''r' ",,r :lri*.ecl
{lncrr:ased), r,,rhich can increase the. speecl at which operation rerrlalrls rllili,ir'
l,,,,oicloctr<ing techniqr.les lncrease power consumption, generating ]-llr.rr,: i:,
)t,'iicr,s'l
,,,u

iri*h

T'he pr-lryose of *verclor:li'irrg must he rtrrsi,rersec if the chip is to remain operational. hardware. The trade-o{'f.s 'arc an iircreiirrt: is to incr:ease th.e operating speecl of given can become r-lnstahle it'ilirl power r:cnsunlption and fan noise, the system

in

equr'pmelri

[o ex**:*rivr': is overciocked too much, and the risk of clarnage 'rtrt-re a*d comprex r:cior*'i1r i:l costly cases extreme In generation. ,overvotrtage on" heat
reqr-rired"

4-r-)-Yenili t1ii'f,$

* *

-[.r-le

Lls*r can prlrchase

a rower perf,orrnance,

cheapei: co*pr'l,eri-ri

i:i]']i'i

ove|rcioct<lttottrreclockrateofanloreexpensivecomponenl'" video editing appliceitirtn:;' etltr.l encoding, garnes, in performance F{igher but with increased eiectrir:al powcr systern tastr<s at no additionai expense,
cnt'l:l.irnpiion ,,bottlenecks," where smarl overclocking
cll-

* * *

sonle s,vsterns have

a uolitli'llirr'irr:1

GaIl.[-le}preanizetirefunipoterrtialotanothercomlronent,toii!.I.i.:iii".;,]i
is overciocked' perceniage t'han the lirni-'ing hardrvare
'[.1.1e

can teach t]i:,oc:ess of overcloc]ring

a user

much about coltlputer ]-ritrcjwi:rtl'

P.U-SAP:a{:LlY]iASP

't-ite liflespan of semiconductor oomponents can be reducecl r,o1]-a.gesandiaeat.Warrarrtiesmaybevoidedbyovercloclring" illcr*a]in-, */ Tnai"easeci clock rates and voitages inCrease power conslrnpt'it:rt' r'rrr J excess heat increases tlie ^*ibir:r*i electricity cost and heat production. The other corntr)orlerll:'r' within the systern case, which may affect
'eryrr-rera1.Ure

b;y incr*asi:ri

*A,;lo'vercxockedcomputerwhichworkscorrecttrymaym
c

onl1 guratlotr. chan ges'

. *

at rnaximum speed ursetc {_{igia_per"fonnance fans rurnning machine can be noisy' deg,ree of, oooling of an o'rerclocked
to use tire secondary solir.e rnotrrerboards are designecr

for r.ir* l'ei1i-ril,.:ii

airllow

?_""

L'tr,IJ flan to cootr other heatsinks, such as the nor-thbridge. lf the Lll-'t I i;i:;rl-sinl< {rr- lail is changed on suoh boards, other heatsini<s rnay llot bt:' *ooled
suf

i'iciently.

UUR.MMH.1\{T'S

important fbctor to grasp about cpu overctrocking is n'rar it ls not a universally successful technique.ln rnany cases,your *f i'o;-i.s tcl overclocking a PC will fail. There are four critical elernemnts of anv FC that influence overclocking: u the cpu, * the motherboard, * system RAM,ancl * CPIJ cooling. Trouble in any one of those elements wiil result. irr overcl ocking problerns.
Tl"re nrost

'{X'J,i*l.$"'SUES

{ii

()lcier CPUs,manuij-rctured by Intel seem to be the most sucoessfli-rl ai overclocking-usuail'1 because AMD K5,K6 and VIA Cvyiy CFLJs aie i:t'i*rr rLlr-lnil-lg very close tr: their rated limits already in an effort to contpeter "*rilr thcir Intel counter parts. I-iowever,not atrl intel CFUs are so suitable. h4any current CFUs bave !CIc!!r-g{l-c-{apk WWitiplleB"s-"-the n"ranufacturc:: i:irrinr liiiat this troth to protect the end ulser from re-rnarked CF'Us and to assi;r-* the integrity of performance cXaims. 'X-'i-le overclocking comrnunity thinks that locked rnuitipliers are impplen'rentec{ in orcler' lo f,orce that purchase of a new CPIJ to improve p,::nfbrrnanoe.Regarriless lf the reason,"trocked" rnultipliers can cori"rpiir":;*te vor-ir overclocking effom(uniess your system allows bus speed to 1.rr: *ri.il.isir':ci
i,t'r

srnal1 ilncrements)"

rq,{

(}"fl

Hi

F:,RtsC}A

RD USSIIE,S

Evern
Y:*.

if'your CPU seefils perfect for overciocking,the inotherboaicl ii:*y rlol

Signal refnections andi other e{eclricwl t irvuitwtio

with its

hr-ls sigriii[:l ui,i.ir

F
i

crii.ise the systern to crash or hang. Overcloctr<ed CF{Js are also ffiore sensitive to unstabtre signais fi'onr thr: aLnd wiltr crash if the motherboard can't rletriver "claen" si.gn;Lis. h,,'a-trd*rlame rriotherboarcls suctrr as Tyan or Supermicro often tenc[ to supilr;l"t LlPU overclocking b,etter than cut-priced no-nafire mothei:boarcis.

rnay find that sorne PCs can be overclocked easily,rz'rhilr: otl"lers suffer severe performance problems. iMotherhoard bus speecXs can present another wrinkie.N4osl. cXa:;,qic linoliaertloarcls sr.lppoffi bus speeds ontry'up to 65 or 10OMfX:z,bu,t rnol'e l'r.:r:r:n1ri-rc',fnerboard designs can operate at 1 X2MF{2,133MF{ z,\4-1;N,1}-{2,I 5L}lv{tr i"r, ilrr,-l u.1.,.'['hssr.1 higher bus speeds will greatly affect the clock miultinlir:r r"alir."" ',,,,i]*ii con'i'iguring your overclockiiig stratergy,so be sure to unrierstanci i.hr clc':n" sXreecl trirnits and multipliers for your particlrlar motherboard.r\ few nrotherboard allow changing bus speeds in increments of 5i\ulf{z or less" F rn;rXty, the motherboard shor.rki aiso suppoffi a wide ralige of CPLr :;rippli, vr:'liages.
/ir.s 3.lrCIsult,you

MMJ*:i$-U$$
s

I-iystem RAM can also be a problem in overclocked systems rvitir bus s;1:r:,r::l.i,i thnt exceed 65hzli{z r,:q,-rire trigh*end EDO RAIV{ or SDR.AhA.As a rul*,EDC R.Ah4 u,orirs bcst 'i l:ii 66\{FIz niothrerboards,

wtrrle lo*,v-end SDF{AIV{ tends to be best with 75NlF{z and 83fr,,i['iz

&

r-r"lotherboards.

ell esilabiistrled bus speeds of 100MF{z and 13;ifrAHz reqarire high-r:n,:1 Sfl-]RAV{,fi}emory certil'led lbr PCtr00 ancl FCli}3 buis speeds respcctr,,,cl).
riri

CffiffiL]i {G

IISSUE,S
1.he

Perfraps
-..@

rnost overctroched problem with CP{-] overcioclcing is inr;Lr{'['lr:ic:nt

@/

cboling. {lir'Us ctraw crarrent. with each clock tick. '['ne i:-lore ctrock cycles in a given period.,the irrore ci;rrent reclr-lirecl-ir.nrJ tl"ir';
l-,r1ore h.eat

ger-related.

w/

current CPtls run hot to trregin witl-l,but wllen overctrocked.e {.[]U cnri easiiy overheat and clash A:; a. coflsequence,yor.t shoulctr never attempt to overclocJ< a CP{.J v;itiloul
l\utr,ost

-(

./ t

,I'

'1
'p
/

rnaliing accolxociations fbr better coolimg. IConsider a high-capacity,top-qr,lality heat sinlJfan assemhl-y wiri.r ;,i l'r.:iialrle batrl-bearing ian offering a Kelvin per Watt valueof 1K/W or les:;,1 V/hen installing the cooling unit,make sure that if it fits to the CItr[-i rightty Vr'i[]rr,rut any air g,;aps,and t-lse a thin iayer of therrnal grease ]retwer:n lire CPIJ ,anc[ [raet sirr]<.Serious overclocking enthtrsiasts rnay even ernplo]r i,l piezoelec'rric or liq,"iid-coolecl ohlltring unit for the Cp{_1.

u,{,}Ii- fil 1\ T' I A{, P{TFA{_Y_S

are three typical failures associated with CF{J OverCloc[rip1:,:. {* nnternrittent operation "3. Shortened life span 4' Or_rtright failure )- ihlT'ER.i\,{iT'TEI.JT CPERATION The aclded heat produced in tlee CPU can resutrt in ln[crnal signal errors,u,hich can easily cause the pC to crastr. )iorcing to power ciown the system unLil the cp{-l coi,,:,. S}JC}I.TE}.ID LIFE SPA}.J u, FIeat retrareci probleln. R-attrrer than immediate failure, excessive heat oan siiomi'll L-l){-J's life through a orocess of ELECTR.C1\4{GRATICI\. Ratller than CPU working for I 0 yCIars, it rnay worji< tr-,r' tli-,i,/ ? eu" 5 years. oul"ft{G{-}'r FA[{_UR.E CPU is designed to operate frorn -25 to B0 degrees [1. [f .Lhe CFU is not coolect propertry, the CFU die can ex{]r)n(l rts rnaxiruurn working temperature and fail. w 'ihei'e a"re mitrllons of,transistors on moclern CFU; it only tatr<es rh* ihilr:re of one tlr two to destrov a CPLI.

'Xl-here

}'

i;

* *

@VERCL&CK{NG TK{E SVSTEI\,{

three basic steps

.;" I ira,rge the Eus Speeci rl* Change the V{ultiplier

d'

Ctrange the Supply voitage

'i-he ganrmti steps in overcloctr<ing a CPti are:

the computer. open it r-rp afld get your n-lotherbcarc{ r'r;u-iuii1" 2. Llirr,:ck tXle markings on the top and bottour of your CPU,write theri-r cJr,rwn.tirr"l
r"einsLali"the CFLI" Ci::eoi< ihe cun^ent ctrock speed and'multiplier junepel'settinSSs orl your' -1 . ii-rr.:,{yiEulr*ard,compare them with yo,";-r manual,and write thein ci,,Jv','i-i" 4" L..,r.ri:l< s'l;pply votrtage jumper settings o]:l your mo'chert-roarcl, ca"ltLri)itt"', i;;,.r;: \rvi1-ii ihf) .nanuatr and your CPTJ marking,and write thertr <Joivn. 5" Xu:;pea;1. the cooling r-lirit cul your CPU, and upgracle the coolinl,i urri1. 6" Ci'r;lilge th.e.|umper settings lor clock speed arrd/or muitipller zlccr-,rtiirls i.i,
a

1. '1-rrir"i of.i.

yor
"i

r ii"

.ia"l

p;et overclocked 1evel.

Dci.lirtre-cireck that ttre new settings are configured as expected. E" S'[r,i.;rr, .i.iire cornputer and a.llor,r, it io boot to t]le CN4CS setup. E. [=;roes i'r hoot or reacXr the CN,{OS s:t rp? 10.-iiri, i'; oif-llie cc,mputer anC change il,e CFU voltage jr-it'npei i',r a siir:i,li-

"

,^,.i.:,-:,':

1,'C.

i-:r:

gi:'.

.' 1 i .if . :.; sriii can't boot ct- reach the C \iOS setup, ret';rn :he ciiase s--:'.. r- - ' c:'i,:,,,iai r,'aiue. \-ou can not c\ ercicck at this iesiiei sp-:ed. P'-iiui'r 1: ,siJ-:.t,ji ails ixuitipiier seltings to tireir original valLies and quii. ,ii i'(jiri.riil j ',,r,'ii;fl a lower bus/mr-iltiptrier cct'nbinatic-n. 12.'-l--r,,,eak your CMOfi setup settings to optimum perforniance values ,is ',:er-:irire*d. Ia some CaSeS) you- ma\/ need to adjust R-AM oi bus iiii-ril;gs ii' acr..)rnlnodate the chanses to 1'oul' prcctsscr settirlqs. l-r,-i .r^rr:r'r:le system boot tc a rtr1l ..r'otking opeiation s1-steiir? X 4.Sta.t l-est.lng r,r,ith a utiiitf iike Winstone 99 ani- allou' tlle sJu si.i:ir: lr.; "bllf n-in" tlaoroughiy. check for an1'crashes or other intentriil'r:iii :rlr:iirl:l: ,opr:,tailoln" if the system prove unstable, },ou can't cr,erclcck a! tirii: iC'vi-:j" Re1;ul"n ttrre cnock speed and multiplier settings to their originai v:riur:s aiiri qilil. or,"il11a:a.t step 6 wittrr a lorver bus/multiplier combination. 15"nf 'e verytllirag worlis well nothing to done. otherwise check yoi-lt'r-:onlirg lriiir

eneistcl:il.

F (-fnIAl\TGE, T'E{E BUS SPEEB

T'he internal clock of a CFU runs at a difl'erent speect ihan rirt:

,* The gxlgmaidqctr< is the speed at- which t-he cuiche ancl tl'rc irriilir
men"rot:y run*ancl is ursuaiiy ctivicted dor,r,n to yielcl suita.ble c)io'.ri(

external

clocX<.

*l

*
/,,

* *

signals for the AGJ, bus, FCI irus and other bus architectures irr the systcm. Thene are cnXy threr,: differer-lt "oilfltcial" hus speeds usec'l lr", iilr': Fentium, Pentium P.rr , and the AMD K5:50,60and 6btrrli;,: '7'rf','ii{,':. The C1rrit""/IBM 5x8(, uses fi.,re bus speeds:50,5-5,50,6{r, an.1 There are also new rrotherboards availabtre that supporf [ihr:: r-rnotr'f,rclai bus speeds r:f 83MFlz to tr 48N,4F{2.

To cilange the burs speed,lootr< in your i'nothc.:i"i-,lrtri',ii nl:rn,-riii flor sornething liire "c1oc1," speed ","CPU }:xternal (tsUS) Freclrii'rc_1,:;r:leotion", or: "Flotrlt slcie bils(FSB)" -these are jurnpers you rvill have t0 ..',,r r,i,,, :.

u'

u'

ll-he CPU's internai clock is controltredby an internatr clock nrilllil.:]icr in each LIPU, .,vhiclt is programinecl via CPLf pins. {ritel Fentir-rm CFIJs sufport the 'foiXowinp, rnultipniers: r ] "11 .:;Ll , , l.:r anel x3. Intetr Fentium Pro CFUs supporl x2.5,x3, x3"5 anri r-l flie bx8 6, CFUs support oniy x2 and x3., br"rt the upconiing \rii r 'r' i i
i

x3 and x3.5. To change the multipXier setting ,tlrlci a se'i of')ili.11lictr':i i,l.ir-j,-,:ii ',,;iiii a cieslgnarion sr-rch as "Ciock h,{ultiptriei:" or "CPU to BLI[i tr'il.:iri,it]l-lr\ ii;rlir; S*iection" in r.cu; LnoLhei'boarci rranuai.
support
><2,,x?.5,

', * *

There are soffre circumstances when hoostirag the CFU sullpiv ""lrititgc lnay be necesserx'y to make the CFLT rutn reliahly at a higher hus r,;irci:d to accoi-lnt for rile bigger voltage difference betr,voen t}-re digital '"irii,:lr'' nncl 'trow" condition:1. l-i'le L,igger rJifference results in "cleaner" signais tbr tire (lPL.l ;:ird other rnot l et"boitrr:i c[evices. It you can't rlln )'otlr CPU reliably at one particutral'clock sp(:L:i-i, ti'li always woi'lh considering jumping to the higher suppiy voit;lgr:' More voltage witrtr pr:ocluce inore heat, so yolt must be very car*l'iil itrirc)Ltt
I

cooling.

triyou can't stabitize an overciocked systeln iri' L..,r,,cnl..ilrg the voitage, be sure to retilrn tlle voitage setting to its originni vi:.1t.r,'r irt or"r-ler to prevent undue prooessor heating.

swwee{fMelriffigP&-E'ps
clock sp"-rcr"1s rri"; Idany traditional Fentium-class motherboards trrancl-ie operate up to l1l ['ri I i; ' '; ' r: to 66MFii;:..,b,*r- Iater model Fentium/r\4h/rx mottre'boarcls
even
;

&i'")
.1n\

?i I I=:
.

these otrcler inotire Ttaere are sorne precautions when ulsing

Tbo61"r'Ji1 '";''':'l-'

m) ,Hf,j"-ui[u.$sss60 or 66M}'}2, t,ire Ff-jtr bitl; si"rc,;r.l The [rC.{ bus is taken from the ctock speed.At (}i the cFU bu:i l"ttrrs at -r'j'l":i is _:,0 or.33N.4F{2. F{ower,"r,U15 ai 83MF{2,

4 i "fi,h4f"{2,
1q]

=.-:.i"-:1r,.
-,as'rei speed can lead to problems

Tl::s

with some PCi

de'' ices sut:i^'

11'-

''l:'

'.

cnlntroilerr, tiol*o cards, and netrvcrk cards'

oi.il:n. scsr controliers and netvrork cards refusb to

r,rrcil< at

ihe ?r:ite'r'

:ii-'';11'''.1.

soilri) riicleo bcards

ge'u

uruch hotter than usual'

o
b)

ihe expansior'. bus specri ii:iri'":i-:'::riii'':r'r1 [rasi.,:roe].ern motl:erboarils often make r:r[,,iltr [isB, so tiris nre]r nsf- be an issue on new mclherboa|cis' tr.{m-lq,tlgi, qqeq }-]l\'tI m Jilrr l';rioed of are EIDE interface is not only detern-riaeci by the PI(.J '':rl'
]I1..,:.15-

burt

it is aiso highly depenclent on the PCI ciock'

slorver in syrsier.r"r:,r l.hls is orne reasom why an EIDE interface is alwriys 6,3fdF{.2 hus speeds r less. whea yotl al'e runnil"lg at"i 5 ffi1,-ixisyef, the Elnp, interface rvil1 be faster
:l -\ , 1, ; i:,:

l-\ ll'

iltls sPeeds.

,r-hir_.
t.
-

or ttrre trrarci rlisk- is oii*Jil i-1tril t'.ti': itr :.;.r.rfids frne flrst. iri-r.t either the lnterface

faster bus speeds.

*u
6:)

h4erri.ern rrrotherboarcl

with Ultra-f)I,4A drive interfaoes are oftem

l()

such speed-renatecl issues. $.!i,4 hus {sswes q, In son'ne cases,the iSA bus spee'C is divided directly frorn the PCI bui:i. PCx bus is running f,aster, tlie xSA br-is may atrso be running fastei'. -[-his condition can cause sorne serious probrlems for ISA boards. e' Yolt can sorlnetimes correct for {SA speed problems by introducing ,.\rl, stati:s ira tXre CMOS Setup.

i i'l i":

e
*

.^ r"'a r^/ L.t I

&,_qJ_f*fu&s.iss_ses

,'

'['he ACP bus is designed to operate at b6MFIz and

oi'ille

systena "bus speed.

r-lsually set as a i'r"r,rciion

'u

{,

a i 00lV{}{z ar tr3'31{ll4z systein bus ,Lhe AGP bus speectr wouid t-.e ser.- ni i/-i re-a,y)ectively, in the Ch4CS Setup. 'r-t',i (j6llv{l-{z /r\ sysLerr bus ,the Intei Ceieron for instance, would be set to ii i " I ins n]earts overclockiilg the systern bus can also ovenclock the AGP hus , allcl l.his can lead to system stabitrity problerns if the AGP video card does ner[ s;urpport the higher bus speect.
1/z

(.-)rr