So I wanna overclock my cpu.

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First of all, I'm a complete novice in computer building and tweaking. My current rig is the first one I've ever build.

System specs are:

E8400 3GHz duo core (1333MHz FSB)
ZALMAN CNPS 9700 CPU cooler
ASUS P5-NT Deluxe (nForce 780i SLI)
Tri-SLI Geforce 9800GTX
2x SATA2 250 GB SAMSUNG SPINPOINT
2 x 2 GB Corsair XMS2 Dominator
CoolerMaster Real Power M1000 PSU

So, I want to push my system further and decided it might be worth looking into overclocking my CPU. However, as I mentioned above, I'm a novice, and I don't like fiddling with stuff I'm not sure about (with good reason really ). So I turn to you guys in the hopes you might assist guiding me through getting some extra performance out of my system, without damaging things too much .

At the moment I run pretty stable around 45 degrees Celsius (115ish degrees Fahrenheit) under load (sometimes hitting up towards 50-52 degrees Celsius under heavy load - like playing Crysis), so what I want to know is how far you experts think I can push it, and when (in terms of CPU temperature) I should begin to worry. And of course if you could link me to some good guides, or guide me through the process yourself, I would be grateful .

EDIT: btw these temperatures are when the fan is on the lowest speed, which is 1200RPM. I can crack it up to 2800RPM if needed.

 

Ehhh, it's been ages since I overclocked a CPU, but you should have an option to do so in your BIOS.

Start small - like 5% - and crank it up slowly to determine just how far you can go. You'll also have to adjust the CPU's voltage accordingly, and crank up the fan speed too to keep it cool.

Overclocking will reduce the CPU's lifespan, though.

 

Yeah what I mean is what is the safest way to go about it? Should I start with the multiplier? The core clock frequency? Should I rely on one of the two solely, or find max for either and then find a mix that works? How much should I proportionally to either of the two aforementioned settings increase the voltage? Is there a 'max' voltage I don't wanna go above without risking to fry my CPU? How hot can I allow it to get under load?

 

Well, 60 under load I think is pretty safe. So, you have a decent wiggle room. Don't bother with the multiplier unless you have an engineering sample. I don't think you have one.

Keep in mind that I've read that the 7x0 chipset has problems with overclocking. But, you want to download the latest BIOS as they've probably addressed these issues already. I'm assuming you've bought this board within the last month or two?

Also, why are you overclocking? If you want higher performance in games you're better overclocking your graphics card. Download riva tuner. Read this guide:

http://www.tweakguides.com/NVFORCE_11.html

Read the warnings as well. And google overclocking for other howtos as well. Make sure you have a decent cooler. I'd recommend something from arctic cooling: www.arctic-cooling.com

Basically, you up the mhz about 5 or so, then run 3dmark or some other graphics test, then up it again about 5, test w/ 3dmark until you feel comfortable that you've achieved a stable OC.

Though I feel that you should really have at least about an "A+" understanding of computers before you even attempt overclocking, but I'm not your mommy and you can make your own decisions.

 

Here.

 

Great guide there, cheers chev!

Hedron I've already OCed my GPUs to the max . My main concern which lead me to consider OCing my CPU is "fear" of bottlenecking with my tri-SLI setup. I didn't originally build this computer around a SLI setup, which is why the only SLI ready component I have is basically the motherboard.

I don't believe cooling is an issue, with my 5 case fans on max as well as the CPU fan I run at around 34 degrees celcius i idle so there should be a lot of room to take it further.

 

What you run idle has little connection to what you run under max load.

 

Does your ASUS mobo not have an automatic overclocking utility included in the software that came with the board?

I have the Asus Maximus Extreme, and along with the drivers, it came with a "CPU Level UP" utility that lets you overclock from the desktop. I haven't used it yet, but once my system starts to show its age, I'll probably mess around with OCing.

 

I'm afraid it wasn't shipped with any such program .

Well, so far I seem to have hit a wall at 1470 FSB, I can get it to run stable at that fine, but anything higher and my computer just freeze shortly after loading windows. The highest voltage settings I've dared use is: vcore 1.5, vtt 1.4, nb 1.5, sb 1.69 and 2.1 mem. I haven't seen any temperatures higher than 54 degrees Celsius using prime 95. Any suggestions? Safe to take the voltages even higher (I strongly suspect a firm no, because that seems pretty extreme to me )? I would love to get it up and running on 3.6GHz.

 

Water-cool that bad boy! You can crank up the speed and still get lower temps with a decent water cooling setup. That's also one of the reasons I got the Maximus Extreme - it has a waterblock built into the NB heatsink. The set up I'd get costs around $275...but that's just me and my expensive tastes.

If you're not sure about having liquid flowing throughout your rig, just use 100% non-conductive fluid. I built two water cooling systems using parts from Danger Den, and once I feel the need to start water cooling my rig, that's where I'll be going.

 

Well sure, I'd love to get water cooling, but atm I see no point unless I can get the FSB to run faster. At 1470MHz I can have all the fans on low and never go above 45 on 100% load (the 54 Degrees was one of the few times I actually got it to load on those high voltages at around 1500MHz - it of course froze shortly after), that's on stock voltages so the temperature difference between that and the stock 1333MHz are almost non existent. Meh, I might just be the unhappy owner of a crappy chip . According to most reports I've read you should be able to get the E8400 to run at 3.6GHz at stockage voltages, of course all chips are different but still.

 

Olimikrig, many people are overclocking that CPU up to 4.0Ghz on air. You should have no problem overclocking your CPU. I recommend a good cooling solution other than the stock fan and plenty of case fans. Minimum of 2, the larger the better.

 

Read what I wrote again .
I don't use the stock cooler, I use a Zalman CNPS 9700. I have an Antec 900 case, with 2 front 120mm fans, 1 side 120mm fan, one back 120mm fan and a top 210mm fan. I've used zips all over to gather the wires and optimize airflow. Cooling the system isn't the problem here. The problem is that I can't get my FSB to run faster than 367,5MHz (1470MHz) no matter how high I crank up the voltages.

Which is basically my problem. I should be able to get it to at least 3.6GHz on good as stock voltages. With my proc/cooler I should (emphasise on 'should') be able to get it up to around 4.15GHz or summit no problem. But I can't even get it to run faster than some 3.3GHz. That's on stock voltages and my memory on recommended settings, and no amount of fiddling with either voltages or memory will allow me to push it past that barrier for some reason.

This is what my setup looks like:

Yep that's 3 9800GTX :p | Boards o' Magick - The Stuff of Legends, Right Boo?
Side of my new rig. | Boards o' Magick - The Stuff of Legends, Right Boo?
Front of my new rig. | Boards o' Magick - The Stuff of Legends, Right Boo?

 

Wait...you're still at the stock voltages? There's your problem. Start upping them little by little, then raise the timings until Windows gets unstable again, and then raise the voltages a little more until you're stable...then repeat.

Upping the voltages is what's going to cause your temps to go up, so watch them like a hawk.

 

Okay, this is what I'm trying to say (): I can get my FSB up to 1470MHz on stock voltages, I've then tried raising my voltages up to: vcore 1.5, vtt 1.4, nb 1.5, sb 1.69 and 2.1 mem, but even at such high voltages (which is about what a 4GHz OC would require tbh) the computer won't boot above 1470MHz FSB. So my problem is basically that no matter how much extra voltage I seem to add, and no matter how much fiddling with the timings I do, my computer just doesn't want to boot at 1480MHz and beyond; which I find weird.

So my problem isn't that the comp is overheating, nor that I'm not adding extra voltage, but rather that I in spite of my efforts (having added a good amount of extra voltage, etc) and that the cores aren't overheating, I just can't get what is supposedly a pretty easy to OC CPU to run any faster. Which is why I'm beggining to "fear" that I'm jsut the unfortunate owner of a crappy chip .

 

OOOOOOoooooooooooh.....now I get it.

I'm not sure what's holding you back then, unless is a conflict in your timings. If I were you, I'd ask on one of those dedicated OCing forums....not that I advocate posting on other forums.

 

Sometimes it isn't what you are trying to do but the limitation of the hardware. Check to see what others are doing with your motherboard and RAM.