If you are not satisfied with the performance of your PC, then upgrade it. First of all, install a more modern processor. But this is not the only way. Get more powerful computer possible without replacing its components, without spending money. To do this, the processor is overclocked, which in slang means “overclocking.” We'll tell you how to overclock a processor via BIOS in our article.
Why is overclocking possible?
The power of the machine depends on the number of operations performed per unit of time. It is set by the clock frequency; the higher it is, the greater the performance. Therefore progress computer technology accompanied by a constant increase in this characteristic. If in the first computers, assembled on relays and lamps, it was several hertz, today the frequency is already measured in gigahertz (10 9 Hz).
The standard value, which is automatically set by the generator on the motherboard, is set by the manufacturer for a given processor model. But that doesn't mean it can't work faster. Reinsurance of 20–30 percent is always given so that all microcircuits in the batch work stably even in unfavorable conditions. The frequency can be raised, and this is done in hardware, without making changes to the electrical circuit.
What besides operating speed changes during acceleration?
More intense work requires more energy. Therefore, when overclocking a laptop processor, it is worth considering that the battery will drain faster. Desktop machines require power supply reserves. The heating of the chip also increases, so if you decide to overclock, make sure that a powerful cooling system is installed; your computer’s standard cooler may not be able to cope with the increased temperature.
From the above we can conclude: more powerful block power supply and cooling system, it is necessary to control the temperature and stability of the equipment.
Is overclocking dangerous?
Early BIOS and processor models did not provide temperature control. Overclocking the machine could burn out the processor, so few people took the risk. Today, such a probability is small; if overheating occurs, the system itself switches to standard clock frequencies.
Overclocking using programs and via BIOS, which is better?
Overclocking a processor can be done using two methods:
How to enter BIOS
We will try, although this is a little difficult, since BIOS versions differ for different motherboards, to provide the most detailed instructions:
Acceleration by raising the bus frequency
This way is more profitable. This is also the only method for Intel processors that do not support increasing the multiplier. At the same time, not only the processor, but also other system components are overclocked. But there is one thing: RAM cannot always operate at an increased frequency, and the operation of the machine will be disrupted not because the processor is not stable at an increased frequency, but because of a memory failure. True, many motherboards allow you to adjust and clock frequency RAM.
Now in more detail what to do:
Overclocking using a multiplier
The operating frequency of the processor is a multiple of the bus frequency. This parameter is set by a hardware multiplier. For example, the bus operates at 133.3 MHz, and the processor at 2.13 GHz - the multiplicity is 16. Changing the multiplicity to 17, we get 133.3 * 17 = 2266 - 2.26 GHz - the operating frequency of the processor. By changing the multiplicity, we do not touch the bus, so only the processor is overclocked, all other elements of the system work stably, the same as before overclocking. Overclocking the processor through the BIOS using this method somewhat limits the range of frequencies that can be set, but this is not critical.
In order to perform this operation, you need to find this parameter in the BIOS settings. His signatures are different - “ CPU Clock Multiplier», « Multiplier Factor», « CPU Ratio», « CPU Frequency Ratio», « Ratio CMOS Setting" Similarly, we increase this parameter and look at the stability of operation and temperature. It is not necessary to conjure with the frequency of RAM. The only pity is that this method does not work for all processors.
How to cancel overclocking
If something goes wrong, you can reset the BIOS settings through the menu item " Load Optimized Default" If, due to the settings, the BIOS itself has stopped loading, then you can enter standard mode using the following operations:
What else needs to be considered when overclocking
Let's talk about some more minor nuances of overclocking:
Conclusion
This article talks about overclocking the processor, which can be done in two ways: through the BIOS or using special utilities, about which read our article about. More attention was paid to overclocking through the BIOS, increasing the bus frequency or multiplier. This must be done gradually. It is necessary to monitor the processor temperature and check its stability. That's all we wanted to tell you about overclocking. We hope our article will help increase the performance of your system.
Video on the topic
Overcalling(overclocking) is an increase in the performance of the processor, video card, system card and computer RAM. If we're talking about about the processor, this means an increase in frequency, voltage and multiplier.
Manufacturers always leave a 20-50% safety margin, which increases the time of maximum operation in a stable state. For example, operating at an optimal frequency of 1.8 Ghz, it has a maximum possible frequency of 3.0 Ghz. This means that with the correct sequence of actions performed during overclocking, you can achieve an increase in frequency to 3.0 Ghz. However, it is not a fact that the processor will be able to work in this state for a longer period than at a frequency of 1.8 Ghz.
How to overclock your processor!
No one gives guarantees that it will be possible to achieve an increase in frequency by 50%, but with simple steps, increasing the processor frequency by 20-30% will not be difficult.
The processor frequency is one of its main characteristics. Also, an important parameter of any processor is the multiplier - a number that, when multiplied by the FSB frequency of the bus, you can get the real frequency.
Therefore, the safest and easiest method of overclocking a processor is through bios. In this way, the frequency of the FSB system bus is increased, with the help of which the processor frequency is increased.
The processor frequency in all available variants will be 2 GHz:
- 166 – bus, 12 – frequency multiplication factor;
- 200 – bus, 10 – frequency multiplication factor;
- 333 – bus, 6 – frequency multiplication factor.
Simplicity this method is that the FSB frequency is changed directly in the BIOS or in special program in 1 MHz steps.
Previously, this method of increasing the frequency could end sadly for the processor. However, today it will be very problematic to kill by increasing the frequency multi-core processor. As soon as a novice overclocker goes a little overboard with the frequency, the system will instantly reset all settings to default, and a reboot will return the computer to normal operation.
You can change the bus frequency by going into the BIOS and selecting the CPU Clock value. Press Enter on the existing value and enter the bus frequency. Nearby you can see the multiplier and the effective frequency of 2.8 GHz.
Please note that in the example the processor multiplier is quite high. In this case, it is recommended to increase the FSB in steps of 5-10 MHz, that is, the frequency will increase by 70-140 MHz. For other frequency and multiplier values, the bus frequency should be increased in increments of no more than 10%. You should not rush when accelerating, since a small step allows you to determine more optimal frequency for computer.
If you want to achieve the most tangible results, then you cannot do without a new cooler. I advise you to turn your attention to the Zalman cooler.
Temperature measurement tests are carried out at maximum processor operation. These measurements can be made using 3D Mark and Everest programs. If the temperature at maximum load is more than 70C, then it is necessary to increase the cooler speed to the maximum or reduce the FSB frequency.
The multiplier can also be changed, which affects the increase in frequency.
For example, at a frequency of 1.33GHz: 133 is the bus, 10 is the frequency multiplication factor. If you change the coefficient to 15, then instead of 1.33 GHz you can get 2.0 GHz.
However, there is one point - the processor must have an unlocked multiplier. Usually such processors are labeled as Extreme, but in cases where the Black Edition processor or AMD processor. But don’t be upset if the processor version is not Extreme, since with the right approach you can achieve good results. Although it is rather impossible to do without increasing the voltage. For example, an ordinary light bulb is the same processor, but its design is hundreds of thousands of times simpler than that of a processor. But despite this, the principle of their operation is approximately the same: the more voltage is applied, the brighter the result of their work will be.
Also, in order to achieve stability from the processor at high frequencies, you need to increase the voltage supplied to it. There are a few details to consider here:
- do not increase the voltage by more than 0.3 V;
- Be sure to install a good cooler.
To do this, you need to go into the BIOS and go to the Power section Bios Setup and further in Vcore Voltege. In this section, you can increase the value by 0.1 V. After this, the cooler should be set to maximum and the FSB frequency should be set higher.
CPU overclocking | How does a processor become an overclocking legend?
Since the birth of the IBM-compatible PC, certain processors have been positioned as exceptionally suitable products for aggressive overclocking. Some models are famous for their outstanding overclocking potential, while others are famous for their low price. We even remember several unique examples where functions that were initially disabled on the chip could be unlocked.
We decided to take a short excursion into history and compile a list of some of the most interesting ones from the point of view of CPU overclocking.
CPU overclocking | Intel i486
Although overclocking existed before the advent of this chip, this process became much more interesting with the advent of the Intel 80486 thanks to its flexible clock settings and the first implemented internal clock multiplier in the i486 DX2 model. Introduced in 1992, DX2 was available in three variants: 40 MHz (20 MHz x2), 50 MHz (25 MHz x2) and 66 MHz (33 MHz x2). Computer enthusiasts could buy a cheaper version of the i486DX2-40 and increase the clock speed to 25-33 MHz using a jumper on the motherboard, resulting in the performance of the flagship i486DX2-66 model.
This may not seem like much today, but such overclocking provided a 60% increase in frequency when computer manufacturers were paying $600 for the 486DX2-66 in batches of 1,000, and the cost of a CPU upgrade kit could exceed $1,000. Purchasing the i486DX2-40 and DX2-50 could save hundreds of dollars, making overclocking a very attractive option for PC enthusiasts.
CPU overclocking | Intel Pentium 166 MMX
Intel released the Pentium MMX in 1997, featuring an expanded instruction set and twice the L1 cache (a whopping 32 KB at the time) of the first generation. Pentium processors. In addition to being noticeably faster than their predecessors, these chips also offered extensive overclocking capabilities. The top-of-the-line Pentium MMX 233 cost about $600 at launch, but the 166 MHz version was $200 cheaper and usually allowed you to reach 233 MHz without much effort. Many of these CPUs were capable of hitting the 250 MHz mark when the FSB was increased to 83 MHz, making the Pentium MMX 166 a top-end processor at a reasonable price.
CPU overclocking | Intel Celeron 300A
Despite its advanced age, the Celeron 300A is still respected in overclocking circles, and it is this chip that is responsible for many people joining the ranks of overclocking enthusiasts in 1998 (including the site's staff). The processor was based on the Mendocino core, designed for low-budget PCs. Intel decided to cut costs by placing the L2 cache directly on the CPU chip instead of using external card with cache, which it produced for top-end Pentium II processors. Although the Celeron had only 128 KB of L2 cache instead of the Pentium II's 512 KB, placing the cache on the chip meant that it ran at the processor's own speed, and in many cases this gave the Celeron 300A an advantage over more expensive CPUs. In addition, the $180 Celeron 300A had incredible overclocking potential: raising the FSB from the factory 66 MHz to 100 MHz allowed it to reach 450 MHz - on par with the $500 Pentium II 450. For the first time in history, overclockers could get the performance of a flagship CPU for less than $200 with minor tuning. It is not surprising that the Celeron 300A is fondly remembered by representatives of the overclocking community, to the emergence of which it was directly related.
CPU overclocking | Pentium III 500E
If Celeron brought a very large number of advanced PC users into the ranks of overclockers, then the Pentium III 500E successfully continued its legacy. This chip, introduced in 2000, was made using a 180 nm lithographic process, was equipped with a 256 KB L2 cache memory and led to a change in the Slot 1 interface to the more modern Socket 370. Unlike the stripped-down Celeron processors, the Pentium III 500E (cost $240 at the time of release) from an architectural point of view was identical to the Pentium III 750 MHz ($800). Naturally, it provided aggressive overclocking to 750 MHz by simply increasing the FSB to 150 MHz, closely approaching the performance of the rare and expensive ($1000) Pentium III 1 GHz.
CPU overclocking | AMD Athlon and Duron 600 (Thunderbird/Spitfire)
The first generation Athlon was a cartridge that hid a processor board with an installed CPU and cache memory chips. The cartridge was installed in a Slot A slot connector with 242 contacts. Since the cartridge design was completely closed to the user, a separate device called the Gold Finger was used to unlock the multiplier, which could also be used to change the CPU voltage. These processors themselves had excellent overclocking potential, but in 2000 they were replaced by the next generation on the Thunderbird/Spitfire core in the Socket A version, and overclocking by multiplier became easier thanks to the famous L1 bridges. All you had to do was connect four small bridges on the CPU case using a graphite pencil (or better yet, use a special conductive pen) to unlock the multiplier. The Duron 600 for $80 could be overclocked to 1 GHz, which brought it very close in performance to the Athlon 950 ($360). The cost of CPUs that are of interest from an overclocking point of view has dropped below $100.
Moreover, more expensive Athlon processors it was possible to overclock beyond 1 GHz at a time when Intel's top-end Pentium III models were relatively overpriced, if they could be found at all: Intel processors over 1 GHz were extremely rare for several months after the announcement. After the appearance of Thunderbird's successor - the Athlon processor on the Palomino core - the trick of closing the bridge with a pencil became obsolete, but this happened after Athlon and Duron were able to attract huge amount overclockers to your camp.
CPU overclocking | AMD Athlon XP-M 2500+
After AMD blocked the multiplier in the CPU for desktop computers, overclockers realized how great the overclocking potential of the multiplier remained in mobile versions. At a cost of $25 more than desktop versions of the CPU, mobile processors Barton offered a lower stock Vcore (1.45V) and an adjustable multiplier. As a result, the Athlon XP-M 2500+, running at 1.83 GHz, could often be overclocked to 2.5 GHz without much effort. Some overclockers were able to reach a frequency of 2.7 GHz when overclocking this processor.
CPU overclocking | Intel Pentium 4 1.6A
The first Pentium 4 processor was based on the little-known Willamette core, a design that failed to impress at launch and was even a step back in some performance and power consumption tests. But in 2001, Willamette was replaced by the Northwood architecture, which has double the L2 cache (512 KB) and is based on a thinner 130 nm process technology.
For the first time, computer enthusiasts began to reconsider their opinion about the Pentium 4 precisely at the heyday of Northwood - due to the increased scalability of this architecture. The Pentium 4 1.6A sold for about $300 and was easily overclocked to 2.4 GHz with the factory cooler. This was slightly faster than the flagship Pentium 4 1.8 GHz priced at $560.
CPU overclocking | AMD Opteron 144
Although AMD's Athlon 64 processors provided excellent performance However, in 2005, AMD introduced a 1.8 GHz version of the Opteron 144 for under $150. Opteron processors have always been server- and workstation-oriented chips that require expensive register memory. However, the Opteron 144 was a version for regular socket 939 single-processor boards that use unbuffered memory. Equally important, it had incredible overclocking potential. Many copies could be overclocked to 3 GHz, while the highest-performance Athlon FX-57 models had a frequency of 2.8 GHz and cost $1000.
CPU overclocking | Intel Pentium D 820 and 805
In 2005, Intel's Pentium family was often inferior in performance to AMD's Athlon 64 line. So, the most budget processor Pentium D 820 was priced at $240, which is about a hundred dollars cheaper than the Athlon 64 X2 4200+.
Although the performance of the budget Pentium left much to be desired at factory frequencies, it was a full-fledged dual-core processor, which in capable hands reached a frequency of 3.8 GHz, and some copies even conquered the 4 GHz bar.
In 2006, the Pentium D 805 processor cost $130 was born - the same processor that we overclocked to 4.1 GHz in the article "Overclocking Pentium D 805: dual-core 4.1 GHz processor for $130". The Pentium D was able to shift the attention of enthusiasts to Intel, and this in an era of AMD dominance.
CPU overclocking | Pentium Dual Core/Core 2 Duo E2000/E6000/E8000
Back in 2006, the release of Core 2 Duo processors based on the Conroe architecture allowed Intel to reclaim its crown as the industry leader while ushering in the golden age of overclocking. If we had decided to devote a page to each model in the line that had outstanding scalability, this article would have been at least twice as long.
Let's start with the budget Pentium Dual Core, which was essentially a version of the Core 2 Duo with the L2 cache trimmed to 1 MB. Pentium Dual Core E2140 (1.6 GHz) and E2160 (1.8 GHz) cost $80 and $90 respectively at launch, and easily reached the 3 GHz mark. The Core 2 Duo E6300 (1.866 GHz) cost less than $200 at launch, but could be overclocked to around 4 GHz - on par with the flagship Core 2 Duo E6700 (factory clocked at 2.667 GHz) for $580.
Later in the Core 2 life cycle, the Wolfdale core, which was manufactured using a 45nm process, allowed processors like the 3 GHz Core 2 Duo E8400 to reach 4 GHz with minimal resistance. This in no way applies to all Core 2 models, but in our memory there was not a single representative of the line that did not have good opportunities for overclocking.
CPU overclocking | Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Core 2 Quad Q6600 was introduced in 2007. But even now, there are enthusiasts who still embrace the capabilities of this quad-core processor, making it something of an anomaly in the fast-paced world of technological advancement.
Based on the revolutionary Core 2 architecture and 65nm process technology and with a factory clock speed of 2.4GHz, this CPU easily reaches the mid-3GHz frequency range. At the time, this was surprising given the complex architecture of the quad-core CPU.
Although the Q6600 was priced at $850 at launch, by 2010 it had dropped to $200, making this processor popular with computer enthusiasts on a budget. In 2011, the Q6600 was replaced by the Core 2 Quad Q9550, another CPU with an excellent reputation among overclockers.
CPU overclocking | Intel Core i7-920
Intel's Nehalem architecture was introduced in 2008 along with the Core i7 brand. Quad-core Core 2 Quad processors have performed well, but rethinking the Hyper-Threading feature allows the Core i7 to take a step forward in the types of workloads associated with parallel computing. In addition, the LGA 1366 platform is equipped with a three-channel memory subsystem, and the memory controller is implemented directly in the processor itself.
Flagship model Core i7-965 Extreme(3.2 GHz) sold for $1000 and had an open multiplier. But the $285 Core i7-920 (2.67 GHz) offered identical architecture for less than a third of that price. Although it had a locked multiplier, it was possible to increase the frequency to 4 GHz through BCLK overclocking. In fact, the Core i7-920 is still quite powerful and provides stable performance after overclocking, which indicates the long life of the Nehalem architecture and the X58 Express platform.
CPU overclocking | AMD Phenom II X2 550 and X3 720 Black Edition
The flagship model Phenom II from AMD has never shone with overclocking potential (overclocking efficiency did not reach 4 GHz). But the Black Edition processors at least made configuration easier thanks to an open multiplier. The Phenom II X2 550 and X3 720 had their own unique features, namely in some cases they allowed you to unlock additional cores if the motherboard you were using supported such a function.
While some of these processors did have defective cores that could not be revived (making overclocking a gamble), many were capable of operating as quad-core processors, sometimes at speeds in excess of 3 GHz. In 2010, when top-end quad-core Phenom IIs cost $180, you could take a chance and often end up owning a higher-end processor for $100. In the worst case, for relatively little money you became the owner of a dual-core or triple-core CPU, which could still be easily overclocked thanks to an open multiplier.
CPU overclocking | Intel Core i5-2500K
Intel presented its chips based on the architecture Sandy Bridge in 2011, and they were based on the 32nm process technology. Compared to top Core i7 models, Core processors i5 lacked a 3 MB shared L3 cache and Hyper-Threading function. None of these measures resulted in a significant difference in performance except in highly parallel workload scenarios.
On the other hand, the Core i5-2500K includes an unlocked multiplier, making it possible to overclock the CPU from the factory frequency of 3.3 GHz all the way up to 4.5 GHz using air cooling. We think the $225 price tag is reasonable given the high performance potential of this chip. Even today, the architectures' relatively meager advantages are what make the 2500K a worthy choice for computer enthusiasts.
Many computer users have heard that you can significantly improve the performance of your computer by overclocking its processor. In this article we will talk about how to overclock an AMD processor (AMD), let us introduce you to the features of this operation.
As a rule, a newly purchased computer becomes obsolete within a year or a year and a half, due to the rapid development of modern technologies. Very soon after purchase, it begins to be unable to cope with new games that require large computing resources and to slow down. Overclocking the processor will extend the life of the computer, saving a significant amount on buying a new one, or on replacing its main parts (upgrade). In addition, some people use overclocking immediately after purchase, trying to increase its performance to the maximum, because in especially successful cases it can be increased by 30%.
Why is overclocking possible?
The point is that AMD processors They have a large technological reserve built into them by the manufacturer for reliability. To understand how to overclock an amd processor, you will have to say a few words about its design. The processor operates at a certain frequency, which is set for it by the manufacturer. This frequency is obtained by multiplying the base frequency by the internal multiplier that the processor has and can be controlled from the BIOS. For some of them, this multiplier is locked, and these are not very suitable for overclocking, while for others you can change it yourself. Base frequency generated by a generator installed on the motherboard. The frequencies of this generator are also used to generate other frequencies necessary for the normal operation of the computer. This:
- Frequency of the channel that connects the CPU and the north bridge. Typically this is 1GHz, 1.8GHz, or 2GHz. But in general, it should not be greater than the Northbridge frequency. This channel is called HyperTransport.
- The frequency of the North Bridge also depends on this generator; the frequencies of the memory controller and some others depend on this frequency.
- The frequency at which the RAM operates is also determined by this generator.
From here we can draw a simple conclusion - maximum overclocking of a computer is possible only when choosing components that function reliably in extreme conditions. First of all, these include the motherboard and RAM.
The question arises — how to overclock an amd phenom or athlon processor? There are two ways to do this - you can increase its multiplier, or you can increase the frequency of the base generator. Let's say our generator has a standard frequency of 200 MHz, and the processor multiplier is 14. Multiplying one by the other, we get 2800 MHz - the frequency at which the processor operates. By setting the multiplier to 17, we get a frequency of 3400 MHz. True, whether our processor will work at this frequency is a big question! The second way is to increase the frequency of the base generator. By increasing its frequency by 50 MHz, we will have a processor frequency of 3500 MHz (with a multiplier of 14), however, the frequencies of all board elements that depend on the generator will also increase.
System heat dissipation
As the frequency increases, the heat generation of any element always increases and a limit comes when it refuses to work at a given frequency. In order to restore its functionality, the voltage on it is increased. This, in turn, increases the heat it generates. Ohm's law says that increasing the voltage by 2 times increases heat generation by 4 times. Hence the simple conclusion - in order to successfully overclock an amd processor with a hairdryer (athlon), you need to take care of its good cooling. Moreover, if overclocking is carried out through a generator, then the motherboard must also be cooled. For cooling, both high-performance coolers and water cooling are used, and in extreme cases, liquid nitrogen.
CPU overclocking
This can be done using the AMD OverDrive utility, which allows you to overclock the processor and test its operation. This utility is produced by AMD and is designed to facilitate this process.
But many users prefer to carry out such overclocking through the BIOS motherboard. True, this path requires some theoretical preparation and knowledge. You will also need a utility that will allow you to evaluate the result - this is CPU-Z, it will show the new processor frequency and Prime95 - a utility that allows you to evaluate the stability of the system under overclocking conditions, as well as some others - to monitor temperature and performance.
BIOS settings
Depending on the type of motherboard, the settings in the BIOS may change, but we recommend setting some of them like this:
- For Cool ‘n’ Quiet, select Disable.
- For C1E select Disable
- For Spread Spectrum select Disable
- For Smart CPU Fan Control select Disable
You must also set the power plan to High Performance mode.
Remember that you perform all actions to overclock the processor solely at your own peril and risk!
Overclocking technique
It is recommended to overclock an amd athlon (phenom) processor by gradually increasing its multiplier by one step. After each increase in the multiplier, you need to check the stability of the processor at the new frequency using the Prime95 utility, and if the test fails, make another attempt by increasing the voltage on the CPU by one step. After passing the test without errors at least three times in a row, you can increase the multiplier by one more step and try to pass the tests again. By doing this, you will find the value of the multiplier and voltage at which the processor will be stable, and the next increase in the multiplier should lead to the test failing. Once this value of the multiplier and voltage has been found, it is recommended, for continuous operation, to reduce them by one step. When overclocking, carefully monitor the processor temperature; it should not go beyond the limits set by the manufacturer.
If, by changing the value of the multiplier, it is not possible to achieve high overclocking, then it is worth trying the second way - increase it by increasing the frequency of the base generator.
In this short article, we talked about the very principle of how to overclock amd athlon and phenom processors, without dwelling on the details. For those who want to learn more about this, there is a lot of literature, both in paper and electronic form.
Practical CPU overclocking
Processor overclocking methods
There are two methods of overclocking: increasing the frequency of the system bus (FSB) and increasing the multiplication factor (multiplier). at the moment the second method cannot be applied to almost all production AMD processors. Exceptions to the rule are: Athlon XP (Thoroughbred, Barton, Thorton)/Duron (Applebred) processors released before week 39 of 2003, Athlon MP, Sempron (socket754; downgrade only), Athlon 64 (downgrade only), Athlon 64 FX53/ 55. In serial processors manufactured by Intel, the multiplier is also completely blocked. Overclocking a processor by increasing the multiplier is the most “painless” and simplest, because Only the processor clock frequency increases, and the frequencies of the memory bus and AGP/PCI buses remain nominal, so it is especially easy to determine the maximum processor clock frequency at which it can operate correctly using this method. It's a pity that now it's quite difficult, if not impossible, to find AthlonXP processors with an unlocked multiplier on sale. Overclocking a processor by increasing the FSB has its own characteristics. For example, as the FSB frequency increases, the memory bus frequency and the AGP/PCI bus frequency also increase. Particular attention should be paid to the PCI/AGP bus frequencies, which in most chipsets are associated with the FSB frequency (does not apply to nForce2, nForce3 250). You can bypass this dependency only if your motherboard's BIOS has the appropriate parameters - the so-called dividers responsible for the ratio of PCI/AGP to FSB. You can calculate the divider you need using the formula FSB/33, i.e., if the FSB frequency = 133 MHz, then you should divide 133 by 33, and you will get the divider you need - in this case it is 4. The nominal frequency for the PCI bus is 33 MHz, and the maximum is 38-40 MHz; setting it higher, to put it mildly, is not recommended: this can lead to the failure of PCI devices. By default, the memory bus frequency rises synchronously with the FSB frequency, so if the memory does not have sufficient overclocking potential, it can play a limiting role. If it is obvious that the RAM frequency has reached its limit, you can do the following:
- Increase memory timings (for example, change 2.5-3-3-5 to 2.5-4-4-7 - this can help you squeeze a few more MHz out of RAM).
- Increase the voltage on the memory modules.
- Overclock the processor and memory asynchronously.
Reading is the mother of learning
First, you will need to study the instructions for your motherboard: find the BIOS menu sections responsible for the FSB frequency, RAM, memory timings, multiplier, voltages, PCI/AGP frequency dividers. If the BIOS does not have any of the above parameters, then overclocking can be done using jumpers on the motherboard. You can find the purpose of each jumper in the same instructions, but usually information about the function of each is already printed on the board itself. It happens that the manufacturer himself deliberately hides “advanced” BIOS settings - to unlock them you need to press a certain key combination (this is often found on motherboards manufactured by Gigabyte). I repeat: all the necessary information can be found in the instructions or on the official website of the motherboard manufacturer.
Practice
We go into the BIOS (usually to enter you need to press the Del key at the moment of recalculating the amount of RAM (i.e., when the first data appears on the screen after rebooting/turning on the computer, press the Del key), but there are motherboard models with a different key for entering the BIOS - for example, F2), look for a menu in which you can change the frequency of the system bus, memory bus and control timings (usually these parameters are located in one place). I think that overclocking the processor by increasing the multiplier will not cause any difficulties, so let’s move on straight to raising the system bus frequency. We raise the FSB frequency (by about 5-10% of the nominal), then save the changes made, reboot and wait. If everything is fine, the system starts with a new FSB value and, as a result, with a higher processor clock speed (and memory, if you overclock them synchronously). Booting Windows without any incidents means that half the battle is already done. Next we launch CPU-Z program(at the time of writing, the latest version was 1.24) or Everest and make sure that the processor clock speed has increased. Now we need to check the processor for stability - I think everyone has a 3DMark 2001/2003 distribution kit on their hard drive - although they are designed to determine the speed of the video card, you can also “drive” them for a superficial check of system stability. For a more serious test, you need to use Prime95, CPU Burn-in 1.01, S&M (more details about test programs below). If the system has passed testing and behaves stably, we reboot and start all over again: go into the BIOS again, increase the FSB frequency, save the changes and test the system again. If during testing you were “kicked out” of the program, the system froze or rebooted, you should “roll back” a step - to the processor frequency when the system behaved stably - and conduct more extensive testing to make sure that operation is completely stable. Do not forget to monitor the processor temperature and PCI/AGP bus frequencies (in the OS, PCI frequency and temperature can be viewed using the Everest program or proprietary programs of the motherboard manufacturer).
Voltage increase
It is not recommended to increase the voltage on the processor by more than 15-20%, but it is better that it varies within 5-15%. There is a point to this: it increases stability and opens up new horizons for overclocking. But be careful: as the voltage increases, the power consumption and heat dissipation of the processor increases and, as a result, the load on the power supply increases and the temperature rises. Most motherboards allow you to set the voltage on the RAM to 2.8-3.0 V, the safe limit is 2.9 V (to further increase the voltage you need to voltmod the motherboard). The main thing when increasing the voltage (not only on RAM) is to control the heat generation, and, if it has increased, organize cooling of the overclocked component. One of the best ways Determining the temperature of any computer component is a touch of the hand. If you cannot touch a component without pain from a burn, it requires urgent cooling! If the component is hot, but you can hold your hand, then cooling it would not hurt. And only if you feel that the component is barely warm or even cold, then everything is fine and it does not need cooling.
Timings and frequency dividers
Timings are delays between individual operations performed by the controller when accessing memory. There are six of them in total: RAS-to-CAS Delay (RCD), CAS Latency (CL), RAS Precharge (RP), Precharge Delay or Active Precharge Delay (usually referred to as Tras), SDRAM Idle Timer or SDRAM Idle Cycle Limit, Burst Length . Describing the meaning of each is pointless and useless to anyone. It is better to immediately find out what is better: small timings or high frequency. There is an opinion that timings are more important for Intel processors, while frequencies are more important for AMD. But do not forget that for AMD processors, the memory frequency achieved in synchronous mode is most often important. Different processors have different memory frequencies as their “native” frequencies. For Intel processors, the following frequency combinations are considered “friends”: 100:133, 133:166, 200:200. For AMD on nForce chipsets, synchronous operation of FSB and RAM is better, and asynchrony has little effect on the AMD + VIA combination. On systems with an AMD processor, the memory frequency is set in the following percentages with FSB: 50%, 60%, 66%, 75%, 80%, 83%, 100%, 120%, 125%, 133%, 150%, 166% , 200% are the same divisors, but presented a little differently. And on systems with an Intel processor, the dividers look more familiar: 1:1, 4:3, 5:4, etc.
Black screen
Yes, this also happens :) - for example, when overclocking: you simply set the clock speed of the processor or RAM (perhaps you specified too low memory timings) that the computer cannot start - or rather, it starts, but the screen remains black, and the system does not show any “signs of life”. What to do in this case?
- Many manufacturers build into their motherboards a system for automatically resetting parameters to nominal. And after such an “incident” with an inflated frequency or low timings, this system should do its “dirty” work, but this does not always happen, so you need to be ready to work manually.
- After turning on the computer, press and hold the Ins key, after which it should start successfully, and you should go into the BIOS and set the computer’s operating parameters.
- If the second method does not help you, you need to turn off the computer, open the case, find a jumper on the motherboard responsible for resetting the BIOS settings - the so-called CMOS (usually located near BIOS chips) - and set it to Clear CMOS mode for 2-3 seconds, and then return to the nominal position.
- There are motherboard models without a BIOS reset jumper (the manufacturer relies on its automatic system resetting the BIOS settings) - then you need to remove the battery for a while, which depends on the manufacturer and model of the motherboard (I conducted such an experiment on my Epox EP-8RDA3G: I took out the battery, waited 5 minutes, and the BIOS settings were reset).
Information programs and utilities
CPU-Z is one of best programs, providing basic information about the processor, motherboard and RAM installed in your computer. The program interface is simple and intuitive: there is nothing superfluous, and all the most important things are in plain sight. The program supports the latest innovations from the world of hardware and is updated periodically. The latest version at the time of writing is 1.24. Size - 260 Kb. You can download the program at cpuid.com.
Everest Home/Professional Edition (formerly AIDA32) is an information and diagnostic utility that has more advanced functions for viewing information about installed hardware, operating system, DirectX, etc. The differences between the home and professional versions are as follows: the Pro version does not have a RAM testing module (read/write), it also lacks a rather interesting Overclock subsection, which collects basic information about the processor, motherboard, RAM, processor temperature, motherboard board and hard drive, as well as overclocking your processor as a percentage :). The Home version does not have software accounting, advanced reports, interaction with databases, remote control, enterprise level functions. In general, these are all the differences. I myself use the Home version of the utility, because... I don't need the additional features of the Pro version. I almost forgot to mention that Everest allows you to view the PCI bus frequency - to do this, you need to expand the Motherboard section, click on the subsection with the same name and find the Chipset Bus Properties/Real Frequency item. The latest version at the time of writing is 1.51. The Home version is free and weighs 3 Mb, the Pro version is paid and takes 3.1 Mb. You can download the utility at lavalys.com.
Stability testing
The name of the CPU Burn-in program speaks for itself: the program is designed to “warm up” the processor and check its stable operation. In the main CPU Burn-in window, you need to specify the duration, and in the options, select one of two testing modes:
- testing with error checking enabled;
- testing with error checking turned off, but with maximum “warming up” of the processor (Disable error checking, maximum heat generation).
When you enable the first option, the program will check the correctness of the processor's calculations, and the second will allow you to “warm up” the processor almost to temperatures close to the maximum. CPU Burn-in weighs about 7 Kb.
The next worthy program for testing the processor and RAM is Prime95. Its main advantage is that when an error is detected, the program does not spontaneously “hang”, but displays data about the error and the time it was detected on the working field. By opening the Options -> Torture Test… menu, you can choose from three testing modes or specify your own parameters. To more effectively detect processor and memory errors, it is best to set the third testing mode (Blend: test some of everything, lots of RAM tested). Prime95 weighs 1.01 Mb, you can download it at mersenne.org.
Relatively recently, the S&M program saw the light of day. At first it was conceived to test the stability of the processor power converter, then it was implemented to test RAM and support for Pentium 4 processors with HyperThreading technology. For now latest version S&M 1.0.0(159) supports more than 32 (!) processors and checks the stability of the processor and RAM; in addition, S&M has a flexible settings system. Summarizing all of the above, we can say that S&M is one of the best programs of its kind, if not the best. The program interface has been translated into Russian, so it is quite difficult to get confused in the menu. S&M 1.0.0(159) weighs 188 Kb, you can download it at testmem.nm.ru.
The above-mentioned tester programs are designed to check the processor and RAM for stability and identify errors in their operation; they are all free. Each of them loads the processor and memory almost completely, but I would like to remind you that programs used in everyday work and not intended for testing can rarely load the processor so much and RAM, so we can say that testing occurs with a certain margin.
The author does not bear any responsibility for the breakdown of any hardware your computer, as well as for failures and glitches in the operation of any software installed on your computer.
