Colin
06-15-04, 02:25 PM
Today we're going to be dealing with the touchy subject of overclocking.<BR> <BR>Let's face it, most of the time even the fastest computer is not "fast enough", that's why we overclock computers. Just how do you overclock a CPU though? There are 2 simple ways, you can raise the clock multiplier and/or raise the bus speed. You multiply the clock multiplier (inside the CPU) with the bus speed and that gives you the CPU speed. Here's an example... A Pentium 4 1.6 GHz has a multiplier of 16x and the bus of the processor is suppose to be running at 100 MHz. 16 x 100 MHz = 1.6 GHz.<BR> <BR>Since most modern processors are locked by default, raising the multiplier is often an option that's not available which only leaves overclocking via the FSB possible.<BR> <BR>What you want to do is go into your BIOS and go into your "Frequency Control" section. There you should see either a "Bus Speed" or "FSB". It's most likely set at 66 MHz, 100 MHz or 133 MHz. What you want to do is raise it a bit. For instance if you're running a Pentium 4 1.6A (Northwood) by upping the FSB to 133 MHz makes your processor run at 2.13 GHz instead of 1.6. If you find that your computer is less stable at these higher speeds, you may want to up the voltage a bit. Giving higher voltages stabilizes things because the signals are now stronger. To be safe, if you're a novice overclocker don't raise voltages past 10%. Upping the voltage and running faster usually means higher temperatures as well, for modern processors you don't really want to be running pass 60 degrees Celsius so if you're above that mark, slow down the computer until you get better cooling.<BR> <BR>Since programs usually benefit from higher clock speeds, having a processor run faster is usually beneficial, however running components beyond their rated specifications voids warranty. So you have to be careful. If your computer is a bit old and you want to make it run a bit faster, perhaps overclocking is your answer.