I've been reading LOADS of guides about O/Cing recently, because when I get my new PC (soon) I want to O/C it a fair bit (well, E6750 to ~3.2GHz, not loads I admit). I've done a bit of overclocking before with...various success (sometimes worked, corrupted HDD once, currently anything over stock is unstable but still maxing at 45°C etc).
So I've compiled a mini-guide to overclocking, and I want to know if what I have is correct. My main worries are the orders, as all the guides I've seen seem to have different orders, the main one being when should the voltages be tweaked.
Without further stalling for time, here's the guide:
How does that look?
Finally, if I run the RAM at 2.2V (as it says on the Crucial website), do I need extra RAM cooling, or will my current fans (Thermaltake Soprano case defaults) and CPU fan be enough?
Thanks all!!
So I've compiled a mini-guide to overclocking, and I want to know if what I have is correct. My main worries are the orders, as all the guides I've seen seem to have different orders, the main one being when should the voltages be tweaked.
Without further stalling for time, here's the guide:
. Limit CPUID MaxVal, C1*, Vanderpool, EIST Function, PECI*, SpeedStep* - Disabled, *Disable later on, possibly
. CPU TM function - Enable
. Disable unused features - Firewire etc
. Set RAM to about 5-5-5-15, 2.2V (Crucial Ballistix)
. N/B Strap CPU As - Highest
. DRAM - 1:1 (DRAM = 2FSB) etc
. PCI Express Frequency - 100MHz
. PCI Clock Synchronization - 33.33MHz
. Spread Spectrum - Disable
. Increase FSB in 20s until PC doesn't boot, revert to working FSB value, check if stable/check fully-loaded CPU temp, lower FSB in 20s until stable
. Increase FSB in 5s, each time check if stable/check fully-loaded CPU temp, when unstable return to stable FSB value
. Increase FSB by 5, increase voltage (see N.B.), check stability
. Check CPU idle temp (40°-50° is ideal)
. Check if stable/check fully-loaded CPU temp
. Keep tweaking voltages/FSB until stable and fully-loaded CPU temp <~65°C
. Lower RAM latencies, one at a time
. Check if stable
. Keep tweaking latencies (down)/vDIMM (up) until stable
. Reduce vCore to default, check if stable, keep upping until stable
. Reduce other voltages until unstable, then up until stable
. Check if whole system is stable for 8-12 hours
N.B.
. Use benchmarks to check changes - Games (SupCom, FEAR), Sandra, PCMark, 3DMark etc
. Stability tests - Prime95, Super Pi
. CPU temps - Speedfan
. Record all temperatures, stability results etc
. Increase vDIMM first, then chipset voltage, then vCore
. Increase voltages by 0.1V, max 0.3V
How does that look?
Finally, if I run the RAM at 2.2V (as it says on the Crucial website), do I need extra RAM cooling, or will my current fans (Thermaltake Soprano case defaults) and CPU fan be enough?
Thanks all!!