What are my options for OverClocking... (1 Viewer)

[Brett DiMichele]

Hey Folks,
I am running a P4 1.8Ghz on what appears to be an Intel MoBo
(I can't see any manufacturer name I just see Intel and 845)
Running Win Xp yadda yadda... 400Mhz Front Side Bus..
Can I make this thing even faster for free?

 

[Masood Ali]

Intel motherboards usually do not have any overclocking options. Occasionally, they might include a jumper for 100MHz/133MHz FSB, but I wouldn't hold your breath.

 

[Steven K]

Why would you want to overclock a 1.8 GHz system? Honestly, there reaches a point where overclocking will give you no noticeable difference.

 

[Bob Hill]

Unless you are doing some god awfully large graphics projects overclocking isn't going to get you anything. It only helps out on the extremely processor intensive applications like graphics editing software.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Bob Hill,

That is exactly what I do... I am a Graphics Desin Junkie

and I like to run programs like Photoshop,Caligari TrueSpace,

Bryce, Poser etc..

As for overclocking options I read up on it last night and

it seems that I am basicly stuck where I am (not that this

is a bad place to be stuck) My Front Side Bus is already

running at 400Mhz and most of my other components are running

at 266 Mhz (Graphics Card and others)

So I guess short of upgrading to a 2+ Ghz I am not going

to get much faster..

 

[Michael Silla]

Actually, a increase in clock speed won't do much for you. Frankly, the only thing that will significantly help the performance of Pentium 4 based system is the use of 533 MHz (133 bus) Motherboard and Rambus memory.

Michael.

 

[Hugh M]

um, is it a 1.8A or a 1.8 intel?

I've got a 1.6A coming to me with an Asus P4B266-C motherboard. this cost me $300 shipped. from newegg.com. of course if you don't have DDR memory you would need to get some CRUCIAL brand from newegg as well. And that stuff isn't cheap anymore.

So, I put the hardware together and then install it, and then go into the BIOS and change the FSB from 100 to 133, and now my CPU is a 2.13GHZ CPU. no kidding.

apparently its that easy!! this is the biggest thing to happen for hardware enthusiasts in a long time.

your motherboard does not accept DDR does it? is it an I-845D chipset?

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Guys have you read what I said.. My FSB is 400Mhz not 100

not 133...

Yes I am running PC2100 DDR SDRAM

As for the Processor I am not sure if it's a 1.8 or 1.8A

I will have to check in the morning..

 

[Masood Ali]

Brett, your FSB is 100MHz. Between the RAM and CPU, the pipeline is quad-pumped, so it's *effectively* running at 100x4, or 400MHz.

By comparison, an Athlon XP runs at 133MHz FSB, but is double-pumped for an *effective* 266MHz rate between the RAM and CPU.

Does it mean your RAM is running at 400MHz? No; actually, it's only running at 100MHz, but data can be accessed 4 times per clock cycle. Still, you're only running your PC2100 memory at a PC1600 rate. Newer motherboards (ie Asus P4B266-C), have the option to bump the FSB to 133MHz, for an *effective* 533MHz rate.

Very soon, expect to see Rambus-based P4 motherboards offering the same 533MHz (133x4) *effective* rate using PC1066 Rambus memory, which will provide an even greater performance boost over DDR.

For your work, the P4 1.8GHz is aptly optimized for task you may tackle. *If* your processor is able to overclock, you will shave several seconds off your work time. Of course, whether this time is worth spending money on is up to you.

 

[Jon_R]

Rambus? Are you sure?
From what I've read on www.hardocp.com and others, Rambus and Intel are on the outs and they are going to cease production of rambus boards.
Jon

 

[Masood Ali]

Can you point me to a link of some proof, not just speculation, that Rambus is on the outs.

Rambus is going to demonstrate a higher bandwidth RIMM 4200 module at IDF Feb. 25-28; 4.2GB/sec is what the peak rate on a single module is.

Rambus is hands down the best performing platform for a Pentium 4 processor. Until Intel develops a DDR chipset with a similar degree of performance, Rambus will be here to stay.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Okay I came home and checked my system info out again in
Sandra (love that program)
System Bus is 100Mhz x 4 (400 Mhz FSB Data Rate)
Mother Board is a Genuine Intel D845BG
System Chipset Intel Brookdale 845 I/O Bridge
System Ram ECC DDR SDRAM
Memory Bus Speed 2x 133Mhz (266Mhz)
Or in laymans terms.. Smokin
Still not sure whether the CPU is a 1.8A or not..

 

[Masood Ali]

Info on your motherboard.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

Masood,
Thanks!

 

[Hugh M]

so, if it is a 1.8A then you should be able to *really* overclock it by changing your FSB to 133.

if not, and you are still interested, you can pick up a 1.6A for $140 from newegg. And get an easy 2.13GHz.

but thats not really the point is it? anyways, the 1.8A cannot overclock itself as much (percentage wise) as the 1.6A, but will still achieve higher speeds.

 

[Masood Ali]

One way to check if you have a 1.8A is to check Sandra under your CPU info, and find out how much L2 cache you have. Northwood P4s have 512k L2.

 

[Hugh M]

thats right, good one.
also, the Rambus memory does have alot more potential, and overclocking those would be immensely rewarding. BUT, right now this whole northwood 1.6A, I845D overclocking bonanza is really big!
I believe AMD has just lost many many users, including me.
seems like a great conincidence to me that these DDR motherboards appeared and the 1.6A, allowing this cheap upgrade of sorts to fall together like it does. I love it.
now I just have to figure out what this Intel stuff is all about. I mean, that heatsink clip looks like it actually works, and I won't be scared I'm going to crush my CPU in the mounting process. What's up with that?
you can see some majorly successful overclocks with the 1.6A at the www.anandtech.com communities, for one of the many forums going ballistic over this.
ok, back to the topic at hand.

 

[Brett DiMichele]

I don't have a 1.8A I have 256K L2 Cache.... I could have
got the Northridge but I didn't feel like paying extra for
256K more L2 Cache...
Ohh well
Hey I went into my Bios and I can not even find any place
where I can check my Bus Speed settings and I can't even
find a spot where I can check or change my AGP settings...
I guess this Intel Bios is just completly unoverclockable
without major hassle? It's no big deal really. Just that all
the Overclock Talk has me curious

 

[Masood Ali]

Hugh, you don't have to worry about crushing your core while applying the heatsink, because unless you use an ungodly amount of force, the P4s metal slug will absorb the pressure fine (unlike AMDs brittle core).

 

[Hugh M]

masood,

great!

but my paragraph was talking about the AMD heatsink mounting schemes, just looking at the contraption for the P4 I can tell it makes more sense. The screwdriver hovering over the motherboard pushing down on a small metal clip and a pair of pliers prying the metal clip out so that it latches on to the little plastic tab on the cpu socket, centimeters from the PCB traces on your motherboard is getting kind of old for me. not to mention the fact that I can rotate my heatsink rather easily while it is clipped on.

Pal 8045 is nicest most sensible mounting for the AMD platform.

Brett, its all about toys, overclocking can cause some serious issues under alot of circumstances. so its not the greatest thing in the world. just that this current gig with the 1.6A's is pretty fool-proof because its actually native speeds for all hardware, except the cpu.

I doubt anyone really predicted this would be so easy to do with this motherboard and cpu combo, I feel pretty dumb for badmouthing P4's about two weeks ago in a thread on this forum. silly me.

it'll last a few months and then something else will be better. When I bought my 1.4 Tbird system I never in hell thought that 6 or 7 months later I would be pursuing a 2.1ghz system for less cost.

of course its good I bought the DDR 6 or 7 months ago. $65 shipped for two 256MB Crucial 2100 DDR. I think its $70 for one of those now?

well, thank heavens for Northwoods, and BG ram, or whatever that 2.8ns stuff on my GF4 is.