Noob overclocking a Barton 2500, help please.

Hi, just registered today.
Even though I say I'm a noob, I've built many PCs over the years and I'm very familiar with them.
However, I'm new to overclocking CPUs and RAM.

So first my System specs.

Epox 8rda Mobo
1X512mb Corsair Value RAM CAS2.5, PC3200
AMD Barton 2500
Maxtor 80gb HDD IDE133
Coolermaster Aero 7+ Heatsink/Fan
Palit Systems TI4200 128mb RAM
Full tower Aopen case with a 300Watt PSU.

My Processor is currently running at stock speed (1833 Mhz)

My Video card is overclocked to the same speed as the TI4400 and it has been that way for months with no problems.

My RAM timings are set to 5222 I think and a 133 FSB, as my system was unstable if I didn't set it to that.
The voltage is set to default.

So, I just bought the Coolermaster Aero 7+ the other day and I feel I'm ready to overclock, however, as I said I'm pretty new to this.



Can someone please enlighten me as to what I ought to be doing with the memory settings and Processor settings?

I know I can up the FSB of the processor, which is preferable and that it MAY be necessary to up the voltage.
But what confuses me is how the RAM speed relates to this and whether the RAM and processor should be kept in sync somehow, as when I first put teh RAM in my system, it was very unstable until I set it to 133mhz.


And hi

here ya go
http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=146865&highlight=overclocking+guide

Thanks for that.

What Corsair Valueram is it? PC2100 or what? Either way, you're going to want to start out by bumping that fsb up. The rule of thumb with AMD-based systems is to always leave the front side bus and memory bus in sync. One issue that you may encounter, especially since you have Valueram, is that your timings are going to need some relaxing. This is not a big deal unless you're a benchmark junkie. Raise your memory voltage as far as it will go, and relax your memory timings to 8-3-3-2.5 to begin with, and then work from there.

Gautam said:

What Corsair Valueram is it? PC2100 or what?

Click to expand...

Forgot that
It's PC3200

Either way, you're going to want to start out by bumping that fsb up. The rule of thumb with AMD-based systems is to always leave the front side bus and memory bus in sync.

Click to expand...

This is the bit I don't get..
Do you mean as in the FSB Frequency and the Resulting frequency as a results of the timing settings for the RAM, as displayed in this pic?
http://www.systemcooling.com/images/reviews/Misc/Overclocking_Guide/bios_adv.jpg

One issue that you may encounter, especially since you have Valueram, is that your timings are going to need some relaxing. This is not a big deal unless you're a benchmark junkie. Raise your memory voltage as far as it will go, and relax your memory timings to 8-3-3-2.5 to begin with, and then work from there.

Click to expand...

So , the higher the number here, the slower speed the RAM runs at?

This is the bit I don't get..
Do you mean as in the FSB Frequency and the Resulting frequency as a results of the timing settings for the RAM, as displayed in this pic?

Click to expand...

Yes, set the CPU clock ratio to 100% in order to run both at the same speed. This is where latency is the lowest, and it is easiest to achieve higher overclocks.

So , the higher the number here, the slower speed the RAM runs at?

Click to expand...

Correct. But your ram is spec'ed to run at 200mhz. Your memory's timings at spec is 8-4-4-2.5. This is where you should begin. Drop your multiplier to 5.0x, and raise your front side bus to 200mhz, with the memory bus in sync, and with those timings.

FSB frequency and you want that Memory Frequency at 100% instead of Auto. Good luck, Gautam's got you. Don't forget Prime95 torture test to make sure your final overclocked system is stable...

P.S.

That pic has AGP Frequency at 90 Mhz - that shouldn't be...



_____________________
2100+ AIUHB 0248
256MB Crucial PC2100 + 2x 256MB Kingston (Hynix chip) PC2100 @ 6 3 3 2
[152] FSB x 15 = 2280 MHz @ 1.8 Vcore with memory frequency at 100% [152] @ 2.77 Vdimm
37(min) C to 46(max) C Winter ; 42(min) C to 50(max) C Summer
Epox 8RDA+
Thermalright SK-7 with variable speed 80x25mm YS-Tech FD1281259B-2F
BFG GeForce4 Ti4200 8X 128MB; Antec SX-835II case ; 350W Antec SmartPower SL350
Five 80x25mm Ultra Quiet 18CFM Case Fans (NMB C3110KL-04W-B19)

Gautam said:

Yes, set the CPU clock ratio to 100% in order to run both at the same speed. This is where latency is the lowest, and it is easiest to achieve higher overclocks.

Click to expand...

So, setting the CPU clock ratio will always keep it in sync with my RAM then?

Correct. But your ram is spec'ed to run at 200mhz. Your memory's timings at spec is 8-4-4-2.5. This is where you should begin. Drop your multiplier to 5.0x, and raise your front side bus to 200mhz, with the memory bus in sync, and with those timings.

Click to expand...

My current memory settings is 5.2.2.2.0
This was the setting advised on www.epox.com
Actually, games were crashing if I didn't set it to this.

I don't really fully understand your last text I quoted.
But, my PC is at home, so I'll have a GOOD look at my bios settings before I do anything.

c627627 said:

FSB frequency and you want that Memory Frequency at 100% instead of Auto. Good luck, Gautam's got you. Don't forget Prime95 torture test to make sure your final overclocked system is stable...

Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean in the first part of the quote.
And yeah, gonna download some tools to test results.

That pic has AGP Frequency at 90 Mhz - that shouldn't be...

Click to expand...

What should it be?
I'm still reading the guides linked about, I think it mentioned it somewhere, and I seem to remember it was different, but I was only using that image link as a way of showing the 8rda bios.
I doubt I'll be using the same setings.

Yes, running with higher latencies does make the RAM somewhat slower, it allows the memory to be pushed further though. It's well recommended to use higher latencies and up the FSB, better performance overall. A very stable latency to stay is 6-3-3 CL 2.5 . You should also use "Optimal" in the CPU interface option. If possible, run the memory at 2.6v-2.7v . The other thing, what is your Barton's stepping "AQXEA" is one of them. You should be able to push that memory to at least 210 MHz, and the processor to 2.2 Ghz. Because you have a good Areo 7+ HSF, you can push the "vcore" processor voltage to 1.7-1.8v depending on the temperatures. The thing with this motherboard, is that it's a version 1 nforce2, correct me if Im wrong, but your mobo isnt the ultra400 version. The problem with that is stability at 200+ fsb. These revision 1 chipsets can be umpredictable, if your Bios has the option "vdd" you should use about 1.7v(no fan on the northbridge means you should not run at 1.8v nb) , but i dont think it does.

5-2-2-2 is a very tight timing setting. It will have the highest performance, lowest latencies, but also the lowest in overclockability. Your memory is spec'ed by Corsair to run at 8-4-4-2.5. Bear in mind that you are currently running below spec at only 133mhz, as your memory is not capable of higher at such tightened latencies. You should be running at 200mhz, 8-4-4-2.5, as these are the default settings for your memory. Your AGP bus should be at 66mhz.

1. Yes
2. Gautam meant:
* Advanced Chipset features:
System Performance: Expert
CPU Clock Ratio: 5
FSB Frequency: 200
Memory Frequency: 100%
Memory Timings: Expert
8
4
4
2.5
AGP Frequency:66

That should run stable. Try mem test to check for memory stability, and of course Prime 95.

Josebmw said:

Yes, running with higher latencies does make the RAM somewhat slower, it allows the memory to be pushed further though. It's well recommended to use higher latencies and up the FSB, better performance overall. A very stable latency to stay is 6-3-3 CL 2.5

Click to expand...

Noted.

. You should also use "Optimal" in the CPU interface option. If possible, run the memory at 2.6v-2.7v .

Click to expand...

I'm currently using a 300watt PSU, the one that came with my Aopen Fulltower case, CAn't remember the Case model ATM, I'll have a look when I get home.
Is a 300 PSu gonna be enough for overclocking?

The other thing, what is your Barton's stepping "AQXEA" is one of them.

Click to expand...

I don't know what this means sorry.
How do I find that out?

You should be able to push that memory to at least 210 MHz, and the processor to 2.2 Ghz. Because you have a good Areo 7+ HSF, you can push the "vcore" processor voltage to 1.7-1.8v depending on the temperatures.

Click to expand...

Actually, this was the speeds I was hoping to reach.

The thing with this motherboard, is that it's a version 1 nforce2, correct me if Im wrong, but your mobo isnt the ultra400 version. The problem with that is stability at 200+ fsb. These revision 1 chipsets can be umpredictable, if your Bios has the option "vdd" you should use about 1.7v(no fan on the northbridge means you should not run at 1.8v nb) , but i dont think it does.

Click to expand...

I'll check all this when I get home.
The Mobo is release 1.1, but I'm not sure if it relates to the chipset or the Mobo version number.

Why CPU clock ratio of 5 though, just to test how high he can get his FSB first?

Gautam said:

5-2-2-2 is a very tight timing setting. It will have the highest performance, lowest latencies, but also the lowest in overclockability. Your memory is spec'ed by Corsair to run at 8-4-4-2.5. Bear in mind that you are currently running below spec at only 133mhz, as your memory is not capable of higher at such tightened latencies. You should be running at 200mhz, 8-4-4-2.5, as these are the default settings for your memory. Your AGP bus should be at 66mhz.

Click to expand...

Also noted, I'll try this.




[edit]
And thanks for the help so far everyone.
You've all explained things very clearly to me.

I'm currently using a 300watt PSU, the one that came with my Aopen Fulltower case, CAn't remember the Case model ATM, I'll have a look when I get home.
Is a 300 PSu gonna be enough for overclocking?

Click to expand...

The wattage rating doesn't mean nearly as much as the brand, and Aopen power supplies are rebranded Fortrons- no problems whatsoever. Your probably have the exact power supply as the system in my sig. Its more than enough for just about any overclocker.

I don't know what this means sorry.
How do I find that out?

Click to expand...

This is the stepping code, which is stamped on the processor in fabrication, and can be indicative of the potential performance of a certain processor. Although no one knows what all of those letters mean for sure, the fourth letter being an "E" is superior to a lower a lower letter, such as a "C". You need to remove the heatsink and look at the processor to find this out, but its not necessary that you do so. You'll end up finding your processors limits better by overclocking it more than by predicting what a stepping code means.

Why CPU clock ratio of 5 though, just to test how high he can get his FSB first?

Click to expand...

Bingo. 11x200 should most likely be possible, but just in case, its better to start low.

Gautam said:

The wattage rating doesn't mean nearly as much as the brand, and Aopen power supplies are rebranded Fortrons- no problems whatsoever. Your probably have the exact power supply as the system in my sig. Its more than enough for just about any overclocker.

Click to expand...

That's nice to know.
I knew Aopen Cases were decent, which is why I bought it.
It's just all the huge PSU wattage ratings I've read on various forums was starting to make me nervous.

This is the stepping code, which is stamped on the processor in fabrication, and can be indicative of the potential performance of a certain processor. Although no one knows what all of those letters mean for sure, the fourth letter being an "E" is superior to a lower a lower letter, such as a "C". You need to remove the heatsink and look at the processor to find this out, but its not necessary that you do so. You'll end up finding your processors limits better by overclocking it more than by predicting what a stepping code means.

Click to expand...

OK, that's interesting, I'm not keen on removing my heatsink/fan to find out, as it was a bit tricky to put on, so I'll find out the limits the manual way.

Bingo. 11x200 should most likely be possible, but just in case, its better to start low.

Click to expand...

Can you explain this a little further?

Its better to focus on the front side bus first, so that you can figure out what your highest possible is, and at what memory voltages, timings, etc. This is easiest to accomplish by dropping your CPU's multiplier down to 5.0x, so that the proc doesn't have a chance of getting in the way of the memory/fsb. Once you get the highest front side bus possible with your setup at 5.0x, you increase the multiplier to reach your maximum performance overclock.

OK, I think I have everything I need to know to get a good start.
So unless anyone has anything to add, I'm gonna print this thread out for reference.

And thanks again for the help.