New to OC...Advice pls

[Punkie]

Hi there

Just got my system running and the specs are

Amd Thunderbird 1.2G AXIA Type C 266Mhz FSB
Taisol AMD approved 1.5G HSF
IWill KA266-R ATA100 RAID
2x128MB PC2100 Twinmos DDR-Ram (Default Bios value of Cas 2.5)
Hercules Prophet 2 GTS 32MB
13G IBM 7200RPM ATA66 HDD - MASTER
8G Maxtor 5400Rpm HDD - SLAVE
50X Sony CD-ROM
Enlight 300W PSU + Mid tower + 2 chassis Fan
Windows ME

I am relatively new to this OC scene and would like to find out a few things from you guys before i attempt to overclock my cpu. I just ran-in my cpu the nite b4 using Sisoft. It maxed at 48C. I stressed test it for 8 hours without a glitch.

Firstly i would like to know if theres anything i should do to my cpu before i OC like unlocking the CPU? How do i go about checking if my CPU came unlocked? I have a close up pic of it but i cant seem to be able to find a way to post it here. Anyway, say if i unlocked my cpu....then wat should i do next?
I would probably want to do at least 1.33G. And i wouldnt mind installing extra cooling if you guys recommend so.

Then i would like to find out some stuff about my DDR ram. Currently my bios(flashed and all) detects it as a CAS2.5, Refresh Queue 8, Dram Performance normal(it failed to boot up when i try putting it to fast...had to clear the bios to be able to boot again), Enhanced Page mode timer 32 CLKS and Refresh Rate Normal. When i benchmarked the memory using Sisoft again, it appears significantly slower than other PC2100 CAS 2.5 DDRs. Why is that so and can you also tell me if my settings can be improved on? Or issit set wrongly? Itried running it at Cas 2 and it worked fine. Can someone kindly advice pls. Thanks

Regards

[Staz]

If you have a 1.2GHz T-bird there is a good chance that it is alread unlocked. To check just try changeing the multiplier. Go into the bios and chang your multiplier to 8 and the boot into windows. If your cpu is running at 1066 then you know it is unlocked. If it is still at 1200 then you need to unlock it.

If it is unlocked then you should be able to go to a multiplier of 10 at default voltages with out any problems. Just watch your temps.

[Tachyon]

Punkie (Apr 23, 2001 09:23 p.m.):
Hi there

Just got my system running and the specs are

Amd Thunderbird 1.2G AXIA Type C 266Mhz FSB
Taisol AMD approved 1.5G HSF
IWill KA266-R ATA100 RAID
2x128MB PC2100 Twinmos DDR-Ram (Default Bios value of Cas 2.5)
Hercules Prophet 2 GTS 32MB
13G IBM 7200RPM ATA66 HDD - MASTER
8G Maxtor 5400Rpm HDD - SLAVE
50X Sony CD-ROM
Enlight 300W PSU + Mid tower + 2 chassis Fan
Windows ME

I am relatively new to this OC scene and would like to find out a few things from you guys before i attempt to overclock my cpu. I just ran-in my cpu the nite b4 using Sisoft. It maxed at 48C. I stressed test it for 8 hours without a glitch.

Your temperature is getting warm. You should try to ensure you don't exceed 50C when you try to overclock.

Firstly i would like to know if theres anything i should do to my cpu before i OC like unlocking the CPU? How do i go about checking if my CPU came unlocked? I have a close up pic of it but i cant seem to be able to find a way to post it here.

Your CPU should be unlocked from the factory.

Anyway, say if i unlocked my cpu....then wat should i do next?
I would probably want to do at least 1.33G. And i wouldnt mind installing extra cooling if you guys recommend so.

You don't say what fan is on the heat sink. The newer AMD chips have a lot of heat to get rid of and require the better 60mm or an 80mm fan with a fanadaptor.

Then i would like to find out some stuff about my DDR ram. Currently my bios(flashed and all) detects it as a CAS2.5, Refresh Queue 8, Dram Performance normal(it failed to boot up when i try putting it to fast...had to clear the bios to be able to boot again), Enhanced Page mode timer 32 CLKS and Refresh Rate Normal. When i benchmarked the memory using Sisoft again, it appears significantly slower than other PC2100 CAS 2.5 DDRs. Why is that so and can you also tell me if my settings can be improved on? Or issit set wrongly? Itried running it at Cas 2 and it worked fine.

I don't know Twinmos DDR but CAS 2.5 is standard for DDR. If your benchmarks are slower than other brands it could be the chips, the PCB or a combination of both.

Can someone kindly advice pls. Thanks

Regards

[FRANK]

It sounds to me that you may need to do a bit more research if you expect to have a successful overclocking experience. If I just bought a processor that cost me somewhere in the $200.00 range, and a motherboard that is in the same neighborhood, not to mention the DDR RAM and the rest of the peripherals, then I would be sure to gather as much information that I could. The web is full of sites that have article after article on every procedure that you will be performing, with clear pictures and diagrams. I'm not trying to slam you, but, these are some of the most basic things that you are asking, showing that you haven't done much research.

A very good place to start in your quest for knowledge would be right on the home page of the site that you are in right now. You do read the home page, don't you? Start with the beginners guide, there's a wealth of information there. Read the whole thing.

Another article that you will find helpful would be available here;
http://www6.tomshardware.com/cpu/00q3/000711/index.html

Go through these sites to start, then follow related links as you come across them, go through the forums searching out other questions that cover the same questions that you have, this will help to insure a successful upgrade, with a minimum of problems.

GOOD LUCK!

[Punkie]

Thanks alot for all your kind tips. Help appreciated. I'll definitely wait til i know more abt OC b4 i attempt to OC my chip. Dont wanna risk frying the thing. Another thing is that if my CPU allows it....meaning if i can get it to run at say 1.65V Vcore stable,(it came default 1.74)will that be advisable? Since lower CPU voltage somewat means cooler CPU rite? Thanks.

Regards

[asmodean]

Lowering the Vcore drops your temps, that's correct. I don't think it's even dangerous, as I tried to get my tbird go higher yesterday w/lower vcore, resulting in about 10 CMOS clears & reboots... No luck. But it still works, that's the most important thing.

And, lower temps are also supposed to prolong the life of the chip. Wouldn't know, as I'm not going to hang to my shoddy tb900 for more than 2 years at absolute max.

[Oni]

I ran my 1000 Mhz Thunderbird @ 1.5 Vcore about 2 weeks after I got it. Now I'm running 1200 Mhz @ 1.5 Vcore stable. Its great!