Raising voltage to overclock?

[PGREENPACER]

Hi, I am new to the overclocking scene and have done much research through the web and have purchased a new system and need some help with specifics of overclocking. These are my system specs first of all:
Abit VP6 mb
2- PIII 933 mhz processors
3- 12b meg sticks of Mushkin rev3 RAM rated at 150 mhz
2- Quantum Fireball 20 gig HD's on RAID-0
1- Oxygen GVX-1 video card w/32megs RAM
2- globalwin FOP 32-I HSF's

Now here is the problem: The clock multiplier is locked right?
So all you can do to overclock a PIII 933 is up the fsb and possibly the voltage right?
Well, I can take the fsb up to 149 mhz with windows still booting (150 mhz gives me a blue screen) but cannot run 3d studio max with out it just shutting the program down immediately upon activating it.
So now I am running 146 mhz fsb for 1022 mhz per processor and am still able to run 3d max effectively.

Is it a matter of voltage then that might take me past this bus speed with the ability to run my programs? If so, then after I up the voltage will the processors automatically run faster or is upping the voltage just a way to feed the fsb and allow me to take it higher?
Any help would be much appreciated THANK YOU!

ps:Sorry the long post.

[Tim-]

When you get in the vacinity of the blue screens, you ar erunning on the hairy edge for your cpu or a peripheral. Many times increasing the Vcore will allow the cpu to regain stability and maybe even go a little higher. In a dual cpu system, things are more critical when overclocking and can go wrong a little easier so you may not get much further, but if it becomes stable, you're not doing too bad. Processors typically will not run as fast on dual MBs as they will individually on single cpu boards.

What operating system are you using?

[PGREENPACER]

Really? The only peripherals that I have on the board besides what are in the list above is a real cheap sound card, a network card, and an extra 20 gig maxtor HD. I don't even have a CD drive on it anymore (it is in my other machine on the network). I am running windows 2000 right now for the multiprocessor support and optimization of my oxygen card for 3d studio max and other CAD programs as I am an architecture student at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I have seen in the database on this site that another guy got his virtually same setup to something like 1130 without heat probs at all. Just thought that I might be doing something wrong. Hmmmm.......

[marty]

Yeah, listen to Tim he has seen it all. There are many who have talked of removing a network card and then having better luck overclocking.

Also you should check out the CPU database (which for some reason won't come up for me now) at:

http://www.overclockers.com

I think you will see that there isn't a whole lot of overclocking potential for your chip. One thing that I would do is ditch the second hard drive. Many Maxtor hard drives don't like to be overclocked. (And I have to tell you I own almost nothing but Maxtor's and I love them to death but some just don't like to be overclocked.)

[athlon eater]

933, good choice.Great overclocking chip! You did your homework kid!

[PGREENPACER]

Well, thanks for the help guys. Guess I will have to put up with what I have until I go a-wall and just disconnect from my roomies and strip the machine of extras! So increasing the voltage wont help at all. In which scenario would you recommend that iI try to up the voltage then? I mean, when do you up the voltage typically? After you have maxed out the front side bus?

[marty]

If you want to try the voltage and you are sure that your heatsink/fan combos are fine then there is no downside to trying. With the Abit boards it is easy enough and only takes a few seconds.

Your posts don't mention that you are using any type of motherboard monitor to give you a temperature readout. These are nice because they allow you to watch the temps in Windows and be fairly certain that the CPU isn't having a heat problem.

[PGREENPACER]

I am using the VIA Hardware Monitor to check the temps on a regular basis and they stay under 36 degrees celcius all the time if not around 28 at idle. Thanx for the help again. I am gonna hold off until my final #d Max model is sdone before I take risks.

[DocClock aka MadClocker]

I don't agree with Maxtor drives not liking overclocking...maybe in the past, but in the last few years I have bought only maxtor drives, and all were in overclocked systems, and none have failed..or even given the slightest hicup, and all were run at or above 140mhz fsb...A freind of mine also buys Maxtor exclusively, and he also never runs at default speeds and never has any probs with Maxtor drives...at least the DiamondMax+ 7200rpm series of drives..he has four, I have 3, all in o'c'ed systems, all well over 140fsb.....
All my systems run 24/7...at present I only have two running, but how many comps does 1 bloke need anyhow? I need to conserve on energy out here in california.

[marty]

Well the reason that I suggested that he try ditching the Maxtor is that it is a secondary hard drive. I therefore assumed it wasn't a brand new 7200 Diamond Max or whatever. It would only take a few seconds to take the Maxtor out of the equation so to speak, try to boot and if the boot is no good reconnect the Maxtor.

I have a Maxtor 30 meg 7200 drive and it is the quietest fastest most wonderful drive I have ever owned. It seems to overclock OK and I think that you are right DocClock!!!

[PGREENPACER]

I will definately try takin it out after finals and will keep you guys updated as to what happened