What's this 5-4-4-5 business?

[VerizonDSL_Tech]

I'm a little new to overclocking, and I'm wondering what this ratio stuff is or that 5-4-4-5 stuff is or how to modify it, whatever it is. I've read so many overclocking articles on this site, but I haven't quite grasped the idea behind how that particular aspect of overclocking works. Maybe you can point me to a good article or briefly explain it in plain english? :clap:

[jaydog]

Verizon, the ratio "stuff" your talking about is the ratio between your front side bus and your ram.

Generaly you want your ram and fsb to run 1:1. If you increase your fsb higher then your ram can handle your comp will become unstable or not able to boot at all.
To prevent that from happining you would use a 5:4 or 3:2

In your case, your fsb is 200mhz and your memory is 200mhz. If you increase your fsb to 220, in a 1:1 ratio your ram will try to go 220 even though its only rated for 200. Some ram can overclocked more, some less. I don't know what kind of ram you have. If you have ram that can't you would use a ratio. At 5:4 your fsb would run at 220 and your memory would run at 176

for info on the 5-4-4-5 "stuff" or "Memory Timings" check out this sticky by Drisler.
http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=257741
Pay close attention to everything under Bios settings