Want to overclock my Duron system...

[urza]

I recently built a new system with a Duron 850, an EpoX motherboard (EP-8KTA), 64MB GeForce2 video card, WD 7200 RPM hard drive, and pure love for doing this kind of stuff.

I was interested in overclocking my RAM so I bought 256MB of PC150 with a heat spreader and popped it in. I also read a few articles on overclocking. I know that the FSB of the CPU is 200, at least that's what is says on the boot screen (I had thought I bought 266, huh, maybe I did). However, by bios screen really isn't that detailed about increasing the CPU and RAM speed. The FSB, yes. (I am also wandering what I should put the Voltage/Frequency settings at, it's in the format of "CPU host/PCI/spread spectrum") The only choices I have for RAM is 100 and 133. I do I put that memory up to it's potential??? Basically I want to know what I can do to boost the performance, but preserve my system. I am willing to take risks with the CPU and RAM, but not my cards or motherboard.

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

Kurt

[The Coolest]

If u don't want to compromise the components, unlock the CPU and try to set the chip to run at 133 FSB and play with the multiplier. What cooling do you have?

[Nec]

I am not familiar with your specific system however i have recently oc a duron 900 on a abit kt7a and thought i might share my experiences.
First up, i had problems when running odd FSB frequencies. ie those that required the PCI/AGP buses to also be oc'd. Glitched and unstable graphics. So i unlocked the multiplier as 'The Coolest' suggest :)
AMD had glued a warrenty void decal over the bridges so i had to patiently scrape it away with a penknife to expose the L1 bridges. I used a fast drying electronic degreaser spray and a cotton bud to remove the glue residue that remained (over the bridges), then rubbed the contact points (of the L1 bridge) with a 'clean' pencil erasure. Then i linked them using a sharp 2B pencil.

[before] L1 :::: [after] L1 ||||

I had problems running a 133MHz FSB.. i was stable enough (at 1133 and 1066) to bench 3Dmark 2001 and play Max Payne but not Rouge Spear. I suspect its the cheapo generic PC133 ram i am using.
Before i oc'd the system i flashed the MB bios and installed the latest MB drivers.
I have found that 8.5*130Mhz running a 32Mhz PCI bus and 1.75V is as stable as running the default 9*100.
I am using a FOP32 globalwin heatsink and fan.. i think fop38 or hbk38 would be more suitable though.
Load temperature is 44 to 46C with a case temperature of 29C.
If you are interested my 3Dmark2001 bench is 3600 using Det2280 drivers and Leadtek GF2 Ti. I hope this info is of some use to you, good luck! :)
Nec.

[FuzzzMan]

I am running an 850 duron on an epox 8KTA3 Motherboard
after I unlocked the cpu I simply set my Multiplayer to 10x and away she went.. I have got my 850 up to 1100 but I tend to keep it at a gig..

[keio]

set your ram ro 133 (in bios host+33) and try to set it to clk 2.
And all Durons are running @200Fsb (100fsb double bumped)
try to set your FSB higher now you are running 100mhz FSB (200)

Good luck with your setup

[keio]

also you can do the pencil trick to close the L1 bridges L1 ::::
after L1 IIII dont afraid to do that its not very hard (dont cross the bridges)

[urza]

Well, I played around with the voltage settings, and got it running at 926Mhz, RAM at about 145, and the pci bus upto 35, I think. Give or take one. I tried it at 930, but windows would not load. So I had to bump it down a notch.

Several questions, if you don't mind.

One-I can't find the multiplier in the bios. It is in my old celeron 500, but I don't want to touch that.

Two-What do you mean by unlocking it? And I don't understand what you want me to do banks on top of the chip.

Three-What do you think is the highest possible setting I should try?

Thanks again, you're very helpful!

Kurt

[urza]

How long is flashing supposed to take??? I started it about an hour ago and the screen is still there.

[The Alien]

Flashing the bios? One minute or two. The time you boot in dos with a startup disk, flash the bios and reboot your computer, 5 minutes and it's done. If it started an hour ago, you *might* have a problem. Did you booted from a startup disk or something similar or did you did it in windows?

[urza]

see, when I start up, at the botom of the boot screen, there's and option to start the AWD FLASH. I was thinking that why not flash the board through it, instead of DOS??? Well, nothing happend. It just froze. After 6 hours of biting my nails, I hit the restart button and it was like I never started.

Kurt

However, I somehow got windows to boot in 935Mhz.