Request Help in Overclocking!

[hmgs1]

Thanks in advance.

Tried to overclock my PC but all I get is a blank/black screen and no boot. Everything OK when I move back to normal settings. Specifications follow:

CPU - Intel Pent III E 800 (8 x 100)
MB - ASUS CUV4X-E with VIA® 694X chipset
Memory - 1 GB (4 x 256 mb/133 mhtz)
Video Card - Hercules Prophet 4500 64 mb, Kyro II, AGP
Operating System - Windows XP Home with all updates

The MB has an option of using either a jumper or the BIOS to change CPU settings. The multiplier is locked, so I simply changed the frequency to 133 (eg, 8 x 133 = 1064 mhtz) with the result as described above. I think voltage was left the same.

Anybody have any clues as to why the OC didn't work? I had been under the impression that both MB and CPU would OC without too much of a problem.

Appreciate it!

Regards, Bill Gray

[Monaco]

the problem is, that is a HUGE boost for the chip to make without a voltage increase. I'm betting that it is just not stable at that speed. Some P3 800s will get to 1064 at default voltage, but not all of them.

Try overclocking in small increments instead of in one big jump, like from 100 to 105- that way you can see when it becomes a little unstable, and then bump the voltage to make it perfect or just crank it back a notch.

Also- you have 4 sticks of RAM in there? For a several boring reasons, multiple sticks of RAM will hinder overclocking. Try it with just one stick in RAM slot 0/1 and see if that helps.

[hmgs1]

Interesting. The MB does have a Voltage I/O setting for things like DRAM, chipset, AGP and PCI. The manual indicates that one should leave this jumper at default unless overclocking requires more voltage. Then the manual recommends to switch to 3.6 volts.

Could this be an issue?

BTW, as regards frequency, the MB jumper allows the following settings as regards CPU/PCI frequency above 100/33:

103/34
105/35
112/37
115/38
120/40
124/31
133/33
140/35
150/37

Recommendations? Thanks again.

Regards, Bill Gray

[Monaco]

no no no, leave that jumper alone!:) that one changes the voltage your RAM, etc sees, I was referring to the voltage your CPU gets. My bad! Some boards have a setting labelled 'core voltage' or 'Vcore' that adjusts the power going to the CPU, if you overclock you may need to boost this a little bit. Little bit as in, no more than 10%.

Try the settings for 103, then 105, keep working your way up until it dies on you. Try to use it for a few hour straight at each speed to make sure it is stable. I bet you'll get to 115 or 120 before your expansion cards crap out.

See, that second number is how fast the PCI bus is running- the front side bus and th ePCI bus are closely related. Sometimes sound cards, NICs, etc cannot handle being overclocked and cause the whole system to crash. When overclocking, your system is only as strong as it's weakest link.

Doesn't that board let you change speeds in it's BIOS?

[hmgs1]

Theoreticaly - no.

There is a screen which shows this data in the BIOS, however it states:

VCore Voltage, +3.3V, +5.0V, +12V (xx.XXV)

The onboard hardware monitor automatically detects the voltage output through the onboard voltage regulators.

Note: If any of the monitored items is out of range, the following error message appears, "Hardware Monitor found an error. Enter Power Setup Menu for details." You will then be prompted to "Press F1 to continue or DEL to exit SETUP."

F1 is Help.

Anyway, I'm not sure about this so I'll check when I get home.

Wonder why they made the statement about overclocking in the manual re: Voltage I/O switch?

Regards, Bill Gray

[Monaco]

well, boosting the I/O voltage to your RAM, etc is a good thing to be able to do, but it is one of the last steps to a successful overclock. You do it when everything is already wound up as high as it'll go, and it's not quite stable. Also, it is good to do if you have really crappy RAM that you have to squeeze a few more mhz out of.

So, it sounds like you can adjust vcore, but at reboot it makes you set it back to standard? I did a bit of digging, but all the info I can find on your board on the net is in French, or about the refular CUV4X model (no 'E').

The CUV4X is a bit famous for it's overclocking abilities, maybe the 'E' model isn't so good? The ASUS web site says your board supports the ASUS 'Jumperfree' BIOS as well as CPU throttle, perhaps the BIOS has it's overclocking options hiding under a CPU throttle heading?

The whole Jumperfree thing sure sounds like it is OC happy... don't worry man, we'll get this thing overclocked!

I found your manual on the ASUS site, I'll take a look and see aht I can see.

[hmgs1]

Tankyoumuch:)!

Bill Gray

[Monaco]

OK!

According to the manual,you have to set a jumper to enable "JumperFREE" operation. That should turn on a new option in your BIOS, and in that menu you will be able to overclock to those speeds you listed. This was on page 17 of the .PDF from the ASUS website.

That part about the Voltage I/O is weird, dude! It says to set it to 3.6, then right underneath it says to never do it! My board runs at 3.55 by default, (it's supposed to be 3.3) so 3.6 probably won't be any problem at all if you feel like doing it.

Let me know if this helps-