Probably a dumb question but...

i'm new to overclocking and I have a few questions. First can i overclock my fsb if my ram doesn't support more than im already running (i.e. i have my 333mhz fsb with pc2700 or 333mhz ram). Second I really don't know why this is i just had to rebuild because i fried a cpu it wasn't even overclocked, the case just had poor airflow, but now i have a new case, a need hsf the thermaltake volcano 12, at full blast and as5 and running my barton 2500 desktop, its idling at about 43c, why is it so hot i don't get this the case's sides are even off and my room can't be more than 70f, anyways im really needing help here cause i want to overclock. All opinions are welcome.

well first of the volcano 12 is not a good heatsink. I would check and see if the heat sink is seated correctly. Next I would check the airflow in the case, what fans are you running (number, size etc). What are you voltages, vcore and vdimm.

To answer your first question yes memory can be overclocked to a certain degree. I was able to hit 400fsb with my pc2700

Finally, give use your system specs, look at my sig as a guide

ummm my setup is pathetic but here goes, desktop xp2500, pc2700 2x256mb Hyundai Electronics, geforce4 mx440 128mb 4x agp, msi ms-6712 kt4v mobo, thermaltake volcano 12 hsf, sum off brand case, better airflow and i did sum duct tape work on all the cluttered wires, off brand power supply, no case fans... yet just started bulding this however the psu does have 3 fans on it if that counts. Basically this is as cheap of a system that i could build lol umm, i plan on getting sum better airflow but we'll see, oh yeah and as5 thermal compound, runs same temp in bios and in windows when running things like messengers and iexplorer.

the reason your cpu temp is so high is because you have no fans. Get some case fans and soon.

lol my computer is going to sound like a leaf blower.

edit: BTW what fans and hsf would you guys recommend, i think this case only has room for 80mm's but im not opposed to modding in fact i plan on it.

well regardless of my poor cooling im overclocking lol, gonna run prime95 overnight, hopefully i wake up to a working pc, ive upped the fsb up too 180 and left the multiplier at 11 so its given me about 2ghz which is a decent overclock and its only raised my cpu temp by about 1 degree, i did a 15 minute test run with prime95 and the highest it got was 51c and then dropped again, and my comp is set to shut off at 70c so i think it'll be alright, this is my first overclock, hopefully all goes well.

fans are fans to me personally, people seem to like the panaflos, sunons, and thermaltake smart fan IIs. As for heatsinks, the best for AMD is the sp-97 by thermalright. Anything of there line of heatsinks is great.

hmm well will see what i can do, the overclock is holding quite nicely even with my crappy air, i'll just leave the side of the case off for now lol

I dont think that always helps, fans and controled cooling will prove to be better.

Unless you have an air condisioner next to it, then it will be cool.

- Eddy

wheather it works like that all the time or not lol doesn't matter when i get a 3c drop with the side off lol

Your computer doesn't have to sound liek a leaf blower to be nice and cool. Just get 4-5 low dba fans. Get a fan that moves around 3o or more cfm with noise lvl around 28 or lower. This will be fine and you wont nmotice much noise at all. I have a case with 8 80mm fans all moving 32 cfm's each and noise at 28 dba each and you have to be on top of the thing to know its even on. It has a 2500 barton oc'd to 2.2gig and I have 30c idle/38c load temps, and the temps in the room are above 70F.

But then again I have a case witha 2500 barton at over 2.4 and its running at lower temps but I have a 92mm tornado fan on the HS and 3 80mm Tornados and 2 Sunnon Ultra High Speed 80mm fans but its quite loud. If the fans are all on high speed its loud enough to hear in the next room.

Just get as many fans as you can fit in your case, Even if they are low cfm fans at least they are moving air in your case. And always check for dead spots in your case after its all set up with fans and wire sleeving. This will help keep the heat down aswell.