Is this motherboard still good for overclocking?

Mario1 · Nov 18, 2009

Hello guys...
I bought a cheap Foxconn G31MX-K motherboard...
Here are the specs
Chipset :
NB: Intel G31
SB:Intel ICH7
FSB 1333/1066/800 MHz
RAM:
2x 240-pin DIMM slots
Supports Dual-Channel DDR2 800/667 MHz up to 4GB
Expansion slots: 1x PCI-e x16
1x PCI-e x1
2x PCI
Would i be able to overclock intel E5200 CPU to 3.7-3.8 GHz??? (with a good cooler)

I have managed to oc my old Celeron 330 processor to 3.4 GHZ @ 1.35v with a 5$ crappy cpu cooler bought from a garage sale

cpu validation - http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=833399

Bobnova · Nov 18, 2009

I wouldn't call it "good", but it works.
If you can change the vcore and ram multipliers you should be able to manage a decent e5200 OC.
My G31 board you can't change vcore, so that limited it rather of a lot.

Mario1 · Nov 18, 2009

Bobnova said:
I wouldn't call it "good", but it works.
If you can change the vcore and ram multipliers you should be able to manage a decent e5200 OC.
My G31 board you can't change vcore, so that limited it rather of a lot.

Thank you very much for your reply.
I'm not sure about the vcore (i will try later..) but i'm sure that the ram multipliers can be changed.

Once again thanks for your reply.

EarthDog · Nov 18, 2009

G31 chipset is the lowest of the 3 series (X38, P35, G31). I cant imagine it overclocking very much personally. It depends on the bios options really, but its not going to hit the stars.

Bobnova · Nov 18, 2009

An ECS G31 board got my e5200 to 3.25ghz, a 530j p4 to 4ghz, and is now running an [email protected], but the last is with a padmod for more voltage and 333fsb.

Not nearly as good as my p45 of course, but it works.
The main issue is being stuck with choosing 667/800 with no NB strap options.
The [email protected] was running ~ddr2-900 ram speed, NB didn't appreciate it much.

Old Thrashbarg · Nov 18, 2009

The G31 should be able to max out the E5200 without any problems, but it won't be a simple 'set stuff in BIOS and go' sorta thing. You'll need to do a BSEL mod on the chip and probably a VID mod as well.

The problem with most of those low-end boards is that they set the northbridge timings and PCIe speeds and such, based on the FSB strap of the CPU. So if you have an 800FSB CPU, you can't just go into BIOS and turn up the speed to 1066, it won't work. The max you'll get is probably 230mhz or so. But setting a 1066FSB with a BSEL mod will work just fine, and allow a little headroom above that, up to 300mhz or so. Then the 1333FSB mod would allow 333mhz, and maybe a little beyond that if the BIOS will go that high.

Unfortunately that leaves some gaps in available settings, but a 300mhz bus would be enough to get the E5200 to 3.7ghz, so that's probably what you want to shoot for: do the 1066 BSEL mod, and play with it from there. I can't tell you what sort of volt mod you'll need to do, since every chip is different... it'll just be a trial-and-error sort of thing.

And as for the RAM speed, yeah, if you do any overclocking beyond the BSEL mod, you're going to want to set the RAM down to 667. That's easy enough to do, though.

Mario1 · Nov 18, 2009

Old Thrashbarg said:
The G31 should be able to max out the E5200 without any problems, but it won't be a simple 'set stuff in BIOS and go' sorta thing. You'll need to do a BSEL mod on the chip and probably a VID mod as well.

The problem with most of those low-end boards is that they set the northbridge timings and PCIe speeds and such, based on the FSB strap of the CPU. So if you have an 800FSB CPU, you can't just go into BIOS and turn up the speed to 1066, it won't work. The max you'll get is probably 230mhz or so. But setting a 1066FSB with a BSEL mod will work just fine, and allow a little headroom above that, up to 300mhz or so. Then the 1333FSB mod would allow 333mhz, and maybe a little beyond that if the BIOS will go that high.

Unfortunately that leaves some gaps in available settings, but a 300mhz bus would be enough to get the E5200 to 3.7ghz, so that's probably what you want to shoot for: do the 1066 BSEL mod, and play with it from there. I can't tell you what sort of volt mod you'll need to do, since every chip is different... it'll just be a trial-and-error sort of thing.

And as for the RAM speed, yeah, if you do any overclocking beyond the BSEL mod, you're going to want to set the RAM down to 667. That's easy enough to do, though.

Would you be so kind to give me a a link containing more info on how to do the BSEL if there is any and you have some spare time
Thanks in advance..

Old Thrashbarg · Nov 18, 2009

Hm, I could've sworn there was a pinned thread about it in the Intel CPU section here... I see one about the 1333 mod, but not the 1066 mod.

Well, no matter, here's a thread from Overclock.net detailing the procedure. It talks about the BSEL mods and the VID mods, the latter will only be necessary if your motherboard doesn't offer changeable voltage settings in the BIOS.

Bobnova · Nov 18, 2009

333fsb isn't going to fly, that's 4162.5mhz, WAY past where any e5200 i've ever seen will run stable.
1066 will though.

Old Thrashbarg · Nov 18, 2009

333fsb isn't going to fly, that's 4162.5mhz, WAY past where any e5200 i've ever seen will run stable.

There are a few that will do it, but it usually takes waaay more voltage than you'd want to use long-term, and it's certainly not achievable with regular air cooling. Like I said, 300mhz should be the goal, that'd get ~3.7ghz... even that might not fly depending on how good OP's chip is, but he should be able to come somewhere close.

Mario1 · Nov 18, 2009

Old Thrashbarg said:
There are a few that will do it, but it usually takes waaay more voltage than you'd want to use long-term, and it's certainly not achievable with regular air cooling. Like I said, 300mhz should be the goal, that'd get ~3.7ghz... even that might not fly depending on how good OP's chip is, but he should be able to come somewhere close.

Thanks! I will see how much ghz will i get with no mods and than with .
Thanks to everybody who took their time replying to me :thup:

.
Greetings from Bulgaria. :salute:

Mario1 · Jun 6, 2010

Soo yeah the E5200 idea failed (i bought a Gigabyte AM3 motherboard and will finish my new PC - 4gb DDR3 ram, 2xHD???? gpus and a Phenom II ??? CPU)
But for now i'm limited to my good 'o' celly 330 can some one help me OC it?
The highest OC i've done on it is 3,4ghz STABLE (managed to boot up @ 3,5ghz but after 5 min the pc restarted) i want a 3,7-3,8ghz which won't be a problem it's a 90nm chip and runs 2.0v+ no problems whatsoever...
So any tips for tweaking it to run at 3,8ghz..?
I can change the vcore.
Here's a CPU-Z validation @3,5ghz - http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=1065753

Is this motherboard still good for overclocking?

Mario1

Grammer, its my favoriate thing

Bobnova

Senior Member

Mario1

Grammer, its my favoriate thing

EarthDog

Gulper Nozzle Co-Owner

Bobnova

Senior Member

Old Thrashbarg

Member

Mario1

Grammer, its my favoriate thing

Old Thrashbarg

Member

Bobnova

Senior Member

Old Thrashbarg

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Mario1

Grammer, its my favoriate thing

Mario1

Grammer, its my favoriate thing

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