- Joined
- Jul 8, 2004
I'm upgrading my PC with a new chip and mobo.
The mobo I've selected is the Gigabyte 7VT600-L. It seems to have the best features and for the price seems to be the best value.
I've forgotten more than I ever knew about overclocking etc. So please bear with me as I ask a few questions. Hopefully some kind soul who knows will be able to steer me in the right direction.
OK ... I have 512Mb of PC2100 DDR RAM, which I'm going to be shoving into my new mobo.
This RAM, to my knowledge, runs at 266MHz, yeah?
I've only just heard that ALL of the AMD CPUs are now multiplier locked (WHY?!?). So all we're left with is the FSB. (I'm ignoring the mobile chips for the moment).
OK, so what I need to know is: what's the max and max safe I can run this PC at with the Gigabyte mobo (runs at up to 400MHz apparently), a Barton 2600 and 512Mb of PC2100.
The CPU runs at 11.5 multiplier I think. So initially I'd think that the mobo could shove this up to 4,600MHz (400 * 11.5).
So what have I to consider? Do I have to run the FSB at the same speed as the RAM? So that would be 3,059MHz, yeah?
Now I'm thinking: hang on .. isn't the FSB doubled or something? So in that case 400MHz is actually 200MHz? So the max I can run at is actually 2,300MHz?!?
I've looked at the Gigabyte 7VT600-L motherboard (or at least something pretty similar) on this site: http://www.tomshardware.com/motherboard/20030908/kt600-04.html
It gives you two pictures of etched tables on the mobo. On looks like the multiplier, which would suggest that multiplier overclocking is possible. The other table is "Frequency override"... FSB..? In both cases I think there are DIP switches that allow control over the speed of the FSB and of the multiplier.
Now I'm thinking .. hang on .. surely the max FSB is determined by the chip? And with the Barton 2600 I'm after, this should be 333MHz. So that's 166MHz FSB undoubled, yeah? So 166 * 11.5 = 1,909MHz.
But theoretically, according to the multiplier settings on the mobo, which goes up to 18*... I could run the chip at 2,988MHz.
OR... as the chip itself is multiplier locked, I could push the FSB up to the mobo max of 400 (200*2)MHz and have the chip run at a max of 2,300MHz.
And with both up at max, 200*18 = 3,600MHz (presuming of course, the chip wouldn't melt etc etc.) Just while we're on the subject of heat, I'll be sticking my Zalman Copper 'Flower' Heatsink over the new chip.
So, assuming the default value for the chip of 1.9MHz.. will my PC2100 be a factor in this speed or in how far I could safely push it?
Sorry for the long post... I'm kinda thinking out loud!
Thanks in advance.
The mobo I've selected is the Gigabyte 7VT600-L. It seems to have the best features and for the price seems to be the best value.
I've forgotten more than I ever knew about overclocking etc. So please bear with me as I ask a few questions. Hopefully some kind soul who knows will be able to steer me in the right direction.
OK ... I have 512Mb of PC2100 DDR RAM, which I'm going to be shoving into my new mobo.
This RAM, to my knowledge, runs at 266MHz, yeah?
I've only just heard that ALL of the AMD CPUs are now multiplier locked (WHY?!?). So all we're left with is the FSB. (I'm ignoring the mobile chips for the moment).
OK, so what I need to know is: what's the max and max safe I can run this PC at with the Gigabyte mobo (runs at up to 400MHz apparently), a Barton 2600 and 512Mb of PC2100.
The CPU runs at 11.5 multiplier I think. So initially I'd think that the mobo could shove this up to 4,600MHz (400 * 11.5).
So what have I to consider? Do I have to run the FSB at the same speed as the RAM? So that would be 3,059MHz, yeah?
Now I'm thinking: hang on .. isn't the FSB doubled or something? So in that case 400MHz is actually 200MHz? So the max I can run at is actually 2,300MHz?!?
I've looked at the Gigabyte 7VT600-L motherboard (or at least something pretty similar) on this site: http://www.tomshardware.com/motherboard/20030908/kt600-04.html
It gives you two pictures of etched tables on the mobo. On looks like the multiplier, which would suggest that multiplier overclocking is possible. The other table is "Frequency override"... FSB..? In both cases I think there are DIP switches that allow control over the speed of the FSB and of the multiplier.
Now I'm thinking .. hang on .. surely the max FSB is determined by the chip? And with the Barton 2600 I'm after, this should be 333MHz. So that's 166MHz FSB undoubled, yeah? So 166 * 11.5 = 1,909MHz.
But theoretically, according to the multiplier settings on the mobo, which goes up to 18*... I could run the chip at 2,988MHz.
OR... as the chip itself is multiplier locked, I could push the FSB up to the mobo max of 400 (200*2)MHz and have the chip run at a max of 2,300MHz.
And with both up at max, 200*18 = 3,600MHz (presuming of course, the chip wouldn't melt etc etc.) Just while we're on the subject of heat, I'll be sticking my Zalman Copper 'Flower' Heatsink over the new chip.
So, assuming the default value for the chip of 1.9MHz.. will my PC2100 be a factor in this speed or in how far I could safely push it?
Sorry for the long post... I'm kinda thinking out loud!
Thanks in advance.
