Newbie needs advice!

[Peter-griffin]

Hey...this is my first post here, and I need some help...

When it comes to hardware, I'm a total newbie. Pretty much a newb with software, too. I game a lot on my Vaio (PCV RX550) and I need a bit of help upping it's performance without dishing out cash. I wanna overclock the thing, and I don't have a clue how to.

I can give you guys the specs, hopefully you guys can give me the help i need :-\

BIOS Award Software, Inc. ACPI BIOS Revision 1004 10/18/2001
System Board ASUSTeK Computer INC. P4B-LX REV 1.xx

Processor:

Brand/Model Intel Pentium 4
Nominal Clock Speed 1494 MHz
Measured Clock Speed 1500 MHz
External Clock Speed 100 MHz
CPUID Information 0x0F12 0x3FEBFBFF
CPU Load 1%
Level 1 Cache 32 KB
Level 2 Cache 256 KB

I'm seriously clueless. I tried SoftFSB but apparently the version I got is ancient, as it only had ASUS mobo's up to P2B...

Hopefully I can get this thing to at least 1.6ghz. I just need a pretty much step by step pamphlet for this . I don't mind taking the blame for breaking it...and I know hot to get into BIOS and check core temperature and stuff, but I can't get to the damned clock speed adjustment thing.

Please help me out here!

Peter-Griffin

 

[batboy]

Why are you messing with SoftFSB, just go into the BIOS and bump up your FSB to maybe 112 MHz.

 

[Doofie27cp2]

you should od some research nad learn as much as u can about the stuff u have first. Thats what i did, and i still dont know some of the more technical stuff with a motherboard.

 

[Peter-griffin]

I can't change FSB in my bios (AwardBIOS 1004 10/2001). All i can do is monitor temps and FSB's while watching 1500mghz stand omninously untouched.

 

[batboy]

Oh, I thought it was an Asus, which are adjustable, but I forgot some of those Asustek mobos were stripped down versions used in OEM machines. If that's the situation, you're sort of screwed. I'd do some research in the manual to make sure first though. Maybe try downloading the softFSB program and try that as a last resort.

 

[Peter-griffin]

Sony's manual doesn't even list the motherboard the computer has. I tried softFSB, and it doesn't work on the newer motherboards (mine is a P4b, it only goes up to P2b). I opened up my computer today and couldn't find any jumpers, either. The chart for them is there (I guess its a diagram for which jumpers to connect for which voltage) but the jumpers are seemingly invisible. Note that the Sony is a tank on the inside.

I highly doubt Sony would make a digital studio computer that can't overclock.

I'm willing to get new drivers or whatnot...but Asus website has no manual downloads or BIOS or driver downloads (I get a dead link error). I mean, I am getting a new computer, but I'm not putting a $1500 (at the time) computer to waste. I've put another $150 in it for the video card, too. I just wanna make it 1.7 or 1.8ghz, just to get a little edge out of it. It'd be a total waste; the machine's already practically obselete (72fps in Battlefield 1942 www.battlefield1942.com) and I only bought it a year ago, I can't let this thing go down without a fight.

Keep the ideas coming... I'm willing to sacrifice a lot of time for this :-\

 

[nodsetse]

I highly doubt Sony would make a digital studio computer that can't overclock.

Sorry to say, but I seriously doubt Sony would make one that can overclock.

 

[Peter-griffin]

Well...i doubt I can't somehow tweak the thing to OC...right?

There's gotta be some way... please help!!

 

[Neo_peter]

if it's at 1.5Ghz, it's willy and it probably can't go much higher anyways.

 

[Peter-griffin]

Willy? I'm not up on OC lingo :-\. 1.5 P4's (with stock cooling) are quoted to go like 1.7ghz without going over 52c...my source can be wrong, though. I just wanna make it go a bit faster and get the absolute most of out my computer.

Help me!! PLEASE!!

 

[nodsetse]

Willy? I'm not up on OC lingo :-\. 1.5 P4's (with stock cooling) are quoted to go like 1.7ghz without going over 52c...

That's right, it's possible your CPU could run at 110FSB (1650MHz) without increasing vcore, though there's no guarentee. Since you stated there are no FSB adjustments available in the BIOS, it appears you're limited to software OCing. I've never heard of any software OCing utility that allows you to modify vcore, so that would be somewhat of a limitation on how high you can go, provided you can find a utility that works with your mobo.

The only thing I can suggest that MIGHT work, would be flashing the BIOS. If you're willing to take the potential risk of losing all mobo functionality, you could attempt to locate the most recent BIOS revision for your mobo from Asus. If successful, that might give you options to OC in the BIOS, as I suspect Sony installed a propriatary version of the BIOS that doesn't allow you to access the settings normally available for OCing. Good luck!

 

[Neo_peter]

right now there's current 2 types of P4s, the Willimette and the Northwood, they use different processes 0.18, 0.13 respectively. The northwood also has more L2 cache (512kb). THe northwood can overclock a lot, the willimettes can give you maybe 100-200mhz max. And at speeds in excess of 1Ghz, 100-200 don't make that much performance difference that are noticeable.

 

[Peter-griffin]

I'm willing to flash bios (update?) but the ASUS site's download links are all dead. I've been doing plenty of hunting here...

I was also going to give Sony a call...but they have reputably horrible customer support.

If somebody can find a utility...or bios update (I have AwardBIOS from like 7/10/2001) I'll be quite happy...

Any help is accepted!! Please help this newbie overclock his machine!! (specs are at top of thread)

THANKS!!

 

[nodsetse]

I'm willing to flash bios (update?) but the ASUS site's download links are all dead

I don't know where you looked, but there are no issues downloading a new BIOS revision for you P4B mobo, direct from Asus' website. Click on this link, and download version 1012 at the top of the page, since that's the newest one they have made available. You'll notice that page also has everything needed for your mobo, various drivers and the manual too.

Now remember there is a risk, if it doesn't work, worst case scenario you might have to return it to Sony. If you haven't flashed a BIOS before, make sure you read and understand how to do it before proceeding...and no matter what happens, DO NOT turn the system off while the flash is in progress. Good luck!

 

[Neo_peter]

is it worth all that trouble if it's a willie, i know so many people that's screwed up their motherboards after a flash...

 

[Peter-griffin]

LUCK!!

INTERNAL CLOCK = 1754.45 MGHZ!!!

Joy

 

[Peter-griffin]

EVEN BETTER!!


Check it out:

Brand/Model Intel Pentium 4
Nominal Clock Speed 1494 MHz <------- Normal
Measured Clock Speed 1900 MHz <-------OC'ed
External Clock Speed 100 MHz
CPUID Information 0x0F12 0x3FEBFBFF
CPU Load 0%
Level 1 Cache 32 KB
Level 2 Cache 256 KB
Speed Rating 3551 (133% of 10635 similar)


I used CPUFSB to do it. Can anyone tell me why the changes haven't saved so far? I've had to reset them every time I booted up again...although each time I booted up it was from a crash (What? I was getting a little overzealous and tried 2+ghz).


Thx for the help tho, you guys did lead me in the right direction!!

I guess Willimettes can be increased...400mghz!!



And i sure can notice the difference...lemme show ya:
Before
After:

 

[Peter-griffin]

:-\

I was using CPUFSB and I did get it to 1900mghz but I lost sound in the process which would only come back if I restarted...and when I restarted, I needed to once again change the FSB...which once again killed my sound. Never ending circle. So I'm back to 1494mghz. Any ideas?

 

[nomad925]

I have the same board and problem.
I use clockgen CG-ICS950224 and can get to 1.7.
Beyond that my sound also goes out.
The only thing I can think of is to try to disable onboard sound and try using a seperate sound card. I haven't tried it but I've read that it can work.