Fun in the bios

[cuog]

I was bored a few weeks ago and started staring blankly at my computer so i decided to go into the bios and play around so i ended up maxing out some ram timings and it seems to have nearly trippled the speed of my computer, this is really cool so could someone who knows tell me if this could seriously screw something up before i encurage others to try it

[Marke522]

Excatly what steps did you take ?

What options did you select ?

[JPMiller]

I have been noticing alot of questions regarding the BIOS and what the different options mean... ( I did do a search but found no mention of this link)
This is something Ive been doing alot of research into lately, and thought I would share a VERY helpful link I found...
http://www.rojakpot.com/default.aspx?location=9
Helps explain the majority if not all the basic BIOS options and what may be best for your system..
One cautionary statement I have is that if you do decide to change your BIOS settings, I suggest you make one change at a time, save, and reboot to see the effects if any... write down the original setting and where it was and what you changed it to...
Remember , changing some settings may cause the PC to not reboot.
If something goes wrong you can always clear the C-Mos by switching the clear C-Mos jumper (check your manual) for a minute or 2 ... or taking out the battery for a few min.
-------------
a few more possibly helpful links...
http://www.overclockers.com/tips120/index04.asp
http://www.lostcircuits.com/advice/bios2/1.shtml
http://arstechnica.com/guide/building/bios/bios-1.html

[bailey]

if it works and the temps are still good, and programs don't crash, then good for you, but I would not be recommending to everyone to play with the bios, it can mess things up on some systems if one does not know what they are doing.

[glc]

Do not play with ram timings in the bios unless you are PREPARED to reformat - you CAN cause massive data corruption.

[cuog]

ok, i guess i got lucky not that it matters too much my comp is soon to be completely outdated anyway so any that want to try take glc's warning seriously and if anyone wants to know what i adjusted from curiosity i will tell you what i set in a future post


if you do what i did again remember glc's warning and take that to mind before trying to blame me

[Marke522]

Yeah, I'm curious, make another post or send me a private message.

I got all my important stuff on another computer, and also backed up on about 8 different cd's.

Just did a reformat last month. I usually clean house about once a year.

[glc]

My warning also applies to ANY overclocking of ANY component.

[cuog]

here it is and all remember anything that happens to your comp because of trying this it is not my fault

my bios is award plug and play v1.0A for those that care
what i modded:

DRAM Leadoff timing: 11/7/4
DRAM Read Burst (EDO/FP):x444/x444
DRAM Write Burst timing: x444
8 bit I/O Recovery time:1
16 bit I/O Recovery time: 2
DRAM refresh rate: 15.6us

i dont really know what most of this means but its alot faster, everything is at the bios's highest setting except refresh rate because when i booted with maxed out settings it took over 10 minutes at the windows is loading screen where it usually stays at for around 30-60 seconds

[Jolyonekenobi]

Hey glc - what do you have against OC'ing?

I know it's dangerous if you don't know what you're doing but with a bit of research and careful experimentation it can really make a difference to the way a PC performs.

Do you ever do any overclocking yourself or are you just completely not in favour?

Not flaming - just curious to hear your opinions.

J

[Force Flow]

It's better safe than sorry. If you need a higher performance, just get it. If you fry a part while OCing. That's it. No warranty, no replacement. You just flushed your money down the toilet.

Now if you have an extra rig you don't care about, you can OC all you want without worrying about downtime or losing too much money on the parts you bought.

[glc]

Here's my feelings.

Overclocking is a hobbyist thing, not recommended for casual users who don't understand exactly what they are doing and how to do it properly. Any time you run components out of specs there is a risk of component damage and data corruption, and warranties are essentially void. Do you hang nitrous bottles on your daily transportation vehicle? Same concept. Yes, I have overclocked, but I will not do it for customers unless they sign a waiver. I feel that it's dangerous to do on a critical business machine. If you want to play, do it on a box that it doesn't matter if something goes very wrong. If you need more performance on a business machine, buy upgraded components or optimize everything within specs. If you do overclock, have ALL critical data backed up, and be prepared to wipe and reinstall - and also be prepared to replace fried components out of your own pocket. Overclocking is NOT an economical way to get more performance, it's strictly a toy.

What bothers me is when we get a new member who is getting ready to do his/her very first build - and frankly doesn't know the difference between a video card and a sound card - and all they want to do is overclock everything without having a CLUE what it really means, all they know is from listening to their friends brag. Other members are doing them a BIG disservice by encouraging it - and launching into a dissertation of Vcore adjustments, ram timing adjustments, exotic cooling solutions, etc. Folks, leave this for the advanced users, please. You gotta learn how to crawl before you learn how to walk.

Just my opinion.

[Punked Out Comp]

Basically, dont OC if you can't afford to repair a part and you need a computer.

[Jolyonekenobi]

Originally Posted by glc Here's my feelings. Overclocking is NOT an economical way to get more performance, it's strictly a toy. Just my opinion.

I agree with a lot that you say, glc. Just not the bit that I've quoted

It's by default about the most economical way of gaining performance surely as, if done correctly (and safely), it costs nothing at all!! I really enjoyed the difference it made to my setup before I upgraded to where I am now - especially when gaming.

I will add though that it is ONLY something for those who have thoroughly researched what they are doing, have asked for advice and are prepared to take the risk of potentially damaging some components. Although unlikely, any mistakes that fry part of your PC will naturally be costly.

In my own experience I've found it a positive and rewarding way to improve my PC's performance.

J

[glc]

Good luck with your overclocked Prescott. They run hot enough stock, and raising the Vcore just makes it run hotter. Be glad it will slow itself down when it gets too hot - not all processors can do that - crispy critters.

[kram 2.0]

Originally Posted by Jolyonekenobi Hey glc - what do you have against OC'ing?

I don't think that it's anything he has against overclocking, it's that you can get through life with a computer without overclocking - it's not strictly required and therefore, it is an optional luxury. It is not a prerequisite for running your computer - it probably should be done under the basis that you know you are going to OC when the computer was built...or, if you have a Intel P4 Prescott Core CPU, if you're living up in the North, it would make as a nice heater . That being said, be sure to take glc's warning to its full extent - overclocking, as good as the dark art can get you, is not without its risks and so should be done armed with proper knowledge.

kram

[Cricket]

Another thing to consider when you're helping out someone new to building is that not everyone is interested in sheer number crunching performance. Some people just want to experience what it's like to build their own computer and have a computer that works right.

Sure there are the gamers who want to tweak their computers to the hilt, but they're just one segment of the computer community. There are those who are interested in knowing how a computer works, how to build one and what it takes to maintain it. These people may not want to know about overclocking and that is their choice.

I guess what I'm saying is everyone is different. Some want a hot rod machine and some don't. Just gotta respect their choice.

Cricket

[Jolyonekenobi]

glc - My temps aren't too bad to be honest. Because of the size of the case, the cable tidying job I've done, the heatsink that I've installed and the fact that the PC has a good supply of cool air from the outside it's running quite reasonably. My temps are around:

Idle 40-42c / 104-107.5f
Load 53-55 / 127-131f

Might be a tad high for some people but running that overclock it's pretty good. The Prescott is a lot hotter than my old 2.66 Northwood but gives a much better performance when stressed.


Cricket - I agree with what you say. I built my PC purely with overclocking and performance in mind - all the components are recognised for their overclocking potential. Next up is my watercooling kit but that's a little way off yet.

The link started as a comment from cuog about the benfits he saw from an overclock (however lucky he may have been not to fry his innards!). If I was advising someone on building / buying a computer from scratch then it would depend entirely on their wants and needs. It just goes to show how many different opinions and requirements people have.

J

[shadowbreaker513]

only overclocking i ever do is my video card and even then it's thru a software program like smartgart or atitool

[HyperTF]

I suppose you have to ask yourself also if you do get a stable overclock, do you mind potentially shortening the life span of the CPU? I guess it is like having a person on speed... things might seem to operate faster but it eventually takes its toll on the body.

[enhanced08]

i have also wanted to know what glc had against it, he told me many times not to OC my server and i'm glad he talked me out of it and i'm glad i found this thread. i know before i OC'ed my first pc i read threads on here and did my own researching. even then i took an 800 Duron up to like 820 for a few min then backed it down because i was afraid of blowing it. overclocking isn't for everyone and the products arn't designed for it. not everyone needs a 4GHz machine right at this moment i'm on my moms 500mhz celly my brother has a 233mhz PII. it would be nice to have but its not required. and i would much rather have a nice server at a business and have it working fine then have a higher performing one for less and have it fail.

just my input....

[Strider]

What I don't understand is a non-hobbyist (This is what I call a person who builds their 1st computer) and wants to overclock their brand new 3.x GHz Computer? Why? Isn't 3.something GHz fast enough? Like stated above - if you overclock you void your warranties, not worth it in my book.

I've build 5 computers and don't overclock, it's not worth throwing money down the drain to get a few more GHz, plus if something is going to take time doing on a computer (example, rendering video) - I just go out of the room and watch TV or something until it's done. Just my .02 cents

[nubbler]

Originally Posted by Strider \Why? Isn't 3.something GHz fast enough?

Ya, but all their friends are bragging about how far over they went, so they gotta do it too.

I totally agree with you.

I don't think there is a real need for overclocking esspecially if its someones only comp and/or if its like you said, a fast one already.

[shadowbreaker513]

it's like those guys who cooled a 3.6 prescott with liquid nitrogen and took it to 6Ghz, just to prove that they could.

P.S. anybody know if overclocking a 9800 pro thru the drivers (non bios) would void the warrenty?

[cuog]

While on the subject of high overclocks and warranties i was not worried about a warranty voiding since my warranty was up six years ago

in addition once i comence on my next build i plan to learn more on overclocking and i will overclock my comp as far as it will go (this old piece of S**T)

along the lines of temps my comp shoots out air colder than the air in my room even after being on all day

theres my six cents on my issue(sorry if i sound a little selfish but i didn't intend to start a fight on overclockers vs. nonoverclockers)

[glc]

Eric, the reason I'm telling you not to overclock your server is a bit different. In servers, *stability* is far more important than raw speed. I have a customer that is running a 20 workstation network off of a P2-350 server with NT4, and it serves files just fine - and has been for 6 years now with nary a hiccup running 24/7.

If you do anything to your server, put more ram, the best NIC, and the fastest hard drives you can afford into it, not a CPU overclock. That will make much more of a difference (Hint - servers love SCSI). It's I/O throughput, not processing speeds, that make servers perform.

[enhanced08]

yeah i understand that glc, servers are for high in/output of data. faster in/output = better. there is no real processing going on, just moving files. because of this you don't need a fast cpu so OC'ing isn't nessecary. and i thank you for pointing this out to me.

[Jolyonekenobi]

Well it certainly seems to have caused some debate (if a little one-sided at the moment!).

Strider - I've been into computers all my life - I owned a Sinclair ZX81 when I was 8 years old and was onto programming BBC's from the age of about 10. I've built four PC's for myself and others and this one was designed for me to play around with. It's been an ongoing project for over a year now and is almost complete. First and foremost it's a gaming machine and as such it requires high spec - the aim was to be able to play games as close to the way that the makers intended - that takes as much power as you can squeeze out of a PC especially in the days of Far Cry and Doom3.

Nubbler - I'm a 25 year old with plenty of capacity for individual thought and don't need my friends to tell me what I should be doing.

Again I've got to agree with glc. I wouldn't suggest anyone overclocks PC's that are designed for work purposes and I wouldn't even consider OC'ing a server - there should be no need.

HyperTF - The honest answer is that no I don't mind shortening the life of the CPU. The difference it will make in the long run is going to be negligible as I will be keeping this PC updated / upgraded on a fairly constant basis. As I've said I've made every effort to minimise the effects of overheating and will be installing a water-cooling system in the near future to further reduce this as an issue.

Interesting to hear everyone's views on it - no argument cuog, just a debate / discussion

[trowand]

cuog, that computer is freakin' ANCIENT! It belongs in a museum! A Pentium 1?! 48MB RAM?! What did it do when you played with the ram timings, go from extremely super slow to just super slow? Can you even play games on that thing? Does it even have a color monitor?

[glc]

trowand, this forum is not a place to diss other members and their computers. I suggest you read the forum rules. This is not like most of the other forums on the Internet.

- Moderator -