OC'ing

[Jokerswild]

Ok I finished reading the artical and printed it out for reference. I can OC it when I get a new PSU. I will need help I'm sure. I see that it will take quite awhile with all the tests and I've downloaded the programs I'll need so now it's just a matter of getting a new PSU. The math is a little confusing since I used mostly trig on the job but I'll get it.

[Lead Head]

Originally Posted by jokerswild

Ok I finished reading the artical and printed it out for reference. I can OC it when I get a new PSU. I will need help I'm sure. I see that it will take quite awhile with all the tests and I've downloaded the programs I'll need so now it's just a matter of getting a new PSU. The math is a little confusing since I used mostly trig on the job but I'll get it.

Math? OCing usually is pretty simple on non-47923-settings-for-the-mem-alone-boards.

Just some general tips
Try to keep the HTT speed at 1Ghz. The HTT base speed is 200Mhz with a 5x multiplier, HTT multiplier is usually in a part callled LDT Bus speed or similar in the bios. Usually options like 200,400,600,800, and 1000MHz. 200Mhz is 1x, 400Mhz is 2x so and so forth. Its all pretty simply multiplication. Oh well, im pretty sure thats all covered by the guide(havent had a chance to look at it yet)

[One4yu2c]

Don't let the math scare ya off Joker, it's really not as confusing as it sounds. Let's see if I can set you up with a primer:

Basic Concepts
- Multiplier x FSB (frontside bus) = clockspeed
- Another term for FSB is HT (or HTT)
- All s939 A64 processors ship with a stock FSB of 200
- Multipliers are locked, which means you can't increase them
- Since multipliers are locked, you overclock by increasing the FSB

Your Winchester and RAM
- Your Winchester 3000+ has a multiplier of x9
- PC3200 = DDR400 = 200MHz
- PC4000 = DDR500 = 250MHz (this is what you own)

Overclocking
As mentioned, your proc has a mulitplier of x9, so 9 x 200 = 1800MHz (1.8GHz). The easiest way to overclock is to simply increase your FSB. Since your RAM is PC4000, that means it's capable of up to 250MHz, a pretty nice boost considering that stock RAM (PC3200) is 200MHz. Let's look at a best case scenario:

9 x 200 = 1800MHz / 1.8GHz (stock speed)
9 x 250 = 2.250MHz / 2.25GHz (overclocked)

Just by increasing your FSB and taking advantage of what your RAM is capable of, you would achieve a 450MHz overclock in our above example.

HyperTransport Link
Now this is where the confusion sets in. A64 processors have what's called a HyperTransport bus, which is a link between the processor and chipset for fast communication. The stock speed of the HyperTransport bus is 2000MHz (it's really 1000MHz, but bi-directional, so an effective 2000MHz), and it doesn't stand up well to overclocking. This number is calculated by using the FSB (200MHz) and multipling it by the HyperTransport multiplier, which is COMPLETELY SEPERATE from the CPU multiplier. The HT multiplier runs at x5, so 5 x 200 = 1000MHz (2000MHz effective).

Since you've just overclocked your FSB up to 250MHz, the HyperTransport Bus now looks like this:

5 x 200 = 1000MHz / 2000MHz effective (stock speed)
5 x 250 = 1250MHz / 2500MHz effective (overclocked)

2500MHz is too high, and your system simply isn't going to boot. To get around this issue, you would decrease your HyperTransport multplier. Let's take a look at what happens when we decrease it from x5 to x4.

5 x 250 = 1250MHz / 2500MHz effective (too high)
4 x 250 = 1000MHz / 2000MHz effective (perfect!)

And voila, you've now overclocked your processor without knocking the HyperTransport bus out of whack!

Additional Notes
- At some point, it may become necessary to increase voltages. The most common are the processor, RAM, and chipset. For a mild overclock, this probably won't be necessary, but YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

- Another aspect of overclocking deals with dividers, which simply means running your RAM separately from your processor. Keep this concept on the backburner for another day and don't worry about it for now.

[Jokerswild]

:D Thanks Paul you have a way of cutting thru the BS to get to the heart of the matter. I'm stealing your post which is copyright infringement so go ahead and sue your heart out.

[Lead Head]

Originally Posted by jokerswild

:D Thanks Paul you have a way of cutting thru the BS to get to the heart of the matter. I'm stealing your post which is copyright infringement so go ahead and sue your heart out.

Lol, but remember, Winchesters aren't that great of clockers to, I was able to hit about 2.14GHz on stock volts with my 3000+, But i had to whack it upto 1.525v to hit 2.3Ghz on the stock air cooler. Quite sad really when you have venices hitting 2.7Ghz with lower volts :(

[Jokerswild]

Thats what I heard Lead Head but I have some great ram to work with so I want to see what happens. Just overclocked my vid card from 400x400
to 422 core x 452 memory. Scored 9323 on 3d mark 03. Not sure how that fares but it's not bad.

[stinger608]

ohhhh Paul,,,, what a great post man!!!! That will get even the **** of noobs understanding the basics of overclocking :P

You do have a way of making people understand things that most writers try to make more difficult than nessasary!!! You really should do a complete system overclocking article for the novice

[stinger608]

Originally Posted by jokerswild

Thats what I heard Lead Head but I have some great ram to work with so I want to see what happens. Just overclocked my vid card from 400x400
to 422 core x 452 memory. Scored 9323 on 3d mark 03. Not sure how that fares but it's not bad.

See joker, I told you man, once you read, you will do!!!!

[RangerXLT8]

Originally Posted by jokerswild

Thats what I heard Lead Head but I have some great ram to work with so I want to see what happens. Just overclocked my vid card from 400x400
to 422 core x 452 memory. Scored 9323 on 3d mark 03. Not sure how that fares but it's not bad.

And every MHz more increases those 3DMark scores.....Welcome to the game.

[Lead Head]

If the 7600core is like the 7800/7900, then there will be certain core clocks that will give a better performence boost then others.