What Is Overclocking?

[Vamp]

I'm pretty dumb at this, what exactly is overclocking? Can it harm my system if done to an extreme extent or can it greatly improve performance?

For instance, If I have a Geforce 4 MX440 and I overclocked it, would it perform better than now?

[cwctv]

No need to be "dumb" its a bit of either it can cause problems if you go too far it will put the temp' up for sure so cooling is a must i have one and don't see that much diff',just make sure you read about overclocking the card or machine before you go for it there are other topics on here about this do a search for them.
I bet its a game your trying to get to work better.

[Vamp]

Not specifically a game, just overall performance.

[cwctv]

It "might" help but the one I have is well in one word "crap" don't think much of them at all don't know why I bothered besides the price,will be looking for something else later ,the mx200 was as bad couldn't even run Soldier of Fortune 2 fast enough and thats was a 64 megger this one can must be the ddr memory.
What do you mean by "overall".

Try here http://www.guru3d.com/rivatuner/

Or if you didn't know http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp

[RGX]

I have the same card as you ever so slightly clocked, via software

http://www.chinkii.com/uploads/album/misc/clockmx440.JPG


As you can see, not to extreme standards, but it definatly gave me a little boost in terms of games, what i would reccomend is to be very careful, as overclocked electronics tend to create a lot of heat, which can cause them to fail, warp or crack

Plus, check for bottlenecks in your system, parts which are slower than the rest which may be holding the pc back, replacing them would be a much better idea than overclocking the system to breaking point

hope ive been of help ;)

[clocker]

Originally posted by Vamp@24 November 2003 - 04:15
I'm pretty dumb at this, what exactly is overclocking? Can it harm my system if done to an extreme extent or can it greatly improve performance?

For instance, If I have a Geforce 4 MX440 and I overclocked it, would it perform better than now?
Overclocking is the act (art?) of making a system operate at a higher level of performance than intended by the manufacturer.

Yes, it can harm your system.

"Greatly improve"? Probably not.

Yes, your GForce can be made to perform better, the question is, would you notice it.

Do you already have the latest, greatest drivers?

Do you know what your current level of performance is and how that compares to other similar setups?

Find yourself a copy of 3D Mark 2001 and run it. You can then go online and compare your scores to others. Then you'll know how much, if any, room for improvement you may have.

[abu_has_the_power]

Originally posted by cwctv@24 November 2003 - 06:40
No need to be "dumb" its a bit of either it can cause problems if you go too far it will put the temp' up for sure so cooling is a must i have one and don't see that much diff',just make sure you read about overclocking the card or machine before you go for it there are other topics on here about this do a search for them.
I bet its a game your trying to get to work better.
whoa, check my temps. u call that high? they were exactly the same b4 i oced.
ps: its in my sig

and @clocker:
yes, it can damage ur pc, but it can also raise ur benchmark scores with just .2ghz of a increase. not bad, and no probs for almost 3 months now.

[clocker]

Originally posted by abu_has_the_power@24 November 2003 - 07:40

yes, it can damage ur pc, but it can also raise ur benchmark scores with just .2ghz of a increase. not bad, and no probs for almost 3 months now.
Abu, I have no doubt.

The question is, can a slight rise in benchmark scores be detected in real life applications?

That is up to each person to determine.

[abu_has_the_power]

Originally posted by clocker+24 November 2003 - 09:43--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (clocker @ 24 November 2003 - 09:43)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-abu_has_the_power@24 November 2003 - 07:40

yes, it can damage ur pc, but it can also raise ur benchmark scores with just .2ghz of a increase. not bad, and no probs for almost 3 months now.
Abu, I have no doubt.

The question is, can a slight rise in benchmark scores be detected in real life applications?

That is up to each person to determine. [/b][/quote]
well, not much, but i do notice some speed increase in some games and a lot in video encoding.

[bigdawgfoxx]

I got a PS2..thats where i play games, I dont play games on my comp at ALL hardly..unless i can download one that actually works and i like...only one so far is max payne and it works good on my system. So if i had a 2500 and made it run at 2200 (equivalant to a 3200XP) would I see a difference in opening programs and running kazaa and stuff? I mean ive heard you wont..but then whats the point of buying the 3200??

[bigdawgfoxx]

I got a PS2..thats where i play games, I dont play games on my comp at ALL hardly..unless i can download one that actually works and i like...only one so far is max payne and it works good on my system. So if i had a 2500 and made it run at 2200 (equivalant to a 3200XP) would I see a difference in opening programs and running kazaa and stuff? I mean ive heard you wont..but then whats the point of buying the 3200??

[bigdawgfoxx]

Sorry bout the double post....why do people put "BUMP" after a double post?? whats that mean?

[abu_has_the_power]

Originally posted by bigdawgfoxx@24 November 2003 - 18:55
Sorry bout the double post....why do people put "BUMP" after a double post?? whats that mean?
no. bump means to bump their thread or post to the top of the list, so others will c it first.

now, bout the ocing. yes, you&#39;ll notice a huge difference form ocing ur current cpu to the speed of a 3200. i didn&#39;t oc mine that much, but i can notice a huge difference in encoding speed when i make dvd rips. plus, i have no cpu temp change or stability. my cpu&#39;s been at 34 C b4 i oced, and it&#39;s still at 34 C, but i have a lot of fans in the case. and i&#39;ve had the pc oced for 3 months now, not stability issues at all.

[clocker]

Originally posted by bigdawgfoxx@24 November 2003 - 16:49
I got a PS2..thats where i play games, I dont play games on my comp at ALL hardly..unless i can download one that actually works and i like...only one so far is max payne and it works good on my system. So if i had a 2500 and made it run at 2200 (equivalant to a 3200XP) would I see a difference in opening programs and running kazaa and stuff? I mean ive heard you wont..but then whats the point of buying the 3200??
Dawg,

You have perfectly defined the problem that computer manufacturers face.
For most people, doing what they normally do with a computer, there is no earthly reason why they would need, or notice, the benefits of a 3200+ CPU.
It is massive and totally unnecessary overkill.

But, the makers have to somehow convince you that you will benefit so they can sell more units and stay in business.

[abu_has_the_power]

@bigdawgfoxx: do u have 56k?

[_John_Lennon_]

Originally posted by clocker+24 November 2003 - 09:43--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (clocker @ 24 November 2003 - 09:43)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-abu_has_the_power@24 November 2003 - 07:40

yes, it can damage ur pc, but it can also raise ur benchmark scores with just .2ghz of a increase. not bad, and no probs for almost 3 months now.
Abu, I have no doubt.

The question is, can a slight rise in benchmark scores be detected in real life applications?

That is up to each person to determine. [/b][/quote]
I know that with my the AMD overclocked in my sig, it defintely comes back from hibernating quicker.

[bigdawgfoxx]

Originally posted by abu_has_the_power@25 November 2003 - 00:10
@bigdawgfoxx: do u have 56k?
Nope, why?

[bigdawgfoxx]

What exactly is encoding?? Is it where you change a CD to MP3 format??

[clocker]

That would be an example of audio encoding, yes.

[bigdawgfoxx]

Oh ok...well when i put a cd into my CDRW drive...and go into windows media player...and convert it to audio files...is that considered encoding then?

[clocker]

When you put a commercially made CD into your drive and want to store it on your HDD you can chose which format to save it in.
This is called "ripping".
Or encoding.
Typically the format of choice is MP3 because the resulting file is so small compared to a Windows Media File.

[abu_has_the_power]

Originally posted by clocker@24 November 2003 - 21:35
When you put a commercially made CD into your drive and want to store it on your HDD you can chose which format to save it in.
This is called "ripping".
Or encoding.
Typically the format of choice is MP3 because the resulting file is so small compared to a Windows Media File.
yea. i was talking about making dvd rips into xvid and divx. almost the same, but requires much more cpu power to run fast. ocing is really helpful.
1: same cpu temp as b4 i oced
2. better benchies
3. faster encoding
4. faster games
5. no crashes or pc probs for almost 3 months now since i oced it

that&#39;s a pretty good deal for only changing a small number in the bios

[clocker]

Yes it is.

Of course, VB1234&#39;s equally valid objection is that over the long run you are probably hurting durability to some extent. Plus, if you do suffer problems, then you have added more factors into the mix.
It all comes down to what you are willing to risk and how much you are willing to put up with when ( not if :P ) things go to hell.
Personally, I&#39;m betting that I&#39;ll have a new chip before any side effects show up on this one.

I wonder what the average lifespan of a CPU is for members of the board? Not that posters in this section would be average (or they wouldn&#39;t be here to begin with), but still, it would be interesting to know.
Just guessing, I would say 2 years.

[_John_Lennon_]

Seeing as how its modifing just BIOS setts, you can usually get away with sending it back under the old warranty. Remember, if you use any heatsink of fan other than the stock ones, you have already VOIDED the warranty. So trust me, its AMD, they give lee way.

Oh and Clocker, I upgrade my CPU before 2 years, lol.

[abu_has_the_power]

Originally posted by clocker@24 November 2003 - 21:53
Yes it is.

Of course, VB1234&#39;s equally valid objection is that over the long run you are probably hurting durability to some extent. Plus, if you do suffer problems, then you have added more factors into the mix.
It all comes down to what you are willing to risk and how much you are willing to put up with when ( not if :P ) things go to hell.
Personally, I&#39;m betting that I&#39;ll have a new chip before any side effects show up on this one.

I wonder what the average lifespan of a CPU is for members of the board? Not that posters in this section would be average (or they wouldn&#39;t be here to begin with), but still, it would be interesting to know.
Just guessing, I would say 2 years.
clocker, my old HP pc had a pIII 800 mhz. and there was no fans in the pc. only 1 cpu fan, and no heatsink. i used that comp for 4 years. no hardware probs at all. only occasional crashes and stuff with windows me. then i upgraded to xp, and it was still slow, but at least no more crashes and soft probs. but the cpu ran at maybe 45-55 C all the time, and no probs at all for 4 years. so, i&#39;d say cpu&#39;s last a lot longer than 2 years

[clocker]

I&#39;m not saying that they break, just that people replace/upgrade them every two years on average.
I&#39;m guessing.

[_John_Lennon_]

Originally posted by abu_has_the_power+24 November 2003 - 22:02--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (abu_has_the_power @ 24 November 2003 - 22:02)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-clocker@24 November 2003 - 21:53
Yes it is.

Of course, VB1234&#39;s equally valid objection is that over the long run you are probably hurting durability to some extent. Plus, if you do suffer problems, then you have added more factors into the mix.
It all comes down to what you are willing to risk and how much you are willing to put up with when ( not if :P ) things go to hell.
Personally, I&#39;m betting that I&#39;ll have a new chip before any side effects show up on this one.

I wonder what the average lifespan of a CPU is for members of the board? Not that posters in this section would be average (or they wouldn&#39;t be here to begin with), but still, it would be interesting to know.
Just guessing, I would say 2 years.
clocker, my old HP pc had a pIII 800 mhz. and there was no fans in the pc. only 1 cpu fan, and no heatsink. i used that comp for 4 years. no hardware probs at all. only occasional crashes and stuff with windows me. then i upgraded to xp, and it was still slow, but at least no more crashes and soft probs. but the cpu ran at maybe 45-55 C all the time, and no probs at all for 4 years. so, i&#39;d say cpu&#39;s last a lot longer than 2 years [/b][/quote]
You sure it didnt have a heatsink? Heck even the original pentiums had heatsinks..

Guess your right though.

[bigdawgfoxx]

Ive had mine for over 3 years...566 MHZ CELERON&#33;&#33;&#33; Dont you wish you had one of those running K Lite and all of the latest games for YOU? ;)

[abu_has_the_power]

Originally posted by _John_Lennon_+24 November 2003 - 22:18--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (_John_Lennon_ @ 24 November 2003 - 22:18)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by abu_has_the_power@24 November 2003 - 22:02
<!--QuoteBegin-clocker@24 November 2003 - 21:53
Yes it is.

Of course, VB1234&#39;s equally valid objection is that over the long run you are probably hurting durability to some extent. Plus, if you do suffer problems, then you have added more factors into the mix.
It all comes down to what you are willing to risk and how much you are willing to put up with when ( not if :P ) things go to hell.
Personally, I&#39;m betting that I&#39;ll have a new chip before any side effects show up on this one.

I wonder what the average lifespan of a CPU is for members of the board? Not that posters in this section would be average (or they wouldn&#39;t be here to begin with), but still, it would be interesting to know.
Just guessing, I would say 2 years.
clocker, my old HP pc had a pIII 800 mhz. and there was no fans in the pc. only 1 cpu fan, and no heatsink. i used that comp for 4 years. no hardware probs at all. only occasional crashes and stuff with windows me. then i upgraded to xp, and it was still slow, but at least no more crashes and soft probs. but the cpu ran at maybe 45-55 C all the time, and no probs at all for 4 years. so, i&#39;d say cpu&#39;s last a lot longer than 2 years
You sure it didnt have a heatsink? Heck even the original pentiums had heatsinks..

Guess your right though. [/b][/quote]
if it had a hs, it was really thin and small. it did have a duct that led from the cpu fan to the back of the pc. got so dusty and stuff, that not much circulation went through it. plus, the fan was really really really weak. hardly pushes any air.

yea, @ clocker, ur prob rite. most people with ample amounts of &#036; replace their pcs, not just their cpu&#39;s, every 2-3 years. i&#39;m a poor bastard living in a cardboard box.

[clocker]

A cardboard box with an internet connection.
Must be a very upscale alley.

[bigdawgfoxx]

Originally posted by clocker@25 November 2003 - 03:46
A cardboard box with an internet connection.
Must be a very upscale alley.
^ haha u funny man

I have never seen a cpu with just a fan...wouldnt the plastic off the fans like get hot and warp and stuff...i though almost all cpus had hs....but maybe the fan is made of medal?

[abu_has_the_power]

Originally posted by bigdawgfoxx+24 November 2003 - 23:05--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (bigdawgfoxx @ 24 November 2003 - 23:05)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-clocker@25 November 2003 - 03:46
A cardboard box with an internet connection.
Must be a very upscale alley.
^ haha u funny man

I have never seen a cpu with just a fan...wouldnt the plastic off the fans like get hot and warp and stuff...i though almost all cpus had hs....but maybe the fan is made of medal? [/b][/quote]
i&#39;m guessing it was a really thin piece of scrap metal that hp put in there. lol. and yea, my cardboard box has cable, and it&#39;s 2 stories too. lol. i can fit a lot of shit in there, tvs, beds, toilets, ovens, washing machines. lol