OC switches what do they really do ?

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Its a while since i have owned a board with an o/c switch, it was an MSI 870. When i used it to overclock a Phenom ii x4 955 it gave me a good stable overclock however i managed to do a lot better through the BIOS.

All this was a while ago so the exact details are a bit sketchy with me but I'm soon going to be building another system using second user parts and fancy having another play with it. When i read ads they are all a bit vague.

So my questions are....

what does an o/c switch physically do ?
Is it just bumping voltages? and if so at what stage of the POST startup process does the "bump " occur.
According to what formula is it calculating any speed and or multiplier changes and consequently how does it bench for stability?
Does the switch initiate a power plan in the BIOS chip ?

It all seems so simple to flick a switch and make a miracle happen when we all know that achieving a decent stable overclock can take time and experience.

can anybody enlighten me please.

 

[Mussels]

they just change to some pre-set BIOS settings that are assumed to be stable overclocks.


They're best avoided, do things manually because no one knows what they do exactly - no one except the guy who wrote the BIOS can answer the questions you ask.

 

[Tallencor]

Enlighten? Nope. I tried using Gigabytes easy tune and it was terrible. It was like the program just picked 3 random clocks. Green for good yellow for moderate and red for only if your using LN2. Tried the first two settings and they were as unstable as heck. Wish I knew the how's and why's of the program as well.

 

[Devon68]

what does an o/c switch physically do ?

I believe it raises the frequency to the most stable recommended depending on the cpu model.
I don't think it raises voltages just changes the multiplier to the predefined value so the cpu would be a bit faster than the factory preset

Don't quote me on this. This is just how I think it works.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Looks like im going to have to get one and have a play. There doesnt seem to be a lot of experience out there. i would rather use the BIOS im just curious

A few cpuz screenshots could solve it though if anyone has got a board with a switch on, its a bit of a concern if theres an ln2 option, that suggests to me theres something going on with the volts.

Im off to ebay.

 

[Tallencor]

This will be a good thread to keep an eye on me thinks. Going to dl easy tune as well. see what it provides. It's been 2 yrs. maybe the new version is "tweaked".

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

I tried easy tune in the past and have found it to be pretty rubbish.
AMD overdrive will o/c but only moderately in my experience.

BIOS is best and obviously a lot more fun and interesting/challenging.

I am going to put a system together though and do some proper tests.

I will try
easytune
overdrive
oc switch (whatever flavour it turns out to be)
BIOS
and any other suggestions members can throw at me.

Ive got my eye on a few AM3 chips but it may take some time to find a cheap board. This build will be entirely 2nd user and i am keen to do it quite soon because at the moment ive got nothing to build having just completed my wooden build.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Just for a play i had a go with AMD overdrive again last night.
Had cpuz and AIDA running and task manager.
Its an Athlon ii x4 640...... stock is 3 ghz which is

15 x 200 = 3000

i usually run it at

14 x 250 = 3500 never a glitch, freeze or any problems at all.


i let Overdrive run auto tune in 5 mhz increments, it changed the multiplier to 13.5 and within 20 minutes had bumped the speed to 280

13.5 x 280 3780mhz and thats when my pc froze, temps were good (52 )

Either i dont know what i am doing..........which i doubt.

OR

AMD Overdrive is a pile of potentially damaging software which should be avoided......which i suspect.

MIssed out on an Athlon ii x4 620 for £8.50 incl p+p last night but i will keep looking.

 

[Mussels]

oh the auto OC stuff can definitely crash your system, potentially corrupting data on your hard drive. no one here on TPU will ever recommend using it for that reason, and then the random voltages they throw in can kill other things (CPU, ram, NB etc)

 

[RCoon]

Auto OC is not to be trusted.

The random OC buttons on motherboards should not be used either. All they do is bump the clocks up to a well rounded core frequency that most midrange air coolers can cope with, and blast far FAR too many volts through the processor. It certainly over compensates in the voltage department, for a very modest core clock bump.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Auto OC is not to be trusted.

The random OC buttons on motherboards should not be used either. All they do is bump the clocks up to a well rounded core frequency that most midrange air coolers can cope with, and blast far FAR too many volts through the processor. It certainly over compensates in the voltage department, for a very modest core clock bump.

I am thinking the same as you but i would like to see some CPUZ snapshots which is why i am going to put something cheap and cheerful together just to see what is going on.

I think Overdrive could cause real problems, it didnt clock back when it became unstable it kept going till it froze, baffled me a bit, i thought it would err on the safe side and not go all out. Temps didnt go berserk though volts were up to 1.484 .

 

[Tallencor]

The messed up thing here is companies branding software and features that can brick your system. Makes me wonder how many people have had this happen thinking they were safe.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

The messed up thing here is companies branding software and features that can brick your system. Makes me wonder how many people have had this happen thinking they were safe.

they use them to sell boards....a gimmick.....pretty shitty eh ?

Anyway lets get some proof before we throw shit everywhere.

 

[Vario]

It's all luck. If you have a good chip, the boards terrible overclock setting might work well with it, and if you have a bad chip, it will kill it.

This will be a good thread to keep an eye on me thinks. Going to dl easy tune as well. see what it provides. It's been 2 yrs. maybe the new version is "tweaked".

Gigabyte rarely updates things very well. I'd just avoid easy tune. They still don't even support the ram I am using without using a custom bios.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Just got a sempron 145 for £1.99 and £1.50 pandp

The code tells me it might have the 2nd core.

Mobo is next.
Then the testing will begin.

Might end up being a silent little cruncher after i have had a play with it.

Ive set a budget of £ 50.00. for the pc.
I love a challenge and need to keep my head busy.

Ive got a spare 250w shuttle psu a HDD and assorted RAM lying around. I really enjoyed putting my last build in a wooden wine box so im thinking wood again for the case.

Cheap and cheerful......just like me.



Finding a cheap board with an o/c switch isnt going to be easy though.
Anybody flogging an old one?