what if the screen goes black and doesn't go back to normal?

[Phrantic]

Hi, I know bugger all about overclocking other than what it does. I downloaded ATI Tool as a friend recommended it. I have an ATI Radeon x300 card, core is 324 at default. I had 'find max core' running for half an hour and it didn't show any errors and then my screen went black. It didn't go back to normal (or it might have, if I was a bit more patient) so I reset my PC, ran ATI Tool again and said the last safe frequency was at 488. The slider was pretty much maxed out almost, two or three notches from maximum, so I didn't really trust it.

Does this do any harm to my video card? I have found out using the search function that other people have had their screen dying on them but it didn't go back for me and I didn't want to toast my card. Would you say 488 is about normal? If it crashes without finding any artifacts, I feel there's something I shouldn't trust.

 

[trog100]

when overclocking the gpu core u dont always get nice "nearly" there artifact warning.. the black screen is just when the vpu recovery hasnt worked..

its best and quicker to find your high point by hand with the sliders anyways.. to overclock anything u at least need a vague idea off how fast things will go before u start.. just move up to that point gradually step by step.. the black screen just means your gpu tripped over it own feet and crashed cos it was going too fast..

the memory will likely produce visible (furry dice) artifacts.. the core might just lock up or crash.. take thing backs about 10mhz from these high points.. run a few instances of 3dmark2005 and see what happens.. if it runs few 3dmarks its likely okay..

trog