CPU overclock & RAM underclock: Urgent advice needed!

[HookeyStreet]

Hi guys,
You may have seen my numerous threads l8ly about overclocking CPUs, RAM & GPUs but I have a few more questions I got my2 new sticks of 512 DDR400, installed it and everything seemed great (it was showing as 400MHz & Dual Chan) So I tested it with a few benchmarks (3DMark03, 3DMark05, Quake 4, Call Of Duty 2) .....not a single problem

BUT! I then tried HL2:Lost Coast........it crashed after 20 seconds or so stating an error code about memory! I then tried to play Battlefield 2. It worked fine for about 10 mins then suddenly crashed to the desktop

Ive tried them both again a couple more times and the same happens everytime so I put it down to the problem that some of you guys told me about my board (and a lot of others) not liking 4x 512MB being installed.

So to sort this problem I went into the BIOS and set my RAM to 333MHz, ran the games again and both ran perfect

But not being content with this I used 'GigaByte EasyTune5' (I know its the basic way to do it but I hate touching the BIOS) to increase the FSB to overclock my CPU to 3.4GHz (this should be ok as I have a Aero 4 Lite cooler) By doing this it also increases my RAM freq to 351MHz.......I tested Lost Coast again and it still works fine (I havent tested BF2 at this setting yet)

So do you think what Ive done will be ok?

 

[djbbenn]

Yeah thats just the limitation of the chipset. So most people overclock to make up the lost speed, just what you did. But you should do it through the bios, so its always there when you start up.

-Dan

 

[HookeyStreet]

Yeah thats just the limitation of the chipset. So most people overclock to make up the lost speed, just what you did. But you should do it through the bios, so its always there when you start up.

-Dan

To be honest I dont know how to do it in the BIOS, but I have set EasyTune5 to automatically set these speeds when windows loads (should this be ok for now?)

 

[djbbenn]

Yeah that will be good for now. But you should learn how to do it, its not difficult. The hardest part is gettign the guts to start doing it lol. To put it quickly, you raise your FSB slowly. You wont have to go too high. Just do some small overclocks, none that need voltage increases, or timing relaxing. Just to get familiar with your board settings.

Your best bet is to google "overclocking guides" and maybe even your board. It will be the best way to learn it. There is far to much to type here, and there are some really good guides out there.

-Dan

 

[HookeyStreet]

Yeah that will be good for now. But you should learn how to do it, its not difficult. The hardest part is gettign the guts to start doing it lol. To put it quickly, you raise your FSB slowly. You wont have to go too high. Just do some small overclocks, none that need voltage increases, or timing relaxing. Just to get familiar with your board settings.

Your best bet is to google "overclocking guides" and maybe even your board. It will be the best way to learn it. There is far to much to type here, and there are some really good guides out there.

-Dan

Thnx m8 for all your help

 

[Silverstone]

Get familiar with your bios, in particular the AREA where your memory dividers are.

On a p4 I don't think its possible to lower the multi, Im not sure as I never owned one.

 

[djbbenn]

You can only lower multi's on the P4's with speed step (EIST). I believe it only comes on 3.2GHz Prescott or higher.

-Dan

 

[HookeyStreet]

Im I better off with 1GB or 2GB then?

I wanted the extra RAM for Battlefield 2 online gaming (I was getting some lag, not due to connection) Am I gaining by having 4x 512MB @ 333MHz or should I go back to 2x 512MB @ 400MHz ???

 

[Solaris17]

id keep ur 4x512 but oc a little

 

[HookeyStreet]

id keep ur 4x512 but oc a little

Well I did oc a bit (FSB @ 212 = CPU @ 3.4GHz & RAM @ 351MHz) everything seemed fine but strange things started to happen, for instance my DVDs would fail whilst burning & when I tried to encode a DVD it would lock up Nero But once reverted back to stock settings it would all be fine again

 

[djbbenn]

Did you lock your PCI/AGP bus?

-Dan

 

[HookeyStreet]

Did you lock your PCI/AGP bus?

-Dan

Yes m8, 33/66 BUT! I think I may have found the source of this problem, so I will test the overclock again l8r

 

[djbbenn]

Tell us how you make out.

-Dan

 

[Shyska]

Yes m8, 33/66 BUT! I think I may have found the source of this problem, so I will test the overclock again l8r

And get yourself memtest, that is a cd image to burn. After setting new timings/frequency in bios insert cd into cd drive, power on computer and sit back watching if your ram passes tests

 

[HookeyStreet]

Tell us how you make out.

-Dan

I will keep you posted m8

 

[HookeyStreet]

And get yourself memtest, that is a cd image to burn. After setting new timings/frequency in bios insert cd into cd drive, power on computer and sit back watching if your ram passes tests

Thnx m8, I will give it a go