overclocking a AMD athlon 2800+xp bartoncore

[sandeepparekh]

hi there, i have had water cooling installed recently (thermaltake aquarius II) and i wanted to know how to overclock my pc, i was wondering if it worth it, or just to leave the system as it is. my specs are as follows, AMD athlon 2800+xp, 1GB kinsgton dual channel memory, geforce fx5700 (with artic cooling). by the way, my pc is rather dry compared to some ive seen, so dont laugh if its not possible with mine!!!!!!!!
let me know what you guys think, bye

 

[Son Goku]

Whether or not it's worth it to OC, is one of those things where you'll get a different answer depending who you ask. It might be worth it (even if one doesn't OC) to see if one can, by a little bit however.

The reason I say this, is because the timing in a computer isn't absolute. The clock crystal doesn't generate an exact clock pulse that has no variation, and in truth the actual clock one's hardware is running at, at any given moment can fluctuate slightly. Older PCs don't show this, but with my A64, which includes CnQ, which though disabled the software is designed to pick up a on the fly change in clock, the software does detect a few MHz change in actual CPU clock which is not constant... This would be normal.

By seeing that it can OC a bit, it means one has some timing margin in the system, and whether it's OCed or not, I'm of the view that having some margin is important for system stability...

With older XP cores (haven't checked some of the latter to confirm, but am assuming it still applies) the CPUs are multiplier locked. What this means is that you will not be able to adjust the multiplier without using a "trick" with a conductive pen to re-connect the bridges on the chip. Even here, you would want to search if you decide to try, and be fore-warned you could mess up your CPU by drawing traces on the die...

The easiest option would be to OC by upping the fsb clock. Whether you can do this, also depends on what kind of margin you have with your RAM, and just how high your memory clock can go...

If you do decide to OC (either to confirm there is some margin, or because you plan to do so more permanently), it would be a good idea to run something like Prime 95 and let the thing loop, to stress test the system over a period of time. Either way, finding a clock it boots at, and can run Prime 95 without a hickup, I would recommend backing off from whatever that stable clock is found to be, just as a matter of leaving timing margin in the system...

One drawback can be, that finding "what is stable" for a given program, might prove unstable latter on, if a newer program comes out that pushes the hardware in ways one's older software hasn't; though tests like Prime 95 do allow one to get some feel for how it will hold up.

 

[ShepsCrook]

Personally, I go by the saying. "If you can't afford to replace what you are overclocking, then don't do it" Overclocking is for the most part, not hard to do on the Athlon XP series, but it can cause damage to your equipement should you overclock TOO much. I've been overclocking since the K6-2 series processors. I think if it's something you want to persue, I would check out www.hardocp.com. They have a large overclocking population there with years of experience.

Personally, I overclock all of my AMD machines. Except for my server I'm building. I don't see a need to overclock that.

Just make sure, that you have PC3200 ram, and proper cooling as well as proper thermal paste to overclock your machine.

Also, what version is your 2800? Is it a Barton core? 333mhz, or is it the regular core, 266mhz. If you have the Barton core, you have a better chance of overclocking. A simple bump up to 400mhz would give you that.
You also should check your motherboard and see if you can easily increase your FSB.

 

[Son Goku]

^ ^ ^

Good advise...

Anyhow, an additional point to add. Don't try to get a significant OC right off the bat. Start small, and increase the clock incrementally if you do so. Also, between each increment:

- reboot the machine and make sure it will POST
- let it run for awhile (and observe if it BSODs or crashes)
- with Prime95 which I mentioned above, test it at that given clock

What you're looking for is a point where the OC is too much, either because it won't boot, it crashes, doesn't test well, has probs running your software, whatever. Once that point is found, back off. (Now in the latter, be prepared that with a soft clock setting in the BIOS, you might have to reset the CMOS when you reach this point, and remember what point to backoff from.)

In my case, I backed the clock on the HTT (well I have an Athlon 64) to 2 MHz below the last stable point (3 MHz below the point it wouldn't POST anymore); albeit at that point it didn't POST, if it was set to that from within winXP (my mobo comes with software to do that) Prime 95 ran fine...

Result is a 216 MHz HTT, for a A64 3500+ that runs slightly under 2.4 GHz... I could push it still, but as I mentioned above, some margin in the timings is good IMO...

BTW, the thermal paste being mentioned, is something along the lines of Arctic Silver, not one of those waxy thermal pads that many HSF come with. If your comp has one of those waxy pads, you would definitely want another thermal compound...

 

[sandeepparekh]

Personally, I go by the saying. "If you can't afford to replace what you are overclocking, then don't do it" Overclocking is for the most part, not hard to do on the Athlon XP series, but it can cause damage to your equipement should you overclock TOO much. I've been overclocking since the K6-2 series processors. I think if it's something you want to persue, I would check out www.hardocp.com. They have a large overclocking population there with years of experience.

Personally, I overclock all of my AMD machines. Except for my server I'm building. I don't see a need to overclock that.

Just make sure, that you have PC3200 ram, and proper cooling as well as proper thermal paste to overclock your machine.

Also, what version is your 2800? Is it a Barton core? 333mhz, or is it the regular core, 266mhz. If you have the Barton core, you have a better chance of overclocking. A simple bump up to 400mhz would give you that.
You also should check your motherboard and see if you can easily increase your FSB.

its a bartoncore mate, cheers for all the replies people, much apprecitated additional hep would be good!

 

[ShepsCrook]

What additional help are you looking for?
I've overclocked the Athlon XP series thoroughly. I had an Athlon XP Mobile that I took the highest. Those things overclock beautifully. Your barton 2800 was not the greatest at overclocking, but they at least can make it to 3200 speeds. You'll just need to make sure you have proper cooling.

Sheps

 

[sandeepparekh]

What additional help are you looking for?
I've overclocked the Athlon XP series thoroughly. I had an Athlon XP Mobile that I took the highest. Those things overclock beautifully. Your barton 2800 was not the greatest at overclocking, but they at least can make it to 3200 speeds. You'll just need to make sure you have proper cooling.

Sheps

how did you go about overclocking the 2800+xp, did you just raise the fsb, ive got water cooling, the aquarius II (made by thermaltake) on the processor, and i have ram heat spreaders (on both 512mb sticks, made by kingston) made by thermaltake too.

 

[ShepsCrook]

Yes, I raised the FSB to 400mhz instead of 333mhz. Then from there, you might want to report back your multiplier. to us. You may beed to lower your multipler by 1 because you could take your processor over 3200 speeds which is possible, but you want to stop at 3200 to make sure it's stable enough. Then process from that point.

 

[Steevo]

Long live the K6's!!!!!

 

[ShepsCrook]

K6's were great! I liked them. I don't know why other people hated them so much aside from their massive heat problem.

 

[LeeJend]

You can damage a MB/CPU/Add in cards by overclocking. You do this at your own risk.

Before you start you need to make sure of the following:
-The MB allows you to keep the PCI and AGP frequencies at their normal settings. Overclcoking the PCI and AGP slots can damage add in boards.
-You must know how to reset the MB CMOS memory because when you go too high the computer will no longer boot. When reseting CMOS turn off and unplug the computer and let it sit for 5 minutes to discharge or a bios wipe can result. If your MB supports cmos reset from the keyboard use that instead.
-If you have a Windows overclocking tool for your MB use that. If not you change the settings in Bios. Note when you reboot after overclocking the POST may complete but then windows hangs on loading. This is very common and can damage your windows install which means a reload of windows and all your applications.

Procedure
Increase your FSB 10 mhz at a time. Run a burn in check with something like Sisoft sandra. It is freeware and will also display the CPU adn system temperature. Use the CPU arithmetic and memory burn in options. Run for 20 minutes to stabilize temps and if all went well then add 10 more mhz. If the temperature does not stabilize after 20 minutes, or exceeds 55 deg C back oof to your last setting. If the system locks up and won't reboot reset the CMOS, your have found your max FSB.

It is best to run the FSB and RAM clock at the same speed (this is called synchronous). So if you have 333 RAM try pushing that after you find your max FSB setting. It is usually best to relax the RAM timing settings (from 2 or 2.5 to 2.5 or 3) and push the RAM clock, especially if it allows you to run synchronously. If you have 400 mhz ram leave it at 400.

Never push the AGP or PCI clocks! If they follow the FSB then your MB can not be used to FSB overclock. In that case try to the overclock the multiplier (most Bartons and MBs do not support multiplier overclocking even tho some lucky people will claim they do).

Post back your results. We're always interested.

 

[Steevo]

massive heat problem.

:laugh:

I had a cooler on a 500 that was running a tad over 600 that was almost as big as my cooler for this 4000+

 

[ShepsCrook]

Yeah, I had my 400mhz at 500mhz and I had one of those small heatsinks, but was able to mount a 2nd fan blowing on it. My 550mhz one I overclocked to 600 with little problem.

 

[Son Goku]

One slight note:

Sometimes one can push the clock a little further in Windows then what will POST. In my case, I can get a stable 220 MHz on the HTT from within Windows, that can cycle through Prime 95 quite happily and with no prob, and well it's an 11x multiplier so 2420 on the CPU clock for a A64 3500+. I hadn't relaxed the memory timings either, but still have them agressive, so that's rather good. Especially considering it's older RAM, hell it's not even DDR 333 MHz, but rather 300 MHz XMS memory.

All seemed well, (well I first changed it in Windows), until I went to boot with those settings and it wouldn't POST. In the BIOS it only POSTs up till 219 MHz on the HTT, or 2409 MHz on the CPU. This might occur (as it had with my setup) so be prepared.

To get extra timing, I backed it further to 217 MHz on the HTT or 2386 MHz on the CPU where it's run happily since.

 

[sandeepparekh]

One slight note:

Sometimes one can push the clock a little further in Windows then what will POST. In my case, I can get a stable 220 MHz on the HTT from within Windows, that can cycle through Prime 95 quite happily and with no prob, and well it's an 11x multiplier so 2420 on the CPU clock for a A64 3500+. I hadn't relaxed the memory timings either, but still have them agressive, so that's rather good. Especially considering it's older RAM, hell it's not even DDR 333 MHz, but rather 300 MHz XMS memory.

All seemed well, (well I first changed it in Windows), until I went to boot with those settings and it wouldn't POST. In the BIOS it only POSTs up till 219 MHz on the HTT, or 2409 MHz on the CPU. This might occur (as it had with my setup) so be prepared.

To get extra timing, I backed it further to 217 MHz on the HTT or 2386 MHz on the CPU where it's run happily since.

cheers for the help guys, will let you know results in a few days after i play around with it

 

[ShepsCrook]

Good luck!

 

[sandeepparekh]

hey sorry for the late reply, ive got the water cooling installed working very efficiently,although there are two ball bearings (which shows the water is flowing) inside the water pump, of which one is rattling. is there anyway i can stop this, could it be there may be alot air inside the water cooling? (the system is aquarius liquid cooling II)

 

[ShepsCrook]

It could be air. The thing is, you generally want to run your water cooling system for 24 hours to work out air bubbles before you hook it up to your system.