Overclocking CPU

[JonVS31]

I'm thinking about overclocking my system and would like to hear about other people's experiences with overclocking, especially those with a similar system to mine. For example any information on how high you were able to overclock and how much of a difference it made in frame rates of games such as Unreal Half-Life and Quake II.

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Pentium II 350
Asus P2B Rev. 1008
64 MB CAS3 8ns SDRAM
Seagate Medalist Pro 6530
Matrox Millenium G200
PCI 128 Sound Card (Creative Labs)
32x Artec CD-ROM
SMC EtherPower II network card

[Kruzin]

Until recently, I also had a p2-350 on my P2B. I was able to o/c it a couple of ways. Just by increasing the FSB to 103 or 112 (my ram wouldn'r go higher) will get you up to 360 or 392.

Later, I learned that some of the early p2-350s would allow you to unlock the multiplier by taping pin B21 on the processor. This allowed me to go to 4*103 (412MHZ). That's as high as I could get it, but I have heard others who have gotten 450 or 464 this way.

There is also a util called SoftFSB (sorry, don't have the URL handy). This will allow you to control some o/c stuff from a menu system.

The P2B, while a great mobo is limited in it's o/c options. I may have been able to get 450 or 464 if I was able to bump the voltage a little more, but the P2B doesn't have that option (without taping more pins - then it only adjusts by .2v, not .1v).

I have since moved that processor to another machine, where it is running at 400MHz, and gotten my mits on a p2-450, which I have running at 504 at the moment.

Have fun, don't fry anything

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P2-450(@112*4.5=504), Asus P2B(1009), 128meg PC100, MillG400 32meg(PD5.20.???), CL SB Live!Value, CL PC-DVD, Mitsumi CD-R, WD UDMA 8.4&6.4 gig, (2)USR 56k(multilinked), 3Com 905B-TX, etc...

[JonVS31]

Thanks, I believe I do have one of those older PIIs, supposedly those before August 1998. Is it necessary to tape pin B21 to reset the multiplier and if it is what did you use to "tape it"?

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Pentium II 350
Asus P2B Rev. 1008
64 MB CAS3 8ns SDRAM
Seagate Medalist Pro 6530
Matrox Millenium G200
PCI 128 Sound Card (Creative Labs)
32x Artec CD-ROM
SMC EtherPower II network card

[Kruzin]

With the P2B, it is necessary to tape the pin in some way. Some other mobos have other ways around it, but not the P2B. I just used houshold scotch tape (not the best to use I'm sure, but it worked)

[Paradox]

Well, I guess i'll have to say thanks to you too Kruzin...Got the instructions from you and i'm enjoying the 62mhz increase Regular Scotch tape will do(1mm thick and 4-5mm long)

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Pentium II 350mhz (@412 4*103) 256PC100 Ram, 8.4gig WD, Millenium G200 8MB @ 118 MOC(Soon to be regular 32mb G400 =), Diamond MX300

[Wombat]

Ack,
That doesn't handle the heat very well, does it? I'd be just as worried about the adhesive as the tape.

[JonVS31]

What would you suggest using to cover the pin wombat?

On a side note I did try adjusting the multiplier without covering the pin. System wouldn't boot . It does seem odd though that covering pin B21 which manually asserts logic one to set FSB to 100 MHz would unlock multiplier when the pin already should be at logic 1, go figure.

[This message has been edited by JonVS31 (edited 07-27-99).]

[M Ragsdale]

Hi, JonVS31,
I have had good luck using automotive electrical tape, it's rated temperature is 225 degrees farenheit. Just make sure it is U.L. listed.

Matt

[JonVS31]

What do you think of using nail polish/white out to block the pin. Have any of you tried this method?

[Jammrock]

Nail polish has been used before, but it is very messy. I have heard that the best is to use teflon tape, if you can get your grimy mits on it. Your CPU will cook before the tape does and it doesn't allow a capacitance build up between the connector and the chip like some methods can cause. If you do use nail polish though, be really careful that you do not even drip any polish on any other pin.

Jammrock

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PIII 540 (120 MHz x 4.5 - 540), 256 MB PC133 SDRAM, ASUS P3B-F, Winblows 98 SuckyEdition, 18 GB WD Expert HDD, Encore 6x DVD w/ Dxr3 decoder, (TEMPORARY!!!) Voodoo 3 2000 @ 175 MHz which will be replaced by a Matrox G400 MAX, Sound Blaster Live! full retail, MAG DX715T 17

[Wombat]

Removal of nail polish isn't always easy, and is likely to leave evidence, if not damage. I've also heard that some nail polish isn't the best insulator, and may not work well.
The teflon tape is a recommendation I hear quite often.

[Wombat]

Jon,
I agree w/ Matt. Taping the pins is fine, but there is plenty of tape out there built to withstand high-temperature conditions, with 3M Scotch tape not being one of them.
As far as the oddity of covering the pin:
That's kind of lucky for us, since blocking the pin is much easier than trying to set it high from low. Some people have done this, though. Requires soldering, though. My favorite Intel trick I've seen is actually drilling out PCB connections - this is what had to be done to enable SMP on Celerons before the Slotkets made it so easy.

-Wombat


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503+ rev 1.2a, 128MB PC100 RAM, K6-2/350@400,RH6 & Win98,G200 Millenium (SGRAM), no plans to buy a G400

[neo]

I use teflon tape to cover 3 of my pins to get my voltage to 2.4v. You can get a role of it at www.mcmaster.com for like $7, I got part #76475A16 - PTFE Teflon Tape 3-MIL Thick, 1/4" WD, 18 Yds Lg. It works great. The teflon tape has adhesive on one side, and can theoretically withstand up to 500 degrees F.

Try to stay away from electrical tape. It leaves a black adhesive gunk on your contacts. I tried it first, but it is hard to clean (isopropyl alcohol). Also, electrical tape is quite a bit thicker than 3MILS.

Scotch tape doesn't seem to want to stay on my contacts. It is easily rubbed thin in cartain areas, and has a tendancy to become mushy under heat.

Nail polish would work great if it could withstand the thermal cycling better. Apparently the hard shell teds to crack when it is subjected to constant 10C cycling. It was never meant as an insulator.

When it comes to pin taping, you want to be very careful. If one piece of tape is thrown loose you may spike your voltage up to 3volts. I accidentally did that when I taped the wrong pins. I was lucky, however, and the CPU seems to be ok.

By taping pins you can get your CPU to 2.2v or 2.4v. 2.4v is as high as I would suggest going.

-neo

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Asus P2B-F, 532MHZ Pentium II (4x133 at 2.4v), Global Win VEK12 hs/fan, 128MB Micron PC133, WD 7200RPM 18Gig, SB AWE 32, Creative DVD 2x, Mitsumi CDR 2x/8x, Sony Trinitron 17", Old Matrox Video Card, and a redhead with a pair of 36Cs (O/Ced to 38Cs)