Thread: Processor Overclocking

There are two ways to overclock a processor. The first involves increasing the multiplier which is the figure which when multiplied by the FSB gives us the CPU frequency. For example: 266 MHz FSB x 9 = 2394 MHz (2.4 GHz). This method gives very quick results but doesn't allow one to fine tune, as the frequency jump between even an increment of one in the multiplier value would be enormous.

All Intel and AMD processors come with upward locked multipliers so unless you have an Extreme Edition (Intel) or an FX series CPU (AMD) there.s no way you can interfere with the multiplier, unless you want to decrease it.
The second way (and the method we've used for the purpose of this article) is to adjust the FSB. A good overclocking board will allow incre¬ments of the FSB from the default 266 MHz (333 MHz for the newer Intel processors) all the way to 600 MHz.



We tweaked the FSB up from a default of 333 MHz to an overclocked 400 MHz. The processor which was happily running at 2.33 GHz is now forced to run at 2.81 GHz, a cool overclock of 477 MHz.

While an overclock ofl0 per cent (FSB) isn't a big deal, anything more could result in restarts and freeze-ups. Do not make more than 1 MHz increments at a time to the FSB, just to be safe. In case your CPU refuses to boot into Windows you'll know that you've been too adventurous-tone things down a bit. Once you get Windows to boot, remember to run a CPU intensive benchmark like Super Pi, or WPrime just to make sure your processor is stable at the new clock speed.