overclocking intel p4

[tinymd]

i have an intel p4 2.8 and i am trying to overclock it to 3.4. I have a biostar p4m900 with 478 socket. can anybody help me

[Gizmo]

I don't have any experience with that motherboard, but generally, the idea is to SLOWLY increase the FSB and test the system stability at each step.

Unless the CPU and/or mobo is a real dog, you can probably get to 3.4 pretty easily.

Do you know what core that P4 has (northwood, prescott, etc.)?

Also, what kind of RAM and CPU cooler do you have?

[MUff1N]

Originally Posted by tinymd

i have an intel p4 2.8 and i am trying to overclock it to 3.4. I have a biostar p4m900 with 478 socket. can anybody help me

I remember when researching my old P4 that the revision, socket type & make (Northwood, Prescott, etc) made a big diff on what the CPU was capable of doing & the heat it would generate being OCed.

So the info asked for by Giz is really important as to how to go about OCing this beast...

[tinymd]

i have a nothwood intel p4 socket 478 with pc3200 DDr2. with water cooling.
I tried to increase the fsb but it is locked i can't change it in the bios

[Gizmo]

Right, for that mobo, I would recommend the following:

Go into Performance Booster menu. You will see a number of options in there. Among them will be
DRAM Clock/Drive Control
CPU Clock
Spread Spectrum

I want you to go into Spread Spectrum and set it to 'disabled'.

Then go to CPU Clock. Tell me what it is set to. (I'm guessing 200)
Go to CPU Clock Ratio. Tell me what that is set to. (I'm guessing 14)

You SHOULD be able to adjust CPU clock slowly and increase your CPU speed, although you may have to bump your CPU voltage a bit in later stages. Unfortunately, according to the manual for that mobo, you only have two voltage options:
+0.012v
+0.787v

That second setting is a really large jump, and not one I'd recommend. (Someone with more experience overclocking Northwoods might have a different opinion though). Be sure to pay very, VERY close attention to your temps while you're doing this. Anything over about 50C and I start getting very nervous. Over 55C I don't venture. Bear in mind that although the CPU is rated for up to 70C (I think), the threshold of stable operation changes (drops) as you increase the voltage and/or clock speed.

[cloasters]

The +0.787v looks like a bridge WAY too far for comfort. The CPU's comfort, I mean. I hope that tinymd didn't overvolt himself or her self out of a working PC!

[MUff1N]

Originally Posted by cloasters

The +0.787v looks like a bridge WAY too far for comfort. The CPU's comfort, I mean. I hope that tinymd didn't overvolt himself or her self out of a working PC!

Who knows cloasters as he/she hasn't been back since so I'm gathering it worked for them & that's all the info they needed & left, or they burned up their stuff...

You know, when you go out of you way to dig up info for someone & post it, the least they could do is say thanks
or give some kind of response back...
But this doesn't seem to be the case most times sadly enough....

So I'll say it...
"Thanks a bunch Gizmo for the great info!"