Overclocking my CPU

[bosox188]

I just saw in BIOS that I can check my CPU's temperature, it reads it as 42 degrees C. If I can't end up getting a new cpu, what program first of all can I get for overclocking my cpu and how does the temperature look, what should I keep it under? I have 3DMark03 so I'll use that to test if it's stable, but I also want to keep the temperature at a low enough level that it won't damage it or shorten it's life. So how far do you think I can overclock? Oh and my cpu cooling is a little different, I have a Dell Dimension 2350 and instead of having a fan over the heatsink it has a fan on the back of the case and a duct that leads to the cpu, so that fan is what cools it. My cpu is a P4B 2.2ghz 400 fsb.

 

[The Terminator]

You dont use a program to OC, well I dont. You use BIOS to overclock your CPU. You can mainpulate you CPU multiplier, your FSB and your vcore which is your CPU voltage. You can prolly get that 2.2 GHz up to 2.3 or 2.4 Ghz. Maybe, depends on your mobo a lot.

 

[blackeye]

If your concered about temperature (and it a brand new pc) you should probably let the thermal paste settle for a couple days while running the computer non-stop with some heavy benchmarks for 24-72. It seems like a lot but I usually do that befor I overclock just to make sure that if my system is having some problems I can get it fixed under warranty. Because after I overclock im skrewed. But I think dell doesnt allow you to overclock their systems because they write a custom bios for their systems.

 

[bosox188]

My system isn't new, the cpu has been in there for a while, and I've had my computer left on for the past couple days so that's fine. And I don't use the Dell mobo anymore, I now have an Intel D865GLC. It supports up to 800mhz fsb and everything, so it can handle the overclocking. I play games, and I've run 3DMark03 twice and there's no problems with my system. But I wanna make sure the cpu's life isn't shortened or it's endangered, so as long as I keep the tem under 60 degrees C and it's stable in benchmarks it's ok?

 

[iamaelephant]

I'm not going to go into how to overclock, there's about a thousand articles about that all over the internet. There are lots of different views on temperatures, but in my opinion, you're sweet if you're below 65 degrees C.

 

[The Terminator]

Personlly I wouldnt want to go much over 55 C

 

[SidewinderX]

there's a sticky at the top of the forums with this topic in mind.