Overview

As was mentioned earlier, there are many ways to increase system performance. The most popular method is replacing legacy components with newer and faster ones. But unfortunately, upgrading your computer can often be very expensive. There are other methods of increasing system performance, such as overclocking the computer, modifying certain values in BIOS Setup, etc.

However, once again it is necessary to mention that you should be very careful when overclocking. Never forget to take safety measures. You must also understand and keep in mind the possible consequences of overclocking, which can be very disappointing: your processor might burn out, the video card or hard drive might fail, etc. In brief, an unskilled overclocker may ruin the computer completely.

An overclocking plan can be quite extensive. There are, however, certain recommended actions that should be taken in any case. These recommendations are provided below:

1. Perform system diagnostics procedures, read the manuals, and analyze beforehand exactly how you are going to overclock and/or optimize your computer. Remove the case and check the computer configurations. It's also recommended that you make sure that everything is connected correctly, that there are no unnecessary wires, etc.

2. Perform a thorough testing of the computer. Make sure that in a regular mode all of the components are functioning normally. For this, you might want to use one of the popular tests, etc.

   • Run some tests (such as WinStone, WinBench, CheckIt, etc.). Notice that it is recommended to run each test more than once.

   • Run some popular resource-consuming applications (Microsoft Word/Excel, CorelDraw, PhotoShop, Xing, WinAmp).

   • Play some popular games (DOOM, Descent, Quake, etc.).

   It makes sense to write down the data produced by these tests for future reference and comparison. Only when you are absolutely sure that the computer is in good working order may you continue.

3. Using BIOS Setup or the appropriate jumpers on the motherboard, set the overclocking mode. It is recommended to proceed gradually, doing one step at a time. For example, you may increase the frequency of the host bus from 66 to 75 MHz (or to 68 MHz, if the motherboard supports this bus frequency).

   It is not recommended, however, to jump over several levels at once. This means that it isn't wise to go straight from 66 to 83 MHz, or from 166 to 210 MHz, etc. Everything must be done gradually, making sure of every step. The best thing to do is write everything down (to the smallest details) on a piece of paper. You should also keep in mind that the system, and especially the processor, needs to be cooled. Often you will need a powerful heat sink and cooler for the processor, the video card, and other hardware components as well.

4. Test your computer in the overclocking mode. This time, the test conditions should be tougher, and the testing itself should continue for a longer time. Certain recommendations on testing the computer are given in the appropriate section of this book. If you find any instability, you must immediately take preventive measures. You can simply abandon the overclocking. When you are sure that the system is able to function properly, you can then take another step, etc.

5. Before, after, and maybe completely instead of overclocking, it might be useful to modify certain settings in the BIOS Setup. Most often, this relates to setting the memory timing options. Sometimes, you can significantly increase the operating speed of the memory just by changing a few values in BIOS Setup. But here as well it is necessary to take precautions. Be very careful, and always test the results.