overclocking a Dragon Plus

[Yellbird]

I just upgraded to a Dragon Plus with the 2000XP with 512 of DDR 2100 ram.

I will admit I know nothing about tweaking this or any other system but tried some benchmarks and compared to similar systems but noticed their over clocked scores were much higher. I am willing to try to over clock some but am lost at what to do.
These are some of the setting with an asterisk along side of mine now. Wondering if someone could advise me of what I could try at my own risk. Which would you change and to what?

System performance
Normal *
Turbo

Cpu
100
133 *

Frequency 1 MHz Stepping
100*
Says Over clock the CPU Front side Bus in 1 MHz increments or press enter key then type in the desired CPU Front size Bus

CPU ratio Select
Auto * Default
6.0 x 6.5x
7.0 x 7.5x
8.0 x 8.5x
9.0 x 9.5x
10.0 x 10.5x
11.0 x 11.5x
12.0 x 13x
14.0 x

CPU Vcore Select
Default +0.200v *
+0.025v +0.225v
+0.050v +0.250v
+0.075v -0.025v
+0.100v -0.050v
+0.125v -0.075v
+0.150v -0.100v
+0.175v

As I said I know nothing about this stuff and am just learning but I can drive a truck with a 4x4 transmission with 16 forward gears, Ha Ha well it least is somethi


[This message has been edited by Yellbird (edited 02-03-2002).]

[YODA74]

We do not support nor do we suggest Ways for overclocking, here are a few place's that do
http://www.tech-report.com/reviews/2002q1/syk7v-dragon/index.x?pg=1
http://www.overclockercafe.com/
http://www.overclockersrip.com/casemod.shtml http://www.overclockers.com/tips692/

there is plenty of info But be for warned I would first learn to walk before flying. Don't put so much in a bench mark They are not as reliable as they make out.

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Death has come to our windows.

-- Jeremiah 9:21
(undoubtedly a Biblical reference to a Microsoft product!)

[ranchdog]

Here's a link to help you out with the Soyo Mboard.

www.amdmb.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=25 (http://www.amdmb.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=25)

Suggestion: Run things at default for awile. Enjoy what you've got. In the meantime read everything (and try to understand) that you can about the good and the bad of O/C.

Drive a 4X4. Probably not a split box tho. How 'bout a 5 and 4 double over?

Cheers.

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....How long is a minute... depends on which side of the Bathroom door you're on. ......
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[This message has been edited by ranchdog (edited 02-03-2002).]

[hiredgoonz]

Ok, if the freq. 1 mhz stepping is set to 100, then you're not running your cpu at the correct speed...what speed is reported if you run the benchmarks? It should be 1666mhz...an easy way to check is got to Start, Run and type dxdiag and hit enter...it should tell you the chip speed.

For that chip and mobo, the settings should be CPU 133 and Freq. 1 mhz stepping 133. If you set the 1mhz stepping higher than 133, then you'll be overclocking the chip. (CPU core speed = fsb X multiplier) You can't adjust the multiplier on that cpu unless you unlock it first.

So the only way to overclock is to adjust the fsb (freq. 1 mhz stepping) This can give you better performance overall since it overclocks the PCI and AGP busses as well as the CPU.

!!Only problem is that you may lose stability or burn out your components!!

I have the same board with a 1600+ I currently have the cpu (unlocked) and running at 11 X 138 = 1518mhz. In order to maintain stability at that speed, I have the cpu voltage set to + .05V

I have set the fsb as high as 140 with no problems (with a lower multiplier). At 143, I couldn't unzip files without data corruption. The problem you may run into since you have the fastest version of the chip is that you won't get it to go much faster (without extreme cooling).

As long as you understand the risks and take responsibility when something breaks, then have at it.

I would monitor the chip temperature carefully, especially if you start upping the voltage. Motherboard monitor is an excellent program for this, just take it slow and read up on overclocking first.

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When all else fails, read the instructions.

[Paleo Pete]

The key statement is this:
I will admit I know nothing about tweaking this or any other system

My opinion? Don't even think about it. Given this statement nobody on this forum should even think about assisting you in attempting to overclock, it is a procedure that should only be attempted by someone very well familiarized with computers in general, overclocking methods, the risks involved, the internal components, and the effect it can have on the other components.

Some good links have already been posted, read up on the subject very thoroughly before even considering trying it, and be sure you are prepared to accept the risks of serious instability and fried components. Do you really want to suddenly find yourself shopping for a new video card? Memory? CPU? Those are very real possibilities if your CPU is "locked" and cannot be overclocked except by tweaking the bus speed. That overclocks the entire system, sometimes the other components can't take it.

If you're currently running a CPU that is over about 700-800 MHz, you won't see a difference inn performance in the first place, your human senses can't discern the few milliseconds involved. Benchmarks are quite one-sided as well, those posted on websites are pften taken on machines built specifically to benchmark, tweaked till they squeal, and often have nothing installed ecxept the OS and the games/programs tested by the benchmark programs. Not a very realistic indication of what the average home user should expect to see after installing an OS, word processor, various image editors, games, MP3 players, scanner software, CD burner software, antivirus etc.

Benchmarks taken on a system of that nature won't even come close to what you see on the net that someone posted for bragging rights. Leave your CPU as it is, and whenever you think it might not be fast enough...I've been running a P-233MMX for the past 4 years and just now built a 450. You're running a CPU over 4 times a fast as this one, be happy with it. Try overclocking it and my 233 and 450 will still be chugging away while you're shopping for new parts, or trying to figure out why the machine is acting so flaky. And you still probably won't come close to the benchmarks from a machine built to benchmark...

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[hiredgoonz]

Good points about benchmarks...they really aren't an indication of anything except that benchmark score...and, as Pete points out, the scores you see are the result of insane tweaking (water cooling systems where the tubes run through a bucket of dry ice; liquid nitrogen cooling; special non-spec RAM that is very expensive and hard to get, but allows crazy memory overclocking; hand-picked overclockable chips from known good die runs, etc)...

However, as the original question stands, it seems Yellbird's chip is probably running at an incorrect (low) speed. Generally, the BIOS settings default to 100mhz fsb. If this is the case, since he's running PC2100, there is nothing wrong with adjusting the fsb to 133 which is the correct speed.

Running the chip at 1250mhz (12.5 X 100) when it's supposed to run at 1666mhz (12.5 X 133) would be stupid and help explain drastically low benchmark scores, especially figuring that at ddr, you're losing 66mhz off the memory bus as well as over 400mhz in clock speed.

Keep us posted Yellbird...

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When all else fails, read the instructions.

[kenja]

To see what frequency a CPU and system bus are running at, I don't know of a better freebie than H.Oda!'s WCPUID V3 (http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA002374/). (Download link is on the left side of the page.)

[This message has been edited by kenja (edited 02-05-2002).]

[mjc]

If what HG is saying is the case then getting everything set properly should up your benchmark scores considerably....and my question to you is: Does the motherboard actually say that it supports the CPU you have (most newer boards intially set the CPU parameters on the first boot)?

Or if your board allows you to manually set the CPU parameters with jumpers are they set properly for the CPU you have?


If it doesn't then you may need a BIOS update in order for it to properly detect and set the CPU...it may be in some generic, greater than 1 GHz processor mode. If it does then check the manual to make sure that you have the proper settings for the processor set...

If all this is a little scary or beyond your abilities then get the shop that sold you the components do it.....

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mjc
Links list:Computer Links (http://www.dreamwater.org/tech/mjc/index.htm)

Celts are the men that heaven made mad, For all their battles are merry and their songs are all sad.

[hiredgoonz]

That board definitely supports that CPU, although according to SOYO's website, the newest BIOS version may be required for compatibility with the 2000+ (good call mjc)

As long as the system works correctly with the chip after the speed is adjusted properly, don't worry about flashing the BIOS. Even the tech support site recommends flashing the BIOS only when necessary...

There aren't any jumpers to adjust on the board for different CPUs, but after resetting the CMOS, or when the board is new, it sets the FSB to 100, which is not the correct setting for the XP...

(I have the board, so I'm kinda familiar with it http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/wink.gif )

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When all else fails, read the instructions.