I JUST don't get it....

[sskk]

OK, I am a newbie in overclocking area. I plan on buying Asus P5K-E and Q6600 and 4 GB of DDR2-800.

Since I am going to overclock, I am going to get the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme. Now my friend tell me I need cooling for rest of satff like chipset, northbridge etc. I asked him that the only thing I will overclock is my CPU, my MB is rated to run faster than my OC target (2.7-3G), so is my Ram at 1:1 and I should not need to use any extra cooling for them. He can not answer that question, but insists I do it. I am not not sure how good he is, but he is experienced in overclocking.

I am confused now, so please help this newbie. Thanks a lot.
:roll:

 

[gingerstewart55]

On Intel motherboards, as you raise the fsb, you essentially are speeding up the entire motherboard's speed, which includes the northbridge. This creates more heat production......not to mention that you are undoubtedly going to have to raise your chipset's voltage a bit to get some stable OC's out of it. That's why your friend recommended better cooling for your NB and such.

 

[sskk]

OK, one question, My MB is rated for 1333 FSB while my CPU is 1066, and my target is 1333 or lower, so even it does speed up entire MB, it's still within its spec. Why do I need extra cooling for it? That's the part I don't get.

And thanks for your reply!!

 

[Modelworks]

You don't have to have extra cooling on the northbridge.
If you aren't running it out of spec, 99% of the time it will work fine without changing the heatsink.

Most cpu heatsinks blow some air on the northbridge anyway.

 

[Zepper]

The better the cooling the more of an OC you can achieve. I don't see it. If you want faster, buy a faster CPU. I only OC my Duron 12.5%...

.bh.

 

[soydios]

if the northbridge is rated for a 1333MHz FSB, then you can overclock your 1066MHz FSB processor up to 1333MHz FSB before even considering additional cooling. you should be able to do 1600MHz FSB with only a mild voltage bump and no extra cooling, just be sure to have good airflow.

 

[zagood]

In addition, stock motherboard cooling is generally pretty crappy. Maybe not the solution itself, but the installation of them is usually very sloppy. Before buying a new NB/chipset cooling solution, first try re-mounting it with your own thermal paste.

-z

 

[Zepper]

Z has more good advice.

.bh.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Zagood and others are right, in principle, but let me put in "two-more-cents-worth."


You didn't say what motherboard you're using. Some motherboards -- for instance, the ASUS Commando, STriker, P5n32-E SLI, Blitz and Maximus -- have enhanced copper heatpipe coolers covering the southbridge, Northbridge, and the Mosfet components around the processor. The cooling of these heatpipes and fins can be enhanced by using fans provided by the mobo-maker for that purpose, fans you custom-fit yourself, or a "ducting" enhancement that forces air narrowly through those heatpipe fins and immediately out of the case exhaust.

It's also true that you can improve the thermal interface -- paste or grease -- for the factory "heatpipe-necklace," but you would have to remove the entire enchilada. Some of us had planned to do this with our ASUS boards, but the first among us who took that plunge discovered that the heatpipe-necklace is literally glued or epoxied to the motherboard components, so improving the thermal interface material (TIM) is not worth the risk of damage to the board.

Cheaper motherboards have more primitive and less efficient heatsinks and provision for chipset cooling. If you have such a board, then I agree with your friend. ThermalRight makes several versions of a very nice little heatpipe-cooler for the Northbridge. For the Southbridge, and on earlier motherboards, there may be no heatsink at all. In that situation, you may go to the local electronics-warehouse-store and find a low-profile aluminum heatsink (assuring clearance with expansion cards), cut a square chunk from it to fit the Southbridge chip, and use either Arctic Alumina or Arctic Silver Thermal Epoxy to attach it permanently to the SB surface.

It may be a PITA, but if you're planning to over-clock, you accept these little DIY aspects with at least a little enthusiasm, anyway.

 

[Navid]

Originally posted by: sskk
OK, one question, My MB is rated for 1333 FSB while my CPU is 1066, and my target is 1333 or lower, so even it does speed up entire MB, it's still within its spec. Why do I need extra cooling for it? That's the part I don't get.

When you go into the BIOS, to set your CPU at stock, you must set the CPU rate to 266 (266 X 4 = 1066).
Your CPU then runs at 266 X 9 =2.4GHz.

If you overclock to 333, you will reach the stock setting for your chipset (333 X 4 =1333).
In that case, your CPU is overclocked to 333 X 9 =3GHz.


But, those CPUs may overclock more.
If you plan to push the CPU to as high as it can go, you may need to push the chipset as well.
For example, if you want to set your CPU to 3.4GHz, you will need to set the rate to 378 in the BIOS. Then, your chipset will be running at 378 X 4 =1500, which is more than 1333.

You memory, at 1:1, will still be running at 378 X 2= DDR2 756 then.

 

[sskk]

Thanks a lot guys, your inputs are very helpful, and more are welcome!

BonzaiDuck, I am going to buy Asus P5K-E AP-WiFi version. Any advise on this particular board?