Please help a newbie to OC with MSI K7T-Pro2A

[gmccall]

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I just upgraded my system (from an aging p233) and would like to overclock it a bit. I have read through some past threads regarding this, but thought it would be best if I got info specifically related to this MB and processor.

My L1 bridges are connected, now I just need someone to walk a total novice through the process. Please be as specific as possible. Thanks a a lot.

My system info is my sig.

 

[PlunX]

Turn on the computer and press "DELETE". This'll take you into the BIOS (you already knew this, of course). Now, go to "Change Frequency/Voltage Settings" or whatever it says. I'd say change the voltage to "1.7" and change the ratio to 8.0. After you've set this, press escape and then save and exit. See what happens. If it works, it'll go on into Windows without any problems. Run the computer like this for a while and see if you have any problems. Just keep bumping the ratio up along with the voltage (if you try 950MHz - 1GHz, make sure 1.85 is selected for the voltage otherwise it's pretty doubtful that it's going to work at all).

 

[glp1del]

The process in not hard. If the L1 bridges are properly connected the CPU is no longer multiplier locked. The way the speed the processor runs at is derived from the front bus speed (100MHz default) X multiplier. For example, a duron 700 is 100 X 7. So you need to change the jumpers on the motherboard from that of a duron 700 to that of a duron 900 or so. In addition, some motherboards allow you to increase the FSB speed as well. So it could become 105 X 9 = 945. Can't tell you exactly what jumpers to move, I don't have that board. But that is the general process. Just make sure you can get the system to run at the default speed for the processor before you go overclocking.

Hope that helps, Glp1

 

[glp1del]

Whoops just read PlunX's reply and realized an assumption I made was wrong. I thought the only motherboard that allowed you to change the multiplier within the bios was abit but from his post it seems you can do it with the MSI board as well. The process remains the same though. One word of caution, if you are going to increase the voltage to 1.85 you had better have good cooling on that chip because it is going to get hot.

 

[gmccall]

Thanks! I'll give this a try in the morning. I know that if I start now I will never go to bed I'll post the results. Thanks again, I appreciate it!

 

[tigger80]

before you guys buy anything do some research. i can't understand people these days.

 

[gmccall]

...and I'm afraid I don't understand you tigger88. The MB and CPU purchases were researched extensively, and I am looking for help from other people with the same or similar setups.

At any rate, the best I have been able to get thus far is 700@850, by setting the voltage to 1.7 and the ratio to 8.5. Anything else, and my system won't even start up, just makes several beeps. Anything else I should be doing?

 

[glp1del]

I have the Abit KT7 board and my duron 700 only makes it 900. You could just have been unlucky and got a processor that is maxed out at 850. What temp is the processor running at when oc to 850. The safe zone is around 40oC.

 

[Zombie13]

I say give it more voltage Gary. I forgot the bridge, but you can even pencil or loctite another bridge on the CPU to give it a default voltage of 1.85 (which you can adjust down in the BIOS).

 

[gmccall]

Once again, thanks to everyone for the help. Really appreciated.

Running 700 @ 850 (voltage = 1.7) my current CPU temp is 35c.

I will look into connecting another bridge for a higher default voltage (I have never heard of that before). Later tonight I'll experiment a bit more with the settings and see what I come up with. I'll be happy with 850, but I'm just curious to see how high it can go... :>

 

[SoulSeeker]

I think what your after is this:
http://www.anandtech.com/showdoc.html?i=1345&p=4

Can you advise on the best heatsink for a MSI K7T Pro2A something which will take a D650 to 950 or will my DP5-5G11 'do the job'?

SS

 

[gmccall]

Thanks for the link, Soulseeker. Just what I was looking for!

As for HSF's, I have heard very good things about the Taisol CEK733092
line, so that's what I bought. I haven't done any serious overclocking yet, so time will tell... Hopefully someone with more knowledge than I can help you.

 

[ZoSo]

I'm running an Alpha PAL6035 and under load my temp only reaches 30°C, 5° cooler than when I had the GlobalWin FOP-38 on it.

 

[Subversal]

Running 700 @ 850 (voltage = 1.7) my current CPU temp is 35c.

Wow... I have the Taisol Cek733 and I am getting 40c at default speed (700). 45c full load. I only got this HS/f temporarily until I OC and use an Alpha.

 

[Vampire]

You can connect the L7 bridges to increase voltage. If I recall correctly some may already be connected (2 were on my Duron 600, leaving 2 or 3 for me to connect.) After that, default voltage goes up to 1.89 volts. Go into Bios as soon as you do this mod, and reset it to what you want. Note that your actual voltage will be .04 volts over what you set it to in BIOS.