1st Overclock

[absalom]

OK, so I've got my computer running great again after a few "minor" set-backs, now I'm considering overclocking. How would I go about doing so safly? Is it too painfully obvious that I've never done this before?

[Paul]

For basic overclocking, three things to remember / take note of:

1) Ensure you've got your CPU running at a decent temperature, and that it is sufficiently cooled. Check out the relevant sites (Intel/AMD) for advice on suitable temperatures.

2) Look in your motherboard manual for how to reset the BIOS. This is useful if you overclock too much, and the system won't POST.

3) Start fiddling with that FSB :) Go in small increments, 5MHz or so, testing after each change. Go through 3dMark and a few games of something like Quake 3 to check that it doesn't a) crash, or b) screw the graphics up (artefacts).

Beyond that, check out Google and type in some relevant terms. "Overclocking guide" or something similar.

So long as you keep an eye on the CPU temperature, and take it slowly, you won't break anything permanently... hopefully ;)