Help Tweaking

[FadingTheory]

Okay, I finally got my computer together (See signature) and started to fiddle with it. I have a few questions and concerns, and I'm hoping someone can help me.

1. Chipset Cooling- My DFI Lanparty UT 250GB can stock with a chip aluminum chipset cooler, which I promptly toor off. In its place, I put a Zalman VGA fan (VGA fans fit perfectly on the Chip) with artic silver 5. Of course, the fan is of the copper type, with a flat copper bottom touching the chip.

My trouble is, is this actually good? The fan is nice, but only a flat surface stands between it and the cip, not a heat sink. Is it worth going out and buying a quality chipset heatsink/fan combo, if all I'm going to do is minor CPU/Graphics card overclocking/overvolting? And, is it better to have a copper heat sink on instead of the simple flat metal and fan, as described above.

2. Overclocking the CPU- I currently have my 2.0 GHz 3000+ AMD 64 clcoked at an easy 2.2 GHz. It is completely stable. Is it worth cranking it up to 2.4 GHz (My absolute top with stock cooling)? Also, it seems that when I even overvolt slightly with the CPU, my system shuts off (when booting windows, not the bios). Is this because of another setting, or is stock simply not good enough (Pleae don't offer solution with buying a new CPU cooler in it. I want to try and get the best out of stock cooling first before I go out and start buying new parts). Also, is it worth ripping out the CPU heat sink and applying Artic Silver, or will it offer meager results not worth the trouble.

3. Overclocking a eVGA nVIDIA 6600GT- This card comes stock with 500/900 MHz speed. I unlocked coolbits and told the card to optimize itself. It goes all the way up to 552 MHz/1.04 GHz. It works perfectly fine, untill you try to boot the computer with this setting. It simply refuses, and I can only boot to safe mode and reset the driver. Is it another setting I have to adjust, or do I have to manually downclock it untill I can boot? Or is it really not worth it?

Thats the big things. I appriciate any help anyone can give. Thank you in advance.

 

[dale5605]

(Pleaes offer solution with buying a new CPU cooler in it.

Ok, Zalman 7700-cu

 

[Codeine]

FadingTheory, your computer is shutting down because it is not stable. What are your temps?

FadingTheory, please be VERY CAREFULL!! My AMD 4000 did the same thing. I had it stable at 2.688ghz. My mobo will not let any processor hit over 2.699ghz, unless you change the ratio. I cant change it through Abits special OC Utility. Im guessing somewhere in the bios. But i tryed. You do not want your computer to turn off on you, AT ALL. You will corrupt windows. I built my system saturday, it crashed last night at 2.722ghz.

All my hardware is fine, just windows crashed. So since i built it, i have no single recovery disk. I have to independently install everything all over. Including Raid0. Thats the danger of windows shutting down. Or staying on, trying to stablize. When its trying to stablize, its at the point where it wont shut down, but wont allow task. Thats very bad, thats how i crashed. Either way, be very carefull. Always make sure you know what your temps are.

 

[FadingTheory]

Sorry, I meant without a heatsink/fan. My apologies.

My heat depends on who you ask. My case says 30 C, but DFI's software says 40 C across the board (CPU, Chipset, and PWM WC (What?!?)).

And I do know the dangers. After it performed the error twice, I went back to stock speeds and booted to windows. I than cranked it back up to the last stable state, 2.2 GHz.

Max temp is supposed to be 50 C, right? If I can, I dont want to break the low 40 C.

Is anyone else know anything else? I really appreciate all the help. Thanks Codiene. Atleast I know I'm not the only one having these troubles.

 

[Codeine]

FadingTheory, im not completely understanding you. Are you saying you have no heatsink and cpu fan...??!! So your CPU and PWM are 40 degrees celcius?

 

[FadingTheory]

No, I have stock. I meant I want a solution without having to buy a better cooling solution.

I'm sorry...

And yes, temps are 40 C. I trust DFI more than my case.

 

[Codeine]

Well your system is at 40 degrees celcius IDLE. Once you play a video game, or do anything intense. Your temps will jump ALOT. My 4000 was at 2.68ghz at 28-31 degrees celcius IDLE. Once i played a game, it jumpet to 50 degrees celcius. So you have to take that in consideration. I wouldent OC anymore, or your system will shut down, once you really use it.

 

[Codeine]

It sux that 2.2ghz is your cooling limit. But thats stock. I personally think 2.2ghz with stock cooling on a 1.8ghz processor is great. So dont feel bad. Shorty, another TF member has a 3200 running at 2.6ghz, witch stock cooling.

Since my 4000 was at 50 degrees celcius, at 2.68ghz, that means i wont be able to play games at anything over 2.72ghz. But i will be able to run almost all applications at around 2.8ghz. So i will have to get a really good liquid cooling system to fully utilize my OC.

 

[FadingTheory]

Its 2.0 stock. I'm running a 754.

I'm starting to get suspicious... I think my coolings a bit off. I'm going to open my case and make sure everythings okay... maybe my heat sinks loose.

Edit:

Okay, this is screwy. At 2.0 GHz, my temp is 40 C idle. At 2.2 GHz my idle is 40 C.

Is this because of the Cool and Quite tech, or is my computer screwed beyound belief?

I'm going to run it at 2 GHz for now... and latter I'll put some Artic 5 on the cpu. Maybe that will help...

 

[Codeine]

FadingTheory, keep it at 2.0ghz, then play some type of video game. Then check your temps. Make sure your temputure monitor is not messed up. Because false readings will lead you to corrupt windows, or generally OH.

If your temp monitor is jacked up, your system itself wont be able to tell whats a dangerous temp. Witch is very bad. I suggest buying a External Temp monitor. Mine came with my mobo. So i dont have to go all the way to my Bios to check my temps. External Monitors are very handy for Overclockers.