Overclocking E2160 with XFX 750i

[azncapcom]

Ok so my current motherboard fried so im planning to upgrade to the xfx 750i... i know its a bit more expensive then a cheaper mobo for my cpu but i do like the sli option, i may get another video card in the near future...

unless anyone has any other suggestion of a much better board for a lesser price?

Ok so heres wat i have:
CPU: E2160
MB: xfx 750i (going to be)
PSU: bfg 450W (36A on 2 12V rails)
Ram: 2x2gb crucial 667mhz
cpu cooler: rocketfish universal cpu cooler
GPU: GTS 250
Case: Asus (forget the model) 2 80mm intakes and 2 80 mm output

I have never overclocked before.
I would like just a decent overclock not too high... I'd say try to hit 2.7ghz on my current cpu cooler?
What settings would be the most stable to get this overclock speed? and is my ram enough to handle the cpu at that speed? wat settings would i have to set the ram too? I also heard the crucial is a good overclocker.

 

[apache_lives]

sli is only good on a higher end rig but (quad cores etc), and im not really a fan of nvidia chipsets etc

check the overclocking section for guides and FAQs before posting questions etc

oh and that 2160 should see ~3ghz btw, and stay below 1.4750v

 

[unknowNmp]

I literally just finished some OCing on my Q8200, first time as well. I have the same board you are planning on using. There are some "FSB holes," the CPU won't be stable around 1400 FSB til about 1500FSB, from my experience. You won't need to adjust the CPU voltage much, just the NB and the VTT. Also as apache_lives said, don't go above 1.4V with the VTT (you can go 1.47 as he said but I wouldn't push it.. I think (don't remember and too lazy to restart) my NB is at 1.36V and the VTT is at 1.4V, not quite sure. Make sure after you OC to use the Intel Burn Test to verify stability (google it, first result).

Good luck!

Edit: If you're planning on 2 GPUs, upgrade your PSU to 650w+ and note that the XFX 750i PCIe slots will run at 8x in SLI-mode.

 

[fahimmuchi]

SO XFX 750I won't be a good motherboard for overclocking?If so then tell me the range of the FSB holes of the xfx750i,It would be greatly appreciated..help

 

[unknowNmp]

They vary from board to board but on mine it was from about 320-330MHz and somewhere around 350-385MHz (guessing about this one because I don't want to OC my CPU more than 370 FSB). They aren't large and are really only an issue if you want to get every last bit out of your components or if you have a low multiplier. If you're looking for a moderate overclock, then for the price (around $90 now?) you can't beat this board. I've had it for about 6 months now and had not a single issue with it.

 

[jsc]

This should be your first stop.
HOWTO: Overclock C2Q (Quads) and C2D (Duals) - Guide v1.6.1
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] uals-guide

This should be your second stop. You need to know something about thermal management or you can fry your CPU. It's actually kind of difficult to fry a modern CPU, but it is possible.
Core 2 Quad and Duo Temperature Guide
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/ [...] ture-guide

Third stop will be a guide for your particular motherboard. Google is your friend.

For anything higher than about 3.0 GHz, you will need better cooling. Here are two under $50 heatsinks that are pretty popular:
Sunbeam
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835207004
Xigmatec Dark Knight
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835233029

They both require a somewhat different approach to applying thermal compound.
Suggestions for applying thermal compound:
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index. [...] mitstart=5

And they are pretty large, so they might not fit inside your case.

Go through the first two threads. Do not do anything until you have a good idea about what you are trying to do. Once you have definite questions (you will, you will ), come back and ask.

Keep in mind that these are guides, not cookbooks. YMMV. Your Mileage May Vary. Because of all the variables, you may not do as well as someone else with a similar system. Or you might do better.
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Overclocking since 1978 - Z80 (TRS-80) from 1.77 MHz to 2.01 MHz