Overclocking help?

Intel Pentium 4 Processor 2.8GH from your specs.

OCing that is not going to be a huge help.

Let me google that for you
Overclocking the Pentium 4 520 2.8GHz to 3.57GHz - The Tech Report - Page 1


Also, because you have a prebuilt computer from Dell, the BIOS is likely locked, and therefore you won't be able to OC it anyways.

~Lordbob

I don't get what the test results from the link mean though...

also the BIOS isn't locked I unlocked it.

From your computer specs though from Dell, your comp can handle a 3.2 Ghz Pentium... it would be wiser to purchase a new chip that is set to run at a higher speed since these things are pretty cheap:

Intel Pentium 4 3.2 GHz Processor

Otherwise, Dell and other OEM's usually don't make it easy to overclock. But this would be a cheap solution since your current board does not support Dual core CPU's

Doc: Documentation

Before you purchase anything, be sure to verify that it is compatible. You might have to read the manual and contact Dell for help. the doc says it has to be a CPU that supports Hyperthreading.

zekramcross said:

I don't get what the test results from the link mean though...

also the BIOS isn't locked I unlocked it.

It was an OC done by someone else to give you an idea of what you can get out of the CPU.

As for overclocking it, have you searched for how to overclock that CPU?

I am not familiar with the BIOS you have, though it is all fairly similar.

~Lordbob

Otherwise, for going forward, I would get a new board, CPU and Ram. That would make the biggest difference, but thats a whole different matter....

Also, if you speed up your current chip, or go with a faster chip, you will need more cooling to keep that thing from melting (didnt mean literally, but it actually can) and a more powerful PSU (power supply) so that it is getting the appropriate amount of power....

For overclocking your current CPU, The BIOS is the way to go. I will try to find a good tutorial that explains the basics.

You could use software like clockgen, but it is not recommended to soft-clock that much. Download ClockGen 1.0.5.0 | techPowerUp

Just be very careful and take it slow. Also know the steps in place to revert from any changes you make.

I would also advise a temperature monitoring software so you know that you are not causing hardware damage: Real Temp - CPU temperature monitoring