Overclocking Asus P5K-VM Motherboard

[werty12345]

Hi,

I am new to overclocking and stuff. I have the Asus P5K-VM motherboard which has a feature "ASUS Super Memspeed Technology Enhances Memory Speed" as seen in the product ad below.

Question: I suppose you know my question. Can anyone provide a step-by-step instuction on how to overclock this motherboard. Please let me know if you need any information.

Note: I have contacted the Asus guys to no avail.

Thanks

 

[Britton30]

It would help to know what CPU and RAM you have installed. At first glance it appears you have only one RAM speed, DDR2 1066 so that memory booster may help. Your board manual may be of assistance.
I wouldn't expect much from ASUS support.

 

[werty12345]

Processor: Intel Core2Duo E4600 2.4GHz
RAM: 2 GB

 

[linnemeyerhere]

werty12345,
My advice would be to add more ram and even though you won't net the full 4 gigs that's what I'd add as long as they are matching sticks. Then if you can't find them then consider two or four new matching sticks of the highest speed that ASUS shows tested and approved for your board. You can also get a little kick in the stock ram boot by adding a usb stick or flash card and commit it to readyboost.

 

[Britton30]

Definitely get more RAM, with one stick you only in single channel mode. As linne said, get a matched set and install it, PC2 1066.

 

[werty12345]

More RAM is one solution. I agree...But how abt tweaking the BIOS and boosting the CPU a little? After all, this is the overclocking section

 

[linnemeyerhere]

wert12345,
I'll have to differ to a Intel overclocker and likely someone with some Asus hands on knowledge. My only suggestion is that overclocking has such a small and mostly unnoticeable increase, but compared to doubling ram or replacing with higher speed ram the differences are Night & Day. If cost is an issue then pull out all your usb drives and find one fast enough with at least 4-8 gb of space and set it up for ready boost and let the system place needed files on it over a week or two and even that has a performance gain. I find that my drive to OC has little to do with actual/noticeable performance gain......how sad !

 

[Britton30]

That's true, those of us who over clock see no real world performance boost. It changes your WEI and gets higher benchmark numbers and you can brag.

Installing the most and fastest RAM you board will support will help out though, especially since you apparently have one RAM module installed.

I've no found Ready Boost to help me out, but YMMV on that. IT acts more like a cache than RAM and there are no USB drive that run nearly as fast as RAM.

 

[linnemeyerhere]

Correct but in my pre ssd days I have to say that dedicating a full 8gb stick and leaving it for a week and I for sure noticed it when it was removed. In 10 10ths I would give it a 2, with extreme OC around 3-4 max and wicked matched ram more like 6-7ths.

 

[werty12345]

Then under which situations does one overclock his computer?

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Then under which situations does one overclock his computer?

It's mostly a hobby--those who do it enjoy it for it's own sake and would do so even if it had no significant effect on real-world tasks. They like the idea of "getting something for nothing"--getting more than they paid for.


A corporation dealing with highly critical data isn't likely to overclock. It's for "enthusiasts".

 

[linnemeyerhere]

And as a side note, I'll bet that if we truly knew the longevity ramifications of improper OC'g I'd bet many won't push their systems.

 

[kellymac35]

Note: I have contacted the Asus guys to no avail.

Incredible. EVGA has extensive overclock support for there motherboards even there employees post there overclock templates.

 

[werty12345]

Hey, I was browsing softpedia.com the other day and there are a list of programs under the performance section...Programs that promise to increase the CPU freq and the clock speed and stuff...Do you guys recommend such programs?

 

[James7679]

No, definitely not. "Softclocking" is possibly the worst thing you can do. As others have suggested, you need to start with more memory so that you are running in dual channel. Anything you do outside of that will be fruitless. Trust me, it's all relative. All of the components work together when OCing. OCing your current setup without Dual channel is pointless.