I built my first rig a few months ago. Even though this is the only PC I'm going to have for the next couple of years, I took a risk and went on to put an 800Mhz OC in my Opteron 146. This guide does have all the basics needed for OC'ing, but I think it fails to mention that you CANNOT overclock PCs purchased from Dell, Alienware, Gateway, etc. as their BIOSes are locked from OC'ing. There is alot more to overclocking than just the multiplier settings and FSB, you also have to factor in case and Motherboard cooling, as certain components will get hotter on your motherboard as you pump more volts into your CPU. Voltages, if you OC by changing the FSB or multiplier settings, your OC won't be a very good one, as a CPU can only go so far with stock volts. Talking about volts also opens up more risks, which I know alot of you aren't willing to take. When you are done OC'ing, google Prime95 and run it for AT LEAST 8 HRs. If there are any errors, there are instabilities in your CPU and you need to either lower the speed, or pump more volts into your CPU. Overclocking is something that takes time, alot of time, and in the end, you will feel this feeling of satisfaction, knowing that you just saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico....errr.... I mean, by overclocking your PC. If you need to know more, just send me a message and I can help you out. Currently, I have an Opteron 146 with a Zalman CNPS9500LED (Pictured in the article) and Artic Silver 5 doing 2.8 Ghz.... an 800Mhz OC!
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