Overclocking a processor can improve system performance.
Intel's Pentium D 805 processor, launched in 2005, brought high-speed dual core computing at a competitive price. The 805 has survived longer than most CPUs, still being a great processor in 2010. However, with processor speeds increasing with each year, Pentium D users may feel their processor is lagging behind.
Overclocking provides an inexpensive, if not free, upgrade to this aging processor. Overclocking is the practice of running a component faster than it is supposed to run. In the case of CPUs, you overclock by increasing the front side bus (FSB). In some cases, overclocking allows cheaper processors to run faster than more expensive processors, potentially saving hundreds of dollars.
Instructions
1. Restart your computer and enter the BIOS. Before the Windows logo appears, there should be a screen that tells what button to press. The most common buttons are "Delete," "F1," or "F2." You should also be able to find the correct key in your motherboard manual.
2. Navigate to the advanced settings section of the BIOS. Every BIOS is different, so you may need to check your motherboard manual to find the correct option. When you are in the correct area, you will see options such as "FSB," "Multiplier," and various RAM options.
3. Raise the FSB. To figure out what speed a front side bus will give you, divide the multiplier by four, then multiply that number by the front side bus. For example, the stock settings for the Pentium D 805 are an FSB of "533 MHz" and multiplier of "20." You can see that 20 divided by four equals five, and five times 533 equals 2665 MHz, or roughly 2.66 GHz. To raise the clock to 2.8 GHz, raise the FSB to 560 MHz. Remember to raise the FSB in small intervals so you know what speed will work for your system.
4. Adjust RAM settings. There are a few options when it comes to adjusting your RAM speeds. First, you can use a ratio, such as 5:4. This means that for every 5 MHz your processor runs at, your RAM will run at four. This would be stable, but you would have system slowdowns from the slower RAM. The second option is to overclock the RAM. This works the same way overclocking the FSB works. The third and safest option is to buy RAM rated at a faster speed.
5. Save changes and exit the BIOS. Your computer will restart. Most motherboards will display a warning if your settings are unstable. If this happens, lower the FSB a bit and try again. There is a free utility called "CPU-Z" you can download that gives information about you system such as FSB, multiplier, and core speeds (see Resources). You can use this to make sure your system is running at the speeds you specified in the BIOS.
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