Just some overclocking components advice, Please

[MikeyM2005]

Hi, I am new to all this OCing but I have been doing a lot of research and would just like some recommendations as to how to go about getting my system best set up.

I am going to start from the beginning so please bear with me as I have loads of questions.

I have got a P4 2.53 GHz Northwood, currently on a standard Packard Bell piece of rubbish motherboard that will only handle PC2100 RAM, that I want to start overclocking and building up a better overall system. I have 512MB of PC2100 RAM (2x256MB) and the standard CPU cooler. I have recently transferred the whole system out of the standard case into a new Silentium T2 because I wanted a quieter computer this obviously has improved cooling inside the case as well.

So I ordered an ASRock P4VM800 Mobo so I could start overclocking but then having read the sticky's I realised I couldnt because my RAM doesnt have any room for increasing the speed. Is this correct?

So if I am right I need to purchase some more RAM, which has been my intention for a while anyway, and the new motherboard will take up to 2GB DDR400. I dont have enough cash to get 2GB of good overclocking RAM so I just want to get something that will get me started, do I go for 2X512 and buy 2GB later or get 1GB now and then another 1GB later? Which is best? Also any suggestions as to what to get?

I am also purchasing an Arctic Cooling Freezer 4 with a tube of Arctic Silver so as to keep my CPU as cool as possible, I just wanted to know whether the fan on these sucks the air out or blows it through? Or will it be obvious when I get it which way round it goes?

Also finally (sorry about my ramblings) does anybody know where there is a good guide to overclocking a P4, I have read a few guides just to get me feeling confident about starting but when all the figures start flying about and I dont understand what they are talking about I start questioning myself. Will it all start to make sense when I actually get down to it?

Many thanks in advance for your advice

Mikey

 

[MikeyM2005]

Thanks, Thats great, I will order the cooler asap and also get myself some decent RAM, I know this might be a motherboard forum question but I got the P4VM800 through this morning and so I am going to attempt to install it later!! I was reading through the instructions and as part of the description of the board it says that

DDR DIMM Slot 1 supports PC3200 (DDR 400), Max 1GB
DDR DIMM Slot 2 supports PC2700 (DDR333) / PC2100 (DDR266), Max 2GB

to me this obviously indicates that I can get PC3200 RAM but only 1 GB in 1 Stick? So if I wanted 2GB RAM then I would have to get PC2700 or can you put 1GB stick of 3200 and 1GB of 2700? If I got 2GB of 2700 would this reduce the overclocking capacity?

Please help I am so confused!!

 

[MikeyM2005]

yes it would, but depending if the board had a divider on it ( this allows the memory to run at a different clock to the cpu fsb) then it would not be such an issue. but to be honest with you 2GB is not THAT important unless u are running bf2 or other games at high res everything. so i would just the 1GB of pc3200, and make sure it is a nice stick to oc well.

I will do that then, Thanks!!