Member Avatar for tom_oxygen

hi
i m current using Asrock motherboard P4VT8+ plentium 4 CPU 3.00 Ghz with 256 RAM
my computer is running okay but the speed is far from my expectation,and few days ago i find on the motherboard box that it has hybrid boost safe overclocking so i got the idea of overclocking my motherboard but as a computer dummy i dun even know where to start off :o :sad:
so if anyone can provide me with helpful info i would appreciate very much.

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Quick, practical advice for (and anyone else reading an old P4 board thread): with a Pentium‑4 CPU and only ~256 MB of system RAM, adding memory will usually produce a much bigger, immediate improvement in everyday responsiveness than a small overclock—less swapping to disk, fewer pauses, and better multitasking. (howtogeek.com) The ASRock P4VT8+ / P4i45 series boards do expose BIOS presets and FSB options, so the hardware can be tuned — but read the manual/support pages first. (asrock.com)

A technical reality to keep in mind: most retail Pentium‑4 chips have locked multipliers, so the normal way to overclock is by raising the front‑side bus (FSB). That raises CPU, memory and bus speeds together and can break stability if you push too far or if other parts (RAM, AGP/PCI) can’t handle the new speeds. Check the exact CPU/motherboard settings in BIOS before you start. (tomshardware.com)

If you still want to try overclocking, follow a cautious, test‑driven approach:

  • Start by upgrading RAM (matched DIMMs in the correct slots); aim for 512 MB–1 GB for a far better XP‑era experience.
  • Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest official version and note the default settings.
  • Increase FSB in very small steps (one change at a time), boot and verify.
  • After each change run a CPU stress test (Prime95 torture test) and re‑run memory checks if you altered timings/voltage. (mersenne.org)
  • Monitor temperatures and voltages; if you see crashes, artifacts, or high temps, revert settings.

Credit to and for the RAM advice — it’s the right first step here. Overclocking can help enthusiasts, but for a gloomy, slow daily machine the cheapest, lowest‑risk win is more RAM (and a good CPU cooler) rather than chasing a marginal FSB bump.

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Member Avatar for dcc

I went back to see if you had any post detailing you RAM, and in one post you say that you have 128MB, and in another 256MB, if the maximun RAM (not combined with video card) is only 256MB, you can bet your bottom dollar that you can increase your performance appreciatively by adding another 256MB of RAM. Your board has three slots with a maximum capacity of 3GB of RAM, go for it.

Member Avatar for tom_oxygen

does the max ram have anything to do with video card?i changed my video card to 256mb not long ago.

Member Avatar for dcc

Just add another 512MB module of RAM, that should get you going...from what you have told us, your problem is a lack of RAM.

Member Avatar for tom_oxygen

ok thx for ur help

Member Avatar for dcc

I was in a rush when I was writing the last post, and didn't take the time to respond to your question regarding total RAM in conjunction with your video card.

System Information will show total installed RAM.
System properties will show total minus memory dedicated to onboard video.

I hope that helps.

Member Avatar for nizzy1115

i would get a pair of 512 sticks of ram and not overclock the board...ASRock are not the best boards in the world and overclocking would not get you too far with them...

Member Avatar for scottmo

how do I overclock a asrock P4i45GV mother board with intel processor
from vt333 to vt400

Member Avatar for sharma.virender

my system is no display

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