[bobhumbug]

Please explain clock speeds. I would guess I have an ancient system. An Abit KG7 MB, AMD XP 1700 processor. My system reads the processor speed as 1100. I would like to boost it up a little. In the bios, I have 1500 + (100), an FSB of 100, and a multi of 13. In the KG7 manual, it lists clock speeds as [1400(100)]. What does the 1400 refer to, and what does the 100 refer to. I would assume [1500 + (100] would be the same as saying [1500(100)]. But if you multiply thing out, nothing seem to correlate, or come out right. I have found that when a geek explains something, they explain, as though talking to another geek. I would like the explaination given to the little old lady that never saw a computer. Or, maybe as one would explain it to their German Shepard. Thanks. BobHumbug.

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Ok, I'll do my best.

1) clock speeds in general
The speed of your CPU (measured in MHz) is determined by the base frequency (also known as the system or cpu FSB - front side bus) multiplied by the multiplier value. EG an FSB of 100MHz X multiplier of 13 = 1300MHz or 1.3GHz.
The system FSB is the frequency (MHz) that supplies the rest of the motherboard, although components on the board such as PCI bus, AGP bus, RAM etc will often divide this down or multiply up to gain the correct frequency for that component.
A CPU will have a set FSB that it's designed to run at. If you increase this value, you may make your system unstable.
Normally when you overclock a CPU to make it run faster, you increase the multiplier value instead of the FSB. That way only the CPU is affected & not the rest of the system (ie the memory etc). If you do overclock the CPU you will probably need to provide better cooling for it - eg a bigger heatsink+fan, good quality thermal paste and maybe a case fan as well. Sometimes when you overclock, you may need to increase the core voltage supplied to the CPU but don't do this unless you know it's necessary.

The RAM you have in the system will also have a set base frequency, in your case either 100MHz or 133MHz. This frequency should match the CPU frequency, so if the RAM is set to run at 100MHz, so will the CPU. Some motherboards allow you to specify a frequency for the RAM thats different to the CPU's frequency but most don't


2) Your Athlon
If your Athlon is definately a 1700+, then it is designed to run at an FSB of 133MHz, not 100MHz. Running it at a lower FSB (ie 100) won't do any harm but you won't be getting the full potential from it.
The fact that yours is running at 100 and not 133MHz, assuming that the bios has set that automatically, means that either the RAM is designed to only run at 100MHz or that your motherboard doesn't fully support your CPU.

3) Athlon ratings
An Athlon 1700+ does not run at 1700MHz, it is designed to run at 1467MHz (133MHz X 11). This applies to all athlons, the rating thats given followed by the + sign, is the performance rating not the actual speed.

[Samm]

Ok, I'll do my best.

1) clock speeds in general
The speed of your CPU (measured in MHz) is determined by the base frequency (also known as the system or cpu FSB - front side bus) multiplied by the multiplier value. EG an FSB of 100MHz X multiplier of 13 = 1300MHz or 1.3GHz.
The system FSB is the frequency (MHz) that supplies the rest of the motherboard, although components on the board such as PCI bus, AGP bus, RAM etc will often divide this down or multiply up to gain the correct frequency for that component.
A CPU will have a set FSB that it's designed to run at. If you increase this value, you may make your system unstable.
Normally when you overclock a CPU to make it run faster, you increase the multiplier value instead of the FSB. That way only the CPU is affected & not the rest of the system (ie the memory etc). If you do overclock the CPU you will probably need to provide better cooling for it - eg a bigger heatsink+fan, good quality thermal paste and maybe a case fan as well. Sometimes when you overclock, you may need to increase the core voltage supplied to the CPU but don't do this unless you know it's necessary.

The RAM you have in the system will also have a set base frequency, in your case either 100MHz or 133MHz. This frequency should match the CPU frequency, so if the RAM is set to run at 100MHz, so will the CPU. Some motherboards allow you to specify a frequency for the RAM thats different to the CPU's frequency but most don't


2) Your Athlon
If your Athlon is definately a 1700+, then it is designed to run at an FSB of 133MHz, not 100MHz. Running it at a lower FSB (ie 100) won't do any harm but you won't be getting the full potential from it.
The fact that yours is running at 100 and not 133MHz, assuming that the bios has set that automatically, means that either the RAM is designed to only run at 100MHz or that your motherboard doesn't fully support your CPU.

3) Athlon ratings
An Athlon 1700+ does not run at 1700MHz, it is designed to run at 1467MHz (133MHz X 11). This applies to all athlons, the rating thats given followed by the + sign, is the performance rating not the actual speed.