I have an xfx 6600GT pci-e with a aftermarket heatsink/fan. I was wondering how i go about overclocking it. I know you can buy the card already oc'd but i wanted to save money and do it myself.
Why would you want to? That's a great card. Isn't it: Core 500mhz and mem 1000mhz? Let me know the results of OC'ing I know someone with this card, and it is awesome.
The BFG version come pre-overclocked but only by 25mhz or something, you can download a program called RivaTuner, RivaTuner allows easy overclocking and it detects the maximum clock value and it's just a case of getting it stable(you can also unlock pixel pipes using it), i would suggest you look into ram heatsinks for the card if it's not got any already(copper ones), upgrading the fan\heatsink on a gfx card does not always mean your going to benefit in overclocking terms instead you'll more than likely find things like ram heatsinks improve the cooling rather than improve the clocking speeds you'll get but that's what you want for a overall stable gfx card with a good performance. You can also download a reg value off Nvidia's website (look at the FAQs theres a question on overclocking) I take it your card has a temp monitor, if so can i have the standard temp? Also whats the RPMS on your VGA hsf? If there's anything at all you don't understand just say [bold]Also i cant stress enough be careful when overclocking you might find yourself needing to buy a new card if something goes wrong, only increase the clock by about 1-5mhz at a time.[/bold] EDIT: Just noticed in your Sig you have ram heatsinks Another EDIT: RivaTuner, http://www.guru3d.com/rivatuner/ Also get 3DMark2001 it's a good form of testing after overclocking.
I seen the retail card that came preoverclocked at 525mhz core, 1050mhz mem or something. It had coppper heatsinks on the memory and a bigger fan. I have the same, plus my fan is bigger and i used arctic silver 5 on the new heatsink. Im pretty sure i can get it up to those numbers without a problem. Thanks for the info in the program tho. Any idea how many pixel pipelines can be unlocked?
Not got a clue to be honest how many can be unlocked, try google, i think you could get it higher than 525mhz\1050mhz as long as your very careful.
http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=815 you can also go here and download coolbits 2.0, install it right click on desktop click on properties and settings, then advanced, go to clock frequency settings and click detect optimal frequency, it will give you back a setting that is almost guranteed not to kill your card. to me it is safer than rivatuner, because it test it and wont let it be set to high. most people I know with a 6600gt can get it to 564/1100 on air. just watch your temps in game and check the box beside fan always on!
Is the coolbits thing not just the same as the nvidia one, as far as i know Nvidia did not offer the vaule to add overclocking b4 and that's why coolbits came to be so there more a less do the exact same thing
No sorry i mean it's the same as the reg value you can download off Nvidia's website that adds overclocking to the Nvidia console thingy.
yea I believe it to be the same, coolbits is just tha a reg value that unlocks overclocking abilities in the software that come's with the card, it also unlocks other advanced options that were there to begin with, they just decided to hide. also since it integrates into the card properties window,I find it less intimidating than rivatuner, with the detect optimal frequency button the card runs rigorous test for compatibility.
I know it seems to me that overclocking is one thing that they wouldn't want to hide. like take for example me, I got the bfg 6800gt oc it came at 370/1.100 now I unlocked the overclocking options hit detect optimal frequencies it through back 426/1.200 now I'm like hell yea on air! but in reality after running aquamark test. my card scored better in numbers, but when it came to lowest fps higher fps, pixel draw, and other various in demo numbers, they were actually lower than at stock speed's . that' why I had to drop back down to 409/ 1.10 to find a happy medium for in game real time numbers. sure you can overclock it to it's max and get higher benchmarks but in real time you will see lower performance. that's why I say when overclocking look at realtime performance not the big numbers at the end of the test. who wants 75000 points in aquamark but a card that slow's down every few seconds?
