Programs and Links For Overclockers

Revision as of 20:18, 22 July 2008

This Wiki entry is a replication of the Μust have programs and links for overclockers! sticky found in the OCAU Forums Overclocking and Hardware Discussion section with permission from the original author, MrSeanKon.

Note: Some programs listed in this thread are shareware so require you to buy them after a trial period.

Programs/info

Stability and testing programs

• Hot CPU Tester Pro Test CPU, RAM & chipset and burn-in CPU & RAM.
• Memtest86 - Floppy version and ISO Test your RAM.
• MemTest for Windows Allows you to run Memtest in Windows.
• OCCT Test your CPU.
• PiFast Calculate π.
• Prime95 Test your RAM and CPU.
• S&M Test RAM+CPU+PSU.
• Stress CPU and thread is here
• Stress Prime Variation on Prime95.
• Super Pi Calculate π=3.14159265.....
• Super Pi Measures times down to the millisecond for π caculation
• Toast Basically a burn-in program.

Benchmarking programs

• 3D Mark 2001 SE
• 3D Mark 2003
• ATTO Hard disk benchmark.
• Aquamark
• D3DGear
• Everest home edition
• FRAPS
• HDTach 270Hard disk benchmark.
• Metabench
• PC Mark series
• Sisoft Sandra
• WinRAR Although a compression utility, it is useful for benchmarking.

System tools / Monitoring / Information

• 8rdaVcore On the fly overclock.
• A64 tweakerAllows you to change memory timings in Windows for A64s.
• Central Brain Identifier Similar to CPU-Z but it allows you to change memory timings in Windows.
• ClockGenOn the fly oc!
• CpuZ Shows timings, CPU speed/core/multiplier/stepping.
• Crystal CpuID Similar to CPUz.
• GCpuID AMD PR-rating.
• HDD temperature
• Motherboard MonitorShows temperatures, voltages.
• OPN 462 PR-rating and stepping info.
• RightMark CPU clock utility Shows % CPU throttling.
• SIW Monitor program
• SpeedFan Monitor and change fan speeds and creates a graph showing the fluctuations.
• SysTool for Windows Windows tweaking, monitor nVidia/ATI o/c etc...
• Throttle Watch Shows % CPU throttling.
• WcpuID Similar to CPUz.
• GPU-Z GPU version of CPU-Z

VGA overclocking

• ATItool
• Centrino Hardware Control
• Forceware Coolbits 2.0 (nVidia, Registry)
• RadLinker
• Rage3D
• Riva Tuner

Optimization tools

• CPU Idle Cool your CPU (but I did not see difference).
• MemTurbo Defrag your RAM!
• MemMonster+WinBoost Defrag your RAM, tweak Windows!
• X-Setup and other useful tools

Other links

• Artic Silver web page (thermal paste)
• Benchmarking.Ru Software page.
• Download.comS oftware page (choose the nearest mirror).
• Gromacs
• Many tools for benchmarking/stability etc
• Majorgeeks Software page.
• Rage3d thread
• Tucows site Software page (choose the nearest mirror).

Other useful programs for overclockers & others

• Advanced System OptimizerLike Tweak Power Pack.
• DiskeeperFaster defragmentation.
• Hard disk life
• Tweak Power PackTweak Windows, registry and hard disk cleaner.
• Windows Washer + Spy SweeperClean your hard disk from unnecessary files/anti-spyware tool.

Must read threads

• DFI NF4 thread at ABXzone
• Stickies for Benchmarks, Audio/Video, codecs and general tools

Manufacturers

PSU manufacturers

• Antec
• Chieftec
• Enermax
• Fortron
• OCZ
• Q-Tec
• Seasonic
• Tagan
• Ultra

Mainboard manufacturers

• ABIT
• Albatron
• Aopen
• ASRock
• ASUS
• Biostar
• Chaintech
• DFI
• Epox
• FIC
• Gigabyte
• Leadtec
• MSI
• QDI
• Soyo
• Tyan

Note: Many of the above manufacturers produce graphics cards as well.(Ex: Gigabyte,MSI etc.)

RAM manufacturers

• Apacer
• Corsair
• Crucial
• Kingston
• Mushkin
• OCZ
• TwinMOS

Hard disk/backup manufacturers<

• Maxtor
• Quantum
• Seagate
• Western Digital

Video cards/chipset manufacturers

• ATI
• nVidia
• Matrox
• S3

General manufacturers

• AMD
• Apple
• Fujitsu
• Hewlett Packard
• IBM
• Intel
• LG
• Philips
• Samsung
• Transmeta
• VIA

Cooling manufacturers

• Akasa
• Arctic cooling
• CoolerMaster
• Thermalright
• Thermaltake
• Vantec
• Vapochill
• Zalman

Acknowledgements

I feel grateful to many OCAU users for giving me many links and, of course, for their great comments.