i used clock gen 1.0.5.3 which is free to download - google it. once installed open pll control and click ignore gsb/pci then set the pll in the drop down to the one that works for your cpu. try each one until you see your current known readings for your cpu speed when you click clocks to get a reading. my pll for the 5600+ cpu was ics 950403. once you have the right pll value, just slide the bar up to 3 ghz on cpu and 240mhz on the fsb. click apply. if it doesnt crash immediately, then the oc works. go to options and click apply at startup. it will oc each time at boot.
for the cooler i will stick with the oem since my temps are all good coretemp min 41 celcius to 56 under 100%load
btw...never alone is a great game off steam that runs ideally on this setup for testing
for the RAM up to 16gb i thought of playing with different slot loads. does anyone know the options? i was thinking of loading 1-3 with the 2x2gb at 533mhz and 2-4 with the the 6400 8gb sticks. this is common in more modern mobos to not run them as the tech manual suggests of 1-2 same sticks and 3-4 same sticks [which is what i have now]
Clock Gen must have had something done to it, because GSB/PCI is not in the PLL control menu, and there is no place for me to put in the ics either. Our specs should be the same because i switched out my old 3500+ to the 5600+.
RAM: Samsung M378T6553CZ3-CD5 (512MB PC2-4200 533MHz) to Kingston KTD-DM8400C6/2G (2GB PC2-6400 800MHz) x4 - 8GB total ($32)
HDD: Samsung HD080HJ/P 80GB 7200 RPM to WD Blue WD2500AAKS 250GB 7200 RPM ($20)
Heatsink: (In the mail) Stock Dell aluminum KN277 heatsink to Dell D9729 copper/aluminum heatsink ($5 + $8 shipping)
So I have literally brought this thing up to date for under $100.
I am waiting to see if I can overclock the CPU until I get the "new" heatsink since I am currently running in the yellow with my temps with the stock heatsink.
My next purchase will be a PSU to compensate for the 125W CPU, and finally a AGP graphics card. Then MAYBE a new SSD or more likely a larger HDD. (No data is stored on the internal HDD really, the important stuff goes to external USB HDDs.)
This thing is running Windows 7 extremely quick now. Before I was getting choppy streaming video and programs loaded a little slow. Now everything is normal.
This is not my daily driver, but it is used everyday all day by other members of my family. If and when this PC gets retired I will likely put Slackware Linux on it or convert it into a hardware firewall. Which as of now it seems will not happen for quite a while.
Not bad for an '07 PC!
Thanks for sharing your experience with your C521, it has got me to thinking about testing different setups with my RAM to see exactly what I can squeeze in there!
jgill21
3 Posts
0
February 11th, 2016 17:00
How did you overclock the CPU? Also, let me know how the aftermarket cooler goes. Good luck and thanks!
spedasso
6 Posts
0
February 11th, 2016 20:00
i used clock gen 1.0.5.3 which is free to download - google it. once installed open pll control and click ignore gsb/pci then set the pll in the drop down to the one that works for your cpu. try each one until you see your current known readings for your cpu speed when you click clocks to get a reading. my pll for the 5600+ cpu was ics 950403. once you have the right pll value, just slide the bar up to 3 ghz on cpu and 240mhz on the fsb. click apply. if it doesnt crash immediately, then the oc works. go to options and click apply at startup. it will oc each time at boot.
for the cooler i will stick with the oem since my temps are all good coretemp min 41 celcius to 56 under 100%load
btw...never alone is a great game off steam that runs ideally on this setup for testing
spedasso
6 Posts
0
February 11th, 2016 20:00
for the RAM up to 16gb i thought of playing with different slot loads. does anyone know the options? i was thinking of loading 1-3 with the 2x2gb at 533mhz and 2-4 with the the 6400 8gb sticks. this is common in more modern mobos to not run them as the tech manual suggests of 1-2 same sticks and 3-4 same sticks [which is what i have now]
jgill21
3 Posts
0
February 13th, 2016 12:00
Clock Gen must have had something done to it, because GSB/PCI is not in the PLL control menu, and there is no place for me to put in the ics either. Our specs should be the same because i switched out my old 3500+ to the 5600+.
skaendo
11 Posts
0
June 2nd, 2016 12:00
Nice write-up. Very informative indeed.
I have a E521 (0UW457) that I am upgrading.
Currently what I have upgraded (from/to):
BIOS to 1.1.11
CPU:
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0 GHz 59W
to
AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ 3.0 GHz 125W ($30)
RAM:
Samsung M378T6553CZ3-CD5 (512MB PC2-4200 533MHz)
to
Kingston KTD-DM8400C6/2G (2GB PC2-6400 800MHz) x4 - 8GB total ($32)
HDD:
Samsung HD080HJ/P 80GB 7200 RPM
to
WD Blue WD2500AAKS 250GB 7200 RPM ($20)
Heatsink:
(In the mail)
Stock Dell aluminum KN277 heatsink
to
Dell D9729 copper/aluminum heatsink ($5 + $8 shipping)
So I have literally brought this thing up to date for under $100.
I am waiting to see if I can overclock the CPU until I get the "new" heatsink since I am currently running in the yellow with my temps with the stock heatsink.
My next purchase will be a PSU to compensate for the 125W CPU, and finally a AGP graphics card. Then MAYBE a new SSD or more likely a larger HDD. (No data is stored on the internal HDD really, the important stuff goes to external USB HDDs.)
This thing is running Windows 7 extremely quick now. Before I was getting choppy streaming video and programs loaded a little slow. Now everything is normal.
This is not my daily driver, but it is used everyday all day by other members of my family. If and when this PC gets retired I will likely put Slackware Linux on it or convert it into a hardware firewall. Which as of now it seems will not happen for quite a while.
Not bad for an '07 PC!
Thanks for sharing your experience with your C521, it has got me to thinking about testing different setups with my RAM to see exactly what I can squeeze in there!