How safe is Overclocking?

[alanschu]

For some reason, when you break the BIOS, it's usually extremely difficult to get the item working again

 

It's probably because if you kill your BIOS, your computer typically doesn't start. The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a very simple system that essentially takes care of all the details for how your computer loads.

 

It's the first thing accessed when you turn on your computer.

 

 

Hmmm, I couldn't tell if your "For some reason" was sarcastic or not. Oh well, I've typed this much...

[mkreku]

No, I wasn't being sarcastic. A bios is usually like 256KB. A default BIOS should be able to fit into a small ROM module on any piece of equipment. A simple default switch would then activate the ROM module BIOS instead of the flashable BIOS memory, or (even better) reflash the BIOS with the default program from the ROM memory. I don't understand why failing a BIOS flash should be an instant way of turning your equipment into a brick.

 

I know some motherboards have those default switches, but it's not any sort of standard (as far as I know) and I jave never seen it on a GPU.

[Judge Hades]

I would never mess around with the BIOS. That is way too dangerous to do given my complete lack of experience. What software would be good to use for overclocking anyway?

Edited September 4, 2006 by Judge Hades

[alanschu]

I wonder if real estate on the PCBs for motherboards and video cards is limited, and as a result you don't typically have the secondary BIOS. I know my motherboard has it, though I have only flashed my BIOS about 2 times in my entire time as a PC hobbyist starting in 1999.

 

I guess a backup is typically not used because the BIOS isn't exactly something that gets flashed by accident. If a video card maker put a backup BIOS on their card, they'd almost be encouraging people to flash the BIOS.

[mkreku]

I would never mess around with the BIOS.  That is way too dangerous to do given my complete lack of experience.  What software would be good to use for overclocking anyway?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

For ATI, try ATITool

 

For Nvidia, try Rivatuner.

 

Not saying these are the best (although for ATI, I really believe ATITool is the best..), but they are commonly used and pretty user-friendly.

[Judge Hades]

Thanks.