Software and things. Half of it doesn't work!
Software and things. Half of it doesn't work!
Hey everyone!
With everything being restricted and
<<messed up>>
], I went ahead and messed around with my desktop. I set up a RAID0 using a few 500G hard drives. The performance boost wasn’t what I expected. I thought a RAID 0 would really help, but it didn’t.
When I reinstalled the operating system, I realized my 10-year-old product key was outdated. I have the OS installed, but there’s a pop-up that forces activation every eight hours. Can I disable it? Is there a way to bypass it? I tried looking into purchasing a new product key, but it seems MS no longer provides them.
While installing drivers for my MOBO, I discovered some tools I hadn’t seen before and installed them too. The ASUS lighting control is interesting, but since the computer is on my desk where I can’t see it clearly, it doesn’t make much difference.
Then there’s the overclock utility AI Suite 3, which reports a solid 17% increase. Should I believe it? On my end, I usually get around 12%, not too thrilled either. All my attempts at overclocking still result in some issues.
<<Edited by Moderator>>
I’ve had trouble with the clock when trying to stream TV while gaming. The guide disappears when I disable overclocking, but it stays active when I enable it. Not a great experience.
There are also other components that don’t work properly, like RAM cache. I’m not sure if it’s because I only have 16GB of memory from DDR3 sticks on a single channel… I guess. Do I really need a minimum for things to function?
Additionally, there’s an Asus boot setting that seems to be problematic. It’s the same issue with other guides.
There’s also a disk unlocker and an ASUS AO help feature. I get the help part, but not the functionality.
I’m currently running:
970 Pro Gaming/Aura
AMD 6350
8 GB DDR3 Hyper X Savage x2
Hyper Evo 212 cooler
1500W PSU
RAedon R290x GPU
All this gear was bought years ago with the hope of heavily overclocking, but I never actually did it. I’ve read everything available, and I’m not confident in any of these recommendations. I also don’t trust YouTube or similar sources.
I know the idea behind these tools, but I’m afraid of making mistakes. I’m cautious about adjusting voltage settings—I don’t know what they do or what risks they carry.
My goal is to build something that lasts a decade before needing an overclock, and I think we’re close to achieving that.
What’s the best free option for overclocking?
I assume ASUS and AMD have solid solutions, but there’s a lot out there. What are people actually using?
Maybe I’ll switch to Windows 10 from 8.1 and install a H100i water cooler just in case. If I somehow manage to unlock this to 30% or more—probably not—I want it to stay cool. Otherwise, extra cooling won’t help if I can’t get a good overclock later.
You could attempt contacting Microsoft support and inform them about your inability to upgrade Windows to Windows 10. If your license and key were originally designed for an upgradeable version, they might provide an upgraded key for Windows 10. They helped me with that too—I had a Windows 7 key that was upgraded to Windows 10.
If your key is a Retail key that was previously upgraded or validated, you're likely fine. A Retail key works on one system (typically the motherboard) and cannot be transferred.
Yes, RAID 0 isn't magical What operating system is this? No, you can't simply 'defeat' the popup you encounter, and even if possible, that answer won't be available here. OC doesn't require freeware—it's related to BIOS settings and other configurations. CPU overclocking guide and tutorial for beginners Explaining the fundamentals. If you're here, it's probably because you need assistance with basic overclocking. Alternatively, you might be a seasoned overclocker curious about new perspectives I could offer. Be assured, this is only meant to... forums.
I've seen it many times before. That's why I got that 12% figure—it doesn't mention anything about the other voltages you mentioned.
Regarding the freeware, AI Suite 3 seems to be free, but it overclocks without needing to be in BIOS. The GPU overclock utility also works in Windows, though it doesn't really help much.
If it's important, I'm using speedfan for temperature and fan control, CPU-Z for OC verification, Prime95 for testing, and hwinfo for monitoring other aspects. But since these tools aren't well understood, the information is only limited at best.
Anyone else have similar experiences?
You could attempt contacting Microsoft phone support and inform them about your inability to upgrade Windows to Windows 10. If your license and key were originally designed for an upgradeable version, they might provide an upgraded license key for Windows 10. They helped me with that as well—my Windows 7 key was upgraded to Windows 10.
If your key is a Retail key that was previously upgraded or validated, you're likely in good shape. A Retail key works on one system (typically the motherboard) and cannot be transferred.