First Build - Any advice

[PrairieOC]

Hey everyone! Coincidently, this is also my first post. I am an avid gamer and amateur photographer, and therefore was looking to build the best machine I could for the least amount if money; all things are relative. My goal was to run Crysis and CoH without lag as well as Photoshop CS4. I have succeeded in doing so, but I would like to Overclock my system to get the most potential from it. Here is what I have:

Q 6700 @ 2.90 (10x) @ 1.3v
Asus Rampage Formula X48
Asus Supreme FX II audio
Radeon 4870 @ 780mhz GPU, 1000mhz memory
2x 2gb Corsair Dominator 8500 1066mhz w/ fan kit
2x Seagate Barracuda SATA 500gb 16mb cache in RAID 0
Ultra 750w X2 edition modular power supply
Therlmalright IFX-14 CPU cooler
4x Scythe Kaze Jyuni 120mm fans w/ KazeMaster controllers
Sony dual-layer dvd burner
Vista 32 bit

I have done some mild overclocking as you can see, but when I tried to push my system past 3.00 ghz, it became unstable. I was hoping to fall in the range of 3.3-3.6 ghz, if this is reasonable; I simply just don't have the cash for another build if I blow this one up!

I am also having difficulty entering my bios on startup, and am wondering exactly what will happen when I flash the CMOS.

I guess my final question is, how much potential does my system have? Any help would be much appreciated. Even if it means trashing a few parts you deem to be garbage, and replacing them with better ones.

[ImmaPC]

Set the voltage up a bit more, I'd say 1.35v max, and then try overclocking past 3GHZ. If it works, great. If not, then the instability is probably due to heat, which means crank up the fan speed on your HSF.

When you clear the CMOS it will set all of the settings you have made in you BIOS, including overclocks, back to stock. Needless to say, if you flash the BIOS, then all the settings will be reverted back to stock, and you will have a newer, better BIOS. Those solutions may solve your problem, but if they don't...that's beyond me.

As for your system's potential...

You have a broad potential but only within a certain ballpark. You can upgrade your CPU a bit, but you don't need to. You can also get another 4870, but you don't need to (although you can if you want to play Crysis completely lag-free). Your system is already great, but it is shrouded because the Core i7 is here, and the Core i5 is 4-8 months away. Fortunately, Core i7 parts are extra-expensive, and for what you're doing with your machine, you need not worry about upgrading or your computer becoming obselete. I'd say if you REALLY REALLY want to upgrade, get a better heatsink, and another 4870

I forgot to say...welome to HWC, and congrats on your first post! :p

[tyreman]

If you want and the cmos has an overclock option maybe you can select percentages of OC? just try it for a modest OC that way.
If you can't afford to burn it......You've already typed that cash is not availabe for another.
Then don't OC it to much period.
plus a minimum 20 hour test that way(OC'd) watching temps is necessary...thou most test apps shut down if a problem is noticed.