I have read lots of talk about overclocking CPUs the last few months and I have a few questions about it.I am running an intel E7300 @2.66ghz That runs at a temp of 35-40c. I was wondering how to overclock this and by how much. I have 4gb of ram, not sure what type. The fan is in the side of the case and measures 12cm. So how do I actually overclock? Thanks for assistance, hardware is not my strongest point.

You should be able to get to 3.6 fairly easily by raising the FSB to 1440mhz and the vcore to 1.3. These settings should be available via your BIOS. (Dependant on motherboard.) You'll need a better cooler than the one supplied with the CPU though.If your new to this I would suggest keeping a very close eye on the CPU temp and testing for temp under load using something like "CoreDamage" I'm not actually sure of the thermal limitations of your CPU but over 80C UNDER LOAD is a no no. Generally the hotter it runs, the shorter the lifespan. If you can keep it under 70C UNDER FULL LOAD then your probably OK (but check the limitations from Intel) There is lots of help out there in the overclockers forums and you need to use it.Have fun and remember you could fry your CPU if you get it wrong.....:(

I will only add:1. Never ever try to OC Your CPU on stock or cheap cooler!2. Never ever use any software/magic button etc to OC Your CPU! It will set voltages to high (always). Do it only via BIOS in small increments.3. Do a lot of reading, and best, ask someone experienced for help, because from the way You describe Your hardware, I see that You lack some basic knowledge. OCing CPU is very easy, but it's also very easy way to fry it.4. Don't try to get 4GHz at first attempt! Target of 3.0 for beginner would be enough.5. Remember to unlink Your RAM from FSB, if there's no such option in BIOS, you'll have to lower Your RAM clock.6. Google for similar OCed hardware configs and descriptions how it was achieved. There are also "Ultimate guides to..." OC any CPU on the market, look for them either and read them all before first attempt.Cheers.

Also try to search for your CPU or similar in computer related sites (like Tom´s Hardware) to see if they already tried an overclocking effort for your model. This should help with procedures and good tools for maintaining a good overclock.