I notice with surprise that the latest FSX install/setup guide is now saying over clock "BEFORE" FSX install?????

 

Is this right?

Not a chance is that right!

 

How would you know whether it was the OC or FSX that caused a crash?

 

Install everything, get it configured and running smoothly, backup the whole thing and then attempt to fry your CPU.....never before!

How can you get it configured and running smoothly without OC'ing first...? That would be a total waste of time because you would have to do all that tweaking and testing all over again with the new CPU speed. If you make sure the OC is alright, then FSX won't have any problems with it.

 

I don't believe in the 'install everything before you OC' fable. ^_^

Just finished a month long rebuild of my rig and all software and did it all @ 4.861 ghz. No problems at all.

Not a chance is that right!

 

How would you know whether it was the OC or FSX that caused a crash?

 

Install everything, get it configured and running smoothly, backup the whole thing and then attempt to fry your CPU.....never before!

That is categorically incorrect. You should only install FSX (or any software, for that matter) AFTER you have a clean stable OS. That means overclock stabe, drivers up to date and Windows SP and all updates applied. Once you have that and can pass Prime95, you go ahead and install FSX. If you start to have issues upon installing and configuring FSX, you know the culprit is FSX.

 

The last thing you want to do is tinker with overclock settings on a system already jammed to the hilt with "optimizations" and software.

. If you start to have issues upon installing and configuring FSX, you know the culprit is FSX.

Not always. You may find getting rid of or reducing the OC gets rid of the issues hence why I recommend to do the OC AFTER FSX is running stable so you know it runs fine at stock speed.

 

I think it's silly to do it any other way but each to their own

 

 

The last thing you want to do is tinker with overclock settings on a system already jammed to the hilt with "optimizations" and software.

 

+1

 

Ernie

OC is something you do ONLY after you have setup and installed everything to perfection.

 

There is no way of knowing if an OC is stable. File corruption is the most common error you can encounter on a computer that is OC'ed above it's limits, and even if you run all kinds of memory and CPU tests, there are countless other issues that can happen from the general increase in bus speed and voltage causing errors on motherboard components. These errors can be almost impossible to identify and can result in all kinds of small instabilities in Windows and installed software.

The question of optimizing FSX first before overclocking v. overclocking first and then optimizing is a false dichotomy, since optimizing is a trial and error process anyway.   You'll end up zeroing in on the same end result, no matter what order you do it in.  Furthermore, I guarantee you'll be playing with further optimization tweaks long after you've achieved a stable overclock.   

Ghidorah, how you came to worry about that is beyond me since I didn't even mention FSX in my above post.

Ghidorah, how you came to worry about that is beyond me since I didn't even mention FSX in my above post.

 

I realize that!  Our posts stepped on each other and I edited out the requote and "Simmerhead, please tell me you don't gauge your overclock with FSX".  That part was not relavent to what I was trying to say, so I deleted it, only to find out you had already responded  My fault.

OC is something you do ONLY after you have setup and installed everything to perfection.

 

There is no way of knowing if an OC is stable. File corruption is the most common error you can encounter on a computer that is OC'ed above it's limits, and even if you run all kinds of memory and CPU tests, there are countless other issues that can happen from the general increase in bus speed and voltage causing errors on motherboard components. These errors can be almost impossible to identify and can result in all kinds of small instabilities in Windows and installed software.

Manipulating bus speed, voltage, etc. is precisely what leads to the file corruption, which is why you need the overclock to be stable before installing software. Start tinkering with your overclock after you install FSX, and you will see the "issues" you're referring to.

OC is something you do ONLY after you have setup and installed everything to perfection.

 

So everytime you need to install something you set the CPU back to default speeds, install and OC and test again...? I have OC'd my PC the day I got it and installed everything OC'd and all (in the meantime I think I have reinstalled the entire system around 6 times up to now for various reasons) and I never ever ran into problems. FSX is fine, my music software is fine, all is fine.

So everytime you need to install something you set the CPU back to default speeds, install and OC and test again...? I have OC'd my PC the day I got it and installed everything OC'd and all (in the meantime I think I have reinstalled the entire system around 6 times up to now for various reasons) and I never ever ran into problems. FSX is fine, my music software is fine, all is fine.

 

Correct. You should install software, do backups and import photos and videos at stock speed.

 

The reason all is fine on your computer is that your OC is within the tolerable limits of your hardware. The problem is that sometimes you will discover something is wrong after the fact, and small file corruptions for instance can be very hard to figure out. A corrupted file can give you unidentifiable blue screens, freezes, glitches etc.

 

When you OC and push the limits of your hardware you increase risk of failure. It's as simple as that. A Forumla 1 car isn't as reliable as normal car. Also people tend to forget that hardware deteriorate over time, and when you OC, lifespan of your hardware can decrease.

 

To each his own of course, but if you have valuable files on your computer I suggest that it is better to be safe than sorry.

Thanks for the replies everyone, only trouble is, we don't have consensus here. If you check the AVSIM Software & Hardware Guide for FSX Version 1.0.4.8, it gives the reason for OC'ing before is because it can corrupt already installed apps, hence this should be done on a virgin W7 install. Their words not mine.

 

I ask because I have had Mobo problems and did a small CPU/MOBO upgrade requiring a complete clean install of everything, so I thought that if I am going to suffer this ordeal, it might as well be the right way.

 

Any thought on this theory before I go ahead. Right now I am sitting with a nice clean install of W7 with absolutely nothing on it except all my required drivers, updates etc.

 

Thanks,