Does OverClock Matter?

Hi people, My bro build his own fast computer... He has an Intel Core 2 Quad at 2.83GHz and he overclocked it to 3.59GHz and has 4GB of RAM... When i open some stuff like installing or opening something up(CS5 or some games-Steam-), it's taking forever(the loading) and the CPU usage isn't even at 100%(only 20-50% CPU usage and RAM usage at 1.50-2GB)... How is it so slow or taking forever and how do i solve it? Does it has too much stuff or the HDD is slow(7200 RPM) my bro has 2TB(2 HDD) and the OS HDD is almost full with 391GB space(Has movies and software that my family needs)... Why is the computer load time is so long or so slow even with OC? Sometime i think it's the HDD not spinning... How do i know it's spinning?

 

The hard drive is spinning, you can be sure enough of that.

The problem is probably with the operating system...windows gets dirty and slow if you don't take care of it right. It might also be with antivirus or malware software...you should never have more than one running at a time, and windows comes with malware crap that runs in the background, often unnoticed. Throw in a few overclocking-related crashes and you have 3 software issues teaming up to waste power.

The HDD should be fast enough...going from a disk drive to a SSD only gives a few seconds even in extreme cases...if the program is taking 3x too long to load, those few seconds will not be noticeable.

 

Well, my bro computer doesn't have any anti-virus softwares because he build his computer and he did a clean install of Windows 7 Ultimate 64-Bit... It been pretty long like 5 months now that he haven't format his computer and there's a lot of programs installed on too... i open task manager and it precesses almost 60's things... He has Adobe CS5, Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Steam(Game), Warcraft 3, and videos from his cam corder which he use to take some church(kinda like church but i would said it's not) stuff(important to him) and it's an hours and so he edit it with Adobe CS5 and stuff and there's a lot of videos too(10-30) and there's a lot of songs about 300 and all files(everything) over 2 million files(maybe 3 million) on his 2 HDD(basically OS Drive) IDK if it's the problem with the loading and stuff but my bro said his computer is still fast but b4 he format it like 6 motnhs ago, he said "WOW my computer so slow"... BTW why does my bro computer "OC" always dies? like "once in a while," it's at 2.83GHz than it's at 3.59GHz and again... IDK if my bro OC it manually or it's just the computer changing it... How do i make it at 3.59GHz permanently instead of letting it jump?

 

Lets assume that the overclock is 100% stable, it might not be because it seems a big jump for that chip, but assume for fun it is.
1. You said Windows7, have you checked power options? Energy saver profile can throttle performance, i always use custom settings.
2. Also guessing since it is a newer build, the motherboard supports SPEEDSTEP(wiki).
turn it off in the BIOS screen.

 

I put the power to HIGH PERFORMANCE and i don't see any different in speed and what would you recommend, like put it to normal or Custom(Let me know what you do in Custom settings)
This computer was build last year and the MoBo and CPU is

http://www.amazon.com/P5E3-Premium-...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B001620G0A

and BTW the processor he got is the first item under "What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?" Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9550 2.83GHz 1333MHz 12 MB LGA775 EM64T CPU BX80569Q9550

If there's a SPEEDSTEP thing, where would i go to turn it off in BIOS? Well there be any problem after turning it off?(Don't want my bro getting mad...)

I got a real big problem with some Apple Softwares.... My bro installed iTunes and Safari and iTunes uses 1-15% of the CPU usage(When it's not even working) and Safari at 30-50% CPU usage when it's closed and using.... What's causing the problem/using high CPU when it's idle? I have to close it with task manager manually to stop the CPU usage... Should this be reported to Apple?

 

I'm sure it's not infected because there's no sign of Infected files... Getting Softwares like Anti-Virus will slow the net down and mine is 2.2MB/s Comcast Cable... No faster network around but just Comcast Business 3.0MB/s(I live in fresno) and there's 2 computers and 1 laptop and 1 gaming console-PS3

 

Well, that's because, i cleaned the computer with this program(portable) called Advance System Care... It scan for infected files and stuff... I also installed Windows 7 Manager and clean the system... I also installed Revo Uninstaller Pro to uninstall Some programs and delete it registry like useless Bing Bar and MSN Bar craps... I dont understand what would be infected with some cleaning things... I also use a portable CCleaner... So would the "Advance System Care" work(Repair infected files)? My bro super smart too so he would also know if it's infected or not... The reason the customer has virus was because she installed/download infected files/doc... My bro has browser with super adds-on that work really well which can detect infected files or warn you about sites(like P**n sites) Also i installed WinPatrol but i dont know it's an anti-virus tho...(Never seen it as it being Anti-Virus or on Sites) What is WinPatrol anyway, you know?

 

It sounds like there is a ton of worthless, wasteful crap on there. We know that he installed Bing Bar and MSN bar (those do not come with windows). We also know that he has a bunch of fake cleaning softwares that do more harm than good. His add-on to detect infected files sounds like a resident virus scanner that you claim he does not have, and the add-ons to block porn and such just kill performance.

Essentially, he has done everything he can to turn a 3.6GHZ quad core/4GB system into something that performs like a single-core 1GHZ system.

 

LOL he didn't install those Bing Bar crap, it came with these crappy software like games and crap he need, BTW the adds-on doesn't block or detect those craps, it's the flash block and the ad block and just some other crap that work pretty well like Fire Download and some other adds-on Works great on a 2.4GHz with 1GB RAM, i can surf the net with now problems(like opening windows without permission...)
BTW those cleaning do works, it's working pretty well if you say it doesn't people said CCleaner is good an Advance System Care is great too, and Windows 7 Manager is good too and BTW SOME of these stuff i used on a E-Machine W5243 2.4GHz 1GB RAM i use portable softwares to clean his craps and use installed craps(Windows 7 Manager) on the E-Machine... I used on his only once to clean craps to make it a bit faster(loading a bit faster after that clean) I installed WinPatrol on the E-Machine and it doesnt see to do anything but just sit there and let me know which programs start at start-up... I dont even get What The Freak it does but im might uninstall it if it doesn't do CRAPS... I do some of these test B4 i used it on my bro comp because if i miss it up than he ganna BIT** at me... i missed with the computer so much, just in 1 year, i reinstall windows 7 like almost 100 times LOL... i installed some build/customized windows 7 like xDark v3.7(Based on Windows 7 Ultimate) on the E-Machine W5243 and it has those adds-on which are great and i uninstalled some softwares i dont use like JDownloader...

Why is my bro comp so slow when his CPU usage is not at 100% and his RAM is not at 50%?
My bro computer isn't slow but very fast... It got a bit slower but show no change to performance but take a few Milli Second longer every few weeks or so(start-up)... The loading times is the same but it's getting slow by every Milli Second too, so within one year or so, he ganna format it and b4 that, he ganna said "WOW my comp got a "bit" slower....(He uses Adobe CS5 so he knows the speed different in few months) When he converts stuff and his CPU usage is at 80% or so but just in 1 year it goes to 98%-100% What's making it slower every Milli Second? Files from windows(like prefetch and read what it does just in few months)

 

There have been a few attempts to help, but all I see is "no it can't be, my brother is super smart". If he is so smart, between him and google it should be easy to find speedstep settings in BIOS.

There is almost always a box to de-select add on toolbars when installing a program. Most good programs don't even try to sneak a toolbar into the installation. In fact, most people that are capable enough to build their own machine are old enough to stay away from those online games that are really built for kids. Those free games always come with pop-ups too so there is another cause of bloat.

You do know that many of the custom windows builds, such as the darkstar you describe, are nothing more than data collectors and keystroke gatherers that send your information to whoever wrote the hack? Have you used wireshark or other network traffic sniffer to see if you have any strange traffic patterns in our out of the machine at weird times of the day?

There is not an anti-virus to help a user that downloads questionable programs and runs them without checking, thats what has been happening if you say smart brother has no antivirus installed. Format the hard drive, Re-install a real copy of windows, don't let your smart brother install all that unnecessary crap. You only need 1 anti-virus for making sure nothing unauthorized installs on its own, and windows firewall and UAC will take care of the rest. CCleaner once a week and your computer will run just as fast a year later as it does on the day you fresh install windows.

 

I can only speak the truth, can't expect everyone to hear it...lead a horse to water...yadda yadda

I do understand how you can't believe everything you read on some forum full of people you don't know. Use Google to verify, test, if a program doesnt work, delete from your system; if it does add it to the arsenal. Always backup important data that way when you play around with stuff like this and you get burned like this you can do a fresh install or re-image whenever with no worries.

 

Those kid games you talk about, it's age 13 and above... the games i play are, Call of Duty:Black Ops(PC) and Counter Strike, Counter Strike: Source.... So don't think it's childish play... He got Microsoft Office Pro, Adobe CS5, Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash player&plugin, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Explorer 8, STEAM(Games I said) and Warcraft 3, and some other stuff... What do i do/go when i go into the BIOS to turn off SpeedStep? is it just right there or do i click advance tab and just see it? BTW th ecomputer dont just jump at anytime it want, sometime i start computer it changes... it doesnt change when it's on and turning it off would help me get the stable of 3.59GHz right instead of it jumping?

BTW when i did some things like speed reader or something, it said the max OC is 3.80 and the minimum is 200Mhz... Would 3.80 recommended or just leave at 3.59GHz? his computer is OC by 26%(3.59, voltage at 1.3-1.4)...

 

I didn't know Black OPS installed toolbars and other craps without your knowledge. Most online games, like facebook ones by zynga or similar, add toolbars.

As far speedstep, google EIST.

 

+1, except I would have him using the free firewall from Comodo; it sounds like he needs more protection than Windows Firewall can provide.

 

I did google it and didn't give me where to go and i just recently went to advance and go to the CPU and turned it off myself... So it wouldnt change right?
BTW that is true where my other bro keep going to facebook and play tetris...

 

I tho Advance System Care would repair if i got virus files? Advance System Care is like one of the best software...