how important is the manufacturer name of the psu , when it comes to a computers ability to overclock ?
for example i have a lead power 600w.
i dont know if it could be houlding my system back

You don't want to skimp on your power supply when overclocking. The brand name itself isn't as important as the ability of the PSU to deliver the rated power at the specified ranges for each output. Having said that, generally, the more generic brand name PSU cut corners in manufacturing to deliver a unit at the lowest possible cost resulting in a PSU that is not as able to consistently meet the demands required in OC'ing. Measure the voltages on your rails to see how close they are to spec. That will tell you a lot more than just looking at the rated output and brand name. W/o sophisticated test equipment where you can measure the rated output under load and measure the clenaliness of the power delivered, that is about the best you can do on your own.

In the end, you'll want to spend the bucks on a decent unit- go to Tom's Hardware Guide and read up a little and wait for others here to suggest what they like in PSUs.

how do u measure the voltages , or better yet where do i measure them at.
i guess it would be w/ and w/o loads.


thanks .

my PSU went bad and took the mobo with it so go get a good one... now I have to use the family computer untill I can come up with the 200 or so dollars to fix the dang thing...

donations welcome

bummer good luck
Antec True Control 550 , any one using this unit this is the one im leaning
towards.

You'll need a digital multimeter to measure the voltages from a unsused molex connection. I've never done it, but I have a new DMM that came in this week so I'll be looking at mine for the first time this weekend.

I just bought a Soyo Raptor 400 watt "Voltage Adjustable" PSU "designed for enthusiasts and overclockers." Its been working beautifully for the last 4+ hours i've had it in. Got it on a great deal too, not to mention theres a 30 dollar rebate for it!

ok i have a dvm and a spare molenx connector which pins do i monitor ?
obtw ive ordered an Antec True Control 550 cause i know my is a no name brand
go it on pricewatch 4 around 60 bucks.

With an empty molex, you'll only be able to check the +5 and +12 lines. For the +5 line, put the red probe in the red wire and the black probe in one of the black wires. For the +12, put the red probe in the yellow wire and black in a black wire. You can check the 3.3 line with that 6 pin auxillary cable that no one uses, but I don't remember which wire it is...Orange maybe?

Make sure you check them both on idle and load, and watch for any big fluctuation.

I wondered how to test the 3.3V rail. I bought a PSU tester with a pass-through connection on it just for that reason. It should arrive this week.

If you realy dont want to worry about the ability of your ps to deliver the gight voltage get this one, to my knowledge the best one to get
http://www.performance-pcs.com/catalog/pro...678b36cf93e3a11