I got a Corsair H50 watercooling system now instead of the cruddy OEM fan. Originally the overheating message kept popping up due to the crappiness of the OEM fan, which is why I got this one. After reading a couple of reviews on how well it performs, I was thinking that I probably have enough room to OC.

However, I've never done this before and from tutorial videos, it seems like a risky business. So if anyone here has had experience on how to do this, that'd be greatly appreciated. Maybe some good sites to start at would help too.
I'm using the Q8300, Intel Core 2 Quad Core.

If you don't know what you're doing, don't do it. A Core 2 Quad is an expensive core to go to waste.

Better safe then sorry.

I ruined my old Pentium 4 after a day of overclocking.

I really, highly advise against it.

i've never overclocked CPU ,but i've heard that overcloking intel cpu's VERY RISKY and amd littlebit safer =]

It depends on how much you want to O/C it.My old Duron originally ran at 1.6GHz but I overclocked it to 1.8GHz and it didn`t have any problem.

But since your CPU is way more expensive than the Duron I suggest not to O/C it.

Why would you need to overclock it anyway?

Yeah I googled a bit and apparently it doesn't overclock well. Thanks for the warning, cuz I was thinking about getting that extra....3% xD
But that's not worth the risk.

In most benchmarks, I'm limited by the CPU, which is why.

I'm enjoying my watercooled system though. It brought temps down from 60+ degrees to 45-48

Even 45-48 degrees is ridiculous, you need better airflow in your case. You can at least get that to 3.0ghz EASILY, provided you're using a not-shitty case.

For the record, right now my e8400 is overclocked to 4.0ghz on air cooling via a XIGMATEK HDT-S1283. I haven't optimized this either, and my temperatures run 33c idle and 50c load. These are comparable temperatures to yours, but then consider my vcore is at 1.3v, where as yours is more like 1.2.

I have an Asus case that wasn't made for customizing, OEM case (CG5970-BP003 pc)
It only came with the fan from the power supply and of course the cooling fan on the cpu. Since I replaced it with the water cooler, the cooler's fan now draws air in from the bottom front.
So I don't suppose the power supply's fan counts as on going out does it?

After playing a few hours of UT3, I'm at 47 C. It used to be at 60 all the time :>
I'm using a much larger graphics card than the original though. Would that be what's causing higher temps?

I'll probably get another fan anyway.

BTW, how do I access the BIOS under windows 7? It used to be f2 for me, but now, pressing it at startup does nothing. Thanks

I'm giving up on overclocking. Q8300 sucks, after reading all sorts of posts and reviews. Can't really change the multiplier and small cache (I'm not sure how cache effects OC'ing though). I'll probably save up for the Q9X50's for summer. Probably get a job then too.

Actually, reading this thread http://www.overclock.net/intel-cpus/...soo-q8300.html is purely depressing.
Seems like http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Quad-Cor.../dp/B0012WDMNC would be the best upgrade

Gonna try to see if anyone would buy mine.

I'm wondering, would this put much more strain on the power supply? Mine's only a 450 watt one....

It makes instructions and math go faster, thus making physics-based games run better.