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CPU Basics
CPU socket clock
The mainboard generates a clock signal that paces the transfer of data to and from the CPU. Data from the CPU may be going to memory, to the AGP video card, or to an I/O device. The mainboard may sense the CPU chip and set the clock based on the manufacturer's recommendation, or it may provide a BIOS setup panel that lets the user adjust the clock value. The standard values tend to be 100, 133, 166, or 200 MHz.
Front Side Bus (FSB)
The CPU transfers data to the "Northbridge" chip on the mainboard. From there it can go to memory, the video card, or the I/O bus. An Intel CPU transfers data 4 times for every cycle of the CPU socket clock. So while the actual clock speed may be 200 MHz, an Intel CPU chip is typically described as having an 800 MHz Front Side Bus. AMD is more complicated. The old 32 bit Athlon processors transferred data only twice per clock cycle. With a CPU clock of 166 MHz, the FSB is 333 MHz. However, the new Athlon 64 CPU chip has its own integrated memory controller and a high speed HyperTransport integrated I/O bus. FSB numbers would be meaningless. There is no Northbridge chip between the CPU and other devices. The CPU can use its direct connection to memory while at the same time performing high speed I/O to video or other devices.
Multiplier
The CPU generates an internal clock that runs faster than the mainboard clock. If the mainboard clock is 100 MHz and the CPU "multiplier" is 24, then the internal clock cycles 24 times for every tick of the mainboard clock, producing a CPU speed of 2.4 GHz. The same 2.4 GHz can also be produced by applying a multiplier of 18 to a mainboard clock running at 133 MHz. The multiplier is manufactured into the CPU chip and cannot be changed.
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Weekly Tip
14.10.2007
By default, your virtual memory is in your C drive. It is better to move it to another partition, suhc as D or E. To change it, right click on "my computer" and select properties, click on advanced tab, go to the first settings tab, select 'advanced' tab again. Here you will be able to change the path to your virtual memory.
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