OVERCLOCKING?...
OK...I have heard this term used for 3 years or more but I have NO IDEA what it really is,or if I can do it or if I can,will it help me or destroy my computer.I have FS9 on:
OS Name      Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version      5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer      Microsoft Corporation
System Name      FROGS-PERSONAL
System Manufacturer      Dell Computer Corporation
System Model      Dimension 2400
System Type      X86-based PC
Processor      x86 Family 15 Model 2 Stepping 9 GenuineIntel ~2790 Mhz
     Pentium 4 CPU 2.80 GHz
BIOS Version/Date      Dell Computer Corporation A05, 12/2/2003
SMBIOS Version      2.3
Windows Directory      C:\WINDOWS
System Directory      C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device      \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale      United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer      Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
User Name      FROGS-PERSONAL\Owner
Time Zone      Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory      1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory      735.27 MB
Total Virtual Memory      2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory      1.96 GB
Page File Space      3.85 GB
Page File      C:\pagefile.sys

Vid Card ATI Radeon 9250
     256 Mb Memory
     DAC Type:Internal DAC (400 MHz)
Question:  By seeing what my system is,would it be worth my trying this 'overclocking',and if so,how would I go about it?Sorry about all the data I loaded up here.Thought it would get me a quicker answer if I offered all the info on my system up front.Thanx guys (and gals)! /stephan //Altitude With Attitude! 8-)

Overclocking = The sudden death of your computer, and all its associated Hardware, resulting in the considerable expense of replacing components, or purchasing another complete computer.

Leave well alone!.... ;)...!
Trust me!

You appear to be having more than enough problems already, with your existing Flight Simulator programs, etc... :o... ;)... ;D...!
You don't need to tempt providence with any more experiments!

Paul... ;D...!

Overclocking is basically boosting the processor to work beyond its published clock frequency. Say you have a processor that works at 2.8GHz (your case). You would go into the BIOS and change parameters that would make it work, for example, up to 3.5GHz.

The thing is, this is not for every processor and also depends on both the processor and the bios letting you change said parameters. The main problem when overclocking is heat - processors get very hot and getting them to run at higher clock frequencies makes them even hotter, so overclocking also requires rethinking yourn colling apparatus - from changing coolers and heatsinks to going liquid-cooled if you' really into it. As I said this depends on the processor and BIOS having features unlocked and available that you can change so that you make it run faster. And, as Fozzer already pointed out, you increase the risk of damaging your hardware.

With the rise of the overclocking phenomena, manufacturers saw an enthusiasts market there so there are processors that come already prepared for that - for example the Core i7 3770K, which comes with the necessary multipliers unlocked. I've seen videos of people running FSX with other "K series" processors from Intel at 4.5GHz!! As always, this is not without the risk of getting hardware damaged.

All things considered, you're better off not overclocking your hardware. Best option is to buy a new set with more up-to-date parts. You should do it only, and I repeat, ONLY if you (1) are an enthusiast of the technique and (2) are aware and accept all the risks involved, including bricking your processor and/or other parts.

Hope this helps!

One thing I have never done with all of my many computer builds over the years, is to "over-clock" any of its components.

If I am not satisfied with the performance of a particular component, I replace it with something more suitable, and leave it as standard, to ensure reliability and longevity.

Tinkering is for brave, dedicated; "Tinkerers"!... ;)...!

Paul.... ;)...!

Think of Aeroplane performance v reliability:
"vne" = Velocity Never Exceed!

First place I'd start is replace the radeon 9250, I did, mine had more memory than yours and i replaced it with a 1gb card, i had a large increase in frame rate plus better graphics and some graphics were displayed that i didn't have before.
Edit: Just noticed you have only 1gb system memory, I'd increase that as much as possible but sorry to say this but i used to have to buy Dell pc's for work: I'd simply get rid of it.
regards

Steve

Fozzer sir,;My problem DOES lay within Flight sim.Not my computer.I have had IMB 8088s',Commodore 64s',128s' and 128s' with the 'whopping' 256 kb memory box attachment, and created/programmed my own Windows before Microsoft was born or 'Windows' was a 'requirement' for computing.So when it comes to keeping my computer running smooth,I have NO problems.I heard years ago that overclocking could be dangerous to a system and I (given the cost of computers back 'in the day') wasn't in a hurry to trash my gear.But,figuring the skills of those of this forum who may be more knowledgable in game and system tweeking,I thought I'd ask.Obviously I understood there was a risk in doing such a thing.That is why I offered my question as I did.So,no,I am not WITHOUT some knowledge of computers.Just game playing with them like some do was never anything that interested me when my interests in the past was of a more serious note than playing.Please dont consider me ignorant of computers.Money is tight,so I cant go out and just buy all the fancy gear I would like to have.Programming was my thing.Gaming is new for me.So,again,no.I have no problems with my system,or the maintenance of same.Just learning how to play games like a kid with nothing better to do is new to me.//and as always, Altitude With Attitude!

Over-Clocking: and all this time I thought that was when ya had too many clocks around the house to tell ya what time it was - Hummm ???? anybody know what time it is  ::)  ;D

Jetranger wrote on Dec 7^th, 2012 at 9:58pm:

Over-Clocking: and all this time I thought that was when ya had too many clocks around the house to tell ya what time it was - Hummm ???? anybody know what time it is  ::)  ;D

... ;D... ;D....!

Under-Clocking: Winding the Mileage Recorder back on a vehicle to indicate that it has travelled less miles than is correct, to enhance the value of the vehicle.

Paul...Clip Clocking... ;D...!

Fozzer wrote on Dec 8^th, 2012 at 3:56am:

Jetranger wrote on Dec 7th, 2012 at 9:58pm: Over-Clocking: and all this time I thought that was when ya had too many clocks around the house to tell ya what time it was - Hummm ???? anybody know what time it is  ::)  ;D ... ;D... ;D....! Under-Clocking: Winding the Mileage Recorder back on a vehicle to indicate that it has travelled less miles than is correct, to enhance the value of the vehicle. Paul...Clip Clocking... ;D...!

YOU ARE TERRIBLY INCORRECT!
To under-clock you attach a drill to an axle of a car and force it to reverse their by lowering the milage.
To OP if you dont know what over clocking is Just dont worry about it.
Due to a random power surge I lost my overclock. Oh well. 4.5GHZ I will reach you.........one day

That was the laugh I have needed for 2 days! Good one.AND as an added note...Fosser,sir;I re-read my post before this one,and it comes off as smug and SmartA--ed.Please forgive my choice and arrangement of words.I meant no offense! What I was trying to say was that there's a difference in our worlds.You folks understand what is required to make the FS work at peak efficiency.I simply wrote my own programs.I can tear WINDOWS apart and make it sing and dance.BUT,hardware took a back seat.That is where I felt the need to ask those in the know.Peace?// stephan  /Altitude With Attitude! / 8-)

OH!!! Real cute there fly boy!!! Just realized what OP was.Good shot! Just be careful how many time you take a shot.I might flip a bug to your system and we'll just see who OP is!

stephan wrote on Dec 8^th, 2012 at 6:24pm:

That was the laugh I have needed for 2 days! Good one.AND as an added note...Fosser,sir;I re-read my post before this one,and it comes off as smug and SmartA--ed.Please forgive my choice and arrangement of words.I meant no offense! What I was trying to say was that there's a difference in our worlds.You folks understand what is required to make the FS work at peak efficiency.I simply wrote my own programs.I can tear WINDOWS apart and make it sing and dance.BUT,hardware took a back seat.That is where I felt the need to ask those in the know.Peace?// stephan  /Altitude With Attitude! / 8-)

Never fear, I have a house full of various computers and their hardware and software, and games machines,  dating from the 1970's...8bit, 16bit, and 32bit,  from the Apple 2E thru the various 8/16bit home computers, which I still spend may hours programming in BASIC and Machine Code!
I still have our original bedroom company, "Fozzersoft International" for programming Sinclair ZX82 Spectrum Computers....and Commodore C64 and Amiga Computers.

Programming with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs... ;D...!

This is what I now use as an Emulator...>>> http://www.spectaculator.com/

Paul Fosbery....Fozzersoft!.... 8-)...!

Fozzer wrote on Dec 8^th, 2012 at 7:12pm:

stephan wrote on Dec 8th, 2012 at 6:24pm: That was the laugh I have needed for 2 days! Good one.AND as an added note...Fosser,sir;I re-read my post before this one,and it comes off as smug and SmartA--ed.Please forgive my choice and arrangement of words.I meant no offense! What I was trying to say was that there's a difference in our worlds.You folks understand what is required to make the FS work at peak efficiency.I simply wrote my own programs.I can tear WINDOWS apart and make it sing and dance.BUT,hardware took a back seat.That is where I felt the need to ask those in the know.Peace?// stephan  /Altitude With Attitude! / 8-) Never fear, I have a house full of various computers and their hardware and software, and games machines,  dating from the 1970's...8bit, 16bit, and 32bit,  from the Apple 2E thru the various 8/16bit home computers, which I still spend may hours programming in BASIC and Machine Code! I still have our original bedroom company, "Fozzersoft International" for programming Sinclair ZX82 Spectrum Computers....and Commodore C64 and Amiga Computers. Programming with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs... ;D...! This is what I now use as an Emulator...>>> http://www.spectaculator.com/ Paul Fosbery....Fozzersoft!.... 8-)...!

So when is Fozzersoft Flight Simulator coming out?

manesag wrote on Dec 10^th, 2012 at 5:30pm:

Fozzer wrote on Dec 8th, 2012 at 7:12pm: stephan wrote on Dec 8th, 2012 at 6:24pm: That was the laugh I have needed for 2 days! Good one.AND as an added note...Fosser,sir;I re-read my post before this one,and it comes off as smug and SmartA--ed.Please forgive my choice and arrangement of words.I meant no offense! What I was trying to say was that there's a difference in our worlds.You folks understand what is required to make the FS work at peak efficiency.I simply wrote my own programs.I can tear WINDOWS apart and make it sing and dance.BUT,hardware took a back seat.That is where I felt the need to ask those in the know.Peace?// stephan  /Altitude With Attitude! / 8-) Never fear, I have a house full of various computers and their hardware and software, and games machines,  dating from the 1970's...8bit, 16bit, and 32bit,  from the Apple 2E thru the various 8/16bit home computers, which I still spend may hours programming in BASIC and Machine Code! I still have our original bedroom company, "Fozzersoft International" for programming Sinclair ZX82 Spectrum Computers....and Commodore C64 and Amiga Computers. Programming with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs... ;D...! This is what I now use as an Emulator...>>> http://www.spectaculator.com/ Paul Fosbery....Fozzersoft!.... 8-)...! So when is Fozzersoft Flight Simulator coming out?

Its been out since 1984, in 8-bit, glorious 2-colour, programmed in BASIC and Machine Code, running on a 3.5 MHz, Zilog Z80 Central Processor, with 42k of RAM.
The whole World was amazed!... :D...!

Paul.... ;D...!

The Sinclair Spectrum is dead....Long live the Sinclair Spectrum!... :-*...!

Its my passion!...>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum

Fozzer wrote on Dec 11^th, 2012 at 7:45am:

manesag wrote on Dec 10th, 2012 at 5:30pm: Fozzer wrote on Dec 8th, 2012 at 7:12pm: stephan wrote on Dec 8th, 2012 at 6:24pm: That was the laugh I have needed for 2 days! Good one.AND as an added note...Fosser,sir;I re-read my post before this one,and it comes off as smug and SmartA--ed.Please forgive my choice and arrangement of words.I meant no offense! What I was trying to say was that there's a difference in our worlds.You folks understand what is required to make the FS work at peak efficiency.I simply wrote my own programs.I can tear WINDOWS apart and make it sing and dance.BUT,hardware took a back seat.That is where I felt the need to ask those in the know.Peace?// stephan  /Altitude With Attitude! / 8-) Never fear, I have a house full of various computers and their hardware and software, and games machines,  dating from the 1970's...8bit, 16bit, and 32bit,  from the Apple 2E thru the various 8/16bit home computers, which I still spend may hours programming in BASIC and Machine Code! I still have our original bedroom company, "Fozzersoft International" for programming Sinclair ZX82 Spectrum Computers....and Commodore C64 and Amiga Computers. Programming with Bill Gates and Steve Jobs... ;D...! This is what I now use as an Emulator...>>> http://www.spectaculator.com/ Paul Fosbery....Fozzersoft!.... 8-)...! So when is Fozzersoft Flight Simulator coming out? Its been out since 1984, in 8-bit, glorious 2-colour, programmed in BASIC and Machine Code, running on a 3.5 MHz, Zilog Z80 Central Processor, with 42k of RAM. The whole World was amazed!... :D...! Paul.... ;D...! The Sinclair Spectrum is dead....Long live the Sinclair Spectrum!... :-*...! Its my passion!...>>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZX_Spectrum

I think I found it
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ticalc.org%2Fpub%2F83plus%2Fbasic%2Fgames%2Fsimulation%2F&ei=hKTHUJSlM5OM9ASqn4G4DA&usg=AFQjCNHEbsyS6LrCtOKCEthsn5gxL27IOA&sig2=4OB6ZoYhenozNTlI3dKUKg

It would definitely be awesome to find Flight Simulator 2 by Bruce Artwick along with an emulator for the Commodore 64, it was my first computer and flight simulator! I remember my dad buying Flight Simulator 2 for me when I was 12, it was somewhere in the price range of $65 (28 years ago).