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Ive just built me another computer, well actualy my wife and its has a 1.6 sempron in it and i have it overclocked to 1.8 that the highest i got it up to before the system restarts. im going to get another heatsink and fan today to replace the stock fan that came with the cpu. It starts to get alittle warm when i put it under a load and the board im going to fix the cooling and try to get it higher. Is it possible i can get it past 1.8. Thanks Justin

200MHz isn't too bad for a sempron...memory may be limiting your o/c(not amount, but rather type/speed/manufacturer)....

Make sure you have the latest bios for your motherboard also...turn off any shadowing in bios also(bios shadowing etc..)

If you have different memory, try it...I have an amd64 4000+(multiplier is locked, but you can still o/c it)
I can only overclock 3% with memory chips I got from Compusa(dual channel ddr 400 512X2)...Yet if I stick my 2 buffalo ram chips in, I can go to 10%(AI o/c built into mb) without any problems...(besides heat, which I have what looks like a chevy small block as a heatsink to counteract, along with tons o fans)
The chip is stock 2.4GHz, and I can get to about 2.68GHz before it gets unstable and pc freezes or wont boot..

Your o/c limit will depend on:
-chip
-motherboard(make sure fsb setting is correct...check manual, you may be able to bump up fsb speed)
-memory/vid card
-bios
-powersupply(especially if you have high end vid card that requires its own power plugs)

Of course if you are overclocking you most likely already know how to clear you CMOS in case of instances where you o/c and pc will not boot(been there many times...)
-for those that don't know, normally you can clear CMOS by:

--->First become familiar with your bios, and what the current settings are, as reseting CMOS will clear all setting to default.
**Check your motherboard manual for exact procedure, but the following normally will work..(download it if you don't have it, and print out that sucker..they are useful for certain info..)

1-As always when working on pc, make sure you are free of static electricity...All it takes in one good zap to render your mb a paperweight...So always ground yourself before working on pc, and make sure while you are working on it you don't build up a charge...ie: walking across carpet with socks on...
2-Power down PC and UNPLUG POWER CORD!!!!
3-Locate and remove battery from motherboard(looks like and actually is a watch battery...)
4-Move jumper(refer to manual for which jumper #) for about 10 seconds(ie normally 3pins either jumped1-2 or 2-3).  This step is not always necessary...Normally removing battery for about 1-5 minutes will clear the CMOS, but this step will ensure it....After moving jumper for about 10 sec, place back in its normal position.
5-reinstall battery on motherboard.
6-plug powercord back in, Power on PC, and enter bios to adjust settings(as they are now or should be default)

****NOTE****
  I have found some programs that have time trials, or even registered ones, will get confused when CMOS is cleared(you must also reset the date/time in bios immediately after clearing it, before you boot up windows).  Just remember to enter bios right away after clearing the CMOS to avoid this problem, and set the date/time to the appropriate settings.

so you were lucky.
a few simp-le facts on esd (electrostatic discharge)
those silvery bags your new stuff gets shipped in is actually a conductive baggy, albeit one with a high resistance. the reason for this is that if the bag gets placed/handled on/by something that is electrostatically charged it will let the charge pass /slowly/ to the component inside, hopefully protecting it from a discharge of harmful proportions.
the principle of grounding yourself by touching the case is sound only so far as the power plug has to be in a properly grounded 3 prong wall socket for this to work. (our non american brethren substitute the grounded wall socket flavor they have).
the reason for having a strap/mat combo is also the following. the grounded mat with attached wrist/ankle/forehead/whatever strap will ground the device/component/case/whatever without having it hooked to the power supply, it will ground you. both these grounds are generally run through a 100000 Ohm or more resistor. this has the added advantage that any shock from the equipment itself (i'e' a charged capacitor from a power supply that decides to zap you or anything else of the sort) that can lead to quite respectable if not deadly shocks will be grounded through the resistor, reducing the current flow dramatically, compared to you grounding yourself directly, risking a cross the body shock (which is the most dangerous, since in the hand, out the elbow or similar will not pass near the heart whil cross the body is more likely to damage vital nerves.

better safe than sorry, surte you can use the simple way out, but when you're throwing in that new 500 dollar 7800 gtx card the expense for a disposable grounding strap is negligible.

(there is a lot of network equipment on the market for example that has a disposable grounding strap packed right in the box for proper installation.)

it's like speeding. it gets you there faster, and you usually don't get caught. but if you do, it can be expensive.
to be honest i don't always strap myself in either, but i still wouldn't recommend it to somebody else. i recommend the safe way and let them choose.

Excuse me for being extra cautious....Never did I say it will, but it can happen, and if I'd just spent alot of money on my equipment, I'd rather take the half a second to be sure I am discharged, then just toss my arms in the case...
By your logic, if I run across the highway once and don't get hit, I could just do it all the time, and I'll never get run over...(give that a try)

Would you rather I tell him to rub his feet across that carpet, perhaps rub a balloon on his head, and then touch pc.....All I was trying to do, was assure if the person DIDN'T KNOW, they would at least be cautious of it...

And trust me I know more about electric than you know...Not only did I work with it for many years, It also nearly killed me.........Perhaps I hold more static electricity from being electrocuted for nearly 3 minutes(and yes if you really need it, I can produce police report, witness statements, etc. to prove its just not a story...)


And resopalrabotnick knows about electric....And I am living proof of the damage it can do to vital nerves..

I lost 3 motor nerves in my left hand(one that makes thumb bend, one that rotates wrist inward, and a nerve in my pinkie), along with multiple sensory nerves.  I was lucky enough just to still be breathing...I had surgery already to move tendons around so I could reclaim use of my thumb..
This was because I took 60amps from right hand across chest, and finally out my left arm(then also discharged out of my head/legs/back)...The situation was one in which I had no idea electric was present(grabbed a roof hatch that happen to be live from a scraped wire, and the hatch was NOT grounded..ie: I became ground to a steel ladder mounted to concrete wall)

So possibly I could be a bit more concerned about damage from electric...Doesn't mean you have to jump down my throat for being extra cautious...Its just immature...