M11x R3 Overclock Clarification

Hi I recently purchased M11X R3 because I wanted a fairly nice gaming laptop that I could play anywhere. M11X won and I got an i7 4GB 250GB HDD version.
I know how to overclock it in F2 setup screen but when I play FALLOUT NEW VEGAS it closes down after half an hour saying the program has closed. I believe it's due to the overclocking as it did not happen until I chose that option.
I am a NOOB to the whole OVERCLOCK thing and am seeking clarification on the rules of overclocking etc. Does it do it automatically anyway?
What about overheating and it there a way to combat it so I can get a nice setup and great specs for my limited graphics card?
There are a lot of other forum threads with bits and bobs in but no real specific thread for tips on the whole thing that don't run away with themselves or people just abusing each other for no real reason.
Here are my full specs and hope somebody can act as a guru so that I can get the most awesome M11X that I can.

Intel Core i7-2617M 1.5ghz (turboboost to 2.6ghz)

2GB GT540M Nvidia Graphics W/ Optimus Technology

4 GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz (2 DIMMs)

11.6in Widescreen High Definition (1366X768) Truelife WLED

250 GB SATA II Hard Drive (7200 RPM)

Intel Wireless LAN 6205 2x2 (802.11a/b/g/n) Card

Wireless: Dell 375 Bluetooth Card

 

if consistent then turn off the OC and try again to confirm.

 

mine I5 version runs new vegas fine without overclock... Use a cooling pad, cause mine at least hits over 90 degrees easy.

 

@GNandGS
Yes it runs fine without overclocking but I would like a bit more kick and there is a slight smoothness improvement when I OC it. It was advertised as being abled to over clock and I think it would improve my gaming in general.
Is this the normality of overclocking, do I need another fan for it?
Want maximum spec possible without playing and losing the last half hour of a game at any one time.

 

Well check the temperatures if you want to know for sure... some report that OCing don't add much heat to the machine, while mine heats like eggs in a frying pan at 7am... though OC shouldn't cause game to just randomly close.

 

how high are you oc'ing it? you got to run alot of stability tests to make sure your computer runs well with oc'ing, theres alot of tinkering involved.

from what i read the r3's i7 isnt that ocerclockable in the bios, im guessing cause its already really optimized? but yah people seem to be stable at 103mhz up from the stock 99mhz front side bus in the bios. which only nets like a 3-5% performance increase.

 

I just click the overclock tab in advanced under f2 setup. I have nvidiainspector that I can tinker around with but I worry I may screw it up.
I am trying to get it to be a little bit more powerful for games like MW3 and SKYRIM too now. What tests should I run and how would I go about doing it safely. My little M11X is good but I understand its limited capabilities for supercharged gameplay.

 

SB CPU's are NOT designed to be overclocked using the base clock.

The SB architecture now has the PCI-e controller, memory controller and SATA controller all running off the base clock on an internal ring bus. Increasing the base clock even a small amount (1-2mhz) can introduce instability in areas you really don't want instability (SATA controller).

The only real way to overclock a SB CPU is to up the multipler which is not possible on any mobile CPU's bar the extreme editions.

 

sooo no overclocking?

 

no CPU overclocking, but feel free to try the gt540m oc
nvidia inspector is what i usually use in the rare cases (only when benching) when i oc the gpu in m11x

 

And on that note... What will overclock of 540m do? I assume it runs faster but then risks stability? Will a fan help combat this or is it more of a "cross your fingers it don't mess up" kind of thing.

 

I was stable and had no artifacts @ 800 gpu clock and 1000 memory - shader frequency is tied to 2x gpu and is not adjustable individually - see my sig for scores.
But i have to admit that i kept those frequencies only to run 3D Mark 2006 2-3 times for the fun of it and that i usually not OC

 

only try fiddling with overclocking if you are prepared to buy a new system. Because it will shorten the lifespan of your product and can cause errors.

I also strongly suggest a laptop cooling pad for when you are gaming at home. I use this one Thermaltakeusa»Cooler»Notebook Cooler»Massive23 LX : Massive23 LX CLN0015 and have noticed temperature reductions of around 5-7 degrees. It is a bit large for the m11x but I do not mind as more of the system is sitting above the vented area than a larger laptop would. I suggest something with an active cooling fan. Passive won't make that much difference.

 

thanks zenstrata i have a laptop table coming with a usb vented fan on it to help keep it from frying. I wouldn't want to burn out my cpu so would only overclock slightly so that it is a bit more subtly improved.
I have the game skyrim running nice and smoothly at high settings at the mo but will play with the advanced settings like water reflection etc to see what i can get away with before it starts going insane.