In what era did overclocking via multiplier in bios become common?

I have a p3 where this is possible, and a socket 7 motherboard where it's only dip switches. Can't tell from my pentium 2 because it's an HP board with most bios features locked out. I don't remember setting multipliers until 2003, which was p4 3ghz prescott days for me.

It was definitely a thing in the Pentium-II days. We OC'd our 266 MHz CPU to 300 MHz. It didn't have a noticeable effect on anything.

in the Sizehole.