AQXEA Barton. Weird act.

Just got myself an AQXEA 0330 WPMW barton last week. this is a good stepping and should be able to clock high. However, it oc capability isn't what i've expected.

It can do 2.2ghz @stock voltage..but the funny thing is that it can't even do [email protected]! failed prime after 30mins.
but I can load windows and benchmark the system or do gaming @2.42 using 1.95v too.
from 2.3ghz onward, no matter what voltage I use, prime95 fails after 29-34mins. not less than 29 nor more than 34. temp. is cool and no overheating problem.

so do you guys have any suggestions? Do you think i've hit the limit? but 2.2ghz@stock while can't do 2.3ghz even at 1.95v? isn't that weird? Could it be a BIOS bug? I have no idea please guide me.

I'm using Nf7-s rev2.0 here with BIOS v18, antec truepower PSU and kingston hyperX ram. board highest FSB can do 225

I am having the exact same problem.

AXDA2500DKV4D
Z318257270825
AQXEA0332TPMW

I can run 3200+ @ default voltage, to run 2.3Ghz I need 1.825V, 2.4Ghz is unstable with any voltage...

I know its not my cooling solution as I have been running a XP2100+ @ 2.31Ghz on 1.95V for the last 5months with temps no higher than 50C....

I've reseated the heatsink twice but made no change to the chips temp or oc-ability... very very strange...

Weeks, sSpecs and steppings are practically useless. This is because not every CPU from every stepping and week is overclocked, so it's impossible to know the best overall. People only know which ones seem to overclock the best. Overclocking is unpredictable because a CPU from a popular stepping/sSpec/week might overclock poorly, and likewise a CPU from an unpopular stepping/sSpec/week might do very well. Less than 5% of CPUs are actually overclocked, so no one can argue that one type overclocks more than another.

Another factor is user error. A certain CPU might be capable of 3.3GHz on air-cooling, but if the user isn't a very knowledgeable overclocker, or one or more of his components are sub-standard, he may only reach 3GHz. This user then decides to go on some forum and write about his "crappy stepping that only reaches 3GHz," when the fact is that the CPU is capable of more. This is why no stepping will guarantee a good overclock, or indicate the speed you will get. Every CPU is different, so the only way to find out how far you can overclock is to try it and see.

As time goes on, manufacturing techniques improve, which is why AMD and Intel are able to increase clock speeds. The engineering improvements from one stepping to a newer one is reason for the increase in overclocking potential. Some overclockers believe that steppings have some hidden meaning for overclocking, but that is just a myth.

Steppings have no affect on overclocking - they simply signify that some type of manufacturing refinement was made. Newer equals better in the overclocking world, but some ignorant overclockers like to argue that older steppings do better than newer ones. They base these theories off of only a few results, and fail to understand that truth that intelligent overclockers already know.

Some people even argue that some older production weeks are better than newer ones for overclocking. False! Newer CPUs based on the same stepping always have more potential than older ones due to the constant rate of improving technology. Weeks themselves do not indicate overclocking potential. I see so many false arguments like "week 31 is better then week 35, but worse than week 24." All you need to do to get the most overclocking potential is to simply buy a new CPU. If you can find a place to get a guaranteed week, great, that way you can simply choose the newest CPU possible. Just don't be fooled by myths that older weeks are better.

As a general rule, the newer the CPU, the more overclocking potential it has.

erm. 2.36 can run @1.75vcore, 1.80vcore, 1.90vcore, and 1.95vcore. but it just quit after 30mins. between 30-34mins it will give error.

checked my vcore, big fluctuation.
for example, @1.90, it will drop to 1.82min and 1.97max
but of cuz can't 100% trust the reading since it's not directly from the PSU.
and my mosfet is very damn hot.
do you think that might be the problem?

question for you NF7 guys.
What kinf of RAM and FSB are you all running?
got a simular setup and i have problems with some multipliers being unstable

up 10 and 10.5 can't be used above 220 fsb

try 9.5x
see if that helps
it seems to let me get the highest FSB speeds....
really wish 9x and 10x were as stable

Hey Jay, have you dont any volt mods ?? Are you running Dual DDR?? CPU interface enabled??

246mhz , i was stuck on 210mhz .... at 219mhz now..... will try 9.5 multi..... heres hoping

Have you tried the L12 mod, vdd, vddmm and vio mem stab mod's?
Did you disable cpu interface what about apic did you disable it in bios (must repair install windows after disabliling it?

Chipset voltage to max, ram voltage to max, using Pc4000 ram with relaxed timings......

Using multi of 10 , max FSB was 222mhz.
Using multi of 9.5 , max of 246mhz . I couldnt believe it when it worked. Cpu interface enabled, spread spectrum disabled, Dual DDR.

Thats very very strange.......

Akira283-IGN is that the only thing you can type or should I say cut and paste? Give it a rest with that, there is way too much proof that you are wrong so just leave it.

As to the topic of the thread... The Barton I have and what I have seen from other people pretty much top out at 2.3 for the most part. Mine goes to 2.3 but takes 1.8 vcore to be stable there. To get to 2.4 I have to use 2.0 vcore and it gets so hot that when I didn't have w/c it was around 50C and barely stable. On water I could keep it in the mid 40s and stable at 2.4 w/ 2.0vcore. I prefer not to run 2.0vcore on my chip just out of pitty for the poor thing though so I keep it at 2.3 @ 1.8v. Hope this helps.

I just got my 2 cpu's back from AMD

The Barton:

AXDA2500DKV4D
AQXEA 0331 RPMW
Z314217280223


She'll give me up to 2.4Ghz with default vcore, but needs 2v to give me 2.5Ghz

what board are you using?