FX-6350 optimizing performance and Temps.

Optimizing an FX-6350 build for my buddy on an MSI 970 Gaming ATX AM3+ You'll see it's mounted in a very old shell of a case for which I needed to make side panels for, I also donated my extra case fans and replaced the stock heatsink fan with a Cooler Master Blade Master 92 Black 92MM PWM Case Fan 800-2800RPM 15.7-54.8CFM to try and get some decent cooling and maybe OC the CPU to 4.0 or 4.1 if possible, I hope my efforts aren't a total waste. Also the Fan I put into the side panel is a 122cfm Bitfenix pro 140mm PWM fan centered perfectly to blast air down onto the 92mm PWM fan which has replaced the stock CPU fan.

Everything is up an running and now I'm looking at temps and there are some strange things going on, Hence this thread.

Using HWmonitor. Air flow readings are saying 32c max but I launched Prime - 95 @ the same time on both the FX-6350 PC and my own FX-8350 system so I could compare. As expected Temps skyrocketed on both systems and I shut the program down within a few minutes. However I expected the better airflow and lower TDP on the FX-6350 system to give better temp results, but it simply wasn't the case. The FX-6350 reached a max of 81c (and climbing) within a few minutes, and even now idles @ around 61c.

I doubt this is a Heatsink mounting issue, but I used some old thermal paste ( after carefully cleaning away the stock pad with alcohol ). The paste says ..

Thermal conductivity >7.5W/m-k
Thermal resistance <0.06c-in^2/W
10% Silver.

It is the same paste I used on my own FX-8350 and was already really old when I used it there. His cores also all seam to stay locked @ 3900mhz, while on my own system, my cores tend to stay @1400mhz when not in use. I might need more ventilation, I'm thinking of drilling holes in the front panel. Everything is open around the GPU, and the stock heatsink fan that I replaced is being used to suck out from the rear of the case, but it's probably not enough, but the airflow is reading 31-32c on idle.

Also, the FX-6350 used higher Wattage during the short stress test than did my FX-8350, which I found odd.





=======================

Edit: Ok, I've got it figured out. The CPU fan wasn't scaling properly with the Temp increase by default. I launched MSI command center and set a custom fan curve, now the Package is @ 66c and the CPU @ 54c (huge drop from 81c ! ). This is 10 minutes into Prime 95, not @ idle btw.

and that 92mm is only running @ 57%. Case fans have been adjusted also. I assume I can set a custom fan curve in the BIOS so I can remove MSI command center from the equation.

Turn up the fans. Your screenie already shows you're maxed out. Package temp is your CPU temp, it peaked at over 80c. That needs to stay under 60c.
Your 92mm air cooling solution will run out of gas quickly even at 100% fan. 2 hours of prime is what you have to last, and right now you can't last 15 minutes.

Vcore seems high for 4.2Ghz as well..

however I expected the better airflow and lower TDP on the FX-6350 system to give better temp results,

Click to expand...

They carry the same TDP rating of 125W.

You can also find an old fan laying around and mount it behind the motherboard to blow directly on the socket.

Mr.Scott said:

Turn up the fans. Your screenie already shows you're maxed out. Package temp is your CPU temp, it peaked at over 80c. That needs to stay under 60c.
Your 92mm air cooling solution will run out of gas quickly even at 100% fan. 2 hours of prime is what you have to last, and right now you can't last 15 minutes.

Click to expand...

I think I can run it indefinitely now @ 55c. I had it @ 54c after 20 minutes or so of Prime95. This is after I got the fan curve sorted out. With the 92 mm fan @ 57% I'm thinking I've got a few more degrees of cooling.

Silver_Pharaoh said:

Vcore seems high for 4.2Ghz as well..

Click to expand...

Well thanks for that I'll look into it, I haven't touched a voltage yet and still running stock 3900mhz. Where should I be for a 4.1 ish?

motherboard1 said:

I think I can run it indefinitely now @ 55c. I had it @ 54c after 20 minutes or so of Prime95. This is after I got the fan curve sorted out. With the 92 mm fan @ 57% I'm thinking I've got a few more degrees of cooling.



Well thanks for that, I haven't touched a voltage yet and still running stock 3900mhz. Where should I be for a 4.1 ish?

Click to expand...

1.42 IIRC from my 6300. Stock volts should get you 4Ghz perfectly.

I see now that the Vcore has a fair amount of fluctuations, so it could be LLC or you have "turbo core" core enabled still. So that's probably why it seems high for 4.2Ghz.

Ok, So I'm going to OC this thing today, I assume I should disable turbo core or it will cause stability issues. Confirmed ?

motherboard1 said:

Ok, So I'm going to OC this thing today, I assume I should disable turbo core or it will cause stability issues. Confirmed ?

Click to expand...

Yes. Turbo off then REBOOT! As the Vcore might change.
Then boot up and start OCing

Started out @ 4100 mhz w/1.2xxV cant remember but Prime95 lockef the OS up. Bumped a couple of times and got some workers failing and cores stopping. Arrived @ 1.328V Prime stable for about 15+ minutes. Not sure what to make of it, seems too good.

Fan controls are driving me nuts though, nothing sticks and random curves set themselves every time I look, both with MSI command center and the BIOS. Anybody have a program that I can rely on to run @ startup and lock in a custom curve?

motherboard1 said:

Arrived @ 1.328V Prime stable for about 15+ minutes. Not sure what to make of it, seems too good.

Click to expand...

Too good to be true. 15 minutes does not make it stable. 2 hours blend minimum.

After I arrive at a satisfied OC, how do you feel about re enabling features such as HPC to let cores idle @ 1.0 V (or whatever I forget exactly) , as well as cool N quiet ?

Anyway, I'm testing 4200mhz now. gonna start real hopeful @ 1.360V. let me know if there is no chance in this ballpark.

I think you are right on the being hopeful.
Gonna be more like 1.4v before you're in the park.

Just realized I think that setting was an under voltage. Worker failed @ 35 minutes. How do you guys control your fan speeds for OCing? And what's acceptable temps on package?

Temp on package cannot exceed 62c. Lower is obviously better.
Fan control is basically what amount of noise you're willing to tolerate, especially on air. Low noise usually = less overclock. That's one reason most that OC FX's resort to at least an AIO. Most wind up on full water loops later on.

Oh really? That's bad news. My core temps are great (55c max after 30 min Prime95), but package is running much hotter. I thought I read the package always runs hotter than the core.

So stock volts are +.000000 right?

Package temp IS your CPU temp.
The cores do not have temp sensors on AMD. There is only 1 sensor on die.
Yes. stock would be .00000

Why do programs like msi command center bother lulling me into a false sense of security with readings of 45- 55 while the package temp is running dangerously over 61+ ?

Because in HWmonitor I have a package temp and a CPU temp. The package temp reads considerably higher than the CPU temp under load. However on my own FX - 8350 System, it balances the opposite way, with CPU reading being hotter than the package by like 8c.

Unfortunately my screenshot cuts this off just barely and I'm out of time for now. Thanks for the help so far.

In HWmonitor, Package temp is your CPU temp.
In HWmonitor, CPU temp is the socket temp.
When your socket temp is hot, that generally means that the VRM's are hot as well. It means the processor is pulling juice hard from the motherboard. If you cool the socket from the backside of the board, and the VRM section, those temps will drop a good 10c usually. Less likely for anything to throttle because of temp. You can sometimes get away with a little less vcore for your OC if everything else is cooler.
Temp is the key to overclock on FX. That includes the board temp. It is probably the most temperature sensitive platform I've ever seen.......and I been doing this for near 20 years.

motherboard1 said:

Started out @ 4100 mhz w/1.2xxV cant remember but Prime95 lockef the OS up. Bumped a couple of times and got some workers failing and cores stopping. Arrived @ 1.328V Prime stable for about 15+ minutes. Not sure what to make of it, seems too good.

Fan controls are driving me nuts though, nothing sticks and random curves set themselves every time I look, both with MSI command center and the BIOS. Anybody have a program that I can rely on to run @ startup and lock in a custom curve?

Click to expand...

Fan control whether in bios or through software in usually a very fickle process. I have found through experience that you have to lower the fan control numbers way down to make much difference in actually fan speed. So, for instance, if I want to cut the fan speed by 40% I may have to set the bios control to 30 or 35% instead of 60%. You really have to experiment with this to get it like you want it and this also includes experimenting with the threshold temps.