OCing an unlocked X3 425?

OC'd Carrot · May 28, 2011

Hello there,
I'm quite new to all this but last week I managed to unlock my 4th core and L3 Cache. I ran Prime95 and after about 45mins I got an error. I was told it could be one of my RAM sticks. I took out the offending RAM and ran Prime95 again and passed (20hours).

I have been putting off overclocking my CPU until my new CPU cooler (Zalman Performa) arrived and since it arrived yesterday I am now looking to OC my CPU. The only thing I have tried has been to see how much I can increase the FSB (not touching anything else) before my PC won't load (the answer being 240, up from 200)

I was hoping I could get some info on how to go about this, I've done plenty of reading and have got hold of some of the programs needed (eg. CPU-Z. HWMonitor, P95) but much of it, like how to setup voltages and the implications of FSB on RAM etc., goes over my head.

Here are my specs:

OS: Windows 7 64bit
Motherboard: ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO
CPU: AMD Athlon II X3 425 (unlocked to Phenom II X4 B25)
CPU Cooler: Zalman CNPS10X Performa
GPU: Sapphire Radeon HD6870 Vapor-X
RAM: 8 GB (2x4gb) Patriot 1333EL Series DDR3 PC3-10700
PSU: 750W CIT ATX

And here are some CPU-Z shots:

I'd really appreciate some help if possible.

Thanks

capttripppp · May 28, 2011

This thread is a wealth of info: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=645425
And this one is for OCing AMD: http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=596023
Dolk really has included everything, and learned alot from reading it, and I still refer to it quite often because I am learning to OC myself. I've got a x3 450, but couldn't get the 4th core unlocked. It's cool you got yours to unlock

trents · May 28, 2011

So the general approach is this: Always have HWMonitor open to monitor core temps as you stress the CPU with Prime95 blend after making incremental changes to the CPU fequency and the CPU voltage. There's a little more to it than that but that's the basics.

First, go to bios and set your starting ram speed to 533/1066 instead of its rated max speed of 666/1333. As you overclock the CPU frequency you will see that the ram speed goes higher too so you want to start it low to prevent it from becoming the source of instability.

Next, go into bios and adjust your HT Link speed to 1800 (or 9x). It will also speed up with the increases made to CPU frequency. You want to keep the HT Link speed at 2000 or slightly less.

Start the actual overclocking process by changing only the CPU frequency (aka, "fsb" and "HT Reference"). Increase the CPU frequency 5 mhz at a time and run Prime95 for 20 minutes after each 5 mhz increase.

When you can no longer pass the 20 minute test (either you will see one of the "workers" fail or you will get BSOD) then go into bios and increase the CPU voltage by a small increment. Retest for 20 minutes. Increase the CPU voltage again if necessary to pass the 20 minute test. Repeat that cycle until you see core temps reach mid 50s C. or until more CPU voltage increases don't restore stability.

Report back at that time with pictures of HWmonitor and CPU-z tabs: "CPU", "Memory" and "SPD".

The next step would be to settle on some tentative max overclock bios settings and run longer Prime95 tests. From experience I know that that passing the 20 minute test means you are close to being stable.

Do you have any questions?

trents · May 28, 2011

Oh, I almost overlooked someting and that is that you have unlocked cores. When you unlock cores you use the ability to monitor core temps and must rely instead on CPU (socket temps) which usually vary a few degrees from core temps. Since core temps are the critical ones we need to get a feel for what is the differential between the two on your system, something that will remain fairly true even after going back to four cores. So before anything else, undo the core unlocking and go back to 3 cores temporarily. With HWMonitor open, run Prime95 blend test for 15 minutes to see what max core temps and CPU temps are. Post a pic of HWMonitor upon conclusion of that test. Sometimes HWMonitor doesn't label "CPU temp" as such but uses another label. If you know what to look for you can pick it out.

OC'd Carrot · May 28, 2011

Edit: (redundant post)

OC'd Carrot · May 28, 2011

Think I forgot the pic

EDIT: That's strange. I made a post about 5 mins ago and it said it had to go through moderation, heh.

Anyway, as I said, thanks for the replies. Dolk's posts were very informative (managed to get a higher max FSB with it - 270). Feeling a little more confident now tho will probably need to re-read it a few more times.

The above pic was taken, as you requested, Trent, whilst running p95 on blend for 15 mins, with 3 cores and no overclocking. TMPIN0 is the CPU temp.

.

trents · May 28, 2011

So there is about an 11 C. differential between CPU temp (TMPIN0) and core temp. That will remain fairly constant as you go back to 4 cores. Keep that in mind. Your temps are low at stock so you have plenty of headroom for overclocking from a temp standpoint. Just watch those temps as you add mhz and voltage to the CPU. You would want to quit at a TMPIN0 of about 66 C. Make sure in bios (usually the "PC Health" section that your motherboard "Warning" and "Shut down" temps (if you have those features) are set high enough to allow you to get there with your overclock without interruption.

OC'd Carrot · May 28, 2011

Ok, thanks, will look for that.

trents said:
So the general approach is this: Always have HWMonitor open to monitor core temps as you stress the CPU with Prime95 blend after making incremental changes to the CPU fequency and the CPU voltage. There's a little more to it than that but that's the basics.

First, go to bios and set your starting ram speed to 533/1066 instead of its rated max speed of 666/1333. As you overclock the CPU frequency you will see that the ram speed goes higher too so you want to start it low to prevent it from becoming the source of instability.

Next, go into bios and adjust your HT Link speed to 1800 (or 9x). It will also speed up with the increases made to CPU frequency. You want to keep the HT Link speed at 2000 or slightly less.

Start the actual overclocking process by changing only the CPU frequency (aka, "fsb" and "HT Reference"). Increase the CPU frequency 5 mhz at a time and run Prime95 for 20 minutes after each 5 mhz increase.

When you can no longer pass the 20 minute test (either you will see one of the "workers" fail or you will get BSOD) then go into bios and increase the CPU voltage by a small increment. Retest for 20 minutes. Increase the CPU voltage again if necessary to pass the 20 minute test. Repeat that cycle until you see core temps reach mid 50s C. or until more CPU voltage increases don't restore stability.

Report back at that time with pictures of HWmonitor and CPU-z tabs: "CPU", "Memory" and "SPD".

The next step would be to settle on some tentative max overclock bios settings and run longer Prime95 tests. From experience I know that that passing the 20 minute test means you are close to being stable.

Do you have any questions?

Do I want to set the CPU-NB lower aswell?

trents · May 28, 2011

You can set the CPU-NB to 2000 but keep an eye on that frequency as it will grow with increasing fsb. Don't let CPU-NB exceed about 2500-2600 mhz. You might as well also set your CPU-NB voltage up a little, about 1.235 seems to be good in my experience. Also, give your ram a bump in voltage. If stock is 1.5 bump it to 1.55. Really watch your HT Link frequency. Keep it between 1800 and 2000. It does not like to go higher than stock with this family of CPUs.

trents · May 28, 2011

Carrot,

At your earliest convenience please put your system info in your "Signature". Now that you have made several posts the forum will allow you to do this. In you sig include hardware info in some detail. For example: CPU model, make and model of motherboard, ram, CPU cooler, video card, make and model of case, make and model and wattage of PSU.

This is helpful to those helping you as the info in "sig" shows up at the bottom of every post you make. To edit the sig go to the top of the forum desktop and click on "Quick Links">"Edit Signature".

TheQuadFather · May 28, 2011

identical board to me so im subbing for reference if i ever get stuck on overclocking something with this board.

trents · May 28, 2011

I'm sure that would be appreciated QF, as terminology and options in different bioses can be a challenge.

OC'd Carrot · May 28, 2011

Ok. sig sorted. Unfortunately I couldn't find anything like PC Health or automated shutdowns (or even alarms) based on temps in the Bios.

Just remembered something else I wanted to ask. Should I disable "Cool n Quiet" or keep it enabled?

TheQuadFather · May 28, 2011

make sure you have the on board gpu disabled, as even if its not being used it stuck my bus speed at 223 no matter what, i think the most important thing i can say is how much this board likes to be balanced, it doesnt like high on one thing and not the other, so keep it all going up steady together and its fine, got my 965 at 4400mhz that way.

and yes disable cool and quiet and C1E (Cheers Trents) i think its called.

trents · May 28, 2011

TheQuadFather said:
make sure you have the on board gpu disabled, as even if its not being used it stuck my bus speed at 223 no matter what, i think the most important thing i can say is how much this board likes to be balanced, it doesnt like high on one thing and not the other, so keep it all going up steady together and its fine, got my 965 at 4400mhz that way.

and yes disable cool and quiet and cnQ i think its called.

C1E

OC'd Carrot · May 28, 2011

trents said:
You can set the CPU-NB to 2000 but keep an eye on that frequency as it will grow with increasing fsb. Don't let CPU-NB exceed about 2500-2600 mhz. You might as well also set your CPU-NB voltage up a little, about 1.235 seems to be good in my experience. Also, give your ram a bump in voltage. If stock is 1.5 bump it to 1.55. Really watch your HT Link frequency. Keep it between 1800 and 2000. It does not like to go higher than stock with this family of CPUs.

If I am reading it right, my stock ram voltage appears to be 1.65v at 667 (see default SPD in first post), however it does say in the Bios (under CPU over Voltage/VCore) that Standard = 1.5. I've changed it to 1.540 tho. However I can't seem to find anywhere where I can up the CPU-NB voltage... unless it is called "Chipset Over Voltage" or "VDDNB Over voltage" on this MB. I'll see if google knows

Still upping and testing btw. Up to 230 FSB without errors so far.

One other thing, my VCore is currently set to "auto" and is up to 1.34v in CPU-z. I take it I should set it manually?

trents · May 28, 2011

When you fail the 20 minute Prime95 blend test then you will need to set CPU voltage to manual in order to add increase the voltage.

CPU-NB voltage may be just "NB" in your bios. It can be confusing because "NB" is also used to refer to the onboard graphics (aka, "IGP" or "gfx" or "gpu"). If "NB" is found in the same overclocking area where the CPU stuff is ii is likely CPU-NB and not NB gfx. Maybe QuadFather can help with this issue.

Concerning memory voltage, in bios the defualt, "Auto" speed setting for your memory is 1066, not 1333. 1333 is actually the overclocked rating of your memory, i.e., what should (might?) do if you relax the timings and give it more volts. That's what the XMP-1334 JEDEC column reflects. You should have it set to 1066 in bios to start with because as you increase the fsb the memory speed will grow. YOU don't want to start it at its max rated speed of 1333 and then start to overclock. Does that make sense. So, start them memory speed at 1066 and 1.65v as you are heading in the direction of 1333.

OC'd Carrot · May 28, 2011

I've just this second failed the 20 min test on FSB 240.

I think, from looking on google that CPU-NB is "VDDNB Over voltage" on this board. There's no "NB" (other than in the "VDDNB" anywhere that I can see.

Yea, I set my memory to 533/1066 right at the start of the overclocking process. Dram frequency is up to 640 now in CPU-z

This is an example of my Bios layout (these are not my photos or settings - it's just 2 random pics I found on the net)

trents · May 28, 2011

Take all the things that show in these bios pics off of "Auto" except the things I have circled. When you take them off of Auto, usually the default "Auto" value will be what shows up anyway.

I don't think "VDDNB" is the CPU-NB voltage adjustment. If it were NBVID it would be but VDD is something else that we normally leave alone. You may not have a separate CPU_NB voltage adjustment. Don't worry about it for now. Sometime I'll try to download your manual PDF file and look around in the bios section and see what I can find. Don't worry about it now.

So put those things on "Manual" that weren't circled and show me those bios pics again to see what has changed as far as choices go.

OC'd Carrot · May 28, 2011

What should I set GPU Overclocking and PCIE Overclocking as? If I remember correctly they're units between 100 and 500

Also, what voltage should I not go over when increasing vCore voltage? I'm up to just over 1.4v at the moment. Is there a point of danger or aslong as my temps are ok it's ok to keep raising?

OCing an unlocked X3 425?

Registered

Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Registered

Registered

Senior Member

Registered

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Senior Member

Registered

Member

Senior Member

Registered

Senior Member

Registered

Senior Member

Attachments

Registered

Similar threads