Overclocking a PhenomII X4 840

Anuran · Jul 24, 2013

hi guys,

i could need help overclocking my phenomII x4 840. first of all my current oc settings:

System Info
BIOS 1
BIOS 2
BIOS 3

everything works just fine at 3600mhz - prime95(all 3 kind of tests), games, office stuff, encoding,...

my next step(try):

prime95 giving me errors(roundup, output sum or whatever on worker 4), everytime i go 1 step higher. 267 fsb * 14 multi = 3738 mhz. anywhere else is the same(screenshots).

i even tried to set the Vcore Voltage to 1.550. still an error on worker 4.

so my questions are, what could it be? why does prime95 give me an error? could it be my cpu not being able to work on ~3800mhz?

thanks in advance

Johan45 · Jul 24, 2013

to OCF Anuran
My work computer will not let me check your pics you can attach them directly to your post if you use the advanced pane you'll see a paperclip to attach pics. I would also recommend that you give this guide a read through as well, very informative.

My first gues would be problems with ram or NB frequencies.

Anuran · Jul 24, 2013

thanks

and yes, it was my first thought to attach them all 4 but it wont let me. three pics maximum.

another picture hoster since german ones seems bad for u:

System Info - Imageshack.us
BIOS 1 - Imageshack.us
BIOS 2 - Imageshack.us
BIOS 3 - Imageshack.us

i read dolks guide over and over again. thats why i gave it a try to oc my cpu. his guide is the best on internet :clap:

my stock NB speed is 2000 mhz. i use 2136 mhz now. is it bad?

ram runs pretty well. i forgot to mention, i ran memtest86+ once without problems.

EDIT: ok i merged all bios pictures. i should've known it

attached to first post now.

Johan45 · Jul 24, 2013

What I would really like to see at this point is Shots of CPU-z main tab memory tab and spd tab. Also a shot of HWmonitor while under prime95 load.

Anuran · Jul 24, 2013

as requested: Picture

Johan45 · Jul 24, 2013

Well your temps look fine. What I would try first for the ram timings I would set the command rate to 2T. Also do you have any other options for NB voltage. I'm specifically looking for CPU_NB I'm fairly certain that the vddmb is the actual chipset voltage. Is that board an M4n98 something? I don't think they have an option for IMC( CPUNB) adjustment.

Anuran · Jul 24, 2013

i have 4 options for voltage only:

CPU Over Voltage = 1.4000 (down from 1.4500 and still stable @ 3600mhz)
VDDNB Over Voltage = Auto
HT Over Voltage = Auto
Chipset Over Voltage = Auto

there's no guide i read telling me to change HT or Chipset Voltage. in some guides is written i should not touch VDDNB as it is the Northbridge itself not the CPU Northbridge. and i read somewhere it has something to do with L3 cache which i dont have. so im very uncertain to change it.

concerning the ram, i have no idea where to change it. i went thru every single memory option and couldnt find Command Rate (CR). i even opened every option and there is nothing like "1T" or "2T".

Johan45 · Jul 24, 2013

Ok the CR should be one of the last options for ram timings. Sometimes listed as 1N , 2N . When you select the VDDNB in the bios will it give you a voltage range for it?
What is your MOBO model

Anuran · Jul 24, 2013

my mobo: Asus M4A78LT-M LE

VDDNB min: 0.8750v max: 1.5500

i have no option for Command Rate (CR) i think

for detailed screenshots of my mobo bios: http://motherboards-reviews.com/motherboards/ASUS/M4A78LT-M_LE/ASUS_M4A78LT-M_LE_BIOS_screens.html

Johan45 · Jul 24, 2013

Well I've looked things over and from what I can see you're right there is no command rate setting in your bios. But I would like you to try setting the VDDNB to 1.2 raise your Vcore voltage a bit as well and try running prime again and see if it'll go.

trents · Jul 24, 2013

You can attach three pics max initially but then if you go back and "Edit" the post you can attach more.

When you attach a screenshot of the entire desktop like you did in post #5 it shrinks things down and makes the values hard to see, especially if folks are trying to view them via a smallish laptop screen.

Johan45 · Jul 24, 2013

Nice to see you wade in here Trents, I'm going dark for a while helping with some drywall.

Anuran · Jul 24, 2013

hmm same result as always. the almighty BSOD troll slammed after prime95 ran 5 mins :shrug:

settings:

267 * 14 = 3738 mhz (up from 267 * 13.5 = 3606mhz)
1.475 Vcore
1.2 VDDNB

more volt maybe?

@trents if u wanna see the pictue in fullsize, right click on it > save to...

trents · Jul 24, 2013

Anuran said:
@trents if u wanna see the pictue in fullsize, right click on it > save to...

Yes, I know that. But what we like to see around here is for the one being helped to make it as easy as possible for those helping; which means eliminating a bunch of steps just to see the necessary data. We want to be able to see things at a glance.

Also, I don't think we know much about your hardware at all except your CPU and mobo. Could you give us info on the following items: CPU cooler, PSU make and wattage, RAM make and speed, case make and model, video card make and model, motherboard make and model. Then put all that, along with the CPU info in a "Sig" so that it appears at the bottom of every post you make and we can refer to it at a glance.

To make a Sig, click on "quick links" at the top of the page and then "Edit Signature." You have to have a certain number of posts to do this. Look for the gold star under your name and then you have access to this feature.

Anuran · Jul 24, 2013

aye, done. and ill make it easier for all in future. smaller and readable pics without to struggle

back to topic. any idea what else i can do to reach my goal, 3800mhz stable?

edit: huh, my sig wont show

trents · Jul 24, 2013

Try lowering your HT Link speed to between 1800 and 2000 mhz. Then try bumping up your NB (or CPUNB) voltage to 1.225.

By the way, you can also enlarge the pics with pressing and holding "Ctrl" and then hitting the "+" key which is the Windows zoom shortcut and easier than the method you described earlier.

Your motherboard has a TDP of 95W. I suspect your progress in overclocking has ground to a halt because the board's power phase components are now pushed beyond their capability. Your CPU is rated at 95W when stock voltages are being applied. That X4 840 generally tops out at about 3.8 ghz anyway.

Johan45 · Jul 24, 2013

trents said:
Your motherboard has a TDP of 95W. I suspect your progress in overclocking has ground to a halt because the board's power phase components are now pushed beyond their capability. Your CPU is rated at 95W when stock voltages are being applied. That X4 840 generally tops out at about 3.8 ghz anyway.

I think the same Trents that's a pretty weak MOBO. I was checking it out earlier and there's not a lot of power available. :salute:

Anuran · Jul 25, 2013

ive set the VDDNB to 1.225v, Vcore to 1.45v, multiplier to 14, HT Link to 1400mhz down from 1600mhz. prime95 ran for 5mins and gave me an error. as always worker 4 *surprise

*

since i saw the Vcore Voltage went down to ~1.397 on load, i tried to change Load Line Calibration to 25% instead of 48%(Auto) regarding Voltage Drop and Droop. guess what. prime 95 seems stable for good 30mins. i know, i gotta test more, but my hope is back

3738 mhz up from 3200 mhz is a 17% increase which is not bad, i think. at least for a fake phenom and a cheap mobo. u guys opened my eyes regarding this

Thank you for that

i never thought to take care of TDP and such stuff. ill pay more attention next time i buy comp parts.

if everything works fine for days(or hours of hardcore testing at least), ill try to raise the fsb to 272 to get my 3808mhz

Johan45 · Jul 25, 2013

Nice work Anuran. The LLc is there to help with that voltage drop. If it's still dropping under load raise it to 50% and see if it levels out. Actually if that was at 25 and jumped from a setting of 1.45 to 1.488 you may not want to increase it any more. Your temps still look good so you do have more headroom. Tiker away and see what you get.

Anuran · Jul 25, 2013

well, 3738 mhz hadn't worked. worker 4 error after ~1h :bang head

i went 1 step lower to 3724 mhz(fsb 266), ran another test for 2hour without error. so i increased the NB speed to 2394 mhz to come closer to dolk's cpu/nb table. so far so good. prime95 is running for hours now without problems. and its still running...

regarding LLC. i once had it at 0% when i was running my cpu at 3600mhz and i had Vcore spikes up to 1.58v even Vcore was set at 1.4v. LLC is at 35% now. so Vcore is between 1.404v and 1.44v. seems good, isnt it?

anyways, those 14mhz seems to make the difference when it comes to stability. or is there still something i havent thought of?

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