amd FX 8120 4.25 GHZ

[trents]

I would start over. Here's the method I recommend to people who are new to overclocking. It's very incremental and systematic but the advantage is it helps you pinpoint what is sabotaging the overclock because it is built around the principle that you only change one thing (or a limited number of things) at a time.

1. Do a CMOS reset and put everything back to stock voltages and settings. Disable all the "green" stuff and have Power Options set to High Power as discussed earlier. Do you have a Thermal Throttling setting? Consider disabling that as well but of course there is a risk involved with that.
2. Start increasing the CPU frequency (aka, FSB) in 10 mhz increments
3. After each increment of increase, run Prime95 blend for 20 minutes. Have HWMonitor open on the desktop while you are doing this to monitor core temps. The goal is to not exceed core temps of 55 C.
4. The first time you fail the Prime95 20 minute test, add a small increment of CPU voltage and retest. Add some more if necessary to pass the test.

At that point report back with pics of CPU-z tabs: "CPU", "Memory" and "SPD" and a pic of the HWMonitor interface from the last stress test. We'll make adjustment from there.

If you can pass a 20 minute Prime95 blend test you are not far from being solidly stable yet the test is brief enough to make it efficient from a time standpoint.

 

[RB1991]

You can further specify what is Thermal Throttling setting?
Thanks, I'll do that and post some results sooner

 

[trents]

I can't give you the exact terminology in your particular bios but the idea is that when the CPU or the CPU socket area reaches a certain temperature the bios automatically reduces the speed and voltage of the CPU. The purpose is to protect the processor from getting fried but it's usually set to a fairly conservative temperature and us overclocker dudes live on the edge. It might be found in the bios section dealing with overclocking the CPU or the Advanced bios section or maybe something like PC Health.

 

[RB1991]

I can't give you the exact terminology in your particular bios but the idea is that when the CPU or the CPU socket area reaches a certain temperature the bios automatically reduces the speed and voltage of the CPU. The purpose is to protect the processor from getting fried but it's usually set to a fairly conservative temperature and us overclocker dudes live on the edge. It might be found in the bios section dealing with overclocking the CPU or the Advanced bios section or maybe something like PC Health.

on my bios I found cpu power dutty which has the options t.probe thermal and c.probe current, is that?

 

[trents]

Could be but I can't say for sure. Google them and see what you get.

 

[RB1991]

hey, I managed to get 4.1ghz on stock voltage, with two increments (1.32-1.33 when it is overloaded in gpuz).

1h30m blend test stable with prime



Temperatures are usually between 40ºc and 43ºc and sometimes rises up to 47ºc and 50ºc and went down very quickly.

I was wondering if I can reach the 4.4 ghz with those temperatures.
ps. which the maximum temperature advisable for this chip? I've seen people with temperatures between 57 º C-68 on air.

 

[trents]

hey, I managed to get 4.1ghz on stock voltage, with two increments (1.32-1.33 when it is overloaded in gpuz).

Not sure I follow what you're saying here. gpuz? Do you mean CPU-z? Are you saying you have the CPU voltage set to stock in bios that when the CPU is working hard that CPU-z shows a higher voltage than what you set it to in bios? If so, this is normal as the bios of many motherboards adds extra voltage when the CPU is loaded. This helps with stability. Often there is adjustment for this in bios called LLC (Load Line Calibration).

1h30m blend test stable with prime

View attachment 105724

Temperatures are usually between 40ºc and 43ºc and sometimes rises up to 47ºc and 50ºc and went down very quickly.

I was wondering if I can reach the 4.4 ghz with those temperatures. No way of telling unless you experiment. I would guess more like 4.3 ghz will be your top overclock with the termperatures where they are now.
ps. which the maximum temperature advisable for this chip? (55 C. for the core temp and 65 C. for the CPU temp. I've seen people with temperatures between 57 º C-68That's higher than I would be comfortable with if it's referring to core temp.

 

[trents]

So now what I would do would be to bump the CPUNB voltage to 1.25 and the DRAM voltage to 1.55. Then add a bit of voltage to the CPU and increase the multiplier by .5x. Retest with Prime95 blend.

 

[RB1991]

then what is the temperature that you recommend for my settings?
Many people are saying the 8150 really needs water cooling. what do you suggest? h100?
ok I will do that.

 

[trents]

then what is the temperature that you recommend for my settings?

ok I will do that.

Temperature recommendations don't vary with the settings. Higher frequencies and especially higher voltages produce higher temperatures. Through experience the overclocking community has learned that overclocked AMD CPUs typically become unstable when core temps begin to exceed approximately 55 C. What are "safe" temperatures is a different question. "Stable" and "safe" are different. Instability usually occurs before unsafe temps are reached.

So the big idea in oveclocking is to increase frequencies until instability is encountered at which time you increase frequencies to correct the instability. This process is repeated until core temps start to hit 55 C. under load. That is the "wall". Minor tweaks in CPUNB frequency and voltage, HT Link frequency and voltage and ram frequency and voltage help with performance and stability.

 

[trents]

then what is the temperature that you recommend for my settings?
Many people are saying the 8150 really needs water cooling. what do you suggest? h100?
ok I will do that.

My mistake in that I realize after reviewing this thread that you have the 8120 not the 8150. But same difference. Both are 8 core FX CPUs.

The H100 is definitely a good way to go. Check out the mounting diagrams on Corsair's web site to see if your case is compatible with the H100 but I'm sure it is if you have a 200 mm top mounted case fan.

Personally, I would first try to remount your current cooler. The Noctua D14 is just about the best air cooler there is an it seems to me your temps are higher than they ought to be with that cooler. Was it to you I gave instructions in an earlier post for cleaning and application of thermal paste or was that in another user's thread? Many new system builders and beginner overclockers incorrectly apply thermal paste (usually they put too much down) and harm the efficiency of their cooler's operation.

 

[trents]

Yes, it was you. Go back an read my instructions in post #14 about cleaning and application of TIM. What do you have to lose by trying it?

 

[RB1991]

I usually put the paste in the center of the cpu and then assembled the hs, can you tell me if the way that shows in the video is better?

Trents , I have the 220 mm fan in the front of the case, if I put in the top I think I will have better temps, I also will try that.

Trents- What do you have to lose by trying it? the thermal paste is close to finishing

EDIT : OK u already answered that " Trends - a little bigger than a BB and a little smaller than a green pea. Don't try to to spread it. Then tighten it down. The pressure will spread the paste between the two flat surfaces.

 

[trents]

Which way are your CPU cooler's fans blowing? If they are blowing toward the top of the case it would be especially important to have a strong fan mounted in the top of the case to extract the hot air coming off of the CPU cooler. If toward the back of the case you would want a strong fan mounted in the back panel. In the big picture of things, you want air moving from the case from down low in front to up high in back and/or top. So the fans in the front of the case should be pushing air from the outside toward the interior of the case and the fans at the back and top should be exhausting air out the back and top.

 

[caddi daddi]

I have the same board and cpu running at 4.2 and I cant get down into the 1.2volt range, i have to run 1.38 to do it. I am also running the h100 and it cools very nice but the supplied fans are the pits, they fail right off the bat so plan on replacing them as soon as it arrives.

 

[RB1991]

My h100 amd psu arrives tomorow, then I'll post the results here. Btw I managed to get to 4.4 GHz with 1.39V. (EDIT)

With the psu that I have now, I began to hear strange noises (like the counter of light), you think that this could ruin the components of my pc?

 

[trents]

My h100 amd psu arrives tomorow, then I'll post the results here. Btw I managed to get to 4.4 GHz with 1.3V.

With the psu that I have now, I began to hear strange noises (like the counter of light), you think that this could ruin the components of my pc?

Have you stress tested it with Prime95 blend for at least 2 hours? That seems like an awfully high clock for just 1.3v vcore. You need to give it a good workout to make sure its stable.

 

[RB1991]

sorry i mean,1.39

 

[trents]

Even at 1.39, have you Primed it for at least 2 hrs. ?

 

[RB1991]

Even at 1.39, have you Primed it for at least 2 hrs. ?

no, it runs for about 1h10m , if I put 1.4 - 1.42 the temp will jump badly

Trents-My mistake in that I realize after reviewing this thread that you have the 8120 not the 8150 Also forgot to clarify that this version of processor is of 125w and not to 95