AMD Profiles and Overclocks

[Wipeout]

This is more of a general question setting up proflies for FX cpus.I always turn off all the green stuff when overclocking, as this is recommended.I never turn it back on for fear of cpu throttling.Lets say your overclock is running at 4.5g and stable.Let's also assume that this is used for gaming 30 % of the time, and 70% of the time for web browsing.

Would it be better to have different profiles used based on the example above? Have one profile at stock speeds running on lower voltage,and of course a gaming profile when more power is needed.My real question is how the chip will take a large change in volts/clock rates, but I'm sure if it's stable at both it should be alright.

Do you use different profiles ? If yes, How is yours set up ?

 

[RGone]

Yes I can set profiles or "save" bios configurations on my CHV board. However after I did a RElook at settign up Cpu Vcore offsets, I no longer really have much need of the profiles. I setup the offset Vcore to add Vcore under load and Windows 7 power management to throttle cpu multiplier and now Vcore with the offset Vcore in bios and I can idle at 1600Mhz with Vcore at ~1.0V and when the system goes under any load the Mhz jumps to 4.55Ghz and the Vcore goes to 1.4V.

Now I did save that setup as a profile just so I don't forget it or lose it.
RGone...

 

[caddi daddi]

for me, I use all the profile, I have 8 in bios plus default.
default i use for just the net and mundane stuff.
I run with all the "green stuff" on i can, it helps safe the powerbill. there's no reason for the poor thing to screem 8 cores at 4.9 when it completes a task while I'm at work.
I click a profile to turn it all off and load my max clock settings when i need to.
I set my windows power settings like Rgone now so when it's done working it throttles back to 1600-1700 and pulls the voltage back.
I have a windows 4.9 profile,
a linux 4.9 profile,
a unix 4.9 profile,
a gamming profile. my gamming profile has some "green stuff" disabled.
you have to play with it a bit to find if it has an effect or not.
my game profiles are set up to cut the cpu's to 4 cores.

 

[caddi daddi]

more profiles???
my video card has four, why should i run an overclocked card just to surf the net?

 

[Wipeout]

Thanks for the advice.I've been racking my brains over 3570K or a 8350 for weeks, back and forth. I made a final decision today.DONE! I will be happy with a FX8350 and ASUS Crosshair V Formula, or something very similar. Interesting.You both have different ways to achieve power savings.Something I need to consider now.Setting profiles seem like a easy solution for now.Caddi daddi.Your a profile madman.Saving electricity, and extending the life of pc parts is never a bad thing.

 

[Mandrake4565]

Wipeout, I have similar settings as the Gonester and Caddi. For 24/7 usage I have cool and quiet and the other "green" power saving features in use. Therefore my cpu will jump to 4.7 @ 1.46 cpu v when a task needs it and will drop to 1400 mhz @ 1.0 cpu v when just browsing. I also have my benching profiles saved all the way up to my 5.4 + setting depending on the benching program I'm trying to complete. We are also all running the same board as well.

 

[Wipeout]

Wipeout, I have similar settings as the Gonester and Caddi. For 24/7 usage I have cool and quiet and the other "green" power saving features in use. Therefore my cpu will jump to 4.7 @ 1.46 cpu v when a task needs it and will drop to 1400 mhz @ 1.0 cpu v when just browsing. I also have my benching profiles saved all the way up to my 5.4 + setting depending on the benching program I'm trying to complete. We are also all running the same board as well.

This probably sounds stupid, but I have always used a overclock with all power saving features off.Lately, I'm thinking what a waste of electricity, and added voltage to the cpu.There are a few things I notice.

If I apply my stable oc at 4.4g I need 1.35 volts on cpu v-core for stability. I normally have LLC set to extreme to account for v-droop.All power saving settings are turned off in bios.My temps on my oc @ 4.4g are fine.Never exceeds 42C on prime testing for stability.Sensors give false reading on idle, so load is my only concern.

With power features turned off the cpu core voltage = 1.25v on stock speeds.With all power saving features on, my cpu core voltage at is 1.376v, according to the bios.That is a .12 increase having these turned on in the bios vs off.With power savings on, the stock the cpu- vcore voltage is higher than my overclock voltage, but I noticed the voltages cycles down when doing light tasks in windows. The other thing I noticed is the vrm seems jumpy when looking at CPUz.The core voltage fluctuates constantly up or down, so I guess its the power saving feature working.I do question the vrm fluctuation, but board runs fine. Maybe its just the 970 chip set.I know on the Intel side,using speed step, and setting offset voltage will account for vdroop, but also cycle down when power is not needed.

http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?2162-Overclocking-Using-Offset-Mode-for-CPU-Core-Voltage

On the amd side, are your using cool and quiet to accomplish power savings.Do you adjust offset voltage on amd boards? Maybe I'm missing something.I do have a LLC setting, but left it on auto on power savings mode. On a oc profile I set it to extreme.I really only need 2 profiles.Gaming and Surfing.

While I'm on the subject, what are your power schemes in windows ? I use Win764.On my conservative profile, should I switch from High performance to balanced.Having this set on high performance might be affecting the power saving features set in the bios.

 

[RGone]

I do question the vrm fluctuation = GA-970A-UD3 has VRM fluctuation.


GA-970A-UD3 (rev. 1.0/1.1)
other version : rev. 1.2 rev. 3.0
AMD 970 + SB950 Chipset

That board has appeared in 4 Revisions so far according to the Giga site.

The earliest Rev 1.0 had no option to disable the FX APM function. So the board would throttle the FX cpu for sure when loaded.

Rev 1.1 was reworked and had option to disable the FX APM function and the throttling of the cpu under load was brought under pretty good control. The Rev 1.1 and likely the Rev 1.2 as well were claimed by most to be the best of the four revisions. After the Rev 1.1 and Rev 1.2 had option to disable FX APM the boards did a pretty good job of overclocking FX processor except for the fact the VRM output to the Cpu jumped around far too much. Took a lot of skill to reach a good overclock of 6 and 8 core FX processors.

Rev 3.0 was for months without an option to disable FX APM and only just recently, it is said there is a beta bios that has option to disable FX APM. Apparently there seem to have been a goodly number of VRM failures that went mostly un-noticed and Giga brought out the Rev 3.0 that only has the cpu throttling able to be disabled by a beta bios and not being able to disable the FX APM will help save the VRM circuit and mosfets.

So here is where it all gets down to where the rubber meets the road; most of us that push the 8 core processors on heavy duty water have tried the lesser series of AMD boards and found the boards all had a great tendency to limit the FX processors and for us the 8 core FX processors to something like 4.4/4.5Ghz stable.

Most of us as "Mandrake" said moved to the CHV or the Sabertooth 990FX boards. Moving to the CHV and Sabertooth 990FX boards has released most of us from the 4.4/4.5Ghz restriction that the lesser boards all seem to place us in with FX 8 core processors.

I know one thing for sure and that is that tweaking a board with a fluctuating VRM circuit is certainly not the most enjoyable pass-time.
RGone...

 

[Wipeout]

Thanks for the conformation.Experiences from others help. I had a 1.2 version,but that recently took a dive.Only 6 months old.I have 2 other 1.1 versions that run fine.Knock on wood! Should I just keep all the power saving features on on my everyday profile, and just roll with it.Also what about Win7 power scheme on a conservative profile?

OC- I can disable all power savings with my current board version, so no problems there.Now I know better.The importance of a good motherboard.After reading alot of threads, I cant even imagine using a 125 watt 8 core on a cheap board, and then trying to push it further

 

[caddi daddi]

your learning, you have to find it for yourself, we all prettymuch have had to because what works for me and what i do has little chance of working just right for you. there are lots of things we don't bring up with new people even if it's right there on the screen, ownly because it just adds to the stress and might make them nervous, look at hardware monitor, 12 volt line, does it ever say 12 or more volts?
we all know about this and just ignore it because it's a fluke in hardware monitor.

 

[Wipeout]

I think I'll set my everyday profile at 1.25v or 1.3v, with power savings off.This will give me a lower constant voltage.I hate seeing the vrm fluctuate like a multimeter gone bad..All points taken.Not much advice to give on a board that is budget.I appreciate everyone's help.Now I know where I stand.Much better than trying to second guess.Looking forward to playing around with a quality toy in the future

 

[RGone]

FX6300 @ 4.4g w 1.35v = I actually feel like you could run that particular speed and voltage with whatever power setting you might wish; in regards to making the board have a longer life. That Vcore is likely a regular P-state voltage for the cpu anyway. So I just don't see that minimalist Vcore having any real effect longevity wise no matter what you do with APM or power saving modes.
RGone...

 

[RGone]

Looking forward to playing around with a quality toy in the future = For real. You can forget about 50% of what you had to do with the UD3 board since the CHV-z does not respond the same way at all. It will be almost as if you have not run an FX processor at all. CHV-z CPU_LLC does not react like the UD3 LLC in the least. If it did you would not have seen so much Vcore fluctuation. Take it slow and easy and bring her up to speed in a gentle manner and the new setup will respond quite nicely.
RGone...

 

[Wipeout]

Looks like I will be running present board for a few more months until I can upgrade.

Ok.I turned off all the green, except kept LLC on extreme.Ran the 6300 at stock clocks with 1.27v on vcore for about 45 minutes.Not a real thorough test, but all indications point towards stability.Max cpu temp was 32C.Not bad.10C under my oc settings.Saved profile, and will park it there for everyday use.OC settings are a click way.

Thanks for the solid advice.I'll be nagging you guys again when that time comes