ASRock 870 Extreme3 MB Temp monitor

[guppie]

Can someone tell me what program I should be using to check the Temps and other vital stats for this MB under Windows 7 64-bit? I checked the website but didn't find anything. I don't have the CD either. I've been used to ASUS MB monitor and assumed most companies had something like this too? I guess I could use a third party app, but one developed by ASRock would be preferable.

Thanks

AMD 1055T X6
ASRock 870 Extreme3
G.Skill 4GB DDR3 1600 Rip Jaws
WD Black SATA
WD Green SATA
ATI Gigabyte HD5770
OCZ Fatality 550W

 

[EarthDog]

Coretemp for temps, thats about the only vital sign I care about as voltage readings are usually unreliable via software.

 

[trents]

Coretemp for temps, thats about the only vital sign I care about as voltage readings are usually unreliable via software.

Would you say vcore reporting is more accurate in bios than via software in Windows?

 

[xoke]

Would you say vcore reporting is more accurate in bios than via software in Windows?

I'd say BIOS is always best. I use HWmonitor...always have, it seems very accurate to me.

 

[EarthDog]

Would you say vcore reporting is more accurate in bios than via software in Windows?

Id imagine, but not certain. Im mean really, software is all most of us have. With vdrop and vdroop, who really knows outside of a multimeter and measuring points on the board.

 

[QuietIce]

Can someone tell me what program I should be using to check the Temps and other vital stats for this MB under Windows 7 64-bit?

I like to use HWMonitor or Everest Home to take a quick look at all the system temps and to check against CoreTemp. Once that's done I use CoreTemp almost exclusively.

Would you say vcore reporting is more accurate in bios than via software in Windows?

Most Windows software uses the same data the BIOS gets but for vCore the Windows software is more accurate because it already takes into account vDrop and you need to know what vCore you're actually running at Windows idle, not what's set in BIOS. The only thing BIOS can tell you is what vCore you've got while in BIOS - what good is that? Having said that, when I get a new system I like to check two or three programs at first just to make sure they're all reporting (near) the same. Some apps and boards don't mix well and without a check you can miss compatibility errors ...

 

[trents]

Most Windows software uses the same data the BIOS gets but for vCore the Windows software is more accurate because it already takes into account vDrop and you need to know what vCore you're actually running at Windows idle, not what's set in BIOS. The only thing BIOS can tell you is what vCore you've got while in BIOS - what good is that? Having said that, when I get a new system I like to check two or three programs at first just to make sure they're all reporting (near) the same. Some apps and boards don't mix well and without a check you can miss compatibility errors ...

That's my thinking too. I also like to try the bundled hardware monitoring software that comes with most motherboards and check other monitoring software against it. My thinking there is that the bundled stuff ought to be fully compatible with the motherboard and calibrated to its sensors.

So, while we're at it I just want to check my understanding of vdrop and vdrop. Vdrop has to do with the voltage differential between bios and Windows at idle while vdroop is the differential between idle and load in Windows, Is that correct?

 

[QuietIce]

With a lot of circuits, especially DC circuits, the voltage will droop (two o's, aka "sag") under load - it's just the nature of the beast. Remember the old cars at night with the headlights, heater, and wipers all on at the same time? Everything is fine until you stop for a light, then the engine idles down and all of a sudden your wipers are moving slower, the headlights dim, etc. Same thing here except we see the voltage level directly ...

 

[trents]

With a lot of circuits, especially DC circuits, the voltage will droop (two o's, aka "sag") under load - it's just the nature of the beast. Remember the old cars at night with the headlights, heater, and wipers all on at the same time? Everything is fine until you stop for a light, then the engine idles down and all of a sudden your wipers are moving slower, the headlights dim, etc. Same thing here except we see the voltage level directly ...

Excellent anology! I appreciate having someone like you around on the forum with enough life experience to be able to come up with those historical references that I can relate to.

 

[guppie]

I feel stupid, but I found the ASRock utility called OC Tuner. I originally thought it was strictly for OCing, but read more into it and realized it monitors all the important parameters. Strangely, I tried Core Temp and it was giving me some off the wall temps - 19C - and that's for my CPU at idle! OC Tuner gives me 31C, which is obviously more accurate and I it was consistent with the BIOS readings as well. So just for the record, Core Temp did not work for this MB (at least for me).

 

[QuietIce]

I take it your room is much warmer than that?

Chances are that's your CPU temp that OC Tuner is showing, not the core temp. The "CPU" temp shown by most programs is actually the CPU socket temp, not the CPU itself ...

 

[guppie]

Since I live in Miami and its "Africa" hot down here, I keep my A/C thermostat at 74F but 18C would be nice!

I'm confused. Before I do any kind of OC, should I be watching the temps from Core Temp or OC Tuner? As I mentioned before, my BIOS readings are consistent with OC Tuner. I guess I won't find out until I OC, huh? I'll post back with some light OC results.

 

[QuietIce]

OC Tuner and BIOS match each other because they're reading the same sensor, the one under the CPU socket. CoreTemp gets it's information from the CPU die, not a board sensor. Does CoreTemp read 18°C under a Prime95 load? If not, what does it read ...?

 

[guppie]

QuietIce, thanks for educating me a little bit, as my knowledge of OCing is old school... I'll try a few things in the OC realm over the weekend and see what I get, but I assume both readings are just as important. I mentioned in another thread that I was only going to play with some very "mild" OCing at best. I was hoping to get somewhere around 3.0GHz. Coming from a Pentium D chip, I basically lost touch with all the latest technologies and "auto throttling" stuff. If I attempt any OCing, do I have to disable all "auto" features? I appreciate and welcome any kind of energy savings, so if OCing is going to negate that concept, then an extra 200MHz isn't worth it to me... if on the other hand, I can keep the "auto" stuff enabled while allowing my system to hit 3.0GHz, then please enlighten me. Someone instructed me to bump the FSB to 214...

As you can see from the pic, my system is reading 800MHz (idle)??? Is that right? I've seen it go as high as 3300MHz, so does that mean its hitting 3.3GHz (if it wants/needs to)??? Sorry for the newb questions, but I was always under the impression that the CPU was ALWAYS running at whatever speed its rated at (i.e. 1055T always running at 2.8GHz)

 

[trents]

Turn off Cool and Quiet and C1E in bios and all power saving schemes in Windows. That is why your CPU speed varies so much.

 

[QuietIce]

QuietIce, thanks for educating me a little bit, as my knowledge of OCing is old school... I'll try a few things in the OC realm over the weekend and see what I get, but I assume both readings are just as important. I mentioned in another thread that I was only going to play with some very "mild" OCing at best. I was hoping to get somewhere around 3.0GHz. Coming from a Pentium D chip, I basically lost touch with all the latest technologies and "auto throttling" stuff. If I attempt any OCing, do I have to disable all "auto" features? I appreciate and welcome any kind of energy savings, so if OCing is going to negate that concept, then an extra 200MHz isn't worth it to me... if on the other hand, I can keep the "auto" stuff enabled while allowing my system to hit 3.0GHz, then please enlighten me. Someone instructed me to bump the FSB to 214...

As you can see from the pic, my system is reading 800MHz (idle)??? Is that right? I've seen it go as high as 3300MHz, so does that mean its hitting 3.3GHz (if it wants/needs to)??? Sorry for the newb questions, but I was always under the impression that the CPU was ALWAYS running at whatever speed its rated at (i.e. 1055T always running at 2.8GHz)

trents is right about turning off CoolNQuiet and C1E - at least for now. They are power saving schemes but you don't want them interfering with any of your setting as you experiment. After you've got some stable settings you can go back and try to turn them back on.

I wouldn't leave any of the basics on Auto. If you're looking to undervolt or OC with stock voltage you should set it manually to the stock value so BIOS can't change it on you - in this case 1.35v for the CPU and 1.1250v (I think) for the cpuNB ...

 

[knarf]

AMD 1055T X6
ASRock 870 Extreme3

Hi Guys,

I'm sorry but I'm completely new to Overclocking. I read some threads with general information and tried to start some OC'ing myself but I cannot get my CPU stable when I go over 3.2 GHZ. I'm replying in this thread because I found some1 with exact the same 'equipment' as myself

I have the
1055T X6
Asrock 870
with more than enough power supply and the scythe mugen 2 cooling, so I should be ok for starting OC'ing. My temps are now in idle and full load below 30 degree celcius.

Now my question: I know that each cpu and equipment combination is unique which results in unique OC settings that work good, but can some1 provide me with a good OC values for the gear I have. I hope that some1 with the same specs has a nice setting and that would probably work for me too then since I have the same hardware

Hope to hear from you.
I wish to go above 3.2 GHZ at least, 3.5 or 4.0 would be nice if it stayed stable.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH IN ADVANCE

 

[trents]

knarf,

From a forum etiquette standpoint, you need to start your own thread rather than horning in on someone else's.