Athlon II x4 640 Overclock Help (Newbie Overclocker)

[Fifedogg]

I can't see anything off-hand that can be improved much.


Prime95 is the "standard" used for stability testing. If you want to run something else use the LinX option in OCCT - it's the same thing.


If the cpuNB will go up another notch that will help memory performance but it's not a big deal if it won't ...

Do you think some of the AUTO settings should be changed so I can get it to be more stable in Prime95 (more that 25 mins). I cant tell what it would default to as when I change the AUTO settings it will start at the min or max of the value. I'm happy with 3.4ghz if I can get her to be stable on Prime for an hour or so. Thanks for your help

 

[QuietIce]

I usually set the RAM voltage 0.05v above default so you could set that to 1.55v instead of Auto.

It also looks like the RAM timings could be set to 8-8-8-22 at that speed. It would help RAM performance if you can do it. I doubt the timings will help stability but the RAM voltage might.

I never know what to do with those VDD settings MSI uses. One of these days I'll dig out that AM2+ MSI I've got and play around with it - maybe I can figure it out if I work with them a little ...

 

[Fifedogg]

I usually set the RAM voltage 0.05v above default so you could set that to 1.55v instead of Auto.

It also looks like the RAM timings could be set to 8-8-8-22 at that speed. It would help RAM performance if you can do it. I doubt the timings will help stability but the RAM voltage might.

I never know what to do with those VDD settings MSI uses. One of these days I'll dig out that AM2+ MSI I've got and play around with it - maybe I can figure it out if I work with them a little ...

Thanks for the help. I'll try that out as soon as I get home. Either way I'm stoked I have a PC now that fly's. The last PC I built was a 2.0 P4 that lasted me 7 years lol.

 

[dillweed]

Good stuff

Thanks for the help. I'll try that out as soon as I get home. Either way I'm stoked I have a PC now that fly's. The last PC I built was a 2.0 P4 that lasted me 7 years lol.

Fifedogg - I have the identical desire and mobo/cpu combo as you do and my memory is: Patriot Viper II PGV34G1600ELK 4096MB PC12800 DDR3 Dual Channel Memory Upgrade - 4GB (2 x 2048MB), 1600MHz (P33-7108)

Please keep us posted as you dial in the perfect settings and a complete summary for your settings would be excellent as well OCF Rocks!

 

[Fifedogg]

Fifedogg - I have the identical desire and mobo/cpu combo as you do and my memory is: Patriot Viper II PGV34G1600ELK 4096MB PC12800 DDR3 Dual Channel Memory Upgrade - 4GB (2 x 2048MB), 1600MHz (P33-7108)

Please keep us posted as you dial in the perfect settings and a complete summary for your settings would be excellent as well OCF Rocks!

Since I am new to this I cant seem to get her to pass 25 mins of Prime95 @ 3.39. My settings are in auto mainly (see above) and when I change them they start at the the min or max. I dont really know the optimal settings for all these voltage variables. I still need help myself as it should be able to be stable at 3.4 if not 3.5 or 3.6.

Even though it doesnt go past 25 mins in prime it does pass intel's burn test which actually seems to stress it more. My temps are about 2-3* higher when using Intel's test.

HELP TRENTS

 

[trents]

The Prime95 blend test specifically states it really stresses the ram. I'm not familiar with the Intel burn test and what it emphasizes. Maybe someone else can comment on that. What happens if you change the ram divider to the next lower speed in bios. Does it do in better in Prime95 blend?

 

[trents]

I can also tell you with my Propus 630 on my 785G chipset board which adds quite a bit of negative vdroop to vcore, though my vcore is set to 1.4 in bios it winds up being 1.51 under full load stress. With my board this is what it takes for me to be stable at 3.5 ghz. so maybe you just need more vcore. But with your TX3 I'm not sure your temps will handle much more vcore. I have a TRUE cooler and my core temps are still pretty cool at 1.51 vcore under stress. The 880 chipset board like you have and the 785G like I have are not going to give overclocks as high as a board with a 790 FX or 890 FX will at the same vcore. The power circuits just aren't going to supply the steady voltage that the boards with more rugged chipsets would and so the only way to compensate is with more vcore.

 

[Fifedogg]

I can also tell you with my Propus 630 on my 785G chipset board which adds quite a bit of negative vdroop to vcore, though my vcore is set to 1.4 in bios it winds up being 1.51 under full load stress. With my board this is what it takes for me to be stable at 3.5 ghz. so maybe you just need more vcore. But with your TX3 I'm not sure your temps will handle much more vcore. I have a TRUE cooler and my core temps are still pretty cool at 1.51 vcore under stress. The 880 chipset board like you have and the 785G like I have are not going to give overclocks as high as a board with a 790 FX or 890 FX will at the same vcore. The power circuits just aren't going to supply the steady voltage that the boards with more rugged chipsets would and so the only way to compensate is with more vcore.

I'm overclocked to 3.4 now and it passes intel burn test no problem but will only go 10 mins on Prime95. It has no problems playing Dirt 2 and other games for a hours at a time. I highly doubt I'll ever stress out my cpu/memory the way prime does...

I've tried every single combination I can think of and I cant get it to go any higher without crashing within 30 seconds. I've tried adding more Cpu voltage and my board only goes to 1.400 on the CPU VDD voltage. If I go any higher than 1.5 on my CPU voltage it will get around 55* and crash. I'm probably just gonna keep it at 3.4 and if I have any problems down the road I will just go lower. I kinda wish I would have bought a better board but for $139 my MB/CPU combo enabled me to build this PC. I didn't have much money to spend on this build but for a total of $450 this rig hauls serious butt. I burn a lot of DVD's and can do them from start to finish in 6 mins using Nero Recode (rip, convert and burn with burn at once) using less than 20% of my CPU.

Thanks for your help Trents

 

[Archer0915]

I have glanced over the thread and have not noticed one thing. Have you tried lowering all of your multipliers (MEM, CPU core, NB and HT) to see if you are HT limited? I ask because I have not seen many great clocks on this CPU on much of anything but Bio, ASUS and Giga boards with X90GX chipsets.

I have gone to a very unstable 4.0 on a biostar 790GX and a rock solid 3.8 on a Gigs 890GX with my 620. I have had crappy results on my MSi 785G never getting much past a 258 HT clock.

 

[Fifedogg]

I have glanced over the thread and have not noticed one thing. Have you tried lowering all of your multipliers (MEM, CPU core, NB and HT) to see if you are HT limited? I ask because I have not seen many great clocks on this CPU on much of anything but Bio, ASUS and Giga boards with X90GX chipsets.

I have gone to a very unstable 4.0 on a biostar 790GX and a rock solid 3.8 on a Gigs 890GX with my 620. I have had crappy results on my MSi 785G never getting much past a 258 HT clock.

I have tried messing with it a little bit but I'm just learning this stuff and may have done it completely wrong. Do you have values I should use so I have a place to start? I've tried using a 14x multiplier and lowering a few other things but have yet to find anything that works. Also what do you mean by HT limited? Thanks for your help!

 

[Archer0915]

If you can set mem 1:2, CPU 10, HT 6 or 8 and NB 6 or 8 then crank up the CPU FSB frequency you can find out if you are HT limited. It also takes a lot of v to get these up there. I have gone as high as 1.65v though it is really not a good idea without good cooling.

 

[Fifedogg]

If you can set mem 1:2, CPU 10, HT 6 or 8 and NB 6 or 8 then crank up the CPU FSB frequency you can find out if you are HT limited. It also takes a lot of v to get these up there. I have gone as high as 1.65v though it is really not a good idea without good cooling.

If you can set mem 1:2, CPU 10, HT 6 or 8 and NB 6 or 8 then crank up the CPU FSB frequency you can find out if you are HT limited. It also takes a lot of v to get these up there. I have gone as high as 1.65v though it is really not a good idea without good cooling.

What voltage would I be using on all of these settings? Auto? As my Bios starts off at Min/Max if I take it off of auto. Not sure exactly where to tweak them to. I will try this when I get home later.

 

[Archer0915]

What voltage would I be using on all of these settings? Auto? As my Bios starts off at Min/Max if I take it off of auto. Not sure exactly where to tweak them to. I will try this when I get home later.

yes to start. I doubt the anything need be touched. I have run them up to 350 without issue.

All the HT ref clock is, is a metronome of sorts. It essentially vibrates at a high frequency and this frequency is used as a base for the rest of the motherboard components that are related directly to the CPU as well as the CPU itself.

Clocking it up will not (should not) hurt anything as long as all multipliers are lowered. I honestly feel you are going to top out low.

 

[Miro87043]

Fifedog,
How's it going? Have you gotten any faster or more stable.
I'm also overclocking my first with the same CPU and mobo as you.
I'm stuck at 3.48Ghz, but prime95 only runs for 15 minutes before the computer restarts.
I've read through your entire thread and have tried all the suggestions. I'll let you know if I have any breakthroughs.

 

[Fifedogg]

Fifedog,
How's it going? Have you gotten any faster or more stable.
I'm also overclocking my first with the same CPU and mobo as you.
I'm stuck at 3.48Ghz, but prime95 only runs for 15 minutes before the computer restarts.
I've read through your entire thread and have tried all the suggestions. I'll let you know if I have any breakthroughs.

I was able to run @ 3.45 for a few months but my system finally crashed and I didn't remember my settings exactly and couldn't replicate it. I've only been able to keep the system stable @ 3.33. I think our MB is what's holding us back as the chip should be able to go higher than that. Either way I'm happy with the performance of my system. Let me know if you figure out how to get it stable at a higher clock speed.

 

[Miro87043]

I'm at about the same place now. I've found I can run 3.3 Ghz without any voltage adjustments by keeping RAM <1600 and HT <2000. It's a super stable 10% increase that I'll probably stick with for now.
I'll keep you posted if I decide to kill some more time with it.

Thanks

 

[Miro87043]

I just ran prime95 for an hour and called it stable at 3.59!
Here are the settings that worked for me:
First off, for consistency, my BIOS is version 02.61 (on BIOS home screen)
Under Green power I disabled CPU phase control (read somewhere this could make it unstable)
Disabled Cool'n'quiet
Disabled Spread Spectrum (at bottom of cell menu-also read this can make it unstable)

The rest of the settings are pictured below.
I hope this helps.

 

[eitemiller]

Hey Miro87043, I have same MB and chip as you. I have one silly question for oyu...I was trying to adjust my CPU Voltage to the 1.535 just as you described, and for whatever reason, I cannot figure out how. It's only allowing me to pick 1.530 or 1.540. I tried the lesser of the two, and it didn't work. So I was wondering how you go it to jump in that 5 step increment as opposed to 10. Please advise - and thanks for posting all of this valuable info - I hope to achieve what you did.

 

[Miro87043]

Hey Miro87043, I have same MB and chip as you. I have one silly question for oyu...I was trying to adjust my CPU Voltage to the 1.535 just as you described, and for whatever reason, I cannot figure out how. It's only allowing me to pick 1.530 or 1.540. I tried the lesser of the two, and it didn't work. So I was wondering how you go it to jump in that 5 step increment as opposed to 10. Please advise - and thanks for posting all of this valuable info - I hope to achieve what you did.

My best guess is that you are running a different version bios than I was. I didn't do anything special. Have you tried updating your bios? I'm unable to reference the bios version I used as I am now using the Gigabyte board shown in my signature.

FWIW- I'm currently running that processor at 3.5ghz with cpu v at 1.5
Other, more experienced members on the forum have cautioned me against running the cpu v above 1.5 even with good cooling. Besides, any higher than 3.5 and my processor seemed to need very large jumps in voltage, with equally large jumps in temperature, to stay stable.

Good luck!

 

[eitemiller]

Hey - thanks for your quick response. One of the first things I checked was my BOIS version - same as you stated... the 02.61. I also followed your instructions concerning the green power, disabled cool n quiet, disabled spread spectrum, and tried setting my bios just as your screen shoots.

I only tried once...been busy working in the yard all day. Gimme a couple of days of experimenting, and I will post back with what I found.

Again, big thanks for your help. I will take into account that running CPU voltage above 1.5 is not a good thing.