First time with DICE

[ssjwizard]

So I had my first experience with DICE today. So far its going pretty well. I am finding that the cpu temp reports fairly accurate on this asus a8n-sli delux. I had expected it to be useless below 0c. It has takin about an hour to get a feel for how far I can actually go cold with this chip and avoiding the coldbugs. It is quite a bit of work keeping the pot at the desired temps right now but Im sure a proper thermometer would solve this issue. I might add some more acetone also to add some buffer Im just worried about splashing issues.

Ok so on the bench right now is an Athlon 64 3500+ winchester selected at random from a bag of 10 A64s Sadly its one of the least valuable point wise, BUT I was going to bench it on DICE anyways, so at least I started with one of the more cold buggy cores It will benefit me when playing with the less tempermental chips.

and some PICS!!!!

Note this is not my first time benching sub zero, however this is my first time using DICE. Its been fun and im sure ill learn plenty more as this continues.

 

[bennoculus]

Congrats on going cold! Always a fun time, I had a BLAST my first time.

 

[ssjwizard]

Ya I think im almost ready to let this warm up and swap chips, possibly make a scoot to the store and grab more dice(still have ~3lbs). I finished all of my short benches though I may make one more run at cpu-z. wPrime 32m done, last on the list is superPi 32m then its time to warm it up.

 

[bennoculus]

Ya I think im almost ready to let this warm up and swap chips, possibly make a scoot to the store and grab more dice(still have ~3lbs). I finished all of my short benches though I may make one more run at cpu-z. wPrime 32m done, last on the list is superPi 32m then its time to warm it up.

Word of advice...

Be very careful when switching chips; especially if your swapping chips but using the same board. Make sure that socket is COMPLETELY dry. xXSebaSXx killed his REX because he swapped chips. Moisture got in his socket and bam, shorted it. Blast your socket with a hair dryer or something, something anything to get it nice and dry before you boot back up.

 

[ssjwizard]

Ill keep that in mind. I may or may not run PC05 Ive only got the geforce 6200 in, didnt want to risk my 460s with unknown hardware yet. Feel comfortable with the motherboard now. Sad though my epox had ALOT more memory adjustments.

Only thing Id like to change about this setup right now is the voltage limit. 1.55v is bleh. I may vmod the board for 1.65?

 

[Janus67]

I wouldn't worry about running pcm05 w/o having a really good video card in there.

And as Benny said, be super super careful if you decide to swap chips. It may be better to continue your run tomorrow and get more DICE then so you can let your board dry out (as well as the socket).

Another good thing to do is do pre-test runs to find a starting point for voltages and to get an idea of what your maximum fsb/etc are on the board so you don't waste DICE getting there (learned that after my first day).

 

[bennoculus]

Another good thing to do is do pre-test runs to find a starting point for voltages and to get an idea of what your maximum fsb/etc are on the board so you don't waste DICE getting there (learned that after my first day).

This, this, THIS! Great advice here man, use it. I didn't do this until recently (3 months ago I started doing this, finally) and spend most of my time learning the ropes of whatever I was freezing. Now with pretesting I am much more efficient and effective.

 

[Bobnova]

Quick temp regulation tips:
If the temp is in the -30c range, use 91% isopropyl alcohol.
If the temp is in the -40c range, use 99% with a dash of acetone.
If the temp is in the -10 to -20 range, use 91% and toss tiny bits of water in till it works nicely.

 

[ssjwizard]

Quick temp regulation tips:
If the temp is in the -30c range, use 91% isopropyl alcohol.
If the temp is in the -40c range, use 99% with a dash of acetone.
If the temp is in the -10 to -20 range, use 91% and toss tiny bits of water in till it works nicely.

Are you suggesting that if I want to maintain temp around -30c I could use 91% and then fill the pot to slush levels? That would make this alot less work to maintain the temp if so.

 

[Seebs]

Are you suggesting that if I want to maintain temp around -30c I could use 91% and then fill the pot to slush levels? That would make this alot less work to maintain the temp if so.

He is indeed. Use 91% Alcohol and that will make it much easier for you to keep at the desired temps.

 

[ssjwizard]

Humm well I will use this acetone some time but I kinda wish that I hadnt bought it now. Well I think im off to get a bottle of ISO and possibly(not likely back is starting to get there) a top off on DICE also.

 

[Bobnova]

Yeah pretty much, if you sit with no load the temp will slowly drop below -30c, but it isn't the wild rush of cold that acetone gives you.
Far easier to control temps, significantly less absolute cooling power. Not an issue on 939 though, those CPUs just aren't that hot.

 

[ssjwizard]

Ok so I just did a submission on HWbot for my cpuZ score and it tells me its not my best submission with a 3500+ winchester and is not ranked. It is my only submission with this chip any ideas?

Edit. Nevermind looks like it was lagg. #4 not bad. need moar VOLTZZZ!!

 

[Seebs]

Ok so I just did a submission on HWbot for my cpuZ score and it tells me its not my best submission with a 3500+ winchester and is not ranked. It is my only submission with this chip any ideas?

Edit. Nevermind looks like it was lagg. #4 not bad. need moar VOLTZZZ!!

1.552V? That's it? I've given more than that to my chips on air... You need to push that chip man.

Go for #1.

 

[ssjwizard]

1.55 is the max the bios will allow, there is a volt mod that will let me have 1.65v but it requires soldering to 4 points on the back of the cpu socket.

So I managed to make a mess of my insulation... I wraped the mount and such with my leftover frostking pipe wrap, should have turned it inside out first.... Glad I stopped when I did though, and loving eraser right now. My pot is 2 parts and it WILL require application of teflon tape to the threads before reassembly as it was leaking acetone!

 

[Janus67]

I thought that it looked a little funny with your mount. Generally the outside of the pot just has some armaflex on it and then I wrap it in shop towel (and have shop towel gasket ontop of the eraser/frost king (depending on which you use).

The frost king that I buy is a decent size roll.

Frost King Foam Duct Insulation

Is what I buy, I couldn't find it at Home Depot but Lowes had it.

 

[Bobnova]

TJ's old AMD board capped out at 1.55 too. That was before I took a soldering iron to it, now it caps out at 2.2v.

Voltmod time!

 

[ssjwizard]

Yep I definitely need more volts. Ive got a naked opty 170 on the board right now chilling at -25c. I cant get any of my benches into the top 20 for this chip with this boards stupid 1.5v stock limitation. Most of the results Im competing against were running 1.75v+ I just cant get over 2900 stable at all with only 1.5v

I am really feeling like I shot myself in the foot throwing that opty on the board. I feel like im spinning my wheels with it since all the other scores are at such higher clockspeeds. I could have put one of my winchesters in and Im sure I could have pushed it closer to its limits than this opty.

 

[ssjwizard]

Ok so I found a second voltmod for this board and its much simpler. I might be willing to try it but still not sure its a very small solder point.

originally posted by madmax22 at OCN

 

[ssjwizard]

Presto chango!!! assuming I did this correctly(pretty sure) and that I didnt cook anything on the mobo soldering this on(maybe) I should now have a 1.85v capable A8N-SLI Delux

I mounted the pot to the edge of my mobo tray using some simple sticky back velcro. Should provde decent access when clocking.

Quick pat down with a hair dryer to be sure its ready to roll and I should be back in business.

Edit. Ok so the board still works fine however my volt mod failed. I removed the eraser to check and the solder pad that was there has been pulled off. Im going to try and use a paperclip to resolder this.