FX-4100 Stability issue, Help please.

[Digital Fear]

Hello guys! Need some help from the Pro's!

So basically i have been struggling to get a stable overclock on my cpu since day 1. The issue is (and im wondering if this is normal or not) the cpu clock speed keeps jumping from 4.427Ghz to 4.399 Ghz at idle and full load. Same thing happens to HT (2.213Ghz - 2.199Ghz) & Memory Freq (805.01Mhz - 799.96)

Here are the hardware configurations listed below:
AMD FX4100, Biostar A880Gz, 8Gb Dual Chanel Ram, Nvidia Geforce GTX 550TI, 32Gb Patriot Torx 2 SSD, 500GB storage drive (don't remember model),600w Silancer MK3 PPCMK3S600 PSU.

Here are the BIOS configurations listed below:
C1E, C6, C State, UCC, Core Boost, Disabled.
High performance Computing, Enabled.
SATA Controller is set at AHCI.
CPU: X22 Multiplier, Voltage: 1.4000V
NB: Stock Voltage: 1.2375V
SB: Stock Voltage: (Don't remember)
HT: Stock Voltage 1.22V
RAM: Stock 1600Mhz, Voltage: 1.5V FSB : DRAM 1 : 4 Timing: 9,11,11,28,40

Temps are good, 41-44C Max Load, 9-11C Idle.
(Going to change case fans sometime this week for higher CFM rated fans, because my case fans barely move any air lol -.-

So what can it be, i have tried multiple set O/C configurations but no no avail my clock speed still jumps around no matter what the setting is at...
Should i increase my HT & NB Voltage and see if that will stable the clock speed?

I have tried to increase CPU Voltage but anything past 1.4125 crashes, Doesn't even POST... which leads me to belive it doesent have enough Voltage to either HT, NB or Ram?

(Prime95 Stress test RESULT- In-Place Large FFT's Test!)
[Sun Oct 21 15:24:45 2012]
Self-test 480K passed!
[Sun Dec 16 10:09:28 2012]
Self-test 480K passed!
Self-test 480K passed!
Self-test 480K passed!
Self-test 480K passed!
[Sun Dec 16 10:22:17 2012]
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.
FATAL ERROR: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4
Hardware failure detected, consult stress.txt file.
Self-test 128K passed!
Self-test 128K passed!
--------------------------------
*Fail @ 4.4Ghz 1.3875V*
--------------------------------
[Sun Dec 16 10:48:20 2012]
Self-test 480K passed!
Self-test 480K passed!
Self-test 480K passed!
Self-test 480K passed!
[Sun Dec 16 11:03:57 2012]
Self-test 128K passed!
Self-test 128K passed!
Self-test 128K passed!
Self-test 128K passed!
[Sun Dec 16 11:19:27 2012]
Self-test 560K passed!
Self-test 560K passed!
Self-test 560K passed!
Self-test 560K passed!
[Sun Dec 16 11:34:37 2012]
Self-test 160K passed!
Self-test 160K passed!
Self-test 160K passed!
Self-test 160K passed!
[Sun Dec 16 11:49:41 2012]
Self-test 640K passed!
Self-test 640K passed!
Self-test 640K passed!
Self-test 640K passed!
[Sun Dec 16 12:04:44 2012]
Self-test 224K passed!
Self-test 224K passed!
Self-test 224K passed!
Self-test 224K passed!
[Sun Dec 16 12:20:11 2012]
Self-test 720K passed!
Self-test 720K passed!
Self-test 720K passed!
Self-test 720K passed!
--------------------------------
4.4Ghz 1.4000V Pass, However i noticed that cores were on different steps core 3 & 4 were about 2-3 tasks ahead of 1 & 2. So i stoped.
--------------------------------
Now runing P95 on 4.4Ghz @ 1.4125 V Temps max @ 48C.
Thank you for any help and taking your time to help me out, much appreciated!!

*Edited some Grammar*

 

[Digital Fear]

*BumP* Also wondering what is the "LIMIT CPUID" function for in BIOS. In the description it says DISABLED for win XP, I am running Win 7 Ultimate 64Bit, should i enable this function?

 

[trents]

*BumP* Also wondering what is the "LIMIT CPUID" function for in BIOS. In the description it says DISABLED for win XP, I am running Win 7 Ultimate 64Bit, should i enable this function?

I'm wondering if it has something to do with limiting the number of processor cores being utilized. I would email biostar tech support about that one.

 

[trents]

Do you have the latest bios installed?

 

[Digital Fear]

I'm wondering if it has something to do with limiting the number of processor cores being utilized. I would email biostar tech support about that one.

Had it off, and on still runs on 4 Cores regardless. Set it to enabled since the description says disabled for win XP.

Have been running Prime 95 for 2 hours now, it is definitely working more stable at 1.4125 than it was at 1.4000V, still no crash BUT... core 3 is 4 tests ahead of the #1,2,4 cores. Which i am guessing if i continue to run P95 it will eventually crash. Still getting jumpy clock speed 4.399 to 4.427 Not as often as i did with the previous settings, but still not exactly perfection... or is it normal for CPU to be doing that?

Going to bump the Voltage of NB, to see if it will stabilize the clock speeds, something is definitely lacking voltage :/

Yes i have the newest BIOS.

 

[Digital Fear]

Okay, back to basics.. Reset setting back to default and disabled all of the power-saving features and turbo mode. I am still getting slight throttling even at stock settings voltage is set at 1.3375, CPU-Z reading at 1.332 - 1.344 i guess this must be the reason why the cpu is throttling? And is this normal for CPU frequency to jump up and down a slight bit? (Aprox - 0031.xx)?

Please help me out here hehe, 7 redbulls, 34hrs later and thousands of forum pages later still stuck on that... cannot find anywhere if its normal for cpu frequency to jump a slight bit?

CPU-Z: http://valid.canardpc.com/2618142

If you need any SS, let me know will post.

 

[trents]

I know you have all the green stuff disabled that is available to you in bios but on the 9xx series boards there is something called APM (Advanced Power management) that is not available on the 8xx series boards. The FX CPUs have a very complex power management scheme. Do you have LLC (Load Line Calibration) in your bios?

 

[Digital Fear]

I know you have all the green stuff disabled that is available to you in bios but on the 9xx series boards there is something called APM (Advanced Power management) that is not available on the 8xx series boards. The FX CPUs have a very complex power management scheme. Do you have LLC (Load Line Calibration) in your bios?

Thanks for all your help Trents, this has been driving me nutz.

I have looked for it all over the BIOS, it's not there.
So this brings me to the next question, is it normal for the CPU even at factory settings in BIOS to have throttle issues? i am getting about 0030.00 +/- of drop and usually on 1 core at a time.
Tried a few things to make sure its not the PSU fault, switched the 4 pin connector with the 2nd one, no luck. So im coming to a conclusion that its the motherboard's voltage controller/regulator or like u said APM module not being available in this chipset.

If i do OC to 4.4 and temps are okay, and no errors from P95 but it throttles a little is it safe to run long term or will this ware down the CPU Chip? I could care less about this crappy MOBO... im sure i will not be able to get consistent benchmarks... but it beats stock settings lol.

 

[trents]

No, it won't hurt it long term to run it at 4.4 as long as temps are good. The chip is made to throttle down. Temps are more important than voltage settings up to a point but you are not even at a vcore of 1.5 yet so now worry.

You didn't answer my question about having the latest bios. Have you checked on that?

By the way, have you checked other motherboard temps like for the VRM and the NB? If I were you, I'd put a spot fan to blow on those areas and see if you still get throttle down. The power management issue encompasses board components as well as the CPU. That motherboard you have does not have heat sinks at all on the VRM area and the NB heat sink is quite small.

 

[Digital Fear]

No, it won't hurt it long term to run it at 4.4 as long as temps are good. The chip is made to throttle down. Temps are more important than voltage settings up to a point but you are not even at a vcore of 1.5 yet so now worry.

You didn't answer my question about having the latest bios. Have you checked on that?

By the way, have you checked other motherboard temps like for the VRM and the NB? If I were you, I'd put a spot fan to blow on those areas and see if you still get throttle down. The power management issue encompasses board components as well as the CPU. That motherboard you have does not have heat sinks at all on the VRM area and the NB heat sink is quite small.

Here is a update, on what i been up too.
Couple of problems i ran in to OC with this mother board
1- Couldent POST with any higher voltage than 4.2500v
2- Stabilty...Stabilty basically no matter how many diffrent configs i ran, i could never get all 4 cores to stay at same clock speeds even at stock settings, best i got was about 00018.xx MHz range but would still get a random drop from 4326.xx MHz to 4300.xx Mhz.
Another thing i noticed is VCORE drops about 0.0025 - 0.0035 randomly

Here are some of the Configs that were almost stable:
(a)CPU: 4.3GHz 21.5X Multiplier, 1.4000v, NB:2000Mhz, 1.2625v, RAM:1.6V
(b)CPU: 4.3GHz 21.5X Multiplier, 1.4000v, NB:2400Mhz, 1.3125v, RAM:1.6V
Memory is at stock timing.
Ambient temp about 85F CPU never goes over 48C full load, NB & SB 38-48C full load, VRM 40-48C.

As far as the bios, http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/introduction.php?S_ID=555#dl Im not quite sure if these are Hotfix or BIOS update..

Any ideas on what i am doing wrong? Or is it a faulty MOBO or PSU?

 

[RGone]

random drop from 4326.xx MHz to 4300.xx Mhz = That is not throttling as we talk about throttling. Throttling is 100's of Mhz down with a drop in Vcore also by maybe a tenth of a volt. You do not have that. Probably not a 'real' issue anyway.

I am suspecting as 'trents' has already mentioned that the 8xx chipset board can run the cpu in a stock state with it being a BullDozer FX-4100, but it will nOt be able to handle every little facet of an FX processor. The 8xx chipset mobo is n0t likely to be able to overclock the FX-4100 as far as it would likely go with excellent cooling on a good 990 chipset mobo.

Or is it a faulty MOBO = I don't think the board is faulty as in broken. I believe it is not well suited to trying to overclock a later series FX processor.

That said if you can stablize at 4.2 to 4.3Ghz, it should work quite well and have enough muscles for most situations. If I got that stable I would use it. Quit messing with it and have a computer I can do work or play on. YMMV and IMO.

 

[Digital Fear]

Thanks for the info. I am going to mess with it tomorrow after work and try to drop the voltages if possible.

On the other hand i'm wondering since all 4 cores don't constantly run at the same frequency, is that going to mess with benchmarking?
I noted on P95 some cores get ahead of others in calculations.. wondering if that will cause any instability?

 

[keny]

I'm with RGone on this, the board just isn't up to running a fx at its full potential, and don't worry about p95 running the cores at different speeds, that happens all the time and you will never do a P95 run where all tge cores finish the same calculations at the same time, there are strong cores and weak cores within the CPU and p95 is a good way to find you're strongest for benchmarking. One thing I noticed, which is probably a 8xx chipset related issue, is that the normal stock freq for the HT on FX CPU's is 2600 with the NB still being 2000 like Deneb/Thuban, I don't know if 8xx series chipsets can run that level HT but its worth trying to adjust it and see if it helps

 

[trents]

Here is a update, on what i been up too.
Couple of problems i ran in to OC with this mother board
1- Couldent POST with any higher voltage than 4.2500v
2- Stabilty...Stabilty basically no matter how many diffrent configs i ran, i could never get all 4 cores to stay at same clock speeds even at stock settings, best i got was about 00018.xx MHz range but would still get a random drop from 4326.xx MHz to 4300.xx Mhz.
Another thing i noticed is VCORE drops about 0.0025 - 0.0035 randomly

Here are some of the Configs that were almost stable:
(a)CPU: 4.3GHz 21.5X Multiplier, 1.4000v, NB:2000Mhz, 1.2625v, RAM:1.6V
(b)CPU: 4.3GHz 21.5X Multiplier, 1.4000v, NB:2400Mhz, 1.3125v, RAM:1.6V
Memory is at stock timing.
Ambient temp about 85F CPU never goes over 48C full load, NB & SB 38-48C full load, VRM 40-48C.

As far as the bios, http://www.biostar.com.tw/app/en/mb/introduction.php?S_ID=555#dl Im not quite sure if these are Hotfix or BIOS update..

Any ideas on what i am doing wrong? Or is it a faulty MOBO or PSU?

4.2500v? Did you mean 1.425v? I hope so!

 

[Digital Fear]

I'm with RGone on this, the board just isn't up to running a fx at its full potential, and don't worry about p95 running the cores at different speeds, that happens all the time and you will never do a P95 run where all tge cores finish the same calculations at the same time, there are strong cores and weak cores within the CPU and p95 is a good way to find you're strongest for benchmarking. One thing I noticed, which is probably a 8xx chipset related issue, is that the normal stock freq for the HT on FX CPU's is 2600 with the NB still being 2000 like Deneb/Thuban, I don't know if 8xx series chipsets can run that level HT but its worth trying to adjust it and see if it helps

Stock settings on my MOBO for the HT is at 2200 and NB is at 2000. I did try to stabilize the cpu by bumping the voltage on HT but i didn't try to OC, I will most definitely try that out, but that brings me to the next question.. is it safe to raise the voltage on HT?
Thanks a lot for bringing this to my attention i didn't realize that the stock FX HT is suppose to be at 2600!!

4.2500v? Did you mean 1.425v? I hope so!

Yes i meant 1.4250v hehe nice catch there.

Thanks for all the help guys.. I want to get better with OC'ing since i build costume pc's, and repair older ones..
Can anyone link me some good in depth OC guides for AMD architecture Procs?

 

[trents]

There are several sticky notes on that very thing at the top of this section of the forum.

 

[Digital Fear]

Here is a update:
12 Hrs of P95 test, 0 errors.
4300 MHz @ 1.4000v, HT 2600MHz @ 1.3200v, NB 2400 @ 1.3000v
Temps never exceed 51c @ 85-89F room temp.
Planing on changing Fans very soon to get some more air flow through the case, also planing on taking out NB & SB heat sinks and applying arctic silver 5 thermal paste... hopefully that will drop the temps on NB & SB a few c.


Dropped the voltage on NB, from 1.3000 to 1.2850 testing it as we speak, looks stable tho, going to try and drop CPU voltage as well to 1.3850.

Can someone tell me what P95 test to run? i have been doing the first 2. have not used blend since RAM only had a voltage bump but Timings are the same. I am wondering since my HT is at 2.6 and my NB is at 2.4 is that going to crate a bottle-neck?

Edit: No one answered my questing is it safe for long term to bump HT voltage?

 

[keny]

Here is a update:
12 Hrs of P95 test, 0 errors.
4300 MHz @ 1.4000v, HT 2600MHz @ 1.3200v, NB 2400 @ 1.3000v
Temps never exceed 51c @ 85-89F room temp.
Planing on changing Fans very soon to get some more air flow through the case, also planing on taking out NB & SB heat sinks and applying arctic silver 5 thermal paste... hopefully that will drop the temps on NB & SB a few c.


Dropped the voltage on NB, from 1.3000 to 1.2850 testing it as we speak, looks stable tho, going to try and drop CPU voltage as well to 1.3850.

Can someone tell me what P95 test to run? i have been doing the first 2. have not used blend since RAM only had a voltage bump but Timings are the same. I am wondering since my HT is at 2.6 and my NB is at 2.4 is that going to crate a bottle-neck?

Edit: No one answered my questing is it safe for long term to bump HT voltage?

Leave HT voltage on stock, and you won't get a bottleneck at those settings, I use blend test on p95, all tests will bring a fail if its not stable

 

[Digital Fear]

Seem to be having a problem with my OC. Need some advice, ran P95 on blend for 52 hrs, 0 errors, temps never exceed 50c across the board.

When i Cold boot into windows my taskbar is not displaying windows Aero effect, instead it is the default blue color! However once i reboot its back to normal, what gives? Did my windows copy get corrupted when i was O/C'ing? Any help is appreciated.

(Windows 7 Ultimate 64x)