Help! OC AMD Athlon II x4 640 with Biostar TA880GU3+

[WoodenKiwi]

Hey everyone!

I'm very new to overclocking but I'm taking the plunge and so far have hit a very early hurdle. I thought I had it mostly figured out, my CPU has a locked multiplier, so increase FSB right? I boot into the Biostar BIOS, and it looks nothing like any of the stuff I have read about so far. I have no idea what options to change or what to change them to. As of right now I have the auto overclocking running and it's sticking to 3.3Ghz, 34C to 38C.

Here is what I am running:

CPU: AMD Athlon II x4 640 Propus
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper TX3
Motherboard: Biostar TA880GU3+
RAM: 8GB(4x2GB) PNY Optima DDR3 1333
GPU: XFX Radeon HD 6770
PSU: Embarrassingly, I don't know what the PSU is(long story) but I know it's 500W, its like a dark chrome color with a light blue fan inside if anyone can help me and identify it.

 

[RGone]

T-Series bios menu.

Manual Overclock System (M. O. S.)

CPU/HT Reference Clock (MHz) << Is FSB for overclocking.

 

[trents]

Auto overclocking won't get you a very good overclock because it just doesn't manipulate enough of the variables to give you a high, stable overclock. Usually, automatic overclocking tools only manipulate two or three things out of the four or five that are necessary to good overclocking results.

The confusion your are experiencing over terminology is the common experience of those new to overclocking. Different bioses use different terms to talk about the same things. Just like the terms "levy", "dike" and "revetment" all refer to a barrier that holds water back, so a bios may call the main system bus the "fsb", "CPU frequency" or "HT Reference". Or, the main CPU voltage control may be called "core voltage", "vcore" "or CPU VID". The CPU clock multiplier may also be called "CPU ratio". If you will take some digital camera pictures of the overclocking sections of your bios and then attach them with you posts then we will help you sort them out.

 

[WoodenKiwi]

Thanks guys, I think I'm beginning to understand all this, at least a little. I was thrown off because CPU/HT Reference Clock is controlled by the - and + buttons, not by a sub menu like everything. Currently have it up to 3.4Ghz using manual controls.

As for the multiplier, neither reference to it or CPU ratio are in the bios, but I'm pretty sure that's because the Athlon II X4 640 has a locked multiplier. Anyways here are shots of my bios screen and CPU-Z screens, let me know if there's any way I can tweak it further. Thanks everyone!

These screens are from before I bumped it up to 227Mhz

 

[trents]

You do have the ability to change the CPU multiplier but only in a downward direction. I think it's "CPU Clock Control". The things I have underlined in red are the things you will need to manipulate. Take you "CPU Configuration" off of "Auto" and you may see more choices. Very weird bios.

 

[trents]

Look at the CPU-z "CPU" pics. The "HT Link" frequency is getting too high and will cause instability. Keep it between 1800-2000 mhz. To do so, take "Lind Speed" off of Auto. Your "Core Voltate" at 1.62 is excessively high. You should be able to get that CPU to about 3.7-3.8 ghz on under 1.5 vcore. Looks to me like you just started punching in random values rather than increasing things gradually, stress testing for stability and monitoring temps. Have you monitored you core temps yet while stress testing? Your CPU NB voltage at 1.388 is also unnecessarily high. Where did you get these values? And look at your DRAM frequency in the "Memory" tab of CPU-z. It's at 750 mhz memory bus frequency (which equals 1500 mhz in DDR3 transfer rate terms). That's way higher than the ram is rated for, i.e., 1333. Man, that overclock is a mess!

 

[WoodenKiwi]

So fiddling with those might let me get above 3.4Ghz? Right now it's running stable between 34C and 46C so I think I can get a bit more out of it.

 

[trents]

Go into Memory Configuration and set your baseline ram speed to 1066 instead of 1333. That will give it room to accommodate the "growing" CPU/HT Reference Clock frequency. The HT Ref. Clock is the master system bus that all other bus frequencies are tuned to. So when the HT Ref. grows so does the ram frequency, the HT Link frequency and the CPUNB frequency, all of which need to be adjusted downward if they get too high or they will create instability.

When you say its running stable "between 34C and 46C" do you refer to the CPU (socket) temp or the core temps? The core temps are the critical ones. What are you measuring temps with and how are you "stressing" the overclock to test for temps and stability? Are you using HWMonitor and Prime95? These are two standard tools in our arsenal of overclocking helps. Better get them if you haven't already.

 

[WoodenKiwi]

Thanks, this is helping me a lot, I got those values by pumping up to the max values considered safe(green) by the BIOS...guess that wasn't a great way to start haha. I'll go make those changes now

 

[trents]

No, its certainly not the way to do safe overclocking. Its the way to fry equipment.

My friend, my suggestion is that you start over from scratch with everything set to stock frequencies and voltages. Then start overclocking in a patient, systematic fashion that will both protect your equipment and allow you to learn something from the process.

So if you are willing, download and install HWMonitor and Prime95, put all bios settings back to stock values. Then open HWMonitor on the desktop. Leave it open. Open Prime95 and run the torture blend test "just stress testing" for 20 minutes to check what your "max" core temps are under load. Then post back with pics of HWMonitor. Agreed?

I'll check this thread in the morning as it's late and I need to get some sleep. Adios amigo.

 

[WoodenKiwi]

Thanks trents, I seriously appreciate all the help, things are getting progressively clearer.

I went back and set everything to default(Auto in most cases) then put a few settings to the most minimal custom setting available, then played with the Reference Clock progressively, seeing what would and would not boot properly, and got to 228Mhz. Here are screens of CPU-Z, HWMonitor after the stress test, and Prime 95 after the stress test.






Am I looking any better now? Hopefully things look a bit less like a child did the OCing. Still not sure where to go from here though, do I really have a chance of making it to 3.8Ghz? I was expecting to make it to 3.5Ghz at best.


EDIT:

I took another crack at it after doing a little more reading, now running at 230Mhz/3.45Ghz and brought the HT Link way down to just above 1800Mhz. During the stress test it hit 61C core temps pretty quick so I used my fan controller to ramp my two case fans up from 60% speed to 90%, which resulted in temps hovering between 57C and 62C for the rest of the test. Am I gonna be ok running the fans like this all the time? Or am I risking a short life span on the fans?(Using NZXT Sentry 2 touch fan controller)

Anyways here is the screenshot for the latest, I'll leave the setup as is until I get some feedback, thanks!

 

[Mitukczuk]

Hey, this thread can help you as it deals with my overclocking of Athlon X4 640.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=685291&highlight=athlon+640+overclocking

These were my end results -
3,45Ghz on 1.450V, 230 Mhz BUS, HT 900Mhz.

Running idle on 26C and under max load the maximum temp was 54C (Prime for 2 full hours)

I think you won't get past 3.4 Ghz with that cooler. The temps are also too close to 62C; Although it is the maximum temp your CPU can deal with, you don't want to be too close to it as it shortens the life span of your CPU. Try to lower the vcore to 1.45v .

 

[WoodenKiwi]

I read an account on youtube of a guy who got 3.8Ghz going on this processor with the same CPU cooler as me, though that may be due to him having a better motherboard. Either way I am hopeful to squeeze a little more out of it.

Also, I remember reading somewhere that the max safe temp for this processor is 71C, though I'll have to confirm that now that I've read your thread and Keny suggested the max to be 55C. I guess I will have to either try a lower vcore or wait to hear back from some experienced users before I try anything too taxing at this setting.

Thanks for the info! Glad to see I'm not the only one playing with this CPU!

EDIT: According to AMD, the max temp is 71C, but I'm not sure how close you can get to that max without asking for trouble :/

http://products.amd.com/pages/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=654

 

[Mitukczuk]

It is actually a good CPU to start overclocking on. It was my first overclocking experience and since then I'have overclocked/upgraded practically every pc my family owns.
You have to take into consideration that every pc build is different and someone with the exact same specs as you can have better results/temps. It depends on lot of things - case, air management, thermal paste, correct heatsink mount. Some people are getting good results even with a stock cooler.

71 degs is NOT the correct max temp. Use AMD website to check it. The max temp due to the manufacturing process is from 56-62C.

 

[WoodenKiwi]

I added it as an edit to my previous post but the AMD product spec page I found(see below) for the CPU definitely specifies 71C for the max. Is this page wrong or outdated? I definitely want to find out definitively before I keep pushing things skywards.

http://products.amd.com/pages/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=654

 

[trents]

Looking good Kiwi but you are already at the temp wall with your core temps and maybe a little beyond. We know from experience that an overclocked AMD CPU will begin to get unstable when core temps start to exceed mid 50s c. Instability sets in well before you reach "unsafe" temps. You are there already (unstable temp wall, I mean) and will need a better cooler to progress. 20 minute Prime95 tests are good for checking tentative stability with a given set of overclock settings and is economical from a time standpoint when "roughing out" the overclock and for gauging max temps but at least 2 hours of Prime would be necessary to confirm that those settings will really work. I would do a longer test like that to confirm stability at this point. Some suggestions: 1. Increase your CPUNB voltage to about 1.225-1.25 and your ram voltage to about 1.55. That usually helps with stability. Also, I would consider lowering your CPU multiplier from 15x to 14x or 14.5x and going up with your HT Reference some more in order to get you ram speed up to 666/1333, the ram's rated speed. That way you can keep the CPU stable while getting more out of your ram. Make sense?

I would request that the pics you submit not be all on one image of the desktop but the images of CPU-z and HWMonitor be saved and uploaded as individual images like you did in your earliest posts. They have gotten so small I can't read some of the values because you have lumped them all together. I know it's more work but my monitor is only 19" wide and my eyes are 61 years old.

Lastly, could you put your system specs in some detail in your "Sig"? Go to the top of the screen and click on "Quick Links" and "Edit Signature". You can use mine for a reference to know what kind of stuff to put there. That way your system specs travel with your posts and that helps the rest of us as the thread gets longer. You should have enough posts now to access that feature.

I must get ready for work now but will check in with you this afternoon or evening.

 

[WoodenKiwi]

Awesome, thanks trents,I will keep tweaking and run a long test once I get the temp lower.

I feel like the issue could be resolved if I could lower the vcore, but the BIOS only offers auto and +0.05 v as the lowest adjustment. Is there any way to set the vcore lower? Possibly through p states or something? I think if I can hit 1.4v or just under it may give me a bit more wiggle room.

 

[trents]

I guess I should clarify something I said earlier. Your CPU is probably capable of 3.7-3.8 ghz with top drawer air cooling and other quality components and good case ventilation, etc.

 

[trents]

Awesome, thanks trents,I will keep tweaking and run a long test once I get the temp lower.

I feel like the issue could be resolved if I could lower the vcore, but the BIOS only offers auto and +0.05 v as the lowest adjustment. Is there any way to set the vcore lower? Possibly through p states or something? I think if I can hit 1.4v or just under it may give me a bit more wiggle room.

Moot point. If your are going to get a higher end over clock out of your CPU then you will need to have the vcore in the mid to high 1.4s anyway. If you want to undervolt your CPU for temp reasons you could try that but your overclock will be very limited. What you really need is a better cooler.

 

[WoodenKiwi]

It's a Biostar TA880GU3+

My goal is to hit 3.5Ghz, but if there's no way to get there using my current setup I guess I will have to set it up as close as possible and wait until I can buy a newer cooling solution.