Help with AMD OC Stability

[Rpg]

Hi, i have just joined OC and am fairly new at this. I'm having a problem with my AMD Phenom II X4 965BE. When i try to overclock my CPU (I'm using AMD Vision to OC both my GPU and CPU) gaming takes a real big hit even with as little as 1 step up (100/mghz) to 3.5 from stock 3.4. In AMD vision when I run the App to see how much I can overclock it makes it all the way to 4.2/Mghz before it crashes, yet games such as BF3 and Crysis take a big hit in performance. Can anyone assist or explain what is going on? Many thanks! I've tried to attach CPU-Z but was unable to copy and paste it. My core voltage is at 1.4 and my multiplyer is at 17, my HT is at 1000.

 

[tikithorsen]

First off, post all your rig specs so is easier to provide you assistance.
Stop using "AMD Vision" to overclock, that's what the BIOS is for.
You have to upload the screenshot taken from CPU-Z before you can post it here, try imgh.us.
The HT Link and CPU-NB are both at 2000MHz by default on the 965. Try setting them manually to that.

 

[Rpg]

Perhaps some info about my system would be helpful:
ASUS M4N68T-M V2 MB
Cool-Master 212
XFX HD 9650 GPU
500W ? Quality PS
Dual LG Super Multi Blue BD-Rewriters
1 TB WD Velociraptor HDD
240 GB Patriot Wild-Fire SSD
Windows 7 64 Bit

 

[Rpg]

I can navigate around the BIOS, but could use a little step by step help, I don't want to make a mistake. For example your suggestion would require a bit of hand-holding to implement. Thank you very much. By the way, i neglected to mention my RAM, Corsair XMX3 4G X 2.

 

[tikithorsen]

It would help if you can take pictures of your BIOS, because I don't know the BIOS on that particular MoBo.

 

[caddi daddi]

at the top of the amd cpu section you will see a "sticky" dolks guide, it will help you in many ways.

try here http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=596023

reading these guides will help you understand what the people that are going to help you are talking about(the lingo).
the guides mandrake has links to are also good.

 

[trents]

Rpg, I'm pretty sure what's happening is that the method AMD Vision uses to overclock the CPU actually downclocks the ram. Your performance penality, I'm guessing is from the ram speed being significantly lowered. That's generally the way these overclocking programs and the bios auto overclocking genies do their thing.

 

[Rpg]

Sticky dolks guide? At the top of the AMD cpu section, I'm not sure I follow you or where this is exactly? How will it help?
Thanks!

 

[Rpg]

Trouble capturing a picture of my BIOS, does anyone out there have a similar BIOS? From all that I have learned about this CPU it is most stable @ 3.8Ghz OC, how exactly do i get there through the BIOS? Thank you!

 

[Mandrake4565]

Rpg, read these two guides before you more on. It will give you a better understanding of what you are doing. They will also help you understand, what the people that are going to try and help you, are saying.

http://www.techreaction.net/forums/amd/367-dolks-guide-phenom-ii.html

http://sites.amd.com/us/Documents/AMD_Dragon_AM3_AM2_Performance_Tuning_Guide.pdf

 

[Rpg]

Thank you, I will study the guides. Cheers to all!

 

[tikithorsen]

Also Rpg, don't forget to check out your motherboards manual, so you get more familiarized with your BIOS settings.
Good luck!

 

[RGone]

^+1^

Why with so many software OC things around...we try to stay the heck away from the stuff. Good call 'trents'.

Rpg, I'm pretty sure what's happening is that the method AMD Vision uses to overclock the CPU actually downclocks the ram. Your perfermance penality, I'm guessing is from the ram speed being significantly lowered. That's generally the way these overclocking programs and the bios auto overclocking genies do their thing.

 

[Rpg]

Help with OC AMD Phenom II X4 965BE

As suggested, I read the white papers on OC, WOW! I think I'm a bit out of my element here, however there is some good news. After reading I dove into my BIOS, all of my CPU and memory options were greyed out unless I selected Jumperless configuration, in there to my surprise, under CPU settings was an automated feature called, of course, Overclocking, I could select 3%, 5%, and lastly 7% OC. On the right hand side of the BIOS screen in this menu it said "Based on my selection, "all relavent system parameters will be automatically adjusted", and they were! In CPU-Z my clock speed went up to 3.65 from stock 3.4. My multiplyer is at 17, Bus speed increased from 200 to 215, HT link from 1000 to 1071, DRAM frquency up from 666 to 715, NB frequency from 2000 to 2141. Most surprising is my CPU voltage went DOWN from 1.54 to 1.44! Also, my CPU is running cooler, from a resting temp of 37c to 34c! how can this be explained? My only problem, and it's not huge, is my GPU temp increased by 5c to 49c from 44c?? Anyway I really wanted to hit 3.8/Mgz but attempting everything I learned from the white papers, the ASUS MB would not let me manually adjust anything in CPU or Memory, it always gave a selection on the right hand side of the screen and all roads when calculated led to 3.65. This was an easy OC, but how to get to 3.8??
Thanks to all and sorry for being so verbose.
Rpg

 

[tikithorsen]

As suggested, I read the white papers on OC, WOW! I think I'm a bit out of my element here, however there is some good news. After reading I dove into my BIOS, all of my CPU and memory options were greyed out unless I selected Jumperless configuration, in there to my surprise, under CPU settings was an automated feature called, of course, Overclocking, I could select 3%, 5%, and lastly 7% OC. On the right hand side of the BIOS screen in this menu it said "Based on my selection, "all relavent system parameters will be automatically adjusted", and they were! In CPU-Z my clock speed went up to 3.65 from stock 3.4. My multiplyer is at 17, Bus speed increased from 200 to 215, HT link from 1000 to 1071, DRAM frquency up from 666 to 715, NB frequency from 2000 to 2141. Most surprising is my CPU voltage went DOWN from 1.54 to 1.44! Also, my CPU is running cooler, from a resting temp of 37c to 34c! how can this be explained? My only problem, and it's not huge, is my GPU temp increased by 5c to 49c from 44c?? Anyway I really wanted to hit 3.8/Mgz but attempting everything I learned from the white papers, the ASUS MB would not let me manually adjust anything in CPU or Memory, it always gave a selection on the right hand side of the screen and all roads when calculated led to 3.65. This was an easy OC, but how to get to 3.8??
Thanks to all and sorry for being so verbose.
Rpg

The increase GPU temp could be because you used the auto OC option which in turn OC'ed the PCIE and GPU, not quite sure though.
¿Is your Phenom a Black Edition?
If it's, there's no reason why you shouldn't do everything manually

Also, don't be lazy and make a signature with your rig

 

[Mandrake4565]

RPG, I personally wouldn't let the BOIS do the OC for me. It is OCing you 965BE through the FSB. Just because you are letting the BOIS do it doesn't mean it is going to be stable. With the 965BE and a 212 CPU cooler you shouldn't have a problem overclocking it to 3.8 by using the multiplier. I would set it back to the stock settings and learn how to do it manually through the BOIS. I am no expert at this and every CPU OC's differently, I feel that 1.44v is still a little high for such a mild OC. Another issue I see is, looking at your Motherboard, it is considered an "entry level" board. Looking at the board on the Asus website I don't see a lot of heatsinks on the important areas for overclocking. If you try and push the overclock too far you may kill the board.

 

[trents]

RPg, I'm guessing the reason many of your bios options are grayed out is you have the main headers of those sections on "Auto" when they need to be on "Manual". And a lot of bioses use the "+" and "-" keys to make changes to settings and values.

Concerning having a hard time capturing pictures of your bios screens, the only way you can do it is to snap pics with a digital camera and then attach them with your post. There is a built-in forum tool for attaching images to a post. To do this, first save the images to disc. If you are working with screenshots of desktop program windows, first crop and save the images to disc using something like Snipping Tool found in Windows Accessories. Then click on the Go Advanced button found at the bottom of any new post window. When the Advanced post window appears, clickin the little paperclip icon at the top. This will load the file browser/upload tool and the rest will be obvious.

 

[Rpg]

Trets, I've learned quite a bit building this computer, having the chance to do it over again I would done it differently. I agree that i have an entry level MB, my mistake, but working with my local computer store (not some big chain) i was informed i would most likely see no difference in performance (at stock configuration). As far as the grayed out CPU screen, I have to select something called "Jumperless Configuration" to gain access. I'm not sure what that quite means, but it's my only way in, and when I do get in, the BIOS seems to have built in "Brick Walls", even when I select manual, there is a display that pops up on the right hand side of the BIOS providing me with selections that max out @3.65 up from stock 3.4. Thanks for your help, I'll take all the advise I can get, especially if there is a way around this!

AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
ASUS M4N68T-M V2 MB
Cool Master 212 Single Fan
Corsair XMS3 4GX2 1333
Antec 500W PS
Dual LG Blue BD Re-Writers
Antec Case
HP W2207 Display
XFX Radion HD9650 2GB GPU
WD 1TB Velociraptor HDD
Patriot Wildfire 240GB SSD
Windows 7 32 and 64 bit

 

[Dlaw]

That doesn't sound too different from my old board. Take all of the information I give you with a grain of salt, as this pertains to my experience with a different board (of the same company, with similar BIOS, as far as I can tell).

When you enter BIOS, go to the Advanced tab/JumperFree Configuration/CPU OverClocking and set that to Manual. Then, underneath it should give you extensive options for frequencies, multipliers and voltages for your CPU. From there, be sure you've at least read Dolk's Guide, and adjust frequencies and voltage as needed. Just keep in mind that your board is not designed for heavy overclocking, so you may not get the speed you want on it. If you run into a problem, let us know.

EDIT: Looking over your manual, you may not get the option for increasing the multiplier.

 

[Rpg]

Well, I'm making progress! OC my CPU to 4.04 @1.44V, OC my RAM (1333) to 1740 both manually and left everything else @ Auto. My Ram did change though from 999,24,34 to 111111,28,36, why did the clocking go down? Lastly, I'm really stuck on one thing. I was comparing my set-up to another persons on another forum that had almost exactly the same set-up I have. In CPU-Z their HTT was approximately 2000, mine is at 1043. First even after the suggested reading I'm not sure what this is an I can't find it by name, can someone tell me what this is, what it may otherwise be called or referenced and where is it usually found in the BIOS. Thank you very much!
Rpg
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition OC'd to 3.8 from 3.4 stock
ASUS M4N68T-M V2 MB
Cool Master 212 Single Fan
Corsair Vengence 2X4GB 1600 OC'd to 1800 9-9-9-24
Antec 500W PS
Dual LG Blue BD Re-Writers
Antec Case
HP W2207 Display
XFX Radion HD9650 2GB GPU
WD 1TB Velociraptor HDD
Patriot Wildfire 240GB SSD
Windows 7 32 and 64 bit