Help with FX-6300 Overclock

[CerebralEdge]

Ok, so I ran a 4.0 Ghz Prime95 small FFT test with stock voltages vcore 1.344 "Normal" LLC for 20 mins. No errors currently.

CPU


Memory


SPD


HWMonitor


Rgone, I used your recommended timings of 9-9-9-24-41 and 2 command rate. For some reason those fields are blank on CPU-Z.

Mandrake, I also read into the Pll you referred to and I think I'll try nudging the voltage up slightly, seeing as I have a GB mobo.

In the mean time I'm going to try going for 4.5Ghz again with HT at 2600Mhz, NB at 2200Mhz NB at 1.25v, RAM at 1600Mhz. I'll be upping multiplier and using FSB at 200 for now, but I want to tinker with FSB later.

EDIT: I have 2 NB settings, one for the CPU NB and one for (i'm assuming) the mobo NB chip. The core voltage for CPU NB is an offset... should I be adjusting this as well?

I do have one question though; Now that my RAM timings are at a more acceptable setting, how much of an FSB adjustment can I make before i have to loosen them? If I run a higher FSB can I drop my memory ratio/HT/NB multipliers to compensate? I've used 209, 228 in previous overclocking attempts.

 

[Mandrake4565]

I have 2 NB settings, one for the CPU NB and one for (i'm assuming) the mobo NB chip. The core voltage for CPU NB is an offset... should I be adjusting this as well?

It seems as if on the boards with Fx Cpu's the Nb Cpu V is set too low for overclocking it. I usually find an increase from 1.25-1.35 good for a mild overclock.

As far as going for 4.5 are you just going to set it there and pray or are you going to work your way up to it? It will be a lot less frustrating if you work slowly to it .5 at a time test 20 minutes watch temps and then add voltage accordingly.

 

[RGone]

I see that your Vcore is around 1.356V and I had suggested setting manually for 1.38Vcore. By manually, I meant n0 offset voltage setting. When you say that the CPU_NB is in offset mode that generally means that the CPU Vcore is also in offset mode. Or that is how my Asus CHV works. Manual is a straight up voltage to be assigned and Manual Offset mode is an ADDED voltage to the default for CPU and CPU_NB.

Rgone, I used your recommended timings of 9-9-9-24-41 and 2 command rate. For some reason those fields are blank on CPU-Z. = As long as we know that CMR is set 2T then it is okay. I see CMR n0t be shown fairly regularly.

Mandrake, I also read into the Pll you referred to and I think I'll try nudging the voltage up slightly, seeing as I have a GB mobo. = I doubt a nudge will do much because the user we saw making that setting work was at like 2.59 to 2.61 from stock of 2.55V for most brand boards. That is a pretty hefty move.

In the mean time I'm going to try going for 4.5Ghz again with HT at 2600Mhz, NB at 2200Mhz NB at 1.25v, RAM at 1600Mhz. I'll be upping multiplier and using FSB at 200 for now, but I want to tinker with FSB later. = You can tinker with manipulating HT Frequency and CPU_NB speed as much as you want to if we get this thing to 4.5Ghz stable. At that point it will be up to you to bring the settings together at whatever you wish to try. NOTE: DDR3-2000 has been found to be better with a slightly tighter timing than DDR3-2133.

EDIT: I have 2 NB settings, one for the CPU NB and one for (i'm assuming) the mobo NB chip. The core voltage for CPU NB is an offset... should I be adjusting this as well? = Currently we have seen no need to adjust Mobo NB upward in voltage. So it is only the CPU_NB voltage that we are actually concerned with.

I do have one question though; Now that my RAM timings are at a more acceptable setting, how much of an FSB adjustment can I make before i have to loosen them? If I run a higher FSB can I drop my memory ratio/HT/NB multipliers to compensate? I've used 209, 228 in previous overclocking attempts. = I see you are ready to race off again. Not overly familiar with the 8GB Corsair Vengeance (No part number or model number) but generally I would expect the current settings to work to about DDR3-1750 or so that would be DDR3-150 overclock from current speed and with current timings. That is what I would expect/suspect if the ram works as some other ram has. We hope to get 4.5Ghz stable with a multiplier of 22.5 times 200 for 4.5Ghz cpu speed and then you can manipulate to your hearts content.

RGone...ster.

 

[RGone]

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=727263&page=2

Link to page #2 of the thread entitled "So your looking for an AMD FX motherboard, things you need to know." Authored by "ssjwizard". Reading from page #1 is also very good reading.

Post # 37 maybe of interest to Rev 3.0 users of the 990FX UD3. We have had n0 report of any bios but that beta one having an option for Disable = APM in bios. Rev 3.0 boards were not in retail over about 3 or so months it seems before release of the Rev 4.0 boards.

"tungureanu" author of post #37 also has a thread where he listed all '10' of the problems he had with this 990FX UD3 Rev 3.0.

RGone...ster.

 

[CerebralEdge]

Another update:

Tried getting 4.5Ghz... and again I ran into problems when trying to get past 4.4Ghz. I had to bump the voltage up SIGNIFICANTLY to get it to run stable at 4.5.

Also, I looked for a manual voltage option, but it appears i'm limited to offset voltage on this motherboard...

So, here's what I tried.

CPU vcore: +0.125v (stock 1.344v)
CPU NB: +0.100v
CPU Pll: 2.575v
RAM: 1.536v

LLC set to MEDIUM (I'll try some different combinations of lower offset and higher LLC and vice versa to fine-tune the voltage)

CPU:


MEMORY:


SPD:


HWMonitor:


The temperatures are about as high as I risk going for a stress test.

 

[Mandrake4565]

Ummm, Hot Hot Hot. I think you're at the top temp wise!

 

[CerebralEdge]

I realized that as well, so I found a quick and simple solution.

I took the front dust filter off my MIDI R2 because I thought it was restricting airflow. I also cranked up the fan controllers for my radiator fans to 1500RPM... that dust filter is brutal, I managed to drop max temp at 4.50ghz down to 62c, now it's fluctuating between 58-62.

I guess that's the price you gotta pay for a clean case

gonna try again.

 

[Mandrake4565]

Yeah a clean case is nice and you'll probably never stress it under normal circumstances as hard as prime does.

 

[CerebralEdge]

Latest Attempt:

CPU:


MEM


SPD


HWMonitor


30 mins into Prime95 custom blend using 75% of RAM.

Temperatures seems to fluctuate between 59-63c.

+0.125v vcore LLC Medium
+0.125v CPU NB

I'll see if this runs for 8 hours on prime95; if so I'm happy with that for stability.

With that being said however, I have an observation and a two part question.

It seems Module 3 (cores #4 and #5) is the runt of the chip. No other cores fail or error at these speeds.

Which cores are used when Turbo Core is engaged? I'm assuming #0 and #1??

If so, is it possible to stress test those cores at a higher frequency (say for example my max turbo multiplier of 20.5 ---> 4.73GHz) and enable turbo core?

This way I could settle for a lower base clock for multithreaded loads, but get higher clocks during single threaded loads.

Any thoughts?

 

[RGone]

Page #40 of the downloaded manual >> MIT menu >> Advanced Voltage Settings >>

And a picture of MIT and these words are all that are there >> This sub-menu allows you to set CPU, Chipset, and memory voltages.

No later description like the page after page of Sata devices and Raid. But just about zero information in the Manual for the Rev 3.0 board. That plainly sucketh.

You can turn cores off. I have seen no way to pick the cores that are accellerated by TurboCore. I have watched core loading for my FX-8350 and it does not necessarily start with core 0. Sometimes and sometimes not. So I see no way to ensure which cores are accellerated.

I think you are more than likely just hung with that Rev 3.0 board since it has been nothing but a pain for most in OCF that post anyway. You might try that beta bios spoken of above. It does have APM = Disable in it and that tends to help smooth out power delivery to the Cpu from VRM.

Either way that is an enormous Vcore to get that cpu to no more speed than it is showing. And that Vcore is surely raising the temps to a level I would be hard-pressed to really like day in and day out. In general under perhaps normal workloads the temps would not reach the level shown when running P95 Blend, but man that is a lot of heat and voltage for so little return and that compared to what I felt was nearly a boat anchor of an FX-6300 I tested for a few weeks.

 

[CerebralEdge]

Yeah I agree Rgone, I tried going higher with the same vcore but my system couldn't reach stability no matter what I tried...

Looks as though I have a poor chip and a less than stellar motherboard.

I'm gonna try for 4.45ghz with less vcore.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

I think what would help most here now is a better cooler.

These chips can get unstable with core temps over 60-65C. If you can bring them back down to ~50C at the same voltage, I would almost guarantee it would be stable again.

 

[Infinite66]

hey cerebra edge. i have an fx 6300 as well. just got it stable at 4.2 ghz @ 1.325 V. i have corsair vengeance ram as well. set for ddr3 1600 @ 9-9-9-24 out of the box. i had your board a while back, and saw that to get stable at the same speed, with the same ram speed and timings i just mentioned, it took nearly. 1.4 v. Bought a new mobo, and am Currently using the Asrock 990fx extreme 3. Your motherboard ia a huge hassle. so if i were you, id push for 4.4 ish and leave it there. for instance, as rgone was so kind to tell me,y asrock doesnt have that great of a power phase. it takes 1.5ish v to get my cpu stable @ 4.6 ghz.

 

[CerebralEdge]

Tried tweaking a bit... I think I found some setting this motherboard likes.

FSB 240

+0.100v vcore
+0.100v NB

LLC Medium









Gonna try bump the voltage slightly and see if it'll do 4.5 on a 240 FSB.

Almost an hour into Prime95 with 4.44GHz.

EDIT: Failed at 20k length...

 

[GilbertC06]

Just realized what board you have.

I returned that sucker for a reason.

 

[Mandrake4565]

Gonna try bump the voltage slightly and see if it'll do 4.5 on a 240 FSB.

Almost an hour into Prime95 with 4.44GHz.

EDIT: Failed at 20k length...

A failed worker an hour in means you're close. Maybe another bump in Cpu V may help.

 

[RGone]

Just realized what board you have.

I returned that sucker for a reason.

I remember that also.
RGone...

 

[CerebralEdge]

Ok, so I finally got something stable.

I dropped my voltage to a reasonable level with a 0.075v vcore offset on both CPU and NB. LLC set to ultra high.

I bumped my RAM voltage up to 1.48v to compensate for the increased RAM speed at 9-9-9-41 2 Command Rate. I'm very impressed it can run that tight stable at 1832MHz!

Here's some shots after 5 hours of prime. Gonna let it run overnight too.









Couldn't get 4.5 GHz stable at anything less than 1.51v so I gave up.

There was just too much heat for my H60 to handle as I went to 1.5v. I'll definitely upgrade to an H110 and a higher quality motherboard for future builds.

It was hard getting 4.4GHz stable for more than an hour below 1.476v so I dropped 50Mhz and was able to get 4.35GHz at 1.452v with LLC. Temps max at 59c, but seems to hover around 52c most of the time.

I want to thank everyone for their input; I've definitely learned a lot from all of you.

Here's hoping that Kaveri/Excavator overclock like beasts

 

[Wipeout]

Rgone, you seem to be very experienced with the over clocking game, I appreciate the post!

So I added a signature to make it easier to identify what hardware I'm running, and I looked at my board... Its a rev 3.0, which is why I put a 60mm cooling fan onto my VRM heat sink. When initially purchased the board, I was unaware of the issues surrounding GB boards. I saw dual x16 lanes for Xfire and a decent price... Haha

Looks like it'll be Asus for me when i upgrade to Excavator down the road.

I'm gonna take the advice I've been given and make some changes to my settings. I'll see if i can find a stable 4.0ghz at a low voltage, upload some screen captures, and take it from there.

I'll be thrilled if i can get a stable 4.5 GHz.

I'm in the process of upgrading both of my rigs, but work has me on the ropes for the last month, so let me add my 2 cents....

I have a FX6300 using a GA-970A-UD3, and a Hyper 212 Evo. Your motherboard has the 990 chipset, which is much better than the 970, and your on water. On stock speeds I run my 6300 @ 1.27v prime tested. My overclock profile is is at 1.35v @ 4.4g prime tested. Cpu core never goes above 47C on 4.4g. At 4.5g I take a jump to 52-55C on prime, which is still acceptable. Gaming temps on a heavy load average 40-42C.Your cooling set-up is better than mine, and you can definitely push your cpu higher. Have you tried to lower your voltage just on stock speeds for a starting point. At 1.27 v on stock, my prime testing results for cpu core, never exceeded 32C.My motherboard out of the box, on cpu v-core auto settings, was 1.4 volts.I changed that pretty quickly to 1.27v for a starting point.Actually I tried 1.25v for starters, but that was a no go.

 

[CerebralEdge]

wipeout, that's a good point. I'll continue to tinker with voltages to see if I can lower my max temps even more.