Help with gaming PC

[Lothyr]

Hey OP,

I also have a 965 BE (diff. MoBo) w/ DDR3-1600 RAM (9-9-9-27-36-1T-1.65v)
I set CPU FID to 21 (I found max. on my CPU is 22.5 approximately w/ my cooling, apparently the chip will do A LOT more (7 GHz with LN2 - not an option lol)
CPU=x21 (1.5v)
FSB=200 MHz
HT Link x10 (2000MHz) - {did this so I can "pick" DDR3-1600 mem. multi. in BIOS} I opted not to mess w/ RAM timings etc.
NB=x13 (2600 MHz) +0.1v (1.2v)
Other various settings in BIOS (depends on your BIOS of course)
ASUS HD 6850@900/1100MHz (1.162v)

As of now, this rig is stable as a 90 year old cripple crossing a rope bridge (j/k) Seriously,100% stable via IntelBurnTests/SuperPi/Prime95/FurMark/3DMark11/SP2004(multiple)/OCCT/Unigine's Heaven/Kombuster/etc....Have not run Memtest86+ for 3+ hours yet...apparently that is the standard of Stability...

Cooling is definitely a priority as these K10 run as HOT as Georgia asphalt in August.

Max. CPU temp.(Danger Level) is 62C, which I have verged on in some testing. I like to keep max. @ 55C for all testing purposes, but around 32c-38c provides much better stability. There is some info on web about core temps versus CPU temp. I am not 100% clear on this, but be aware that AIDA64 sensor monitor reports Core temps somewhere in the range of +5-10c HIGHER than CPU temp....So I focus on those Core Temps instead of overall CPU temp...

I am not familiar w/ iRacing game, but Battlefield 3 is my choice and this Rig is clocking in FPS above 50 w/ AA/AF/High to Ultra settings..I would guess iRacing will do same if not better...

Good Luck

Now where is that "Make Everything Work Better/Faster/Perfectly Button?"

 

[that1guyinwi]

When I did some testing using the AMD overdrive the temps got up to 62C so I stopped the test. I think that was at 3.7ghz I think i'll invest in some better cooler before I start OC settings. And learn how to OC the correct way. Read read read.

 

[Lothyr]

I had same results/temperatures during testing...K10s will fail/become unstable at those higher temps., I ended up buying a portable air conditioner and basically pushing 18c air in to the case, repeated testing and benching worked really well when CPU was around 50c max...{maybe $250 or so, but hey your office room will be cool too!} I have no doubt you can up your CPU multiplier a few notches or find some FSB/CPU multi. combination that works for you.

I don't know if you have looked in to Fan control, but setting up a custom fan profile is important too. Your Bios may have that option {idk}, but there are various tools floating around internet.

I boost my fan speeds way up when temps start approaching like 35c, I like the fan to ramp up early to give the chip time to start cooling...IDK, maybe your fans are on default?

 

[that1guyinwi]

I have the fans set to max at 40c. Just thinking about upgrading all my case fans. Already did the front fan. Maybe do the back and top fan and also add fans to the side. My pc sits in the basement, I only use it for my racing sim rig.

 

[Lothyr]

XFX 7950 DD BE?

Your GPU is that "XFX 7950 DD BE"?

I glanced at it and if you are using Catalyst version 12-4 or so I would also start using ATI's Tray Tools if it will work with your card. Thats a nice card. You can basically get rid of Vision/Overdrive, etc. and just use ATT...The bonus is being able to just have your GPU drivers and no CCC or MOM {taking up valuable RAM}

A really nice feature is the OnScreen Display...

 

[that1guyinwi]

Yup its the 7950 Double D Black Ed. iRacing doesn't support multi GPUs so its one of the best for triple screen.

 

[Lothyr]

!!

Whoa!

Are you an Ex-Nascar Driver or something?

You remind me of my friend who was/is (idk) a Ford Nascar Engineer, he had a set up kind of like yours, but no where near on Awesomeness level.

YOU, Sir,

 

[Lothyr]

Do you have Brembo brakes on that thing? lol

 

[that1guyinwi]

No Brembo brakes, cost to much to upgrade to lol.

So i've been reading on all this OCing stuff. And Im still a little lost on my memory setting. My memory is rated at 1600 8-9-8-24 @ 1.65v Stock bios sets it at 1333 9-9-9-24 1.5v. Should I leave it or change anything?

 

[Knufire]

Bump the voltage up to 1.65 and reduce the timings as far as they will go. Phenom IIs don't really like memory faster than 1333MHz.

 

[Lothyr]

Memory Timings are tricky. After I started reading about overclocking memory, etc. I decided not too. One less potential problem to worry about. Personally, I run my memory at 9-9-9-27-36-1t, just a bit tighter timings than Kingston specs.

Basically:
cas 9

then 27=9+9+9
and 36=27+9
My memory likes "loose" timings, yours is "tighter"...
iirc this was recommended somewheres from interwebz...

Command rate: if your ram can do 1t set it there, my guess is yours can easily.

But, if your ram has a a profile [email protected] I would set those in Bios and set HT Link to 2000MHz{most people seem to agree that this size "pipe" is all you will need, but you have kind of a special situation, maybe 2400MHz would help you with 3 monitors and that Beast of a Card lol} w/ FSB = 200MHz, then you can pick DDR3-1600 in your BIOS ram speed selection...If you really wanted to try overclocking your memory you can, but I saw somewheres that a guy got only like 1744MHz out of DDR3-1600 which too me is not enough to justify toying with it...

P.S. I attached some light reading you might find useful...

AMD's Dragon Performance Tuning Guide...Seems pretty good reference...

If your feeling techie oriented look at the 31116 document from AMD also, "BIOS and Kernel Developer’s Guide (BKDG) For AMD Family 10h Processors" (K10s)

I warn you though, it's 472 pages lol. Stuff thats pertains to your chip is a lot less pages...

Let me know how it turns out

 

[that1guyinwi]

As the memory im not looking to OC it, just find what best setting to run it at is. iRacing only uses 2GB ram at most. Looks like I have some good reading material to look over, might have to take a long lunch break today lol.
Well I ordered the Hyper 212 EVO, and a couple new case fans. The wife said I could only spend $60 will see how it goes. Parts should be here Saturday. Hopefully Sunday I can get them installed and try to do some settings.

 

[that1guyinwi]

Well I got the new cooler (212 EVO) and case fans installed. Did some cable clean up and what a difference. Here are what my settings are now. Seems to be running good. I think Im suppose to change the timing of the memory seeing that im running at 1333 and not 1600. Do these setting seem to be ok?

 

[manu2b]

Kind of very high vCore for 3.7GHz.

You should be stable with 1.35/1.36v.

 

[that1guyinwi]

I will change right now and test. Thanks.

 

[that1guyinwi]

Seems to be running prime a ok, and about 7c cooler.
Scratch that, just got blue screen. Put cpu v at 3.75 and trying again.

 

[that1guyinwi]

Hey everyone, thanks for all the help with OC'n my PC. Its running at 3.7 an working like a champ. Now I have another question. Seeing I didnt know what I was doing when I ordered replacement case fans. I got 2 PWN Coolermaster Excalibur 120mm fans.I have a Y adapter and they both run off my SYS 1 fan power header. But the Gigabyte BIOS does not run them very fast, they never seem to speed up, and when I turn the System Smart Fan off they run full power. I looked to a fan controller but there is not much out for PWN fans. So I was wondering seeing that I run the CPU fan at full speed all the time could I plug my CPU Cooler fan into the SYS1 Header with Smart fan turned off and then put my 2 case fans on the CPU Header and control them with the Easy Tune CPU fan control ???

 

[that1guyinwi]

So I think I found my answer if no, the header will not support that much amperage but then I found this.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119248

Its a Rosewill PWM Splitter. Turns one PWM fan header into 3 and takes the power from the PSU. Or I could leave the CPU in the CPU and get the Rosewill cable and a Zalman PWM mate and do it off the SYS 1 fan header. Anyone have some input to make sure Im thinking correct on this? Thx