New to OC - where to start

[OCD-OC]

I hate being a n00b .. let me just get that out the way first !

I know my way round a PC, and have just finished my new watercooled rig
(all the kit in my sig, work-log linked at bottom)

So onto the Crux of the matter, I want to make the most of it now !

Where the hell does one start with an OC ?

I've been reading Dolks guide, and it's a few years old .. does it still apply to Thuban (1090T) ?

can anyone help me out with the first steps ?

do I change the HTT ? or change the RAM timings or bump the v's ?

Gaaah too many variables...

I'm not scared to change settings in the BIOS .. but for obvious reasons (about £3000 worth of reasons) am not going to push it too far over 4.0 - 4.5 Ghz .. and what else do I change to make the RAM and NB run at comparable speeds ?

then later when I get into it, I'll WC the GPU's ( will have three 5870's under water by then) and we'll start new thread on GPU OC's

Thanks for your attention, look forward to your help

ta
OCD

 

[QuietIce]

I've been following your WC thread so heat shouldn't be an issue!

The first place to start with any OC - and especially with a new board/BIOS, even if you're an "Old Timer" like me - is getting familiar with your BIOS. Since it's also an excellent idea to put all the important BIOS settings on manual you get to kill two birds with one stone! So, grab that board manual (if needed to help you navigate) and change the following settings from Auto to:

HTRef (CPU frequency): 200 MHz
vCore: 1.40v
CPU Multiplier: 17
cpuNB VDD (or VID): 1.20v
cpuNB multiplier: 10x
HT Link multiplier: 10X

RAM: voltage, speed, and timings to match CPU-Z's SPD tab
Timing abbreviations (CPU-Z = BIOS label):
CAS# Lat = tCL
RAS to CAS = tRCD
RAS Prechrg = tRP
tRAS
tRC
((For your RAM I wouldn't use the advanced timings at first. Stick with DDR3-1600 at the "normal" CAS 8 specs - you can play with the advanced stuff later.))

Also, see if there's a Turbo Mode (or something like it) and turn that off for now, as well as CoolNQuite and C1E.


If you managed to work your way through all of that and the system rebooted OK then you've taken the first step and you're sitting at 3.4 GHz instead 3.2 GHz. For grins (in your case) take a look at the load core temp using OCCT or Prime95+CoreTemp - but you'll also be checking for stability so let it run for 5-10 minutes. You should be well under the 55°C limit, which means you've got LOTS of overhead room left!

From there I'd bump it one CPU multi at a time and when your stress test fails increase the vCore to 1.45v then 1.50v as needed.

You'll also need to adjust the cpuNB voltage and speed when the CPU gets to certain points. After you've got the CPU running 3.6 GHz go back and only increase the cpuNB to 2200 MHz (11X). Check to make sure that's working OK. After that bump the CPU another notch to 3.8 GHz, check that, then go back and bump only the cpuNB to 2400 (12X). Both times when you increase the cpuNB speed you may or may not need to increase the cpuNB voltage - that's why you do it separately from the CPU. If you need to increase the cpuNB voltage use 1.225 and 1.250v as needed.

Here's a synopsis:
CPU at 3.4 GHz (starting from above settings)
CPU to 3.6 GHz -> check stabilty*
(always run Prime95 or OCCT for 5-10 minutes as a quick stability check!)
cpuNB to 2200 MHz (11X) -> check stabilty**
CPU to 3.8 GHz -> check stabilty*
cpuNB to 2400 MHz (12X) -> check stabilty**
CPU to 3.9 GHz -> check stabilty*
CPU to 4.0 GHz -> check stabilty*
CPU to 4.1 GHz ??? -> check stabilty*

*bump voltage as needed by +0.05v (1.45, 1.50, 1.55) - anything past 1.55v is on you
**bump voltage as needed by 0.025v (1.225, 1.250) - anything past 1.250v is on you


Give that a go and post back how far you managed. Hopefully all will go well and you'll be sitting at 4.0 GHz before too long ...

 

[OCD-OC]

Seriously the most comprehensive and yet simple instruction I have ever read

... all makes perfect sense to me and I'll put it into place as soon as I get home ..

the missus is out for the night so I can wander round in my boxers with a beer and have some fun .. ... .... that sounds wrong .. but you get the idea

 

[Dolk]

My guide roughly works with the Thubans. I've been slowly updating a section of the guide to reflect the Thuban.

QuiteIce has it right. if you need anymore help with it, just ask.

 

[QuietIce]

Seriously the most comprehensive and yet simple instruction I have ever read

... all makes perfect sense to me and I'll put it into place as soon as I get home ..

the missus is out for the night so I can wander round in my boxers with a beer and have some fun .. ... .... that sounds wrong .. but you get the idea

TMI!
(... but it sounds a lot like my house except I prefer Wild Turkey and Coke. )


Personally I would stop increasing the CPU speed at whatever point you need to raise the vCore to 1.50 and do a 2-hour stress test after you increase the vCore. So if you're running 3.8 GHz at 1.45v and the stress test fails then increase the vCore to 1.50v and stress two hours. You might also take a look at your load core temp near the end of your test - the WC system should be loaded up by then and you'll get a better idea exactly where you're sitting on temps.

If this is also a speed where you would increase the cpuNB I'd bump both the cpuNB speed and voltage before the test. Normally I wouldn't recommend that but with WC heat shouldn't be an issue at all.

 

[OCD-OC]

okay here goes .. a couple of conflicting names in the BIOS I wanna clear up



am I putting "NB Voltage control" to 1.2 from 1.15 ? ( goes in blocks 1.17, 1.19 then 1.21)

or

"HT Link Voltage control" which is already 1.2v

CPU Voltage control was at 1.475 so I adjusted down -0.075 .. that right ?

HT Link frequency to 10
CPU Clock ratio = 17
CPU Frequency = 200

why they call it all different names ?

Grrr " INDUSTRY STANDARDS PPL !!!" /Grrrrr

so I clocked to 3.4 and ran OCCT

Stock (3.2ghz)
Amb = 24
Idle = 21
Load`= 27

17 x 200 (3.4 ghz)
Amb = 24
Idle = 21
Load`= 31

off we go for next stage

 

[OCD-OC]

18 x 200 (3.6 ) @ 1.4v failed on OCCT startup "Error detected on Core #1"

back into BIOS and set the CPU v 1.425v

just booted up CPU-z ... this lists Core Voltage as 1.248 .. am I looking at wrong thing ?

OCT Lists Vcore as 1.25 v as well

lets try a test anyway

 

[OCD-OC]

"error on core 4 " after 3 minutes

more volts

can't see another CPU Core volts in BIOS .. I must have the right one then

 

[OCD-OC]

it worked then

1.475 CPU volt

18 x 200 3.6 ghz

AMB = 24
IDLE = 21
LOAD = 30

aaaw crap .. now I got another confusion



CPU NB Freq' = x10
HT LINK Freq = x10

do they both need bumping to x11 and then x12 ?? or jsut the one of them

 

[QuietIce]

OK, a couple of things:

1.

cpuNB VDD (or VID): 1.20v

= CPU NB VID Control
(It looks like you're adjusting the NB chipset with 1.15v, which is also fine. The 790FX chipset was 1.10v default but I'm not sure about the 890FX. Either way 1.15v seems to be working! )

2. You should only increase the cpuNB (as far as I know). Nothing is set in stone for the X6's as yet so you may find later on that increasing the HT Link helps. For now I'd stick with what has worked for the X4's and leave the HT Link at 10X.

3. It doesn't look like you've set the RAM timings and voltage manually. At this stage it may not make a difference but it could and probably will later. Better safe than sorry. My philosophy on BIOS settings: If it's on Auto then it's out of control!
(Meaning any Auto setting is subject to change without notice by the BIOS and at the whim of the BIOS programmer.)


So far it's looking good ...

 

[OCD-OC]

Cheers QI,

**bump voltage as needed by 0.025v (1.225, 1.250) - anything past 1.250v is on you

So it's the 'NB Voltage control' setting here from my BIOS ?
NOT the HT LINK Voltage control ... just to clarify .. as both are about 1.15v / 1.2v


I'm happy so far and not rushing anything.. trying not to kill it in first try

I'm worried about CPU-z ...
this lists Core Voltage as 1.248
OCT ALSO Lists Vcore as 1.25 v

when the BIOS shows 1.475 .. are these different setings ? and should I be worried ?

3. It doesn't look like you've set the RAM timings and voltage manually. At this stage it may not make a difference but it could and probably will later. Better safe than sorry. My philosophy on BIOS settings: If it's on Auto then it's out of control!
(Meaning any Auto setting is subject to change without notice by the BIOS and at the whim of the BIOS programmer.)

this is the RAM I have bought :

4GB(2x2GB) CMT4GX3M2A1600C6
Dominator GT

I'll put it onto manual control tonight after work ..
If I'm reading it right the BIOS settings in the screeny above are way off ?

1333 mhz looks wrong .. and in CPU-Z .. it lists it as CAS 9 !!! I bought CL6 ! .. Grrr

 

[QuietIce]

NOT 'NB Voltage control'
NOT 'HT LINK Voltage control'
See pic below - And it should start at 1.200v as indicated in post #2



Can you post a screen shot of the CPU-Z SPD tab? A LOT of RAM have accelerated timings and/or speeds but it's usually the underlying chip specs you want to use until you've got the CPU OC'ed. After that you can go back and play with the RAM timings. By just OC'ing the CPU for now you take the RAM out of the possible suspects when you fail a stress test. If you were OC'ing the RAM and the CPU at the same time how would you know what was causing a test to fail?

 

[OCD-OC]

thanks for pic .. all that setting does is swap from manual to Auto for VCore seting below

1.475v

I'll have another check later tho thanks and will post CPU-Z

here's adaft question .. if I CTRL-PRINT SCREEN in windows 7 .. where the hell do the images go ? .. I can't bloody find them

 

[QuietIce]

OK, I'll try to DL the manual ...


Edit
Hmmm, the wording for that setting is the same as the wording for the vCore. What exactly are your options for "CPU NB VID Control"?

Have you checked for a new BIOS?

 

[OCD-OC]

OK, I'll try to DL the manual ...


Edit
Hmmm, the wording for that setting is the same as the wording for the vCore. What exactly are your options for "CPU NB VID Control"?

Have you checked for a new BIOS?

there is a new BIOS (F2) but I'm loathe to flash it .. somethings are a bit scary for new kit ... I have a DOS USB pen to do it .. but I'll look it up later

 

[Dolk]

Flash it, it will probably fix a bunch of the errors that I'm spotting, and also the instability issue you are having.

Anyway CPU NB Vid = CPU-NBv for your motherboard. Only incrase that, and CPUv and DRAM VIDD for RAM voltage.

HTT and CPU-NB Freq will be a bit interesting. Right now there are several reports going around about the HTT needing to be equal to the CPU-NB in speeds (at least for the low end stuff ie not extreme cooling).

Once you flash your BIOS show us another screen shot of it. I want to make sure your CPUv is reading correctly again. Because it should be at 1.35v. Not unless its taking into consideration Turbo Boost, than the normal would be 1.47v.

 

[OCD-OC]

here we go ..

Successfully flashed to latest BIOS .. and yes there are changes ..

top half


bottom half


in this after a quick adjustment :

CPU NB VID = 1.15 (this was me bein utterly BLIND .. it was editable and have pushed to 1.2v)
CPU Voltage = 1.475

18 x 200 3.6ghz
CpuNB = x11
NBVid 1.2v
CPU 1.475

amb 26
idle 20
load 30

going to carry on as QuietIce has outlined.. see if 4ghz tonight

 

[coonmanx]

Make sure that when you are looking at CPU voltage in CPU-Z that the CPU is not being downclocked by Cool N' Quiet. People generally talk about disabling that and maybe Turbo Core while OC'ing. Maybe someone here knows more about that.

 

[OCD-OC]

Make sure that when you are looking at CPU voltage in CPU-Z that the CPU is not being downclocked by Cool N' Quiet. People generally talk about disabling that and maybe Turbo Core while OC'ing. Maybe someone here knows more about that.

Thanks .. after flashing I dove back into BIOS .. C1E, Cool n quiet and Turbo all disabled after flash






RAM - bloody hell so many settings .. unless something is major WRONG
leave it for now .. I'll come back to it later after I learned CPU + NB

 

[OCD-OC]

Okay What the holy hell ???



the BIOS defaults to 1.3 Vcore ???

boosted it to 1.4 going for stable at 3.8 again . failed twice