OC'ed AMD Phenom II x4 965BE 3400 > 3800 (need some advice)

[Axar]

Hi,

I am an amateur in Overclocking, so any advice is +1 for me, thanks in advance for your patience and help.

As said in topic, i OC'ed this CPU trough BIOS, by increasing CPU Ratio multiplier to 19x, which resulted 3800mhz speed from 3400mhz, and it works as charm for now. Any other increase of CPU Ratio, even 19.5x (3900) resulting system fail to boot, or it boots but soon after screen goes black and I have hard reset.

Personally, I'm happy with 3800 (would like to see 4k, but that's life), just want to check here with you guys, should i change some settings in BIOS exept increasing CPU Ratio (i left everything else on auto mostly, as it was).

Benchmark test from silly Overdrive (I uninstal it, no worries), showed increase of my Computer performance after OC, which is fine i suppose.

After 1 hour of PRIME (blend), no errors, and CPU Core temperature was 63c.

My cooling is mostly Cooler Master fans, and my PSU is CM 750w.

If I need to post more information, please say.
Regards

 

[Bluefalcon13]

On my 955, I needed a health vcore bump to make it to 3.9... Is yours a c3 965?

 

[Bluefalcon13]

Also, would help those who know more bout this than I do to know your full system specs

 

[Johan45]

To OCF, Axar
As an amateur OC'er this guide will be very helpful for you, so have a read through. http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=688663 It's everything you need to know about overclocking a PII. After you've had a read, try a stability test like P95 blend. While it is running have a program like HWMonitor free open on the desktop to monitor you temps. Keep the package/cores below 55c. After it has run 20 minutes take a snip and post it up here as well as CPU-z main, memory and SPD tabs. This way we can have a look at what is going on with your system.

 

[Axar]

On my 955, I needed a health vcore bump to make it to 3.9... Is yours a c3 965?

Revision: RB-C3 here.

 

[Axar]

To OCF, Axar
As an amateur OC'er this guide will be very helpful for you, so have a read through. http://www.overclockers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=688663 It's everything you need to know about overclocking a PII. After you've had a read, try a stability test like P95 blend. While it is running have a program like HWMonitor free open on the desktop to monitor you temps. Keep the package/cores below 55c. After it has run 20 minutes take a snip and post it up here as well as CPU-z main, memory and SPD tabs. This way we can have a look at what is going on with your system.

Ok, done.

After 22 mins run on Prime95 blend torture test, Prime reported 0 errors on all cores.
CPU Core was max on 67c which might consider me abit, or maybe not according to different opinions (temp was monitored with SpeedFan).

Prime:


CPU:


Memory:


SPD:


So, to remind, I just increased Multiplier @ CPU Ratio in BIOS to 19X, which resulted an increase in Mhz speed (from 3400 to 3800).
I did not touch anything else in BIOS, exept an option that increase fan speed to TURBO mode, from Standard or Auto (cant remember), was a logical thing for me 2do.

I just want to increase power of my rig abit more for upcoming game I will play, nothing else.

Wanted to check with you guys @ overclockers.com did I make any mistake here, or I am on right path.

Thanks for any future advice and patience with my post.
Regards
Axar

 

[Johan45]

Well 67 is a lot warmer than you should run that for a 24/7 OC. Are you using a stock cooler? For $30 you can get a Cooler Master Hyper 212, which will help a lot. You might also want to consider raising your NB and ram speed it will help your performance some. 3.8 is a decent OC on air with a 965 but you really should bring the temps down. I'd still like to see what parts you're using including the case. It would be nice if you were to put up a signature like you see under my post. Include all your parts and be specific. Just go to the top of the page and you'll see quick links, in the drop down select edit signature. Then just put the info in.

 

[Axar]

Well 67 is a lot warmer than you should run that for a 24/7 OC. Are you using a stock cooler? For $30 you can get a Cooler Master Hyper 212, which will help a lot. You might also want to consider raising your NB and ram speed it will help your performance some. 3.8 is a decent OC on air with a 965 but you really should bring the temps down. I'd still like to see what parts you're using including the case. It would be nice if you were to put up a signature like you see under my post. Include all your parts and be specific. Just go to the top of the page and you'll see quick links, in the drop down select edit signature. Then just put the info in.

Worst thing is, i installed Cooler Master as CPU cooler when I was assembling my rig... will check on that.

What NB stands for, North Bridge? If does, any link for me so I can see how it can be done

Ram speed, yes, 1333, but in processor description says that 965BE supports maximum 1333mhz RAM, maybe I telling noob stuff now, dont know...

Will work on my signature, will make it done by tommorow.

Thanks alot for helping, really appreciate it.
Regards

 

[Johan45]

Let me know what case you are using. Either you have high ambient temps , need more air in the case or you have a bad mount on the CPU cooler. The hyper should be doing better. As for the memory that all depends on the CPU, mine will run 1800 memory stable, you won't know till you try. The NB is the CPU_NB, by increasing the speed, you'll increase performance in the cache and ram , there's a whole section on that in the guide I linked you.

 

[Bluefalcon13]

Dolk's guide is pretty nice, goes over pretty much everything for the phenom cpus. Good stuff. Helped me learn what to do

 

[trents]

Worst thing is, i installed Cooler Master as CPU cooler when I was assembling my rig... will check on that.

What NB stands for, North Bridge? If does, any link for me so I can see how it can be done

Ram speed, yes, 1333, but in processor description says that 965BE supports maximum 1333mhz RAM, maybe I telling noob stuff now, dont know...

You can count on it to handle the RAM at the 1333 frequency but usually the Deneb core CPUs will go up to 1500 MHz on the ram and some will do 1600 MHz with extra voltage given to the CPU/NB and relaxed timings. When we speak of NB in overclocking we usually mean the CPU/NB which has to do with the CPU's memory controller. "NB" can also refer to the PCI-E controller chip but don't worry about that. It usually helps with to make the overclock stable to bump the CPU/NB voltage to 1.225-1.25 range.

Will work on my signature, will make it done by tommorow.

Thanks alot for helping, really appreciate it.
Regards

As others have said, you need to get your temps down. We like to see core/package temps at 55-60c and CPU socket temps 65c or so.

 

[Axar]

Let me know what case you are using. Either you have high ambient temps , need more air in the case or you have a bad mount on the CPU cooler. The hyper should be doing better. As for the memory that all depends on the CPU, mine will run 1800 memory stable, you won't know till you try. The NB is the CPU_NB, by increasing the speed, you'll increase performance in the cache and ram , there's a whole section on that in the guide I linked you.

Signature done as you suggested.

I did increase memory from 1333>1600 before and system did not want to boot, as the matter of fact, any speed above 1333 will not do on my rig, dont know is there a way to override processor (965BE supports max 1333mhz) maximum ram mhz speed?

Read section about CPU_NB in that exellent guide you linked, however not sure should I do anything else in BIOS before stabilizing temp while torture tests going on.

On addition, my friend that helped me to construct my rig, told me that we used some random processor paste (pasta), he thinking that might be a problem, he reccomend something called Arctic Silver 4 to be placed as fresh paste and it might help in cooling CPU (this might lead that Cooler is not placed properly at all over processor).
Again maybe I talking rubbish, he as well, and this have nothing with actual cooling.

Thanks for reading
Regards

 

[Johan45]

Having all 4 slots full and 16Gig of ram can be hard for a PII IMC to handle. We can look at that later. Thanks for the sig by the way that helps. I also looked into your case, those 200mm fans don't really move a lot of air. You can do a quick check to see if you need more air just by taking the side door off the case and then testing with Prime95. If you get a big drop in temps you know you need more air. As for the thermal paste, any decent paste is fine. Arctic silver 5 is OK but dated any more. I like Phobya HE grease. But like I said as long as it's decent thiere is only a few degrees difference.

 

[Axar]

Having all 4 slots full and 16Gig of ram can be hard for a PII IMC to handle. We can look at that later. Thanks for the sig by the way that helps. I also looked into your case, those 200mm fans don't really move a lot of air. You can do a quick check to see if you need more air just by taking the side door off the case and then testing with Prime95. If you get a big drop in temps you know you need more air. As for the thermal paste, any decent paste is fine. Arctic silver 5 is OK but dated any more. I like Phobya HE grease. But like I said as long as it's decent thiere is only a few degrees difference.

Heh, I should thanking you for helping me... sig is smallest thing I can do.

Tommorow I will remove side door of case, and turn on P95, will post results.
Paste will be bought and placed inside rig @ monday probably.

Also I noticed when I do torture test, FAN reading on SpeedFan says 1500-1600 RPM max <> 1200 RPM while Idle (SpeedFan register only 1 fan, and I suppose it is CPU one). Again, maybe I saying rubbish, but does it should spin abit faster when CPU is under stress test?

Thanks and Regards
Axar

 

[Johan45]

You should be able to go into bios and usually under the monitoring section will be options for fans.Set them all to turbo or disable control if that option isn't available, this will allow all fans to run at max speed.

 

[trents]

Kingston RAM often does not play well with AMD systems. That may be why you cannot get it to be stable at anything faster than 1333 mhz. I have been having the same problem with a set of GEIL Value Plus ram lately, rated at 1600. It would run at 1600 just fine on my Intel-based motherboards but I had the dickens of a time getting it to do 1600 on my AMD boards. I finally got it to run stable at 1600 MHz by moving the stock 1.6 voltage to 1.675 and changing the CR from 1t to 2T. Mind you this was with a matched pair of sticks, not a set of four.

 

[Bluefalcon13]

If you are looking for a compatible set of ram that works well with phenoms and fx CPUs, the gskill sniper 1866 works well at both 1600(phenoms) and 1866(fx series). Then again I am running only 2x4gb sticks. If you are running 4 sticks the phenoms are only said to support 1333. The memory controller only supports 1600 with 2 sticks IIRC. The memory controller is weaker in the phenol from what I remember reading.

 

[trents]

My vote for GSkill as well. You can't go wrong with that brand and it's moderately priced. However, I'm not so sure that on a non APU processor that moving from 1600 to 1866 will make any real difference. When I bench 1333 vs. 1600 vs. 1866 I see very little difference in non APU processors' performance. Quick timings seems to be more important than frequency.

 

[Bluefalcon13]

Ahh... The set I picked up was sniper CL9 1866. It's worked great for me so far, but I don't really bench

 

[RGone]

Ahh... The set I picked up was sniper CL9 1866. It's worked great for me so far, but I don't really bench

That is good ram for the timings. I don't buy the bling ones but the Ares instead so I never have to worry about the air cooler if I use one as right now. But that ram will do nearly DDR3-2040 pretty easily and you will notice a difference there. When buying you might as well get ready with DDR3-1866; for a move to FX processor later if so inclined.
RGone...ster.