OCing an unlocked X3 425?

[trents]

GPU is the onboard video. You have a discrete video card so you aren't even using the onboard video. Don't mess with the PCIE at all! It will get unstable fast if you change it from 100. Could I see pics of the bios again after taking those things off Auto not circled? I would bump the vcore to 1.375 now.

 

[OC'd Carrot]

My Vcore is already up to 1.4

Need to get to sleep now but I'll take some photos of my Bios settings for you tomorrow.

In the meantime here are some CPUz pics. At the moment this setup is failing P95 ("fatal error: Rounding was 0.5, expected less than 0.4")



Thanks very much for you help thus far.

 

[trents]

Did you take your Memory Timing Mode off Auto? If so, I didn't want you to do that. Anyway:

I think you're are likely failing because you're using memory timings that are appropriate for 533/1066 ram frequency when your ram frequency is now up to 640/1280 mhz. Look at your pics above for the "Memory" tab and compare that with the "SPD" tab. You need to use the timings from JEDEC #4. And go with a Command Rate of 2T. They will have to be set manually in bios it appears, that is to say if that setting is still on Auto (as per my statement in the first line of this post). As I explained earlier, when you start increasing the fsb the ram frequency climbs along with it.

 

[TheQuadFather]

sorry was offline and couldn't be much help, but section 2-10 and 2-11 in the manual are very helpful as it explains what they all mean and what they do, i would recommend having it a good look over.

 

[OC'd Carrot]

I haven't yet touched the Memory Timing Mode, no.

Luckily there's an online manual for my MB. Saves me rooting about in the Loft
http://www.cizgi.com.tr/resource/vfiles/cizgi/pms_file/34/m4a785tdvevo_en.pdf

I take it that I'd need to change both the DCT0 and DCT1 to change the Memory Timings?

Looking at the timings in the Bios I don't see an option to change the Command Rate(CR). However, I supposedly I can change it by using AMD Overdrive.

 

[trents]

I looked at your manual via the PDF file download and yes, you will need to choose either DCT0 or DCT1 or "both" to access the memory timings. Not sure what the difference is between those three choices. Before you use AMD Overdrive to change the command rate check CPU-z after making other timing changes and see if it needs changing. I hate for you to have to resort to Overdrive and especially to use a combo of bios and Overdrive. And who knows, 1T may work if you change the other timings.

 

[OC'd Carrot]

Ok, I changed the timings on "both" to 9-9-9-24-32 and left CR at 1T.

It passed the 20min P95 Blend test

 

[trents]

Found this:

 

[trents]

Okay, so go for another 5 mhz of CPU frequency increase.

Could you post a Pic of that memory timings section of the bios? Got to be a way to change the Command Rate (aka, "CR").

 

[trents]

Never mind about the bios pic. I checked it in the manual and there just isn't a setting to change the CR. Weird!

Anyway, there was a recommendation earlier to disable Cool N Quiet and C1E. Found those in case you didn't already.

 

[OC'd Carrot]

Aye, those 2 are disabled.

Since I had already taken the photos of my bios I may aswell post them.




cpuconfig



I'll start adding again if those settings look OK.

 

[trents]

If that Command Rate doesn't automatically lower itself to 2T at some point and becomes the source of instability as you progress in your overclock you may have to lower the starting memory speed to 400/800. I'd hate to for you to have to do that however, as you'd be sacrificing a lot of memory performance.

 

[trents]

Aye, those 2 are disabled.

Since I had already taken the photos of my bios I may aswell post them.




cpuconfig



I'll start adding again if those settings look OK.

Yeah, go ahead.

 

[trents]

Just curious. If you set the Memclock Value to Auto, and the DRAM Timing Mode to Auto, what does the system default to for starting memory speed, 400 or 533? If it defaults to 533 then it may be smarter to put those things on Auto and let the system configure the timings. Maybe then it would go to a CR of 2T. Just a thought.

 

[OC'd Carrot]

I've just passed the 20 min test with FSB at 250. Here's CPUz


1) NB Frequency and HT Link are probably at their limit, correct?
2) Dram Frequency has moved up to 667, I've no idea what the best course of action here is, carrying on upping FSB (and, I presume lowering DRAM Freq) or leaving FSB as it is? ...or something else? dunno what would get best OC results
3) SPD shows 1.65v is needed for my current Memory settings, if I understand it correctly?


I'll take a look at Memclock value and Dram Timing with regards to auto settings.

.

 

[trents]

Yes, you understand SPD correctly with regard to ram voltage and even then, its with 2T instead of 1T CR. You also have the option of trying Auto for starting speed and timings as I mentioned above and see if that allows CR to go to 2T. Or leave it like it is and give it 1.675v. Or, move the starting speed manually back to 400/800. Lots of choices here. You'll just have to experiment. What is CPU-NB set to now. I'd recommend 1.235 or there abouts.

Apart from all that, you probably need to move from 20 minute Prime tests to two hour Prime tests as you are likely approaching the overclock wall for that CPU and you need to confirm stability. A 20 minute test isn't sufficient to establish stability. It's probably sufficient for light computing but demanding tasks may bring instability. Anyway, I think you're getting the hang of all this and you seem to learn quickly. Now it's just trial and error. Continue to monitor core temps and CPU voltage under load. If CPU voltage under load exceeds about 1.55 I get uncomfortable or if over 1.5 as set in bios.

 

[OC'd Carrot]

Tried setting Dram Timing Mode to "auto" but PC wouldn't load. Black screen saying "The file is possibly corrupt. The file header checksum does not match the computed checksum". I set it back to Manual and it works ok.

Memclock Value doesn't have "auto" There are 4 choices of speed - 800, 667, 533 and 400. I set Memory Clock Mode to "auto" tho and it loads up OK and doesn't change the Dram Frequency (stays at 667 with the FSB at 250), so I guess default must be 500... or Dram Frequency only autos up higher when Timings are on auto (or set at a lower/quicker(?)) speed. If I set both Dram Timing Mode and Memory Clock Mode to "auto" I get the same "Checksum" error above.

CPU-NB is currently still set to 1.23125. The next step up is 1.23750.

As far as the overclock wall, my max FSB (as calculated by Dolk's method) was 270, so a current FSB of 250 looks pretty good to me. 25% increase + the extra Core and L3 isn't bad for £0 (assuming it passes a longer test, of course)

At the moment my CPU Temp max's at 52c under load.
My current CPU Over Voltage is 1.4v. Should I be upping that to 1.5?

 

[trents]

Tried setting Dram Timing Mode to "auto" but PC wouldn't load. Black screen saying "The file is possibly corrupt. The file header checksum does not match the computed checksum". I set it back to Manual and it works ok.

Memclock Value doesn't have "auto" There are 4 choices of speed - 800, 667, 533 and 400. I set Memory Clock Mode to "auto" tho and it loads up OK and doesn't change the Dram Frequency (stays at 667 with the FSB at 250), so I guess default must be 500... or Dram Frequency only autos up higher when Timings are on auto (or set at a lower/quicker(?)) speed. If I set both Dram Timing Mode and Memory Clock Mode to "auto" I get the same "Checksum" error above.

CPU-NB is currently still set to 1.23125. The next step up is 1.23750.

As far as the overclock wall, my max FSB (as calculated by Dolk's method) was 270, so a current FSB of 250 looks pretty good to me. 25% increase + the extra Core and L3 isn't bad for £0 (assuming it passes a longer test, of course)

At the moment my CPU Temp max's at 52c under load.
My current CPU Over Voltage is 1.4v. Should I be upping that to 1.5?

See my comments on core voltage in my previous post (highlited in yellow). If you are satisfied with the amount of your oveclock and if it will pass Prime95 blend for two hours, then stop where you are. Increasing the voltage may shorten the life of the components. If you are adventurous and want to try for higher that's also up to you. From a temp standpoint you have some room yet as your core temps are 52-11 or 41, correct? Just keep core temps at mid 50s or less.