Overclocking Athlon X4 640

[trents]

Yes, as you can see it was as I suspected. It was waiting for you to enter an offset value before it displayed the new total value. So add another .025 to that to bring it up to 1.225.

Also, take the CPU Voltage Control off of Normal and add .025 to that stock value. Then, please post a pic of HWMonitor at idle and of CPU-z "CPU" tab.

 

[Pepie]

Okay, I did it.
As you can see the Core Voltage did raise to 1,350V

 

[trents]

Now, run the Prime95 blend test for 20 minutes with HWMonitor already open on the desktop and left open during the stress test. Let's see if it's more stable with these current settings before we try to overclock the CPU more. At the end of the 20 minutes, post back with pics of HWMonitor.

 

[Pepie]

The stress test with Prime95 went good.
Temperatures didn't go higher then 38 celsius

 

[trents]

Okay, now increase your FSB from 242 to 250 mhz. Rerun the 20 minute Prime95 bend test with HWMonitor open as before (and always whenever you stress test). If you fail the test (i.e. blue screen, lockup, spontaneous restart or one or more of the Prime95 core workers stops) go back into bios and increase the CPU voltage by .025. Then retest. Report back with pics of the three CPU-z tabs and HWMonitor when that is done.

 

[trents]

Oh yes, increase the DRAM Voltage Control from the Auto value of 1.5 to 1.525.

 

[Pepie]

Okay, thanks for helping trents.
I'll post the results over 20 mins.

 

[Pepie]

I could only increase the DRM Voltage Control to 1.520 or 1.540 so I changed it to 1.520
Going to test it now with prime95.

 

[trents]

That's fine. Additional FSB increases will take the ram slightly over it's rated speed of 1333 mhz but a little extra voltage should carry that okay.

 

[trents]

Pepie, when you get a chance please create a "Sig" so that your system info travels with every post you make. As threads get long the "parts" info a new member supplies gets buried and forgotten. This is a common courtesy on the forum and is easy to do. Go to the top of the page and click on Quick Links and then Edit Signature. Include basic information about your main components such as CPU, CPU cooler, motherboard, PSU (including make, model and wattage), ram, video card and your case make and model. You can refer to mine if you wish a template. Time to get some lunch. I'll check back later.

 

[Pepie]

Okay, I will add some basic information about my PC in my signature.
The test with Prime95 went alright the first time, no crashes.

 

[trents]

Okay, your CPU vcore is maxing at 1.55 and I would not advise adding any more vcore with that motherboard. It's a lower end board whose power phase components are not very heavy duty.

You are probably at about the end of the overclock for that CPU model anyway so let's work on getting the CPUNB frequency a little bigger so as to maximize memory performance. What I'd like you to do is to increase the CPUNB Frequency multiplier by one notch. Take it off Auto and put it to 10x. Then post back with a pics of CPU-z tabs "CPU" and "Memory".

 

[trents]

Also, take the HT Link Frequency off of Auto and set it to 9x.

 

[Pepie]

Mhmm, okay.. I wish I could have overclocked my CPU a bit more but so be it. Is there any way so I can try to get it a bit higher, or will it be possible that I damage my system then?
If so.. I will just leave it as it is because I don't want to damage anything.
I changed the settings to 10x and 9x like you said.

 

[trents]

If you look at TMPIN2 in HWMonitor you will see it's at 81c. It's a motherboard temp sensor reading and it's pretty high. I'm not sure if that's accurate because it doesn't change from idle to load but I wouldn't want to push it just in case it's real. What I want you to do now its to test the latest changes to the HT Link and CPUNB frequencies by running the 20 minute Prime95 blend stress test. Report back with results. We need to make sure we are truly stable where we are now before you consider going higher.

If you pass the 20 minute test then I will ask you to do a two hour test. 20 minutes isn't enough to confirm stability in any but a tentative way. But it is time efficient in the front end of the overclocking process.

 

[Pepie]

Okay I understand.
I will run the test now for some time and at night.
The temperature of the system has never been accurate on HWmonitor.
Even on standard settings the temperature stays the same.

 

[trents]

Okay I understand.
I will run the test now for some time and at night.
The temperature of the system has never been accurate on HWmonitor.
Even on standard settings the temperature stays the same.

Not uncommon. I have one of those motherboard temps that stays stuck at 25c. Do you have a utility that came with the motherboard that you could cross check that temp with?

 

[trents]

Here is my concern with your motherboard: no heatsink to help cool the VRM (Voltage Regulation Module) components. For future reference, when you buy a board get one with a heatsink in this area.

 

[Pepie]

Okay thanks for the tip
Anyway, untillity doesn't work, idk why.. its loading but nothing appears
Should re-install it once.

 

[trents]

Check gigabyte's web site for a later version of the utility. The thing I like about HWMonitor is that it gives both core temps and CPU (socket) temps. Motherboard utilities typically do not give core temps, which are the most important. However, the motherboard utilities sometimes do a better job with the motherboard temps as they can correctly identify the temp sensors used by the manufacturer. HWMonitor often treats those generically.