Phenom X4 955 BE Overclocking

[jnb22019]

Complete noob here.

I've been reading around on how to overclock my 955 but I still feel somewhat lost and I don't want to make a big mistake and damage my hardware.

I'm not looking to get to the 4.00 range. I am looking for 3.5 to 3.8.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[trents]

First, go into bios and disable the "green" stuff: Turbo Boost, Cool N Quiet, and C1E. (Whoops! You won't have Turbo since you are working with a Deneb core CPU, not a Thuban).

The next think you should do would be to check "core" and CPU socket temps at stock frequencies and voltages to get an idea of how much overclocking headroom you have.

If you haven't already, then download and install HWMonitor and Prime95. Open HWMonitor on the desktop first. Leave it open while you run a 20 minute Prime95 blend test. When done, post back with attached pics of the HWMonitor interface so we can see what the max temps were.

Also, please give more information about your hardware:

1. Are you using the stock cooler that came boxed with the CPU or are you using an aftermarket cooler? If the latter, what is the make and model. Good cooling is essential for good overclocking.
2. Make and model of case and some info about fans. How many intake and how many exhaust fans and how large are they? Good case ventilation is critical to keeping temps down when overclocking.
3. Make, model and wattage of PSU.
4. Make and model of video card.
5. Make, amount and speed of memory.

 

[RGone]

Generally speaking to suggest changes it is easier if we know certain things. Of course beginning with a setting that is 'known' to pass P95 Blend mode makes good sense, because a failed P95 Blend test is not going to give a baseline of a configuration that 'does' work.

CPU Tab in CPUz from CPUID com

Memory Tab in CPUz from CPUID com

SPD Tab in CPUz from CPUID com

And this is screen capture of HWMonitor (free version) from CPUID com
HWMonitor has been scrolled enough and large enough to show Min/Max of Voltages and includes the CPU Core Temps which is nOw called "Package" Temps fully visible.

This capture is made of HWMonitor after it has been open on the desktop logging Min/Max temps and voltages while Prime 95 was running Blend Mode test on all cores for at least 20 mins and then the capture of HWMonitor was made and it shows the Min/Max temps and voltages before P95 Blend was started and while running P95 Blend mode and gives much greater insight into how the system is performing without guessing.

In order to attach screenshots of INDIVIDUAL images as suggested, first crop and capture the images with Snipping Tool found in Windows Accessories or equivalent. Then click on Go Advanced, a button at the bottom of every new post window. Then click on the little paperclip tool at the top of the Advanced post window when it opens. Clicking on the paperclip tool brings up the file browser/upload tool and the rest is fairly obvious.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Complete noob here.

I've been reading around on how to overclock my 955 but I still feel somewhat lost and I don't want to make a big mistake and damage my hardware.

I'm not looking to get to the 4.00 range. I am looking for 3.5 to 3.8.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Well one of the very first things you do for overclocking is to turn off power saving features. This will help keep stability in some situations and can be turned back on later after you've found a nice stable overclock.

3.8ghz should be fairy easy to accomplish, but this depends entirely on the cooling. On a decent air cooler 3.6-3.8ghz is a respectable overclock.

 

[jnb22019]

Results from blend test below. Ran for 20 minutes as requested.

Hardware:
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus (aftermarket CPU cooler)
Cooler Master Elite 310 ATX (case)
4 120mm Cooler Master fans, 2 case (1 intake, 1 out) 2 with CPU cooler (blowing to the top of the case, if that matters)
Corsair CMPSU-650TX 650-Watt (PSU)
HIS Radeon HD 6770 (GPU)
4 X 2GB Corsair XMS3 DDR3 1333 MHz (PC3 10666)

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Temps are high.

What cpu speed is that again?

 

[jnb22019]

Temps are high.

What cpu speed is that again?

Stock speed 3.2Gz

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Stock speed 3.2Gz

That cooler is not doing it's job very well...... You should be around 50c at core# 0 or much less if that cooler is what everyone says it is....

Can you take a picture of inside of your case please? I'd hate to tell you to re-seat the HSF when it might just be case air flow problems.....

Once we get your Cpu core temps in the 45c range at stock on load, I'd say it would be safe to overclock.. Right now cooling is your issue.

 

[Mandrake4565]

That cooler is not doing it's job very well...... You should be around 50c at core# 0 or much less if that cooler is what everyone says it is....

Can you take a picture of inside of your case please? I'd hate to tell you to re-seat the HSF when it might just be case air flow problems.....

Once we get your Cpu core temps in the 45c range at stock on load, I'd say it would be safe to overclock.. Right now cooling is your issue.

Agreed^^^^ What are your ambient temps? I was able to run my 955be on a Cm 212 @ 3.8 you should definitely be getting better temps at stock. That all depends on the airflow and ambient temps.

 

[jnb22019]

I'm back.

I reset my heat sink in a different position and moved my side fan to the front, I think it was causing some problems.

The results are much better this time. Min. down to 34 and max to 49 from 45 and 54.

Ambient temp is roughly 27C

 

[RGone]

I doubt it is a problem but go and get the latest version of Free HWMonitor and try running 20mins of P95 Blend mode. I can tell it is older version of Free HWMonitor because it is showing multiple core temps and not a single "Package" temp for the AMD core temps.

Overall if you really are maxing at 55c for Package/Core temps then that 55c has been more less the temp at which Deneb style cpus may become unstable. You are already bumping the max Package/Core temp at stock speed and your cpu voltage is not overlly high since many pump upwards of 1.5Vcore to those cpus with good cooling.
RGone...ster.

 

[jnb22019]

I doubt it is a problem but go and get the latest version of Free HWMonitor and try running 20mins of P95 Blend mode. I can tell it is older version of Free HWMonitor because it is showing multiple core temps and not a single "Package" temp for the AMD core temps.

Overall if you really are maxing at 55c for Package/Core temps then that 55c has been more less the temp at which Deneb style cpus may become unstable. You are already bumping the max Package/Core temp at stock speed and your cpu voltage is not overlly high since many pump upwards of 1.5Vcore to those cpus with good cooling.
RGone...ster.

That is the latest version. I downloaded it and installed today. Verified the website to be sure.

Ii shows both by core and an "overall" CPU temperature above.

 

[trents]

Yeah, I'm no big fan of side fans, excuse the pun. They tend to disrupt airflow from front to back, the normal healthy pattern of air movement. But let me ask to make sure. Is the cooler fan pushing air through the cooler heatsink toward the rear case fan? That is normally the best way to orient it.

 

[jnb22019]

Yeah, I'm no big fan of side fans, excuse the pun. They tend to disrupt airflow from front to back, the normal healthy pattern of air movement. But let me ask to make sure. Is the cooler fan pushing air through the cooler heatsink toward the rear case fan? That is normally the best way to orient it.

Yes.

 

[RGone]

Download the latest release from CPUID com. HWMonitor

1.24 setup
(installation, automatically installs 32 or 64-bit version depending on your system)

1.24 zip
(.zip, no installation, includes 32 and 64-bit binaries)

The application HWMonitor is not geneally displayed in such a manner to dispaly the version of the application. If you do not have in use Version 1.24 you do not have the latest version. Back about Version 1.20 the application no longer showed multiple 'core' temps for AMD because there is only ONE temp readout given to the I/O chip so in keeping with the actual hardware situation, HWMonitor began to display the "core" temps as "package" temps. Now unless they WENT BACK to being incorrect about core temps, you have an earlier version of HWMonitor Free.

 

[jnb22019]

Download the latest release from CPUID com. HWMonitor

1.24 setup
(installation, automatically installs 32 or 64-bit version depending on your system)

1.24 zip
(.zip, no installation, includes 32 and 64-bit binaries)

The application HWMonitor is not geneally displayed in such a manner to dispaly the version of the application. If you do not have in use Version 1.24 you do not have the latest version. Back about Version 1.20 the application no longer showed multiple 'core' temps for AMD because there is only ONE temp readout given to the I/O chip so in keeping with the actual hardware situation, HWMonitor began to display the "core" temps as "package" temps. Now unless they WENT BACK to being incorrect about core temps, you have an earlier version of HWMonitor Free.

Verified, I have 1.24 free version.

 

[trents]

What method did you use to apply the thermal paste? Your temps still seem on the high side to me for using a good cooler like that. What are your room temps like? You have an idle temp of 40c which is higher than we would expect when room temps are in the 20-22c range. If you live in a hot climate then your room temps may be closer to 30c at times if you have no AC.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Is that Hyper 212 running with only 1 stock fan on one side of the fins? You could try adding another fan for a push/pull effect to dissipate heat more quickly from the Cpu.

Also a fan on the VRM area helps bring socket temps down, keeping that area of the motherboard cool tends to help 9 or 10 times.

 

[caddi daddi]

you might check to make sure you have the fans on the cooler blowing in the same direction, we have seen the insalled in push/push or pull/pull.

 

[jnb22019]

What method did you use to apply the thermal paste? Your temps still seem on the high side to me for using a good cooler like that. What are your room temps like? You have an idle temp of 40c which is higher than we would expect when room temps are in the 20-22c range. If you live in a hot climate then your room temps may be closer to 30c at times if you have no AC.

I applied a pea sized dot on the center, distributed it around the unit and then a small dot on each corner.

You think too little thermal paste?

I live in NY. Its cold now but the heaters are on so its about 80F in the room.