So now what do I do..

[Wetsuit29]

Back at it again......

These are my new and current CPU-z ratings. I did get sidetracked last night, but I really appreciate all your patience and help. Worked on my signature and stuff...so busy, I did it all with my Iphone5 from downtown San Francisco.

 

[RGone]

Are you happy where you are?

Need capture of HWMonitor to see where else you are now.

 

[trents]

Okay, now we have all the memory info we need. Timings look appropriate. The CPU core voltage at 1.216 looks very low and I would be surprised if the system were stable under load. You need to check that out by running the Prime95 blend test for at least 2 hrs. Before you begin the test, have HWMonitor open on the desktop to monitor core and CPU (socket) temps. I suspect you will find you will need to add more CPU voltage to be able to pass the stress test. We would like you to post a pic of HWMonitor immediately after he stress test.

There is one very curious number in the CPU-z "CPU" tab pic: the "Rated FSB" at 2612 mhz. Did you increase that multiplier in bios? (I think it would be called "HT Link Frequency" in bios). Normally, it is the same as the "NB" frequency that you see reported at 2000 mhz in the CPU-z "Memory" tab. Maybe it's different with the FX CPUs but with earlier AMD CPUs the system won't even boot if the NB frequency is lower than the HT Link frequency. Can anyone else comment here who has first hand knowledge of FX CPU architecture?

I guess that raises another question: How have you been overclocking this system? Have you been using manual controls in bios, an auto overclocking wizard in bios or software in Windows?

Has the storm been bad there? We had a bad wind and rain storm here in western Washington early in the week. Hurricane force wind gusts on the coast.

 

[RGone]

Maybe it's different with the FX CPUs but with earlier AMD CPUs the system won't even boot if the NB frequency is lower than the HT Link frequency. Can anyone else comment here who has first hand knowledge of FX CPU architecture?

>> That HT link Frequency is changed on the FX processors. Stock is now 2600Mhz as rated by AMD. AMD's rated CPU/NB for that cpu is 2000Mhz. So CPU/NB is now rated slower than HT link speed.

I am not sure how the bios writers for Gigabyte have 'now' done things since I don't and likely will not have a Gigabyte board. But most Asus motherboards in bios, subscribed to the older CPU/NB faster than HT link Freq and the default bioses were originally setting so for FX processors.

So CPU/NB does not have to be faster than HT Link Frequency on FX processors. Should the HT link Frequency be lower than CPU/NB as we had done for years? I still think so after testing. At least with my FX-8120 and CHV motherboard over a range of 4.1Ghz thru 4.8Ghz and not using DICE or LN2. Others of course may/will/or do think differently.

 

[trents]

Thanks, RGone. That was helpful. That was the first time I had seen a CPU-z FX "CPU" tab pic with the HT Link faster than the NB frequency so it caught my eye. Usually, you see both at about 2000-2200 mhz.

 

[RGone]

Thanks, RGone. That was helpful. That was the first time I had seen a CPU-z FX "CPU" tab pic with the HT Link faster than the NB frequency so it caught my eye. Usually, you see both at about 2000-2200 mhz.

"trents" let me add this since I know we both help with boards we do not have and will never see. That 2600Nhz is already pretty close to topped out when set that way by the bios automatically.

My FX-8120 on CHV does not like to go beyond 2685 for HT Link Freq and you know I have pretty good water cooling. So if one is not paying attention and is FSB overclocking and the mobo bios auto-set to 2600Mhz for HT link, then there will be a problem. The HT link will jump up in speed due to the FSB and bingo the board will not boot or fail in windows after only a short time or may not even boot windows.

I will give one more tidbit I have found using my CHV as has Caddi_Daddi and his CHV and FX-4170 and that is CPU/NB in the 2600Mhz range takes 1.3Volts minimum. C_Ds mobo and FX-4170 would not even get out of bios with CPU/NB at 1.25V. Just so you know as you see these high ancillary bus speeds with FX-series in general.

 

[Wetsuit29]

During Prime95

This is where I am at.

 

[Wetsuit29]

Patience for the New Guy

This is where I am now.

 

[trents]

Wetsuit,

There are three standard programs we use on the forum in helping others:

CPU-z (you've been using this one)

HWMonitor (that I can tell, you aren't using this one)

Prime95 (that I can tell, you aren't using this one either)

When we are all using the same tools, it really facilitates the helping process because we are all on the same page and we can count on there being some consistency in the process.

The tools you are using aren't necessarily bad it's just that they aren't giving us some of the critical info we need. For instance, the tools you are using only give us CPU temp (which is really motherboard socket temp) but we also need CPU "core" temp. Also, you don't seem to be using Prime95 to stress test with and we know how thoroughly Prime95 loads the system. We don't know how thoroughly your software stresses the system or if it is really doing so adequately to insure you are getting a true idea about stability. I can promise you that SiSoft Sandra does not stress as thoroughly as Prime95 does.

I guess I'm a little frustrated with your unwillingness to follow the instructions we give to help you with the overclocking process. Please read post #23 again where I requested the use of HWMonitor and Prime95 blend.

 

[Wetsuit29]

Forbearance Much Appreciated

I regrett that I have frustrated your efforts to assist me. I will improve and I really do appreciate your help and I THANK you!
I have Prime95, CPUz, and HWiNFO64. All are running at this time. The newest attachment shows after about 10 min.

 

[trents]

Sorry, wetsuit. I can get kind of rigid and impatient at times. You are more than gracious. It's the HWInfo64 thing that I think I'm not getting across. It's not the same as HWMonitor which shows CPU and core temps (or "package" temps with some versions on some CPUs): http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html

So if you'll run Prime95 blend test for 20 minutes with HWMonitor open on the desktop before you start the test that would be helpful. And then attach a pic of it after the test with your next post. That would make me happy.

 

[Wetsuit29]

Progressing....

Found and installed CHMonitor and did the 20 min test, per advise. Not certain I use Prime95 correctly. Here is a Snip.

 

[Wetsuit29]

And Again

I hope this is the correct Prime95 test.

 

[trents]

Yes, that looks correct - Prime95 "blend" test. Your temps look great at this point but will go up as you progress in your overclock and have to add CPU voltage.

 

[trents]

So what we want you to do now is start increasing the CPU multiplier by .5x and run that same 20 minute Prime95 blend test after each increase. Right now the multiplier is at 20x so next bump would be 20.5x. Always have HWMonitor open on the desktop when you start the test and all during the test to track CPU (socket) and Package (or "core") temps.

When you can no longer pass the 20 minute Prime95 blend stress test then you will need to add voltage to the CPU to make it stable again. Failing the Prime95 stress test looks like any of these scenarios: blue screen, spontaneous restart, lockup or (if your are really close to stable) one or more of the six Prime95 core workers will stop while the others keep going.

Whenever you fail Prime, add a tad more voltage to the CPU (like a .025 volt increment) to restablize the system.

Always monitor temps with HWMonitor when you are stress testing. You want to keep package temp from exceeding about 60c and CPU temp from exceeding about 70c (TMPIN2, I think, in the HWMonitor interface). If either of these happens, stop the test and back off a little on the voltage and the overclock.

When you have found the max CPU multiplier/speed that will pass the 20 minute Prime test within these temp limits then you will need to lengthen the Prime95 stress test and be able to pass it for at least two hours to be confident that your system is stable. 20 minutes is long enough to establish tentative stability (and is time efficient at the front end of the overclock process) but not long enough to be sure you are stable.

Post back with attached pics of CPU-z "CPU" tab when your are finished or if you have questions or run into problems.

 

[Wetsuit29]

Stuck at 4.1 Ghz, 2.8 volts always fails Prime 95 after that even though my temperatures are good

 

[trents]

What do you have at 2.8 volts? I hope that is not your CPU voltage because your processor would be fried! Even 1.6 for a CPU voltage would be almost dangerously too high. Maybe you'd better post a CPU-z "CPU" tab again so we can see what it really is. I suspect you are manipulating the wrong thing in bios. If you are confused about the which bios items to manipulate then take a digital camera pic of the overclocking sections of the bios and attach them with a post.

 

[trents]

Take the two items circled in red off of Auto and manually set the CPU voltage to 1.4 and see if that doesn't help get you past 4.1 ghz.

 

[Wetsuit29]

Thank you. The 2 volt thing is a typo. Doing a massive download right now, but I will get back it after that. From your post, my voltage is to low. I did the .5 multiplier increase and one worker would stop so I bumped up the voltage a little, by the increments you suggested. This is when the prime95 results started saying hardware failure close, or something like that. I will do a comprehensive post in a couple of hours.
Thank you for all your help. Going alone, I would have smoked my computer already.

 

[trents]

My original .25 voltage increase suggestion was just a stab in the dark. 1.4 would represent a .075 volt increase and they may get you over the hump.