Attempting to get 4.0Ghz stable

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

I started a similar thread several months ago, I had a lot going on at the time, so I just abandoned the thread. This time I won't, I've got plenty of free time on my hands for a while.

I've been trying to get my CPU to run stable at 4.0Ghz. I can get a 3.8Ghz stable OC on it, but 3.9 & 4.0 with give me random freezes and BSODs. I might be able to run a game for 2 days at 4.0, but then it will crash. Or it might crash while opening my browser. I have a custom water cooling loop with a 240mm radiator, single 5.25 bay reservoir, and the whole loop is roughly 6-7 foot long. So I'm getting great temps compared to my ambient. 78"F idle, and 90"F full load for 2 hours. With an ambient temp of 73"F.

Tell me what you guys want screenshots/info of and I'll post it up in a giffy!

Edit: Added my OS, and then removed my system specs because I forgot they were in my signature.

OS: Windows 7 SP1 64-bit.

trents · Mar 14, 2012

CPU-z tabs: "CPU", "Memory" and "SPD" are what we need pics of now.

Also what ram voltage are you using and what CPUNB voltage are you using? Those two won't show in CPU-z.

Cigarsmoker · Mar 14, 2012

Keep in mind there's a lot of variables. Currently running 2 - 955 BE based system. One OC easily, without much effort or cooling is required to 4.0. The other won't go much beyond 3.8 with all 4 cores. A little higher with the 3rd core disable.

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

CPU/NB voltage 1.1

Ram voltage 1.55

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

Cigarsmoker said:
Keep in mind there's a lot of variables. Currently running 2 - 955 BE based system. One OC easily, without much effort or cooling is required to 4.0. The other won't go much beyond 3.8 with all 4 cores. A little higher with the 3rd core disable.

I understand that, the same for RAM and motherboards. Even though you may have 2 identical pieces of hardware. Sometimes they will preform all slightly differently. I just feel like I can get 4.0 out of my CPU with a little bit more knowledgeable help than myself.

trents · Mar 14, 2012

Your CPU core voltage is too low at 1.296.

Do you have Cool N Quiet and C1E still enabled? If so, turn them off. They jack with overclocking. Then go into Windows Control Panel Power Options and set that to High Performance. That should turn off all the green, throttle down stuff. You will need somwhere between 1.4-1.5 volts on the vcore to be truly stable at 4.0 ghz. And by truly stable I mean passing 2+ hours of Prime95 blend.

Your CPUNB voltage is too low at 1.1. Set that to 1.25.

Your HT Reference is too high at 2207. Change the multiplier to 8x or 9x so that you come out between 1800-2000 mhz with that. On the Denebs it don't like to be overclocked.

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

trents said:
Your CPU core voltage is too low at 1.296.

Do you have Cool N Quiet and C1E still enabled? If so, turn them off. They jack with overclocking. Then go into Windows Control Panel Power Options and set that to High Performance. That should turn off all the green, throttle down stuff. You will need somwhere between 1.4-1.5 volts on the vcore to be truly stable at 4.0 ghz. And by truly stable I mean passing 2+ hours of Prime95 blend.

Your CPUNB voltage is too low at 1.1. Set that to 1.25.

Your HT Reference is too high at 2207. Change the multiplier to 8x or 9x so that you come out between 1800-2000 mhz with that. On the Denebs it don't like to be overclocked.

I had Cool N Quiet turned off already, but C1E was Enabled because I didn't know what it did, and my BIOS didn't give a description. I have it turned off now though. I have my system on a custom power plan, it's the windows 7 high performance plan... But I have custom times for the display to turn off and a sleep timer for my rig.

I got my CPUNB set at 1.25, and my HT down to 1,900.

Twiggz · Mar 14, 2012

Well, it seems you've done everything trent asked for so now I would try for 4000 again with the cpu voltages trent mentioned in mind.

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

Twiggz said:
Well, it seems you've done everything trent asked for so now I would try for 4000 again with the cpu voltages trent mentioned in mind.

I raised my CPU voltage to 1.5 and it's showing a little lower in CPU-Z. 1.4xx. Should still be good I hope. I just tried 4050 and my rig locked up once I started a blend test. So I reconfigured my FSB and CPU Ratio and got it to 4017.

It's running a blend test now at 4017. Hopefully it will hold up.

trents · Mar 14, 2012

Yes, don't forget that your CPU is a black edition and has an upwardly unlocked multiplier. You do not need to overclock with the front side bus like you have been doing unless you want to fine tune the memory frequencies or the HT Link and CPUNB frequencies. Overclocking with the CPU multiplier is simpler.

Don't forget to monitor your CPU socket and core temps. I don't see a picture of any temp monitoring software in your posting, though you do mention temps in post #1. Speaking of temps, we deal in Centigrade around here, not Farenhite. Please switch to Celcius mode in your monitoring software. You want to monitor temps anytime you are stress testing. As you increase the CPU voltage temps will rise. You want to keep core temps from exceeding 55 C. and CPU socket temps from exceeding 65 C. HWMonitor, a freeware program is a great tool for this as well as all kind of voltages.

It's normal for the CPU voltage to be different in Windows reporting programs than it is in bios. There are a number of reasons for this. Just watch the maximum voltage in HWMonitor as you stress test.

Anytime you post pics of CPU-z after making bios changes please post pics of these three tabs together: "CPU", "Memory" and "SPD".

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

trents said:
Yes, don't forget that your CPU is a black edition and has an upwardly unlocked multiplier. You do not need to overclock with the front side bus like you have been doing unless you want to fine tune the memory frequencies or the HT Link and CPUNB frequencies. Overclocking with the CPU multiplier is simpler..

Do you want me to drop my FSB back to stock and go to 4Ghz with just the multiplier?

My temps before upping the CPU voltage from 1.2 to 1.5 was 25'C idle. And 32'C full load.

Here are my new temps with the CPU voltage at 1.5 and the full load snipping was after about an hour of running Prime95.

Idle

Full load for an hour

Seeing these temps after upping my CPU voltage to 1.5 makes me feel not so proud of my CPU loop anymore.

trents · Mar 14, 2012

Well, you are at the limit for core temp stability so no more CPU voltage. We always tell AMD CPU overclockers that approximately 55 C. core temp is the limit for stability. What's really odd is that your CPU socket temps are lower than your core temps. Usually, with good aftermarket cooling it's the other way around.

I would run the Prime95 blend test for more than one hour - two at least- to confirm stability.

I would like to see the three CPU-z tabs again, please.

If you are satisfied with your overclock and its stable there is no need to change the fsb to stock and revert only to using the multiplier. It would be the same overclock amount. That wouldn't change. Just two different ways of doing the same thing and it would have been easier to just use the multiplier. But now that you're already where you wanted to be, no sense in undoing it.

trents · Mar 14, 2012

What was your max vcore under load (during stress testing)?

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

Here are the 3 CPU-Z tabs again, you asked for.

My VCORE is at 1.43 under full load. According to HWmonitor.

What's the difference between the core temps and socket temps, and do you know why mine are backwards compared to most aftermarket coolers?

I will be content with this 4017 OC as long as it's rock solid. The only thing else I'd like to do if my CPU OC stays stable is maybe try and get some more performance out of my RAM if that is possible?

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

Update: I just tried playing Battlefield 3. I joined multiple servers to make sure it wasn't a connection issue, but I'm getting some stuttering. It's like the game is running at 15fps when it's actually running at 40fps. Any advice to how to fix this while keeping my 4017Mhz OC would be nice.

Let me know what you guys need.

trents · Mar 14, 2012

Cojac92 said:
Here are the 3 CPU-Z tabs again, you asked for.

My VCORE is at 1.43 under full load. According to HWmonitor.

What's the difference between the core temps and socket temps, and do you know why mine are backwards compared to most aftermarket coolers?

Core temps are taken from a sensor that is located on the CPU die itself while CPU (socket) temps are taken from a sensor that is located below the CPU in the socket area of the motherboard. I have no answer as to why your readings are backwards of what they usually are with aftermarket cooling. It could be because one or the other sensor is calibrated poorly or it could be the software is wrongly identifying the socket sensor. At any rat it would be helpful to run the monitoring software that came with the motherboard to check it against HWMonitor.

I will be content with this 4017 OC as long as it's rock solid. The only thing else I'd like to do if my CPU OC stays stable is maybe try and get some more performance out of my RAM if that is possible?

I doubt very seriously you would see any performance improvement to speak of if you were running the ram at the full 1600 mhz. You're almost there anyway. The Phenom II X4s just could not take advantage of the extra bandwidth above about 1333 very well. They were mostly saturated at 1333.

trents · Mar 14, 2012

Cojac92 said:
Update: I just tried playing Battlefield 3. I joined multiple servers to make sure it wasn't a connection issue, but I'm getting some stuttering. It's like the game is running at 15fps when it's actually running at 40fps. Any advice to how to fix this while keeping my 4017Mhz OC would be nice.

Let me know what you guys need.

Could this be a video card problem? Is the card overheating? It sounds like it cold be some kind of thermal down-throttling. I'm not a gamer. Have you tried benching with Futuremark 3D tools to see if the frame rate is unusually low on a disk-based game? To check the CPU side of things you could so some gaming with CPU-z open to see if the cores are being thermally down-clocked. It might require a second monitor to view, though.

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

trents said:
Could this be a video card problem? Is the card overheating? It sounds like it cold be some kind of thermal down-throttling. I'm not a gamer. Have you tried benching with Futuremark 3D tools to see if the frame rate is unusually low on a disk-based game? To check the CPU side of things you could so some gaming with CPU-z open to see if the cores are being thermally down-clocked. It might require a second monitor to view, though.

I've been playing Battlefield 3 for 5 months now on the same graphics card, and I put in a 3 hour gaming session before I went to 4017 on my CPU and it was fine. I just checked everything regarding my video card while playing anyway though, and I'm getting 60fps and the temp is 70'C. I tried with my OC on my video card I've been running for quite some time, and without. Same problem.

Cojac92 · Mar 14, 2012

As far as the RAM thing goes. I actually know I wouldn't see any more performance when it comes to normal desktop computing and applications. I am just wanting to squeeze some more score out of them on benchmarks. My RAM seems to be my weak link in my rig. Always scoring a little below everything else. If you think I don't I'd have enough bandwidth or something of that nature, I'll accept defeat then... I just thought I'd ask.

Edit: I forgot to ask, but what is it exactly do you want me to watch for changes in CPU-Z while gaming?

trents · Mar 14, 2012

Cojac92 said:
As far as the RAM thing goes. I actually know I wouldn't see any more performance when it comes to normal desktop computing and applications. I am just wanting to squeeze some more score out of them on benchmarks. My RAM seems to be my weak link in my rig. Always scoring a little below everything else. If you think I don't I'd have enough bandwidth or something of that nature, I'll accept defeat then... I just thought I'd ask.

Edit: I forgot to ask, but what is it exactly do you want me to watch for changes in CPU-Z while gaming?

Fluctuations in the core frequency and/or core multiplier that would indicate thermal throttling is going on. It can come from the motherboard or the CPU but I think when you have Cool N Quiet, C1E and Turbo turned disabled and the Windows Power Options set to High Performance (and you supposedly did all that) all that CPU stuff is disabled. Concerning motherboard down-throttling, I would check in some of the little used tabs in bois to look for some setting that has to do with thermal down-throttling. It could be under PC Health or something like that and the threshold could be adjustable or you may just have an option to disable it entirely.

Attempting to get 4.0Ghz stable

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