AMD FX-6300 O.C.

[The_Orderian]

Hi there guys, I recently got my new PC and now that it is settled in I was looking for some advice on OCing my rig. Ill place the specs for you first.

BitFenix Spectre PRO 120mm blue LED fan
BitFenix Alchemy Premium Modding LED Strip - Connect Blue 30cm
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-Bit - OEM
XFX Pro 850W Core Edition '80 Plus Bronze' Power Supply
Asus Xonar DGX 5.1 PCI-Express Sound Card
OcUK 24x DVD±RW SATA ReWriter (Black) - OEM
Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM 1TB SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache - OEM
(ST1000DM003) HDD
KFA2 GeForce GTX 760 EX OC 2048MB GDDR5 PCI-Express
Graphics Card
Corsair Vengeance Pro Blue 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-14900C9
1866MHz Dual Channel Memory Kit
ASRock 970 Extreme3 R2.0 AMD 970 (Socket AM3+) DDR3 ATX
Motherboard
Prolimatech Blue Megahalems CPU Cooler (Socket 775 / 1150 /
1155 / 1156 / 1366 / 2011)
AMD Piledriver FX-6 Six Core 6300 Black Edition 3.50GHz (Socket
AM3+) Processor - Retail
Xigmatek Asgard II Windowed Midi Tower Case - Black/Silver
Prolimatech Megahalems AMD Retention Kit (Socket
AM2/AM2+/AM3)

I have read through all the Overclocking guides and have so far managed to achieve a tentative OC of 20.5x200 @ 1.325V @ 66C MAX. Can anyone offer any further advice here, on my OC or my set up? How far can I push the components I have? Is there anything holding me back?

I really appreciate any help you guys can offer.

 

[RGone]

Welcome to the forums...

Best to get us all on the same page. We have found that following along with the process below gives us not at your computer a fair picture of what is happening at your end.

Makes answering about overclocking an AMD cpu easier.

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 are n0w 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.

 

[The_Orderian]

Alrighty Ill go do that all now bro. Will be about 30 minutes.

 

[The_Orderian]

Here is the CPU-Z/HWM results before P95 stresst test.

 

[The_Orderian]

...and here is the 20min torture test.

 

[Johan45]

I'd set the ram to the XMP profile for starters. You could do something with your NB to raise it , but I think you're near your limit with that board. The cpu socket temp is at 64 and it doesn't show the core temp are you using the free version of HWmonitor?

 

[The_Orderian]

That is the free version yeah and what is the XMP profile?

 

[caddi daddi]

xmp, the cpu-z memory tab, xmp column.
into bios, change your dram freq from 1333 to 1866 and reboot, repost the screen shots.

 

[Mandrake4565]

What are your ambient temps? That Megahalems cooler should be doing a better job of cooling that chip.

 

[RGone]

What are your ambient temps? That Megahalems cooler should be doing a better job of cooling that chip.

Sure seems like it would with less than 1.3Vcore.

He is using Open Hardware Monitor not Hardware Monitor from CPUID com.

Down just below the Clocks of the individual cores is Temperature Core #1 - #6. = 51.1c.

RGone...

 

[The_Orderian]

Im downloading Hardware Monitor as we speak. As for the XMP Profile, my Bios doesnt let me set it 1860, just to 1720.

 

[The_Orderian]

NB shall I run a new stress test with HWMonitor then post it?

 

[RGone]

NB shall I run a new stress test with HWMonitor then post it?

Running the Prime95 Blend test with HWMonitor (free) open and runniing in the background is a good idea I suppose. I am familiar with Open HWMonitor since I often use it myself and the temps your capture of OpenHWM is showing are already pretty close to the limits for temps in general.

The high temps visible already with the cpu running at just 4.1Ghz are certainly not leading us to believe there is any great headroom left for further overclocking. That is why they have asked about how hot it is where the computer is located (ambient/room temps) and why there is speculation that the MegOhlens cpu cooler may not be making good contact with the top of the cpu or the heat in the MegOhlens is not being removed from the cpu case itself.

So the overall idea is that your temps are already too close to or are "fast" approaching what we normally consider max around here; to try and go much faster.

 

[The_Orderian]

Awesome, thank you for all of your input.

 

[RGone]

Xigmatek Asgard II << went and looked at pics and specs of that case of which there seem to be about 3 models now. Just color differences I guess though.

It only comes with a single fan up in the rear of the case. Case most certainly needs to have a fan pulling air into the case down low at the front. Looking at the lower front of the case there don't seem to be a lot of holes for a lower front fan to draw air into the case from.

SADLY many mid-tower cases don't lend themselves well to use with a HOT overclocked FX processor from AMD. I have seen some users, instead of buying a new case, put a fan in the lower front and one where the CD/DVD drives normally go and both pushing air into the case. That helps to work around the shortcomiings of some case designs.

Plus there are fans and then there are FANS that move large amounts of air. Moving large amounts of air often comes with some noise. Nowdays everyone wants pure silence. Laptops are good for that though. Hehehe.

If that upper rear fan were replaced with a real air mover and that fan moved to the lower front and you could get another in the front pushing air in...you might see better temps. Plus from what I see of the places selling the Prolimatech Blue Megahalems, they sell without a fan in the package, but ship the brackets for mounting two fans. One pushing air thru the fins and then one mounted to the other side of the Cpu Cooler that are drawing air 'thru' the fins. That might help also.

Just some ideas that you might look into if you really want or need more cpu speed.
RGone....

 

[The_Orderian]

There are a total of 4 fans in my PC as far as I know. The 2 on the 760 and the one attached to the Tower and the fan linked up with the Cooler. Im okay with my OC as it is. Ill tone it down a bit. Im fairly happy with my first PC build. Ive learned some lessons for the next time and you guys have helped me understand more. Thanks ~:-D

 

[RGone]

the one attached to the Tower = That is the only fan actually considered when determining case cooling. All the other fans you mention are for specific components and add just about zero to the overall removal of hot air from the case itself.

As you now seem okay with your first build, that is good. You have learned somethings you say and just wanted part of that learning to include not counting fans attached to video cards and cpu cooling as case cooling fans as they fall far short of being useful in removing heat from the case itself. FYI for the future.

Luck man and enjoy your gaming.
RGone...