Need help Overclocking AMD FX-4100 Quad-Core

[HeavyMetal1021]

Also by using the multiplier to i need to up the NB frequency multiplier as well?



System Information : "Scorpius platform"
Processor : AMD FX-4100 Zambezi Quad-Core 64-bit 3.6ghz(Overclocked to 4ghz) with stock heat-sink and fan.
Motherboard : ASRock 970 Extreme4 AM3+ with SATA 6gb/s and USB 3.0 and UEFI BIOS.
Memory : 8GB Corsair Vengeance DDR3 SDRAM 1600 (Overclocked to 1760).
Case : Rosewill Challenger U3 Black Gaming case with e-sata, USB 3.0, three 120mm front and side blue LED fans and one 140mm top fan.
Video Card : SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 6670 1GB GDDR3 (Overclocked core to 900 Mhz and memory to 967 Mhz).
Sound Card : SoundBlaster Audigy 2 Platinum.
PSU : Apevia Iceberg 680watt with adjustable fan speed, color mode switcher and see through siding.
Optical Drive : HP CD-RW/DVD-RW Lightscribe Multi-Recorder R-DL.
Hard Drives :
-One 500GB Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM SATA with Windows 7 – Ultimate – 64-bit installed on 200GB Partition(sda1) with the other 300GB Partition(sda2) for Media Storage.
-One 160GB Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM SATA with Windows XP SP3 for storing Game Install Files.
-One 250GB Western Digital Caviar 7200RPM SATA for extra storage and backups.

 

[trents]

By multiplier you mean the boost frequency multiplier right? why does it say x19.0 4180mhz? I dont really understand how that works. OK, so I'll disable the OC CPU mode and put it on manual, then Ill up my voltages some more, disable AMD Turbo core and put FSB back at 200. Then just up it with the Boost frequency multiplier? Thanks for your info

Yes, that looks like it, "boost frequency multiplier". The speed of the processor is a product of the FSB and the boost frequency multiplier. For instance, if the FSB is 200 and you choose a multiplier of 19, the processor will be running at 3800 mhz, 200x19=3800. If you choose a multiplier of 20, it will be 200x20 or 4000 mhz (4.0 ghz). Get it? If you choose a multiplier of 20.5 it will be 4.1 ghz, etc. Don't increase your voltage unless you have to, i.e. unless you fail the Prime95 blend 20 minute test. With your limited cooing you won't be able to add much voltage because that drives up temps. If you need to add voltage, try a .025 increase at first.

After each .5x increase in boost frequency multiplier, run a 20 minute Prime95 blend test to check temps (with HWMonitor open) and stability. If you pass, move on to the next increment. If you fail (blue screen, spontaneous restart, lockup or a Prime95 core worker drops out), give it the .025 bump in voltage and retest. Don't let core temps exceed 60c and CPU socket temp exceed 70c. When you hit the wall and can't pass the test any more and temps are maxed out, back up to the last stable configuration and then retest for 2 hrs. If you can pass Prime95 blend for two hrs. then you can consider it stable.

Make sure Turbo Core Technology, C1E, C6, Cool N Quiet and APM are disabled. Some of those things will be in other sections of the bios, particularly the "Advanced" tab and may be in a layer or two down. Then go into Windows Control Panel Power Options and configure it to High Performance if it isn't already. If it is already then you won't see some of the other options I suggested disabling because High Performance disables them.

Please put your system info in a "Sig" so it automatically travels with you at every post. Go to Quick Links at the top of the page and click on it and then click on Edit Signature. You can leave out the stuff about your drives as that info isn't relevant for overclocking.

 

[trents]

You will get much better results if you get better cooling. Your case is only 7.48" wide so the best air coolers are off limits to you because they are too tall to fit in your case. I suggest looking into a mid range closed water loop kit like those put out by Corsair, like the H60 or H70.

 

[HeavyMetal1021]

Thank you so much trents. And yes I have it on High Performance in Control Panel. I have Cool N' Quiet disabled and everything else you said. I'm going to disable Turbo Core and try using the multiplier. Thank you for breaking that down for me. I'll try everything you said and then re-post when I'm done with the results. I'm looking into some good aftermarket CPU coolers now. I know I cant get the best because of my case limitations but I won't need the best because I'm running pretty cool as is. Also thank you for directing me how to edit my signature lol, I've been trying to find that.

 

[HeavyMetal1021]

Also, I was looking at the heatsink you have. Do you think it would be compatible with mine? It looks pretty close. I have a 120mm fan on the inside of my case as well pointed at the CPU. I might need to move that down to fit it. What do you think? I always like Corsair products and you heatsink looks pretty nice. I don't like the idea of water in my computer so water cooled kits are off limits for me =]

 

[hallen]

I think your core voltage is too low. I have mine at 1.38 on an Asus M5A97. I believe that is stock voltage. I've had it up to 1.41 and didn't hurt it but 1.41 didn't get any increase.

Set fsb back to stock 200 and play with the multiplier eg 20.0, 20.5, 21.0 etc.

edit: With stock cooler and 1.38 you will be in the 50's under load. With a better cooler you'll be in the 40's.
I'm using a discontinued version of this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835186039

They run large so check dimensions.

 

[trents]

Also, I was looking at the heatsink you have. Do you think it would be compatible with mine? It looks pretty close. I have a 120mm fan on the inside of my case as well pointed at the CPU. I might need to move that down to fit it. What do you think? I always like Corsair products and you heatsink looks pretty nice. I don't like the idea of water in my computer so water cooled kits are off limits for me =]

No, the A70 air cooler will not fit into your case. I wish you had gotten a case a little wider because it would give you more options for cooling. All the tower-style air coolers with 120mm fans would likely be too tall unless you don't mind running without your side panel on. The height of the cooler is largely determined by the fan size. Your only other option with air cooling is to go with a top down cooler like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608019 That would be the only top down cooler worth it's beans in my opinion and for that price you could get a self-contained water kit like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181015 and have better cooling than with any top down air cooler, most likely. There is no reason to fear one of those self-contained water kits. They are already assembled.

For future reference, plan on getting a case at least 8" wide next time you buy one if you want to overclock the system.

Where's that Sig?

 

[HeavyMetal1021]

@hallen - Thanks man. I appreciate your info. Good to see someone with my same processor giving valuable input =]
@trents - Thanks again for all your help!

I'm about to try it out. I'll let you guys know when I get back how its doing

 

[HeavyMetal1021]

Overclock Successful

OK, I put my FSB back at 200, disabled everything that was interfering, put everything on manual mode and just used the multiplier. I am at 4.2 ghz now (which I couldn't do before) and I ran Prime95 on blend mode for 3 hours with no errors and my CPU never going above 59° so I'm very happy. Never thought to put my FSB back down when using the multiplier. I did the multiplier in .5 increments along with upping the voltage .1 volts each step. I think 4.2 ghz is the max I can do right now until I get my new CPU heatsink and fan. I might do the self-contained water cooling kit or the top-down heatsink and fan. Haven't decided yet. Need some money first haha. Donations will be accepted lol =] ... Anyways thanks for all the help guys

CPU-Z CPU Tab

HW Monitor at system idle

 

[trents]

Well, you sound pretty pumped now! We're glad to help you and we're glad you're finding success. Thanks for the Sig, by the way.

 

[hallen]

Here is a good dialog on FX-4100 voltage:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/329754-28-overclocking-4100

 

[HeavyMetal1021]

ok cool

 

[HeavyMetal1021]

Also, if you notice my core temps are 15° cooler than my CPUTIN...is that normal? I thought the core temps were supposed to run close to or maybe even hotter. Not that I would want that in this case but I just dont see why its a whole 15 degrees difference.

 

[trents]

Generally, on the FX-CPUs the core temp reporting runs about 15c too cool but it is not necessarily the case that core temps are usually hotter than CPU temps. Remember, there is a seam between the socket and the processor that will inhibit heat transfer and there are some very hot components around the socket that can make it run pretty hot - things like mosfets and capacitors. The CPU cooler is also closest to the actual processor than it is to the socket. This whole equation varies a lot from one motherboard to another, one CPU to another and from cooler to cooler. Many times, a good aftermarket cooler will extract heat so efficiently from the processor that the cores do run cooler than the socket.