Overclocked: a History o violence, trial and error - Overclock.net

thewebmaster179 · 11-25-08

ok... so not much on the violence part (unless you count the cpu torture test from Orthos, mind you) but I figured I could post my most recent OC experiences since I recently got an Artic Cooling freezer 64 pro CPU cooler and I found the official guide for AM2 overclocking in this same board.
Well, I'd had some experience with OCing up to 2.7 in the past but I wasn't 100% sure of what I was doing and since I hadn't reached my dream OC of 3 GHz for my 4200 x2, I figures this was as good time as any to see just how much more I could push my rig.
First, and according to indications in the guide I mentioned earlier, proceeded to isolate the different parts of my PC, starting with the MOBO. I had heard it wasn't too good a overclocker but I wasn't about to let other people's experiences put me down so I started with the basics

(Windsor Core)
CPU HTT: 200 MHz
CPU Multiplier: x5
HT Multiplier: x5
Memory Frecuency: DDR2 400MHz
Memory Latency: 5-5-5-18-26 (I'm hazy on this since I did it on saturday, but I did set loose the timings)
Memory Voltage 1.8v (acording to various sources, this is the default volt.)
CPU voltage: 1.35v

Ok so I started increasing the HTT and all went well (Orthos test successful) until I hit 249 where things started going wrong.
Computer just woudn't boot and reducing HT multiplier barely had any effect on that so I started fearing that my mobo was limiting me, which I thought wasn't possible since I had increased it further in the past in less organized OC sessions but put it down due to thermal issues.

Trying out many thigs I decided to increase the memory voltage by 0.1v (the maximun recommended according to the guide) and it worked.
It was obvious something was wrong with the memory voltage since everything else was loose. I was able to boot windows after but as I ran the Orthos blend test it crashed again.
Then I decided to try something different. I put the memory voltage on "auto" and it worked wonders. I don't know much about memory, and maybe I'm pushing it too much but after that everything seemed to run stable.

Ok, so let's upgrade the specs:

CPU HTT: 249 MHz
CPU Multiplier: x5
HT Multiplier: x4
Memory Frecuency: DDR2 400MHz
Memory Latency: 6-6-6-18-26 (I'm hazy on this since I did it on saturday, but I did set loose the timings)
Memory Voltage: Auto
CPU voltage: 1.35v

I kept increasing the HTT for a while and it was solid until I hit 275 where everything crashed, again...
I tried reducing the HT multi again to no effect. As of now I haven't solved this problem, and I'm not sure if I've effectively reached the mobo true limit or it's a memory voltage issue again. Since My goal was 270x11 I figured it wouldn't matter much.

Well, by now I knew I couldn't trust memory OC so i'd settle with cpu by keeping the HTT link around 1000 Mhz.

ok, so back to basics:
CPU HTT: 200 MHz
CPU Multiplier: x11
HT Multiplier: x5
Memory Frecuency: DDR2 400MHz
Memory Latency: 5-5-5-15-21 (this are the default timings of the memory)
Memory Voltage: Auto
CPU voltage: 1.35v

Well I reached 240 easily and I didn't have to touch the voltage at all, which was a good sign. By the time I reached 246 I reduced the HT multiplier to x4 and increased the voltage by 0.0250 and kept going with no problems.
Finally I got to 260 and I was 10MHz from my goal, but that was as far as I'd go.
When I reached 263 it was totally unstable and woudn't run orthos at all. I tried increasing the voltage to 1.45v (the max recommended) but to no avail. I realized I had reached my limit so it was time to lower the bus

I kept lowering it and it became more stable but only when I lowered it to 258 it was truly stable.
Since I had increased the cpu volt to 1.45 out of frustration i lowered it 0.0250 to reduce temps and it worked well for a few hours playind Dead Space but it eventually crashed (don't worry, I had just saved the game

). I increased 0.0125 for perfect stability and it's been going at it since saturday.
So so summarize the specs

CPU HTT: 258 MHz
CPU Multiplier: x11
HT Multiplier: x4
Memory Frecuency: DDR2 800MHz (@916)
Memory Latency: 5-5-5-15-21 (this are the default timings of the memory)
Memory Voltage: Auto
CPU voltage: 1.4375v

Total CPU speed: 2838 Mhz.

I'm a little underwhelmed by this results. I didn't know what to expect since I'm a noob in these things but before this I was running my cpu at 2.7 (a lot hotter though). I know my memory is setting me back somehow but I'm not sure what to make of it.

I can't remember my current temps, so I'll get you back with those as soon as I get to my PC.

Cheers!

PhillyOverclocker · 11-25-08

That chip is a serious overclocker. I used to be able to run 2.8 (shaky) and 2.7 @ 1.45v (24hr Orthos stable), but I had a 4200+ socket 939 and it was on liquid cooling. It overclocked better than my 4400+ I have now running at a little under 2.6.

Catsup · 11-25-08

Great job bud!, keep up the good work!

More people should post their results like this, even if its been done before.

There will always be 1 or 2 little kids running around telling people 'Your dumb, you forgot to search the forums, you need to read around, this has already been done'

But ignore them=)

Its threads like this that make the forums worth looking at, because everyone has a different processor/motherboard/ram combo, and every combo overclocks a little differently.

I believe you'll be able to reach your end goal of 3ghz on that Arctic Freezer 64.

The AC Freezer 64 pro is an amazing cooler for the price (i think it was 30 dollars when i bought it?)

I hope you didnt wipe off the thermal paste that came on it, that stuff was AC MX-2 paste (second best paste avaliable *arguably*) and it comes applied perfectly in a thin sheet.

Let us know if you get any more out of it=)
Keep up the good work

thewebmaster179 · 11-25-08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catsup

Great job bud!, keep up the good work!

More people should post their results like this, even if its been done before.

There will always be 1 or 2 little kids running around telling people 'Your dumb, you forgot to search the forums, you need to read around, this has already been done'

But ignore them=)

Its threads like this that make the forums worth looking at, because everyone has a different processor/motherboard/ram combo, and every combo overclocks a little differently.

I believe you'll be able to reach your end goal of 3ghz on that Arctic Freezer 64.

The AC Freezer 64 pro is an amazing cooler for the price (i think it was 30 dollars when i bought it?)

I hope you didnt wipe off the thermal paste that came on it, that stuff was AC MX-2 paste (second best paste avaliable *arguably*) and it comes applied perfectly in a thin sheet.

Let us know if you get any more out of it=)
Keep up the good work

Thanks man. Of course I didnt wipe the paste (mostly because I don't have any of my own). In fact I worried for a second that once I get a new cpu (namely a phenom2) the paste will already be used here and I'll have to get more.
The cooler was $42 here in Argentina. Everything is always 50% more around here, so I shoudln't complain

**The Duke** · 11-25-08

The RAM is holding you back

Have you upped the vdimm (RAM voltage) any?
You may also need to up the NB and SB chip set voltage too.

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Overclocked: a History o violence, trial and error

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