popped my overclock cherry

[snowpunk]

Last week I finished building my new system, and today for the first time I attempted to overclock. I need some help though. Since I am new to this please correct any mistakes I've made. The only resources I had for doing the things I did were from online websites.

Let's start off with my system:
-Gigabyte GA-K8NSC-939 Mobo
-AMD Athlon 64 3200+
-1Gb Dual PC3200 RAM
-Zalman Copper (kick-a$$) CPU cooling fan

-Prime95 and CPU-z Software

So here is what I did:
-dropped my HT Frequency to 3x
-changed the DRAM speed to 166

I started off with increasing my clock speed in 10Mhz increments. When I hit 30 I did not pass Prime95's test so I increased my CPU power from 1.4 to 1.5. When I moved up to 40 I did not pass so I bumped up the voltage from 1.5 to 1.6 and failed after 11 minutes of the test. Throughout all the testing the CPU temp never got over 100F.

The AMD Venice core should allow me much more play than just going from 2.0 Ghz to 2.3 Ghz without failing the test. From what I have read I should atleast be able to get up around 2.6Ghz.

Please help this newbie out!!!!

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Try setting a divider for your ram, like set its max allowed speed to the 2nd highest speed, and it should help a little with stability. And now most Venice cores are not as good as the ones that came out early..

 

[Nubius]

the early venices did those insane clocks...as time goes by they will start to produce worse and worse results...mine maxes out at 2.575GHz

 

[003]

the early venices did those insane clocks...as time goes by they will start to produce worse and worse results

Just like my san diego May I ask why they do that? I mean, they are the same CPU, right???

 

[idiotec]

Well, you still have some wiggle room on the vcore, but I wouldn't go above, 1.65-1.7.

The RAM shouldn't have anything to do with it, with the 166 divider, the RAM is still below stock speeds.

Also, no reason to put the LDT multi all the way down to x3, x4 is fine, remember you just want HTTxLTD to be less than or equal to 1000.

Other things that can affect your OC. Crappy PSU and crappy motherboard. They might also be the weak link in your setup. Both can also affect vcore. Do some tests and make sure it is not undervolting under stress.

 

[Nubius]

Just like my san diego May I ask why they do that? I mean, they are the same CPU, right???

Kind of but no at the same time...it's like saying 'those are both snow flakes' but in reality each one is completely unique

in the beginning there was a high demand for the 3000/3200+ venices (and higher up san diegos) so to fill that demand they take CPU's that could pass for 3500 or even a 4000+ chip, but label it a 3200+ since theres a lot of people wanting those lower cheaper chips.....once the demand settles down, they take a CPU that barely qualifies as a 3200+ and ship it out...after all it just needs to run at the spec'd speed...anything over that you just gotta consider yourself lucky for getting

 

[PP Mguire]

So your saying i could have gotten a 4000+ chip if i would have bought a Venice first off the shelf?

 

[snowpunk]

About this HTTxLTD less than or equal to 1000. Can someone explain this a little more? I feel like I'm back in first year Spanish in High School with these foreign terms.

 

[Nubius]

So your saying i could have gotten a 4000+ chip if i would have bought a Venice first off the shelf?

Pretty much...basically up to week 17 were the best ones...technically it's beyond a 4000+ considering those were hitting 2.8GHz+

About this HTTxLTD less than or equal to 1000.

HTT is the new term for FSB...by default it is 200 which makes it 1:1 with PC3200 RAM.

AMD64's have an LTD Multiplyer...I forget what LTD stands for right now, but if you really want to know google it up...anywho, it's default multiplyer on socket 939 boards is 5x 200x5 = 1000x2 because of the AMD64s = your total 2000HTT you see marketed on boards. Some say 1000HTT, some say 2000HTT, esentially the 1000HTT are the 2000HTTs it's just giving you the number before the amd64s x2 is taken in.

when overclocking you'd obviously go above that, so you want to match the LTD multi to your HTT so that they are close to 1000 as possible without going over.

250x4 = 1000 (perfect)

333x3 = 999 (close enough) etc...etc

 

[idiotec]

AMD64's have an LTD Multiplyer...I forget what LTD stands for right now, but if you really want to know google it up...anywho, it's default multiplyer on socket 939 boards is 5x 200x5 = 1000x2 because of the AMD64s = your total 2000HTT you see marketed on boards. Some say 1000HTT, some say 2000HTT, esentially the 1000HTT are the 2000HTTs it's just giving you the number before the amd64s x2 is taken in.

LOL. His head might actually explode after that one