A bit of OCing help needed with an Opteron 165

[Trikat]

So I went through 2 or 3 pretty detailed guides and am finishing up the OCing project with my Opteron 165.
Since it was my first time OCing I want to make sure I did everything perfectly and not to fry my CPU.
First my computer specs:
Opteron 165 CCBBE 0610DPMW
Abit KN8 Ultra (nForce 4 Ultra)
2x1GB Patriot PC3200 LL Stock: 2-3-2-5 @200Mhz (Will go up to 209MHz at stock timings. 2.5-3-3-6 @ 230MHz -> not the maximum, but I didn't want to make the timings go too high.
OCZ Powerstream 520W SLI

"Max" CPU -> 2.9GHz @ 1.55V @ 59 or 60 C. Obviously will get hotter and probably too hot during this NC summer weather.
"Max" HTT/FSB -> 335
"Max" Memory -> Haven't found it, but it will do 2.5-3-3-6 @ 230MHz

I used this calculator to find what settings I should put my CPU at:
http://math.gogar.com/athlon64.cgi
I am thinking of 2.8GHz so I plugged in these values. Please correct me if I made a mistake plugging in the "correct" values!
CPU: 2800
RAM: 230
HT: 1000
HTT/FSB: 335
MULTI: 9x

So it churns out this huge chart with the best choice at the top:
311 9 x 311 = 2799 17:24,141,DDR283 = 215.3 (DDR431) 3 x 311 = 933 0.4093

My main question is did I plug in the correct values for the calculator and what should I put in the bios?

For now it seems like I set the CPU Multiplier to 9x -> FSB to 311 -> Memory to DDR283 <- is this correct? -> HT ratio 3x.

Edit: Another question. I have a OCZ 2x1GB PC4000 Platinum Edition ram kit (3-3-2-8 stock). Should I really use these rams instead of the Patriot sticks? It is obvious that the timings are going to be A LOT better at higher MHz, but how much better is it than the Patriots?

Edit:Seems like I found a better one?
280 10 x 280 = 2800 5:6, 166, DDR333 = 233.33 (DDR467) 3 x 280 = 840 0.0008

 

[robertk2012]

In my opinion that is way to hot and you are using to many volts. Others will agree and others will say im an idiot and youll be fine. So the choice is yours. Do try and see what you max out at 1.45 as I doubt it is very much below what you are at now.

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: robertk2012
In my opinion that is way to hot and you are using to many volts. Others will agree and others will say im an idiot and youll be fine. So the choice is yours. Do try and see what you max out at 1.45 as I doubt it is very much below what you are at now.

Yea, I agree that 55+ C is pushing it and 60C is just not fun to deal with. That's why i'm going for the 2.8GHz which I think was at around 1.41 - 1.43 V. I forgot the temps I would get at that setting.

After looking at my bios it doesn't allow me to do that DDR283 divider. It only has the basic type of dividers or whatever they are. Only 6 - 10 choices or something like that. :/

 

[Xcobra]

do you actually need that much voltage for that cpu...i mean CCBBEs ive seen can run 2.7 @ stock, try lowering it and if not, then get a better cooler cuz those temps are way over the roof, and also i dont understande what you mean by plugging in the values "correctly"...basically you have the cpu that runs based on a 200Mhz speed or "FSB" and then theres the multiplier, in your case like you said, its 311x9=2.8 and with the ram, all you need to do is set it on a divider, id personally do like 1/2 or something to get it out of the way and set HT multi to like 2x so you get that out of the way and only have the cpu to test...youre doing great, its just that your temps are pretty bad and make sure you test both cores!

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: Xcobra
do you actually need that much voltage for that cpu...i mean CCBBEs ive seen can run 2.7 @ stock, try lowering it and if not, then get a better cooler cuz those temps are way over the roof, and also i dont understande what you mean by plugging in the values "correctly"...basically you have the cpu that runs based on a 200Mhz speed or "FSB" and then theres the multiplier, in your case like you said, its 311x9=2.8 and with the ram, all you need to do is set it on a divider, id personally do like 1/2 or something to get it out of the way and set HT multi to like 2x so you get that out of the way and only have the cpu to test...youre doing great, its just that your temps are pretty bad and make sure you test both cores!

Yep, i'm going to see if my ram can handle 333MHz now and adjust the timings accordingly.
As for my temps it should be around 55 C at 1.45V I think so i'll give that a whirl.
I'm running a Big Typhoon.

 

[robertk2012]

Dont worry to much about your ram speed. Max out your cpu and the use whatever divider is nessesary to make it stable. Processor mhz is king when overclocking amd chips.

 

[Trikat]

Alright.
So my last question:
Which memory timing should I loosen to beable to get 233MHz stable in Memtest. I know it has errors on test #5 first run @ 233MHz @ 2.5-3-3-6
I believe CAS shouldn't be loosened first.

 

[robertk2012]

try 2.5-5-5-8 first. or just use a lower divider. You talking .5% at the most either way.

edit if you are that close to what was a stable speed and timing then there are two things I would do. lower your speed just a bit to get the ram stable or try 2.5-3-3-6 2.5-3-3-8 2.5.4-4-8

 

[m1ldslide1]

I just thought I'd post so that you could see my sig - same memory and motherboard, different chip. The highest I could run the Patriot memory at any timings was 233mhz 1:1, but for some reason I couldn't quite get 280mhz stable at 5:4 with the same timings. 273 was the highest I could pass prime95 at, and then I was able to tighten the timings after that with no adverse affects. I never tried any more extreme dividers than 5:4...

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: m1ldslide1
I just thought I'd post so that you could see my sig - same memory and motherboard, different chip. The highest I could run the Patriot memory at any timings was 233mhz 1:1, but for some reason I couldn't quite get 280mhz stable at 5:4 with the same timings. 273 was the highest I could pass prime95 at, and then I was able to tighten the timings after that with no adverse affects. I never tried any more extreme dividers than 5:4...

Hi, I noticed you have pretty low timings for overclocking that high!
I don't know if we have the same Patriot rams as the highest i can go at:
5X cpu multiplier
3X ht multiplier
FSB: 230
is
2.5-3-3-6 @ 2.9V

Inorder to get high OCs I have to set a very crappy divider as the KN8 Ultra does not have DDR300 for some reason. It has 200, skips 300, 400, 500, and a couple/few between those hundreds.
I might just go with the OCZ 2x1GB PC4000 Plats which will cost me $40-$50 more. :/
These high timings are very noticable when loading programs/windows.
Still tinkering around with this OC and eventually i'll find some setting I like hopefully.

 

[Trikat]

Bah I found something to work with:
Core Speed: 2682.4MHz @ 1.39V
HTT/FSB: 335
DDR266 divider (223.33MHz) @ 2.5-3-3-6 @ 2.8V

Dual Prime95 running now and it is heated up to 55C :/
It is pretty darn hot in the house so the ambient temp is probably a huge factor.
Also I turned my fans to near minimum, because I want something where I can also sleep in the same room as my computer.
Seems like some decent settings for a near 2.7GHz.

Only if I had water, then I can hit 3GHz Prime95 stable.

 

[robertk2012]

Originally posted by: Trikat
Bah I found something to work with:
Core Speed: 2682.4MHz @ 1.39V
HTT/FSB: 335
DDR266 divider (223.33MHz) @ 2.5-3-3-6 @ 2.8V

Dual Prime95 running now and it is heated up to 55C :/
It is pretty darn hot in the house so the ambient temp is probably a huge factor.
Also I turned my fans to near minimum, because I want something where I can also sleep in the same room as my computer.
Seems like some decent settings for a near 2.7GHz.

Only if I had water, then I can hit 3GHz Prime95 stable.

335x9=???????????????????????

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: robertk2012

Originally posted by: Trikat
Bah I found something to work with:
Core Speed: 2682.4MHz @ 1.39V
HTT/FSB: 335
DDR266 divider (223.33MHz) @ 2.5-3-3-6 @ 2.8V

Dual Prime95 running now and it is heated up to 55C :/
It is pretty darn hot in the house so the ambient temp is probably a huge factor.
Also I turned my fans to near minimum, because I want something where I can also sleep in the same room as my computer.
Seems like some decent settings for a near 2.7GHz.

Only if I had water, then I can hit 3GHz Prime95 stable.

335x9=???????????????????????

Yea it works out.
Nothing is wrong with it for now and it is hitting 2.7. Going fairlyl close to the calculator.

 

[robertk2012]

you must not be using a 9x multiplier becuase thats way faster than 2.7 300x9 is 2.7

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: robertk2012
you must not be using a 9x multiplier becuase thats way faster than 2.7 300x9 is 2.7

Ah yea i think i'm using an 8x multiplier and a 3x ht.

 

[robertk2012]

well I could be wrong but I would think that you are pushing that motherboard pretty hard. How long are you running prime for? what test? If that is the max htt you can reach then you might want to think about backing down from that a bit.

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: robertk2012
well I could be wrong but I would think that you are pushing that motherboard pretty hard. How long are you running prime for? what test? If that is the max htt you can reach then you might want to think about backing down from that a bit.

Yea it is my max HHT/FSB.
I guess I should back down about 5-10 from 335 since it isn't good to keep it running so hot. (Thx for pointing that out to me.)
I'll try to find another combo to achieve around 2.7GHz.

Btw, I just finished up 9 hours of Prime95 small fft without errors on the maxed HTT/FSB.

Also I found out one very important thing... My CPU HS/F (Bit Typhoon) wasn't running at the max fan speed even when it heated up... I have no clue why so I am going to find the problem to that. The thing is, my goal is a "quiet" system and the Big Typhoon is indeed much quieter than my 120mm case fans.

 

[Trikat]

Yes, I found a pretty good setting:
Using HTT/FSB: 310MHz
CPU Mult: 9x
DDR266 Divider
HT Mult: 3x
I achieved ~2.8 (2792.7Mhz in CPU-Z) @ 1.41V (I might beable to get lower, Prime95ing now).
CPU-Z shows Memory at 199.5MHz so that allows me to go @ 2-3-2-5 timings!
Right now it is at 53C Prime95ing so I have to say it is a great setting.
I'm really happy now with my 2.8GHz, low timings, O.K. temps. (Case fans minimum.)

 

[catalysts17az]

Trikat
Try a Zalman 9500, it real quiet and does a heck of a job cooling

 

[Trikat]

Originally posted by: catalysts17az
Trikat
Try a Zalman 9500, it real quiet and does a heck of a job cooling

Yea, the Zalman 9500 I believe is 1-2 C cooler when the fan on it is turned to the max; however at that point it becomes too loud.
I was very tempted to get that fan hs/f until I found the big typhoon for $42 shipped compared to $50 shipped for the Zalman 9500.
The Zalman is also a heck of a lot lighter and prettier. Plus I like its air flow efficiency.
Too bad it isn't quiet on max.

 

[OvErHeAtInG]

Originally posted by: Trikat
Yes, I found a pretty good setting:
Using HTT/FSB: 310MHz
CPU Mult: 9x
DDR266 Divider
HT Mult: 3x
I achieved ~2.8 (2792.7Mhz in CPU-Z) @ 1.41V (I might beable to get lower, Prime95ing now).
CPU-Z shows Memory at 199.5MHz so that allows me to go @ 2-3-2-5 timings!
Right now it is at 53C Prime95ing so I have to say it is a great setting.
I'm really happy now with my 2.8GHz, low timings, O.K. temps. (Case fans minimum.)

Nice OC. I'm limited to 2466 MHz on my 165 until I upgrade my motherboard.