A64 3200+ OC on A8N-SLI, w/350W PSU

[Gokuto]

Current Setup:

Athlon 64 3200+ winchester 90nm
Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe Bios: 1003 Final
2 x 512 Corsair Value Select PC3200
Leadtek 6600GT
1 x 80gig WD IDE
1 x 120gig WD IDE
1 x NEC ND-3520A DVDRW

Enermax 350Watt PSU (365P)

Current OC:


CPU: HTT=250mhz x 10 = 2.5 Ghz., 1.55v
5:4 HTT:Mem divider
Memory: 208.6mhz, 2.9v (by CPU-z)
LDT= 4x

Prime stable for over 10 hours with HTT=250, memory passes memtest just fine.
BUT...
As soon as I push it to 251, prime fails after 10 minutes, no joke.
Also interestingly enough, the chipset can easily reach up to 315, no problems, but when I set the CPU multiplier to 8x with an HTT of 312 and a 3:2 divider, I fail to POST...

Do i not have enough power here? My enermax 350watt has been a loyal companion for 3 years, never had a hiccup. Would more wattage help here?

 

[GuitarDaddy]

It could be a better PS would help. You might also try different CPU muti's

My 3200+ tops out at 2450mhz with the 10x muti, but I can get 289x9=2601 or 325x8=2600

 

[Gokuto]

I've actually tried the 312x8=2.5, w/ a mem divider of 3:2, but in that case it doesn't even POST, hangs in the BIOS. I haven't tried a 9x multiplier because my MB doens't support any other dividers aside from 5:4, 3:2, and I can't get my memory past 220 with 2.9v.

Is it strange that at 250 it's primestable, but at 251, it fails in a matter of minutes? CPU temp is 52C at full load.

 

[Appledrop]

if your vcore is relatively stable, and at what you set it at, and your +12v rail is steady +/- 5% of 12, i say a new psu wont help.

 

[stelleg151]

Yeah, I think some of these winchesters hit a pretty solid wall when overclocking, as you can see by the fact that even the people with lots of voltage and water cooling arent getting better results than the people on air. My winnie hits about the same wall, although not quite as intense.

 

[Gokuto]

Darn, kinda wished it was that easy

but, i'm pretty happy with a 25% overclock. and it's prime stable with relatively low temps.

thanks for the help guys.

 

[superkdogg]

Good PSU's are nice. However, looking at the power consumed by Winnies, it's relatively safe to say that most of the time the PSU is not the limiting factor. Those chips just don't need a lot of power to run. They consume less power than any Athlon since the 2000+ TBred and only a little more than a 2.4 Northwood. 67W is the max rating for a Winchester-raising vCore and clockspeed can probably exceed this by a little, but since Winnies also don't need a lot of voltage, it's unlikely that your PSU can't supply the chip with what it needs-unless your PSU is not stable on the 12V rail-then it's possible, but it should happen either during boot up when lots of power is needed, or relatively randomly under windows if the PSU is just faulty or weak.

 

[Gokuto]

system is stable as a rock during boot up and has up till now, not crashed. prime fails at 251, but I do not get bsod or a random reboot.

well, all I know is enermax makes quality psu's that's for sure. this 3 year old 350watter STILL has life left.