help o/cing Athlon XP 1600+, whats holding me back?

[soulm4tter]

I'm tryin to overclock this cpu as high as it will go and i think it should run higher. I've hit a wall at 1488mhz (142mhz bus). It runs perfectly stable at that speed, but If i go any higher the system won't post. After about 30 seconds or so it resets itself to default clock speed and posts. I think this is MSI's safe guard or something. Its nice that i don't have to reset the cmos every time, but i'd really like to overclock higher. The CPU runs at 50C under full load (according to MBM5) at 1488mhz with 1.85v. It will actually run at that speed with only 1.7v, so i thought i should surely go higher with more voltage.

Here's the specs:
Athlon XP 1600+
MSI K7T Turbo2 (KT133A)
256MB Mushkin PC133 Rev2
GeForce2 MX
Antec 300W PSU

I've had this RAM running at 155mhz before on an Abit KT7A with a Tbird. So i don't think its the RAM keeping me from going higher. Do you think its the motherboard/chipset, CPU, or something else?

 

[xylem]

At a glance, I'd suspect the motherboard and perhaps the cpu temperature, if it's accurate.

 

[soulm4tter]

oh ya i forgot to disclose this information in the initial post. Before installing the Alpha PAL8045, i used a Thermalright SK-6 with a 20cfm fan. The CPU ran very hot (65C+) and seemed stable up to 80C under full load. Those temps were at default clock speed w/ 1.675v. This first 80 degree day here this spring the system locked up at 85C. I hate loud fans, so instead of putting a louder fan on the SK-6 i decided to upgrade the heatsink.

 

[Buz2b]

soulm4tter:
You do know that the AMD chips will start to "melt down" at ~90 C don't you?? Running yours up to 80-85 C surely isn't (wasn't) good for it. Are you trying to use the MSI "Fuzzy Logic" to overclock? If so, don't. If not then ignore that question. Your trouble getting the CPU to overclock higher could be the MB temp or even a voltage problem such as the memory needing more. It also could just be that your particular CPU just won't go any higher. Some overclock better than others. You can check to see what others have done with the same CPU stepping as yours (you did write down the info on the chip didn't you?) by going to this page.

 

[Migroo]

Nice link Buz2b

 

[ShyambaJuice]

Soulm4tter

It could most likely be your power supply. Here's the problem, you might have an older stepping XP 1600+ (like mine, it's AGKGA, ugh). So in order to go higher than 142 mhz FSB, you need to give it more juice. But your PSU most likely can't deliver at the higher voltages (lots of people say 300W is the bare minimum and the combined wattage for the Antec 300W is like 160W). I have the same power supply and my system used to reset all the time when I was in the 145-149 range with increased vcore and vdimm. At default vcore, vdimm at +.10 and 143 mhz FSB, my systerm is rock solid (specs: Epox 8kha+, 1600+, Crucial 256 mb PC2100, Antec 300W PSU).

I hope that helps. If you have a higher wattage PSU sitting around (haha), give it a try.

 

[soulm4tter]

thanx for the help guys.

Buz2b: yes i realize the cpu will start to melt down. The CPU temp never got over 75C before that hot day. After that, i underclocked the cpu and ran it 1.675v, until i got a new cooler. No i'm using the Fuzzy Logic.

ShyambaJuice: thanx for your input. I'm not gonna bother tryin my Lite-On 300W. I'll just stick with 1488.....its only my newb box.

 

[Buz2b]

<< The CPU temp never got over 75C before that >>

Man, that is still scorching hot. You should not run it anywhere near that temp. As you mentioned, get a new cooler--ASAP! You might find that your sytem will be more stable and better able to handle higher FSB speeds if you can get it down at least under the 50 C range. It would surely last a lot longer too.

 

[DieHardware]

75C?...80C!?...85C!!?...soulm4tter make sure your heatsink is seated properly on the CPU's die.

 

[Killrose]

What's your 5+ voltage rail reporting?, and under some sort of load? Could be a power supply or motherboard power regulation problem.

 

[Buz2b]

<< No i'm using the Fuzzy Logic. >>

Uhhh, so what does that mean? "No", you're NOT using it or "No", you ARE using it?

 

[soulm4tter]

Buz2b: i am not using the fuzzy logic, i'm just using the BIOS settings. I have installed a new cooler (Alpha PAL8045) and the CPU is now running around 45-50C under full load. I knew the temps should not be that high (70C+) and that is why i upgraded to a new heatsink.

DieHardware: The SK-6 was seated on the CPU just fine. I reinstalled it a couple times to make sure. The SK-6 just doesn't work very well with low CFM fans. Copper absorbs heat fast, but doesn't dissipate it fast enough without air being blow over it at a good rate. The CPU usually ran around 65C under full load at an ambient room temp of 22C. But when the room temp approached 27C, the cpu temp rose to 75C till it finally locked up at 85C.

Killrose: MBM5 is reporting the +5 rail at 5.05