Need help with AMD overclocking

[SunnyD]

I was going to put this in the same thread as the fellow with the Sempron 3100+ thread, but I figured it would get lost in there.

I'm "playing" around with overclocking for the first time since the old 486 days, and I'm not entirely certain of what I'm doing with respect to my system.

Specs:
Motherboard: DFI Infinity NF4x nForce 4 Socket 754, current BIOS
CPU: Sempron 64 2800+, 1.6GHz 8x Multiplier stock
RAM: 2 sticks of PC3200 CL2.5 (not matched)

Now, for starters, I know that with more than 1 stick of ram in a S754 system, the motherboard automagically kicks in a 5/6 divider. So this is what I'm working with at the moment, around a 166MHz memory clock.

I've gone as far as taking the CPU clock up to 240MHz currently, and it appears that everything is well, but I want to make sure I know what components I'm affecting here. At 240MHz CPU clock, the memory clock is running at what should be 200MHz with the default 5/6 divider. nTune is showing 398MHz (occasionally jumping to 800+MHz), and CPU-Z is showing 193.1MHz. Timings are all cool running 2.5-3-3-7-10-1T according to CPU-Z.

Now, the question I have is the HT Link speed. S754 Semprons are 4x HT Multipliers, meaning that the HT Link is currently running at 960MHz. Now I *know* Athlon 64's run at 1000MHz link (200MHz * 5x), and that all a Sempron 64 should be is a cached down A64. But the question is, is this safe on this board and CPU?

Finally, what utility is accurate when it comes to CPU temps? nTune is showing me 29 degrees C while the BIOS shows about 37 degrees C. And is there any way to get a temp reading off the NF4 chipset?

Thanks in advance for all your patience and all your answers. Taking baby steps here.

Step 1 is @ 1930MHz....

 

[BitByBit]

You can lower your HT link multiplier right down to 1X or 2X since it has little impact on performance, and doing so will enable you to hit higher clocks.

 

[cmrmrc]

i dont know about the Sempron being a cached down A64 or a "native" Sempron...but running at 960mhz is risky when you're overclocking....running at 720mhz won't drop down the performance alot....maybe not even 1%....so i suggest you putting it to 3X or 2X and ramp up the CPU clock....

 

[Ayah]

Originally posted by: BitByBit
You can lower your HT link multiplier right down to 1X or 2X since it has little impact on performance, and doing so will enable you to hit higher clocks.

At 1X/2X, stock; you're looking at the performance of a 2GHz C model Pentium. Maybe not even that. HT speed is very much important.

Just for trying to achieve maximum FSB, going to 2-3 should be sufficient.

As long as the HT speed does not dramatically exceed the 2000MHz standard, you're good.

 

[SunnyD]

My thinking is that since it's an nForce 4 chipset, it should handle 1000MHz HT without problem. The question is can the CPU? But being they're all based on the same family, I'm thinking it should. Either way it's not a major issue I'm not going to do extreme overclocking anyway, but I'm trying to get the fundamentals of it down. Running stock cooling in an old Enlight case, I'm not looking at the best cooling setup. Speedfan was showing 51 degrees C on Prime95 load after 15 minutes.