Need some help overclocking Phenom II

[BlueBlazer]

@BLaber, most users here overclock on air mostly, some on water, for running normally. So LN2 and suicides are out of the question.

 

[BLaber]

Originally posted by: BlueBlazer
@BLaber, most users here overclock on air mostly, some on water, for running normally. So LN2 and suicides are out of the question.

What I mention is for air overclocking , pls read before replying.

 

[DarkManX4lf]

I think I hit a wall or maybe I'm doing something wrong. The max stable overclock I can get so far is 3.6ghz 200x18 with the NB at 2ghz, the HT at 1.8ghz, ram set to 400mhz in bios and vcore at 1.55v. If I try to change the multiplier to 18.5 it crashes in OCCT. If I change the fsb to 205 it crashes in OCCT. If it try to set my cpu to 233x16 it doesnt boot properly. Did I hit the limit of the cpu or am I doing something wrong?

 

[BLaber]

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf
I think I hit a wall or maybe I'm doing something wrong. The max stable overclock I can get so far is 3.6ghz 200x18 with the NB at 2ghz, the HT at 1.8ghz, ram set to 400mhz in bios and vcore at 1.55v. If I try to change the multiplier to 18.5 it crashes in OCCT. If I change the fsb to 205 it crashes in OCCT. If it try to set my cpu to 233x16 it doesnt boot properly. Did I hit the limit of the cpu or am I doing something wrong?

As i understand you are using onboard graphics right , if so then it is known to limit overclcocks some times.Also what is the cooler you are using , what are ur occt load temps.

Also have tried overclocking on any 32-bit windows , bcz Phenom's behave differently when overclocked on 64-bit and 32-bit windows.

 

[DarkManX4lf]

Currently I'm using the stock cooler and load temps are around 68c and idle temps are around 40c. I would try 32bit Vista but then I can only use 4gb ram.

I was thinking to get a new cooler and I'm still researching on the one I want to get.

 

[BLaber]

I think people are able to reach 3.6ghz using stock cooler @stock voltage , so did u try running at stock volts or just straight away started shooting for MAX overclcock

Also it would be really nice of you if you could post your overclcock results here so that it can be added to Phenom overclcock Database : The Official Phenom II Overclocking Thread (Please Post Your OC's)

 

[DarkManX4lf]

The only way I could get 3.6ghz was to up the voltage to 1.55v. Also I put in a old ATI x1950xt card that I found and I still cant pass 3.6ghz.

I couldnt do 3.5ghz at stock either.

 

[DarkManX4lf]

Looks like 200x18 with 1.52v 2ghz NB, 1.8ghz HT, is all I can get. I couldn't even do 3.5ghz at 1.35v stock. Temps are a bit high, 40c idle and 70c full load. I was looking into a few coolers and I've seen so many TRUE 120 recommendations.

Whats the main difference between TRUE 120, TRUE Copper 120, and TRUE Black 120? Just color?

Also aside from TRUE 120 what is the next best budget cooler? OCZ Vendetta?

 

[richierich1212]

Wow 70 degrees full load? I managed to squeeze out 3.5GHz from my 920 today. I have the Xigmatek S1283 cooler and Antec 300 case with two of the stock fans. And the Biostar TA790GX3 A2+ is pretty limited in overclocking options. http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=497372

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf
Looks like 200x18 with 1.52v 2ghz NB, 1.8ghz HT, is all I can get. I couldn't even do 3.5ghz at 1.35v stock. Temps are a bit high, 40c idle and 70c full load. I was looking into a few coolers and I've seen so many TRUE 120 recommendations.

Whats the main difference between TRUE 120, TRUE Copper 120, and TRUE Black 120? Just color?

Also aside from TRUE 120 what is the next best budget cooler? OCZ Vendetta?

I am doing 50c full load@3728 (true 120 extreme), The copper and back are more money, and obviously you don't need them, just what I have, but 3.7 is it for me....

 

[Gikaseixas]

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf
So basically even if I manually set it to the 533 setting it will ignore the setting and default it to 400?

From past experience, yes. Most motherboards will do that. The only way to clock the ram higher then becomes raising your "CPU-NB HT Link Speed" setting manually.

Most manufactures fixed that with new bios, my MSI board used to do that but with the latest bios 1.6 they fixed this issue, i'm now running my memory at 1066 mhz. Also NB does helps improve performance a bit, i'd say 5-7% with a 300 mhz increase.

 

[DarkManX4lf]

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf
So basically even if I manually set it to the 533 setting it will ignore the setting and default it to 400?

From past experience, yes. Most motherboards will do that. The only way to clock the ram higher then becomes raising your "CPU-NB HT Link Speed" setting manually.

Most manufactures fixed that with new bios, my MSI board used to do that but with the latest bios 1.6 they fixed this issue, i'm now running my memory at 1066 mhz. Also NB does helps improve performance a bit, i'd say 5-7% with a 300 mhz increase.

When I tried to run in 1066 my computer crashed when loading windows. I set it to 800 and it works so far.

 

[batmang]

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf
Looks like 200x18 with 1.52v 2ghz NB, 1.8ghz HT, is all I can get. I couldn't even do 3.5ghz at 1.35v stock. Temps are a bit high, 40c idle and 70c full load. I was looking into a few coolers and I've seen so many TRUE 120 recommendations.

Whats the main difference between TRUE 120, TRUE Copper 120, and TRUE Black 120? Just color?

Also aside from TRUE 120 what is the next best budget cooler? OCZ Vendetta?

Definitely invest in a new cooler if your going to be upping the voltages. The stock cooler is great for short term high voltage use (benching), but not 24/7 high voltage use. I'm surprised your stuck at 3.5 with a 940. I was able to get 3.5GHz 100% stable with my PII 920. 3.7GHz was bootable but would eventually BSOD. 3.6GHz was benchable but wouldn't pass OCCT or Prime95. It never crashed on me at 3.6Ghz, but not passing OCCT at the least is NOT stable IMO. Thats cheating! A water setup is on its way and I'm hoping for at least 3.7Ghz 100% stable or possibly higher. What surprises me is that I'm using a K9A2 Platinum motherboard which has no NB multiplier. So 3.7 is going to be my absolute max. With a M3A78-T you should be able to hit 3.6 easy on air. Lower your NB multiplier and start playing with the HT bus and see where that gets you. If there is an auto setting for your voltages, use that. 1.35v on the NB is overkill if its not 2400+. I was at 2300+ at 1.27v. I suggest doing what BLaber suggested.

Originally posted by: BLaber

.....

The concept is easy , NB speed = NB Multiplier x Ht speed
And u already know , CPU speed = CPU Multiplier x Ht speed

To begin NB overclocking raise NB multi by 1 let the NB voltage be at STOCK , test for stability and keep doing the same thing till u find the limit for NB overclock at stock volts, then start adding little more NB volts , keep doin the same process again till u reach possible results on your TYPE OF CPU cooling. I ve seen ppl running NB at 2.6 Ghz using 1.32+/- volts , but even on air 2.8 ~ 3.0 Ghz should be possible with more volatge i.e 1.4v+/-.

Also you can use HT speed as final tweak to your NB,Memory and CPU speeds.After you have reached max stable speed by using CPU multiplier and NB multiplier for overclocking and if you think you can get out little bit more from your Ram and CPU , just slowly up the HT reference speed (which is 200 @ stock) by 1Mhz each time, this will raise core clock and NB clock and Memory speed at the same time so be careful , test a lot and find the sweet spot for your CPU+MOBO+RAM COMBO.You may have to raise Mobo NB core voltage (SB600/SB750 voltage)on some Mobo's to get stable.

Ull see more gains in performance with NB overclocking along with core overclocking on Phenom II.And better cool your MOBO's PMW secion or else you know what happens to chicken in TAN DOOR OWEN if left for longer time than desired. :evil:

 

[DarkManX4lf]

Originally posted by: batmang

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf
Looks like 200x18 with 1.52v 2ghz NB, 1.8ghz HT, is all I can get. I couldn't even do 3.5ghz at 1.35v stock. Temps are a bit high, 40c idle and 70c full load. I was looking into a few coolers and I've seen so many TRUE 120 recommendations.

Whats the main difference between TRUE 120, TRUE Copper 120, and TRUE Black 120? Just color?

Also aside from TRUE 120 what is the next best budget cooler? OCZ Vendetta?

Definitely invest in a new cooler if your going to be upping the voltages. The stock cooler is great for short term high voltage use (benching), but not 24/7 high voltage use. I'm surprised your stuck at 3.5 with a 940. I was able to get 3.5GHz 100% stable with my PII 920. 3.7GHz was bootable but would eventually BSOD. 3.6GHz was benchable but wouldn't pass OCCT or Prime95. It never crashed on me at 3.6Ghz, but not passing OCCT at the least is NOT stable IMO. Thats cheating! A water setup is on its way and I'm hoping for at least 3.7Ghz 100% stable or possibly higher. What surprises me is that I'm using a K9A2 Platinum motherboard which has no NB multiplier. So 3.7 is going to be my absolute max. With a M3A78-T you should be able to hit 3.6 easy on air. Lower your NB multiplier and start playing with the HT bus and see where that gets you. If there is an auto setting for your voltages, use that. 1.35v on the NB is overkill if its not 2400+. I was at 2300+ at 1.27v. I suggest doing what BLaber suggested.

Originally posted by: BLaber

.....

The concept is easy , NB speed = NB Multiplier x Ht speed
And u already know , CPU speed = CPU Multiplier x Ht speed

To begin NB overclocking raise NB multi by 1 let the NB voltage be at STOCK , test for stability and keep doing the same thing till u find the limit for NB overclock at stock volts, then start adding little more NB volts , keep doin the same process again till u reach possible results on your TYPE OF CPU cooling. I ve seen ppl running NB at 2.6 Ghz using 1.32+/- volts , but even on air 2.8 ~ 3.0 Ghz should be possible with more volatge i.e 1.4v+/-.

Also you can use HT speed as final tweak to your NB,Memory and CPU speeds.After you have reached max stable speed by using CPU multiplier and NB multiplier for overclocking and if you think you can get out little bit more from your Ram and CPU , just slowly up the HT reference speed (which is 200 @ stock) by 1Mhz each time, this will raise core clock and NB clock and Memory speed at the same time so be careful , test a lot and find the sweet spot for your CPU+MOBO+RAM COMBO.You may have to raise Mobo NB core voltage (SB600/SB750 voltage)on some Mobo's to get stable.

Ull see more gains in performance with NB overclocking along with core overclocking on Phenom II.And better cool your MOBO's PMW secion or else you know what happens to chicken in TAN DOOR OWEN if left for longer time than desired. :evil:

I'm looking to invest in a new cooler but then I found my TT Big Typhoon and the only thing I'm missing is the am2 bracket. I'm trying to look on the net to see if I get it somewhere. I called up TT and they want $25 just for the bracket....Screw that!

I followed the sticky to "Isolate and Consolidate" doing this I got my HTT up to 265 mhz. Anything past 265mhz just wouldnt post.

This is where I get confused about Northbridge and Processor-NB voltage. In my bios settings (see pic in first post) there is a Processor-NB voltage and Northbridge voltage setting. The Northbrige voltage brings up two different voltage settings HyperTransport and Core/PCIe.

Originally posted by: BLaber

...You may have to raise Mobo NB core voltage (SB600/SB750 voltage)on some Mobo's to get stable.

By looking at Blaber's post, am I raising the NB voltage or the SB voltage? Isnt the SB600/SB700/SB750 all SouthBridge?

Don't mind the settings in my pic. The pic was taken when I had no clue what I was doing with all these new voltage settings and just messing around with these settings :laugh:.

 

[richierich1212]

I managed to get my PII 920 to 3.6GHz @ 1.44v. http://valid.canardpc.com/show_oc.php?id=503118

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: SunnyD

Originally posted by: DarkManX4lf
So basically even if I manually set it to the 533 setting it will ignore the setting and default it to 400?

From past experience, yes. Most motherboards will do that. The only way to clock the ram higher then becomes raising your "CPU-NB HT Link Speed" setting manually.

Most manufactures fixed that with new bios, my MSI board used to do that but with the latest bios 1.6 they fixed this issue, i'm now running my memory at 1066 mhz. Also NB does helps improve performance a bit, i'd say 5-7% with a 300 mhz increase.

When I tried to run in 1066 my computer crashed when loading windows. I set it to 800 and it works so far.

You setting the voltages and timings for the memory manually in the BIOS? SPD settings don't always work (particularly with OCZ). For reaper I think it's 2.2v and the best timings should be 5-5-5-18 I think, though you might want to start with 7-7-7-20 just in case.

 

[Assimilator1]

Only just come across this thread from google, so maybe you've since found out the info?

If you get AMD overdrive it'll tell you in there (in advanced mode) what the CPU-NBv is (called NB VID), set the the voltage to default in the bios to find out what the default CPU-NBv is.
For the PC I'm working on (Ph II 940 Blk ed, Asus M3A79-T del) its default CPU-NBv is 1.175v.