Opty 180 OC's like crap!

[avi85]

I just got an Opteron 180 and more out of curiosity than neccesity I tried overclocking it, at stock voltage I could get it up to 203*12=2436MHz and at +0.05v I could get it to 212*12=2544MHz since the most my board can do is +0.05v that was my max oc, is there something I'm missing? it's not a horrible stepping (ccbwe 0550 vpmw). what am I doing wrong?

 

[Noubourne]

You can't blame the chip till you find the max stable HTT and max stable RAM OC.

Also, are you running 2 or 4 sticks of RAM? Optys don't like 4x512 and OCing. The memory controller is on the chip.

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: Noubourne
You can't blame the chip till you find the max stable HTT and max stable RAM OC.

Also, are you running 2 or 4 sticks of RAM? Optys don't like 4x512 and OCing. The memory controller is on the chip.

I had the HT multiplier lowered to 4x and the mem divider was set on 133, and I'm using 2x1GB. Max HTT is at least 250.

 

[heyheybooboo]

I think that mobo is more of an htpc as opposed to an OC model.

That said . . . .loosen your memory timings to 2T 3-4-3-7. You may have to use the nVidia nTune or ClockGen if the MSI bios gives you limited options . . .

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
I think that mobo is more of an htpc as opposed to an OC model.

That said . . . .loosen your memory timings to 2T 3-4-3-7. You may have to use the nVidia nTune or ClockGen if the MSI bios gives you limited options . . .

my memory shouldn't be a problem, at 212MHz HTT my ram was only running 141.333MHz

 

[google01103]

remember - ymmv even between the same steppings

But I'd guess your board might be a poor oc'er (see http://www.digital-daily.com/m...k8ngm2-fid/index05.htm & http://www.hardwarezone.com/ar...int.php?cid=6&id=1869). Reviews suggest a max of 210 for htt

Boards with the 6150 nb were geared to casual and business desktops

If you want a cheap oc'er with igp I'd suggest a Biostar Tforce 939 (uses the 6100 nb) - I'm running my 3800+ x2 @2600 with +.05V (1.4). This particular board was meant for oc'ers

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: google01103
remember - ymmv even between the same steppings

But I'd guess your board might be a poor oc'er (see http://www.digital-daily.com/m...k8ngm2-fid/index05.htm & http://www.hardwarezone.com/ar...int.php?cid=6&id=1869). Reviews suggest a max of 210 for htt

Boards with the 6150 nb were geared to casual and business desktops

If you want a cheap oc'er with igp I'd suggest a Biostar Tforce 939 (uses the 6100 nb) - I'm running my 3800+ x2 @2600 with +.05V (1.4). This particular board was meant for oc'ers

I used to run a 3200+ @ 2420MHz on this same board, that's a 242MHz HTT

 

[Noubourne]

Originally posted by: avi85

Originally posted by: Noubourne
You can't blame the chip till you find the max stable HTT and max stable RAM OC.

Also, are you running 2 or 4 sticks of RAM? Optys don't like 4x512 and OCing. The memory controller is on the chip.

I had the HT multiplier lowered to 4x and the mem divider was set on 133, and I'm using 2x1GB. Max HTT is at least 250.

I take it by "at least", you mean "I haven't actually gone to the trouble to test it, so I don't know".

So, lower the multiplier and divider to underclock your CPU and RAM, and then kick up the HTT. Then post your actual max stable HTT as measured by actual testing, and when you have determined that, and it is higher than 210, you can start pointing fingers at the CPU.

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: Noubourne

Originally posted by: avi85

Originally posted by: Noubourne
You can't blame the chip till you find the max stable HTT and max stable RAM OC.

Also, are you running 2 or 4 sticks of RAM? Optys don't like 4x512 and OCing. The memory controller is on the chip.

I had the HT multiplier lowered to 4x and the mem divider was set on 133, and I'm using 2x1GB. Max HTT is at least 250.

I take it by "at least", you mean "I haven't actually gone to the trouble to test it, so I don't know".

So, lower the multiplier and divider to underclock your CPU and RAM, and then kick up the HTT. Then post your actual max stable HTT as measured by actual testing, and when you have determined that, and it is higher than 210, you can start pointing fingers at the CPU.

I wrote in my last post that I used to run a 3200+ @ a 242MHz HTT on this board.

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Not sure why you're trying to squeeze more blood out of the AMD platform. Step-up to C2D if you need more speed than the 2.5GHz Opty. Basic E4x00 is around $100-$110. Add $56 for Abit IB9 P965 MB. DDR2 667 from HP is $20/GB (sale ends 7/31). You could probably fetch $100 for the old 939 MB/CPU on Fleabay.

Sounds like you have $ to burn if you buy the 180 to satisfy your curiosity. I never dump new $ into a black hole. That said, first thing is to run Memtest 1/2 day at overclocked settings to check the memory. RAM should be fine @ 166MHz divider. 133 can be problematic with some boards.

Per another post, you have a weak MB. I second the Tforce recommendation. ECS's KN1 Lite or 939 NF4 is also a great overclocker. I'm running my KN1 Lite/146 Opty @ 297MHz FSB x 10 with 1.45Vcore, 2.79Vdimm (2.5-3-3-8-1T/248MHz), and HTT x 3.

 

[Noubourne]

Well if you know the mobo and RAM can handle the speed stable, then the chip is probably the issue.

It could be the memory controller on the chip - which doesn't make it much better I admit - but have you tried OCing with just 1 stick of RAM?

 

[bryanW1995]

I killed my old msi skt 939 mobo when I went from an fx55 to an opteron 180. I could also a much higher oc on the fx55 before the board died. Many older 939 boards weren't designed for dual cores originally and can't handle higher clock speeds on them very well. MSI in particular doesn't seem to be a great overclocking mobo manufacturer, too. I went through several of their boards before getting into overclocking but now I wouldn't go near any of them.

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: SerpentRoyal
Not sure why you're trying to squeeze more blood out of the AMD platform. Step-up to C2D if you need more speed than the 2.5GHz Opty. Basic E4x00 is around $100-$110. Add $56 for Abit IB9 P965 MB. DDR2 667 from HP is $20/GB (sale ends 7/31). You could probably fetch $100 for the old 939 MB/CPU on Fleabay.

Sounds like you have $ to burn if you buy the 180 to satisfy your curiosity. I never dump new $ into a black hole. That said, first thing is to run Memtest 1/2 day at overclocked settings to check the memory. RAM should be fine @ 166MHz divider. 133 can be problematic with some boards.

Per another post, you have a weak MB. I second the Tforce recommendation. ECS's KN1 Lite or 939 NF4 is also a great overclocker. I'm running my KN1 Lite/146 Opty @ 297MHz FSB x 10 with 1.45Vcore, 2.79Vdimm (2.5-3-3-8-1T/248MHz), and HTT x 3.

You misunderstood me, I am oc'ing out of curiosity, I didn't purchase the proc out of curiosity, the only reason I bought it was cause I could sell my x2-4200+ for 10 bucks less than the opty 180 cost me so I figured $10 for 200MHz plus a larger cache is not bad so I went for it.

Originally posted by: Noubourne
Well if you know the mobo and RAM can handle the speed stable, then the chip is probably the issue.

It could be the memory controller on the chip - which doesn't make it much better I admit - but have you tried OCing with just 1 stick of RAM?

not yet, but I will when I get a chance

Originally posted by: bryanW1995
I killed my old msi skt 939 mobo when I went from an fx55 to an opteron 180. I could also a much higher oc on the fx55 before the board died. Many older 939 boards weren't designed for dual cores originally and can't handle higher clock speeds on them very well. MSI in particular doesn't seem to be a great overclocking mobo manufacturer, too. I went through several of their boards before getting into overclocking but now I wouldn't go near any of them.

the thing is that some people have oc'd x2 3800+'s to 2500MHz on this very board, maybe I just have bad luck...

 

[jpeyton]

Opty 180 OC's like crap!

Blanket statements about overclocking are usually crap.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: jpeyton
Blanket statements about overclocking are usually crap.

Not necessarily. For instance, here's one that's always true: the OP has one of the most voltage-hungry steppings ever produced. I had a CCBWE myself, and it required 1.55v (BIOS) to be stable @ 2.6 Ghz.

 

[wwswimming]

i have the Opteron 175 in the same MSI *-FID motherboard. with
OCZ 2-3-2-5 memory. good MB, but refused to OC. almost as if
it was programmed not to.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: bryanW1995 MSI in particular doesn't seem to be a great overclocking mobo manufacturer, too. I went through several of their boards before getting into overclocking but now I wouldn't go near any of them.

+

I've always had a great deal of success OC'ing msi mobos - from socket A's to current. I recently clocked an Opty 165 on stock air to stable 2.7GHz at 1.37v on a K8N Neo4-F with Kingston value ram. The K8NGM2-FID is just not an OC mobo.

Not necessarily. For instance, here's one that's always true: the OP has one of the most voltage-hungry steppings ever produced. I had a CCBWE myself, and it required 1.55v (BIOS) to be stable @ 2.6 Ghz.

As always when OC'ing yee rolls da dice and yee takes da chances I think it's great that the OP wants to 'wheel & deal", trade around and 'fiddle & piddle' with his rig. To me that's the definition of enthusiast. Too often the debate degrades into, "This is faster than that" or "You coulda saved $X" or "Why didn't you XYZ yah $##!@!$%*&!" or "Buy this!"

You misunderstood me, I am oc'ing out of curiosity, I didn't purchase the proc out of curiosity, the only reason I bought it was cause I could sell my x2-4200+ for 10 bucks less than the opty 180 cost me so I figured $10 for 200MHz plus a larger cache is not bad so I went for it.

I'll wheel and deal with yah on anything from P!!! dual socket slot 1's to s775's and PCIe graphics!