Overclocking Opteron 170 on DFI board

[Apocalypse23]

Yep, so I bought an opteron170(CCBBE - 0617FPMW), did a clean format and reinstall of windows, I also upgraded my PSU to an OCZ GameXtreme 600W and bought an Nvidia 8800GTS. I do currently have ONE stick of the ram in my sig, as I am RMA'ing the other one.

Right now I have it at 2.9ghz, stable, running for two days straight, ran prime on it, as well as gaming, 3dmark and many intensive applications.

I'm using the same RAM settings as I did with my previous overclock of my 3000+ as my ram hasn't changed, wondering if you guys suggest any modifications to the settings...

FSB: 290
Mult: x10
Pci E frequency: 100mhz
CPU Vid Startup: 1.475V
cpu vid control : auto/default
LDT Volt: 1.40V
Chipset Volt: 1.70v
DRAM Volt: 2.90v

DRAM config:

140=RAM/FSB: 07/10
CPC: Enable
TCL: 2.5
TRCD: 03
TRAS: 10
TRP: 03
TRC: 07
TRFC: 13
TRRD: 04
TWR: 03
TWTR: 02
TRWT: 04

TREF: 4708 cycles
Bank Interleave: Enabled
Increase Skew
Skew value: 200
Dram Drive Strength: weak 3
Dram Data Drive Strength: level 3
Max Async Latency: 0.8nano seconds
Dram response time: Fastest
Read Preamble Time : 0.5nano seconds
Idle cycle limit : 064
Dynamic Counter : Disable
R/W Queue bypass: 16x
Bypass Max: 08x
32byte granularity: Disable(4 bursts)



My temps for my proc and chipset under load max out at about 49-51C. I have tried upping the FSB to 300 but prime fails in a few minutes(on one of the cores). Any feedback would be appreciated, thanks.

Edit: http://img439.imageshack.us/img439/7750/cpuzzw3.jpg <-cpuz screenshot

 

[11427]

I'd suggest you try and get the chipset and LDT volts down, other than that and you high memory latencies, it pretty much looks like my OC.

 

[myocardia]

What RAM are you using? That makes a huge difference as to the settings for DFI boards.

 

[customcoms]

you know about dfi-street.com? If you are shooting for the 3 G's thats the place to ask questions. I wouldn't be concerned about the LDT voltage, but you shouldn't need that much chipset voltage. 1.6v should be fine, and 1.5v is also quiet probably stable.

 

[Apocalypse23]

I am using OCZ4001024PF ram.

I've also reduced LDT and Chipset voltages slightly. Some guy at the OCZ forums suggested I go for 150 divider instead of 140, but I can't find it as an option in my bios. Still trying to push it a little more...

 

[Thor86]

You're running dual instances of Prime right? Better yet, show us a pic of some Orthos Large FFT tests.

 

[JustStarting]

You're fortunate to get 2.9g out of a dual core. One core is always weaker than the other. Keeping the NB cool helps. I always set my NB fan to come full RPM on at the minimum temp in the bios. I also had a card cooler XT that just happened to blow right past my video card and onto the NB. My NB temps never got above 30C- 32C even under load. Bump up the CPU from Auto to 1.425- 1.45v if you have good cooling. I'd suggest something better than the XP-90..... maybe a Zalman 9500 or a Scythe 1000 or 1100P. With my Zalman 9500 and CPU vid at 1.45, I never went above 46C under dual prime.

I had PDP XBL+ PC4800 memory. I could run it 305, 1:1 at 8-4-4-3, 1T, or 6-3-3-2 at 2:3 at 305 FSB. That was a good combo for me. Play with the timings...... my guess is that it doesn't like cas 2.5. Bump the TRAS up to 11, and the TRFC to 17. Max Async Latency to 8.5 or 9 and Read preamble to 5.5 or 6. Set Skew back to 0, and DRM response to just Fast.

I spent weeks tinkering with these settings and they seemed to like this the best. Every CPU required tweaking since the memory controller goes through the CPU. One CPU may handle better timings/settings than another.

 

[JustStarting]

Good Link- Angry Games DFI settings

 

[Noubourne]

Dude you have CPU VID startup at 1.475v, and then you are running the chip at STOCK VOLTAGE after startup (CPU VID=Auto/Default).

2.9 at stock volts is, uhhh, well, pretty insanely impressive. Mine won't do over 2.7 at stock volts stable. It needs voltage increase (although slight) to be stable at 2.8.

Based on that not exactly small detail, I'm going to call bullshit on your 2.9 stable. That or you transposed voltages from startup and regular VID.

Assuming you transposed the voltages, you won't likely get 3.0Ghz stable without water (actually almost no one does), because you're already pushing 1.5v and only at 2.9.

What cooling are you using?

What are your idle and load temps at 1.475v?

 

[JustStarting]

Originally posted by: Noubourne
Dude you have CPU VID startup at 1.475v, and then you are running the chip at STOCK VOLTAGE after startup (CPU VID=Auto/Default).

I already pointed that out..... no way he's getting 2.9g at default voltage w/ just a XP-90.

 

[Noubourne]

Originally posted by: JustStarting

Originally posted by: Noubourne
Dude you have CPU VID startup at 1.475v, and then you are running the chip at STOCK VOLTAGE after startup (CPU VID=Auto/Default).

I already pointed that out..... no way he's getting 2.9g at default voltage w/ just a XP-90.

Missed that.

Sorta disagree that he should kick it up over 1.4v and see what he gets out of it. My chip is almost an identical stepping (although I suspect the IHS is mounted poorly), and I'm breaking 60C on one core with only 1.375v (actual reading 1.32v) with a Scythe Infinity. I would want to know temps before telling him to do that. Although even if it's too hot it's unlikely to do any permanent damage.

P.S. Send me your waterblock.

 

[JustStarting]

Originally posted by: Noubourne

Originally posted by: JustStarting

Originally posted by: Noubourne
Dude you have CPU VID startup at 1.475v, and then you are running the chip at STOCK VOLTAGE after startup (CPU VID=Auto/Default).

I already pointed that out..... no way he's getting 2.9g at default voltage w/ just a XP-90.

Missed that.

Sorta disagree that he should kick it up over 1.4v and see what he gets out of it. My chip is almost an identical stepping (although I suspect the IHS is mounted poorly), and I'm breaking 60C on one core with only 1.375v (actual reading 1.32v) with a Scythe Infinity. I would want to know temps before telling him to do that. Although even if it's too hot it's unlikely to do any permanent damage.

P.S. Send me your waterblock.

www.dtekcustoms.com has them in stock $75 and you get free shipping if your order is over $100


Edit: just checked.... I must have got the last one they had for the moment. They are showing out of stock now

 

[Noubourne]

Originally posted by: JustStarting
www.dtekcustoms.com has them in stock $75 and you get free shipping if your order is over $100


Edit: just checked.... I must have got the last one they had for the moment. They are showing out of stock now

You block-tease!

 

[the Chase]

Originally posted by: Noubourne

Originally posted by: JustStarting
www.dtekcustoms.com has them in stock $75 and you get free shipping if your order is over $100


Edit: just checked.... I must have got the last one they had for the moment. They are showing out of stock now

You block-tease!

Heh- biggest smile of the day so far.

 

[customcoms]

Noubourne, you probably have a poor IHS mount, and possibly a poor cooler mount. I'm currently running DUAL Folding@Home, stock cooler, stock voltage, 2.7ghz, same stepping, hitting 47 both cores according to coretemp and 47 according to MBM5 (they both agree and are reading from different sources so I'm pretty confident in these temps). My buddy with an XP-90C w/ Panfalo is hitting 55+ full load, same settings, same stepping. His mount is clearly poor (both cores report the same temps), and his cpu is not 100% stable

angry games's settings are RIGHT...FOR THE WHATEVER RAM AND CPU HE HAS IN THERE. As in, these setting might not be transferable. If you are pushing for 3ghz, you will need to find YOUR OWN SETTINGS. If you are not comfortable spending HOURS in the bios, don't expect it to happen. Squeezing the last 50-100mhz out of any processor is THE hardest!

 

[Apocalypse23]

Originally posted by: Noubourne
Dude you have CPU VID startup at 1.475v, and then you are running the chip at STOCK VOLTAGE after startup (CPU VID=Auto/Default).

2.9 at stock volts is, uhhh, well, pretty insanely impressive. Mine won't do over 2.7 at stock volts stable. It needs voltage increase (although slight) to be stable at 2.8.

Based on that not exactly small detail, I'm going to call bullshit on your 2.9 stable. That or you transposed voltages from startup and regular VID.

Assuming you transposed the voltages, you won't likely get 3.0Ghz stable without water (actually almost no one does), because you're already pushing 1.5v and only at 2.9.

What cooling are you using?

What are your idle and load temps at 1.475v?

Uhh...crap, that's weird, I posted my volts on the DFI forum and no one mentioned the cpu vid startup thing. All they suggested was a few ram settings and reducing the chipset/ldt volts.

I guess I will play around with that tonight, so you suggest altering cpu volt via CPU VID CONTROL and not startup? I've had the comp running 24/7 for about three days now, lots of continuous gaming, 3dmark and sandra benchmarks, torrents, a fair amount of compression/decompression as well epically now that I got my second stick of 1gig back from OCZ and haven't had a single crash or error so far. I have rebooted a number of times of course because of driver installations and playing with the bios settings.

I have run dual instances of prime, and more recently the ORTHOS program, though to be honest I haven't run it overnight or anything like that, I guess I will do that tonight. Should I do Small FFTs, large or blend?

My regular temps (multiasking, music and browsing) are about 35-38degrees C and don't exceed that unless I start gaming or torture testing. At which point they increase to a max of 52C. I'm also overclocking my 8800 (600/900) and that touches around 82C after hours of gaming.

Apart from the info in my sig, as far as cooling goes im using a silent cat fan on my heatsink, 1 120mm exhaust, one 90mm intake and I have another 120mm inside on my HDDs...and ofcourse my OCZ PSU fan.

JustStarting- Thanks for the link! I will have a look tonight when I get home from work.

 

[JustStarting]

if you have cpu vid control on auto and you're getting 2.9g, you should surely be able to 3.0g with about 1.45v.... you will need to bring those temps down first though.

You could have bad heatspreader contact on the core, or bad mounting of HSF on the cpu. I'd put some Ceramique or AS-5 on there and mount it again.

What's your system (or ambient) temp?

 

[Apocalypse23]

Originally posted by: JustStarting
if you have cpu vid control on auto and you're getting 2.9g, you should surely be able to 3.0g with about 1.45v.... you will need to bring those temps down first though.

You could have bad heatspreader contact on the core, or bad mounting of HSF on the cpu. I'd put some Ceramique or AS-5 on there and mount it again.

What's your system (or ambient) temp?

I was very careful with the application of thermal paste and heatsink mounting, but that doesn't mean it installed perfectly. I suppose I can have a look when I have more time. I just used the paste that I got with my xp-90 BTW.

Ive been running orthos large ffts for over an hour now so my overall temps have shot up. All my temps are at 50-52C right now...I guess that isnt too great huh.

Edit: I also very quickly tried upping the cpuvid control to 1.475 and leaving startup as it is. Turned up the FSB to 300x10 and booted into windows but failed orthos in a few mins.

 

[Noubourne]

Yeah check your heat dude. The more volts you push the more heat you'll get. You want to boot into 3Ghz with the lowest possible voltage and only increase voltage where necessary for stability.

I've seen the DFI 3Ghz club for optys though. There are like 3 guys in there on air. I'd be willing to be they're all running it naked.

And you can set your Startup back to auto/default. I haven't needed that since I switched over from Venice.

 

[Noubourne]

Oh and as to my own CPU - thx for the advice guys. I'm pretty sure I need to go naked. I have an 8-12C delta between the two cores at load. If I run Prime 95 on the first core only, it won't break 50C at my current settings. Mid 40s. The other core alone will hit 53C, and that increases to 57-58C with the other core loaded.

Pretty sure it's a bad IHS mount.

 

[JustStarting]

I've removed the IHS on nearly every Opty I had....

a few 144's
a 146
a 148
plenty of 165's
and a few 170's

I never gained much running naked..... maybe 2C and 50mhz at best- on air.

I wish I had them on water, but sold my set-up before the Opty craze. Now I have a WC'ing set-up arriving for my E6400

 

[Apocalypse23]

How bad are my temps anyway? I know they are high but are they hurting the life of my chip? Also, should I go about increasng my cpu voltage and trying 300FSB? I already tried that at 1.475 volts and failed prime very quickly, does this suggest that my chip is incapable of hitting 3ghz even though im reaching 2.9 on stock? Thanks.

 

[JustStarting]

It just may suggest your cooling is enough, or the chip is just tapped out. If you could keep the temps in the upper 40's max I'd try giving it more voltage, but with 52C and default voltage I'd say you need a better cooling solution to get more out of that chip

 

[Big Lar]

Try MAL of 9, and RP of 6 once, and see if it helps.

 

[you2]

On the ultra-D how do you set the divder less than 1:1? Also how does this show up on tools like A64Info ?