Wow... New OC Results

[Nebor]

I tried to OC again w/ my new power supply. This is w/ a p4c 3.0ghz and Corsair PC3500C2. I had to set GAT to Auto to get it to boot with a divider. So now I'm at 240 w/ a 5:4 divider. 3600mhz. But that makes my ram slow. But my ram won't run above 223mhz 1:1. I'm thinking I need PC3700 to really do my best.

Can I safely up my voltage any? To what level? I'm about to run through 3dmark01 and 03 and report back the scores. Current voltage is set at 1.6. Actual reading is 1.57v.

So far what I have:
SiSoft Sandra Arithmetic Test: 11,093 MIPS Screenie of Score
3dmark01: 20010

EDIT: 3.6ghz was not stable. I'm back at 3.5ghz.

 

[Shimmishim]

your 01 score sounds about right...

assuming you're using a 9800 NP or pro

weird that you can't do more than 1:1 with that pc3500...

yeah you may want to get some pc3700 or even 4000

 

[Mardeth]

It might be the processor... If you buy new ram go straight for 4000.

 

[oldfart]

Dont worry about running a 5:4 ratio. This is a very common misperception about P4 rigs. CPU speed is FAR more important than memory speed. Ram latency is more important than ram speed. If you run a high FSB with 1:1 ratio, you will need loose timings to do so. Running 5:4 will allow tight timings which is actually faster in real world benches than a higher DDR speed and loose timings. Many people have tested this and it is true.

So, keep the ram you have, run the CPU as fast as it will go with stability, run your memory as tight as it will go with stability. This is your fastest setup. PC3700 will not help, it may even hurt. I've seen people "upgrade" to PC3700 - 4000 only to find they now have a slower system. Not exactly money well spent.

1.6V (1.57 actual) is fine. I run the same. What are you using for cooling? What are your temps @ full load?

 

[Nebor]

I don't have temps, I have an Abit IC7-G. It makes up numbers for temps!

It says my load temp is 61C, which hasn't changed any from stock speed\voltage. This is inline with what other people are getting on the abit forums. Keep in mind these temps aren't at all acurate. My heatsink is barely warm to the touch down at the base.

As long as you buy GOOD ram, you should be able to run tight timings AND high FSB. There's some PC3700 available that does CAS 2.5. So I could have basically the same overclock I have now, but @ 1:1. Plus I would have GAT back, since I can't use it with a divider. Current timings @ 186.5mhz ram speed are 2-3-2-6. It can do those same timings all the way up to 223mhz.

I'm using a Zalman 7000Cu for my processor, Zalman passive gold heatsink for northbridge, and a Zalman ZM80C-HP for my Radeon 9800 Pro w/ the OP1 fan attached. Then 5 panaflo l1a case fans. And a Zalman power supply.

I :heart: Zalman.

 

[oldfart]

I also have the IC7 so I'm pretty familiar with the temps. What timings on the 3700? 2.5-?-?-?. Did you know that cas is the least important? None of the PC 3700 -4000 will do the 2-3-3-6 you run now. A lot of it needs to run 3-4-4-8 which is poor.

Forgetting mem speed for a moment, what is your highest stable FSB/CPU speed?

EDIT
I see you are @ 3.5 GHz (BTW, that is pretty darn good)!

That would be a 233 MHz FSB
5:4 = DDR373
What kind of ram do you have? You should be able to run 2-2-2-6

1:1 = DDR466
What tiimings can you run at this speed with the ram you have?

 

[Nebor]

When this system was new, I used to run it at 2-2-2-5 all the time... I imagine I can still do that no matter what the FSB is set to.

I'm not sure 3.5 was stable. I got a reboot randomly... I'll need to mess with it some more later on.

 

[oldfart]

You have to figure out whre the CPU is stable first, then tweak the mem later. Set your mem up dirt slow for testing. use 3:2 ratio, 2.5-3-3-7. Test your CPU overclock to see where it is stable. Once you know that, go back to setting up your ram. If you have mem that can run 2-2-2-5, you have some of the best memory ever made. You can not buy it any longer. Hold on to it. I am.

 

[Nebor]

I'm pretty sure the current Mushkin ram can do 2-2-2-5.

 

[oldfart]

Yes, on an AMD board. On an Intel 865/875, it is 2-3-2-6

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: oldfart
I also have the IC7 so I'm pretty familiar with the temps. What timings on the 3700? 2.5-?-?-?. Did you know that cas is the least important? None of the PC 3700 -4000 will do the 2-3-3-6 you run now. A lot of it needs to run 3-4-4-8 which is poor.

Forgetting mem speed for a moment, what is your highest stable FSB/CPU speed?

EDIT
I see you are @ 3.5 GHz (BTW, that is pretty darn good)!

That would be a 233 MHz FSB
5:4 = DDR373
What kind of ram do you have? You should be able to run 2-2-2-6

1:1 = DDR466
What tiimings can you run at this speed with the ram you have?

3.5 GHz isn't record breaking on a 3.0C. If it was on a 2.4C I would be very impressed .

 

[oldfart]

Doesn't really matter what the original speed was . They are all built off the same core and have the potential to hit the same speed. 3.5 on air is quite good (stock HS and fan even!) Not record breaking, but very good.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: oldfart
Doesn't really matter what the original speed was . They are all built off the same core and have the potential to hit the same speed. 3.5 on air is quite good (stock HS and fan even!) Not record breaking, but very good.

That's pretty much my thinking. It seems like the max of most P4Cs lies somewhere in that 3.4-3.6 range, no matter what speed it was originally rated at. BTW, time to play with it again. ALthough it just ran the last 8.5 hours through prime95 @ 3.45ghz. Was sitting at 67C when I got back to it. Craaaaaazy abit. My hand didn't even combust when I opened up the case to feel the heatsink!

 

[oldfart]

The thing is, once you hit ~70C (Abit reading), it will start to throttle. I've tetsed this with my setup. Once you get to ~70C, you will see priime95 bomb. The good news is I have never seen an actual application get it that high.

 

[Nebor]

Right now I'm at 1.625v, 1.60v actual @ 3.51ghz. Is that voltage safe? Prime95 is running right now temp holding at 69C. Oh, I couldn't boot into windows @ 3.51ghz for a long time, so finally I took your advice and switched to 3:2. Works fine! My conclusion is that my ram hates 5:4, or that GAT is still somehow screwing me. What's the most disabled setting for gat? Turbo: Auto, Auto, Disabled, Disabled. Right?

So what's your solution to my current ram problem? I'm running fine w/ the 3:2 divider, but even @ 5:4, my ram is only running at like, 187mhz, and it won't load into windows. I'll get a reset while loading windows.

 

[Nebor]

Hrmm... I couldn't get it to boot into windows above 234mhz, so still at 3.51ghz. It exhibited the same symptoms as before, rebooting during loading windows. I still think the ram is somehow screwing me. So now I'm @ 3.51ghz at 234mhz 3:2. I think that if I switch back to 5:4 it will reboot. Should I RMA this memory to corsair? Or is this an abit problem?

Oh, I also went back and lowered my voltage back to 1.60v, 1.57 actual.

 

[Nebor]

Actually, I switched over to 5:4 without a hitch. @ 3.51ghz still. Seems pretty stable. THe only baffling thing is, my sandra score is lower than it was @ 3:2.

 

[oldfart]

GAT should be all auto. PSB = 800? AGP/PCI are 66/33? Are you STABLE @ 3.51 GHz 3:2? If so, I would think 5:4 is also stable. Is that Corsair CH-5??

When you try 5:4, what is your Vdimm and timings?

 

[Nebor]

I'm at 5:4 now, timings @ 2-3-2-6. 234mhz FSB. 3.51ghz. 1.57v actual. Stable.

I don't know what kind of chips my memory has. I bought it from Fry's when I built this computer one day.

The guys on the abit forum favor the Street Racer GAT setting w/ :Auto, Auto, Disabled, Disabled. Which is what I've always run. Let me fiddle with those, and see if I can still start up...

 

[oldfart]

You cant use those settings when running a ratio. Its all auto or auto with the last 2 disabled.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: oldfart
You cant use those settings when running a ratio. Its all auto or auto with the last 2 disabled.

Hrmmm, yeah, that's what I found out. So now I'm @ 2-3-2-6 all GAT set to auto. Just got a 10,963 in Sandra. But if I were to get some PC3700 ram w/ the same timings, I could run this same speed @ 1:1...

 

[oldfart]

Now time for my SiSoft rant. Who cares? Did you build your PC to run SiSoft benches or to run games and applications? Bench it with the applications and games you actually use. If you buy the 3700, you will not be running 2-3-2-6. The 1:1 speed will be lost by the slower timings required. Typically, the scores are within 1% of each other. Often the PC3700 is slower in actual applications. Many people have found that out the hard way. It is a waste of $$.

 

[Shimmishim]

Originally posted by: jiffylube1024

Originally posted by: oldfart
I also have the IC7 so I'm pretty familiar with the temps. What timings on the 3700? 2.5-?-?-?. Did you know that cas is the least important? None of the PC 3700 -4000 will do the 2-3-3-6 you run now. A lot of it needs to run 3-4-4-8 which is poor.

Forgetting mem speed for a moment, what is your highest stable FSB/CPU speed?

EDIT
I see you are @ 3.5 GHz (BTW, that is pretty darn good)!

That would be a 233 MHz FSB
5:4 = DDR373
What kind of ram do you have? You should be able to run 2-2-2-6

1:1 = DDR466
What tiimings can you run at this speed with the ram you have?

3.5 GHz isn't record breaking on a 3.0C. If it was on a 2.4C I would be very impressed .

ME ME ME ME

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: oldfart
Now time for my SiSoft rant. Who cares? Did you build your PC to run SiSoft benches or to run games and applications? Bench it with the applications and games you actually use. If you buy the 3700, you will not be running 2-3-2-6. The 1:1 speed will be lost by the slower timings required. Typically, the scores are within 1% of each other. Often the PC3700 is slower in actual applications. Many people have found that out the hard way. It is a waste of $$.

I really do little besides play w/ my computer settings, run Sandra, 3dmark and other benchmarks. I'm not really into games lately. I beat Max Payne... So yeah, benchmarks are the most important thing on my computer. That and these forums... Oh the neffing...

 

[oldfart]

NeffMark03!!