Really need help with my X2 Overclock!

[qwerty69]

I have been overclocking and tweaking my new X2 system for the past week but without success to make it stable. I'm sleeping at 3am everyday for the past week and this is making me crazy... :sad:

 

In case anyone will like to know, my definition of 100% stable for 24/7 usage is at least 12 hours Prime95(run 2 copies, large ffts), 100 passes of Memtest #5 & #8, at least 8 hours HCI Memtest, 3dmark and games.

 

 

First off, i started using the startup settings provided by Rgone in the stickys. Stock CPU and Ram speed. Dual Primed for 12hrs and no errors.

 

http://www.dfi-street.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21248

 

 

Next, i tried overclocking and found my max CPU clock is 2655 using the below settings. Again, primed for 12hours with no errors.

 

Average temps are,

CPU : 55-60c (i know this is high but i'm planning to remove IHS and put on a good w/c setup after getting this thing stable)

PWMIC : 48c

Northbridge : 46c

 

a. HTT = 295

a1. LTD/FSB = X3.0

a2. CPU/FSB Frequency Ratio = 9

a3. PCI EX Frequency = 100

a4. Cpu Startup VID = 1.45 Volts.

a5. CPU VID 1.45 Volts.

a6. CPU VID Special Control = 110%

a7. LTD voltage = 1.4 Volts.

a8. Chipset Voltage = 1.8 Volts.

a9. Dram Voltage = 2.9 Volts.

 

DRAM CONFIGURATION

a1. 100 Dram Frequency 1:2 (the lowest multiplier)

a2. Enable CPC

a3. 2.5

a4. 04

a5. 07

a6. 04

a7. 07

a8. 14

a9. 05

a10. 03

a11. 02

a12. 05

a13. 3120

a14. 05

a15. Bank Interleave= DISABLED/ENABLED.

(tried both and primed for 12hours each time, both setting works for me)

 

a16. DQS Skew Control = INCREASE

a17. DQS Skew Value = 0 (zero)

a18. Dram Drive Strength= Level 6

a19. Dram Data Drive Strength= Level 4

a20. MAX ASYNCH LATENCY = 7X

a21. READ PREAMBLE= 5X

a22. IDLE CYLCE= 256 cycles

a23. DYNAMIC Counter= Disabled

a24. R/W Que Bypass = 16x

a25. ByPass Max 7X

a26. 32 Byte Granularity = Disable 8 Bursts.

 

 

Now that i have my max CPU at 295HTT, i set out to enhance my ram settings hoping to make it stable at HTT 295 and 300. (i'm not really looking to oc ram at the moment, just getting it to work stable at rated 600mhz will be nice)

 

a. HTT = 295

a1. LTD/FSB = X3.0

a2. CPU/FSB Frequency Ratio = 7 (underclocking the CPU speed)

a3. PCI EX Frequency = 100

a4. Cpu Startup VID = 1.45 Volts.

a5. CPU VID 1.45 Volts.

a6. CPU VID Special Control = 110%

a7. LTD voltage = 1.4 Volts.

a8. Chipset Voltage = 1.8 Volts.

a9. Dram Voltage = 2.9 Volts.

 

I used the ram settings as suggested for Gskill TCCDs in XS forums. Only changed Trcd to 4 because 3 will not work at all. (many users in XS also had to change to 4)

http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=57317

 

200 Dram Frequency 1:1

Enable CPC

Vddr: 2.7v

Tcl: 2.5

Trcd: 4

Tras: 6

Trp: 3

Trc: 9

Trfc: 12

Trrd: 2

Twr: 2

Twrt: 2

Trwt: 3

Tref: 3072 (200MHz 3.9us)

Twcl: 1

 

Bank int.: Enable

Skew control: 255 +

Drive strength: 7

Data strength: I used Auto (or 2)

*** why don't i see any option # 4 for this setting in both bios 623-3 and 704-2bta??

Max. Async: 7ns

Read Preamble: 5ns

Idle Cycle: AUTO

Dyn. Counter: Enable

R/W Bypass: 16x

Bypass Max: 7x

32Bit Gran.: Disable

 

 

This setting works great and i passed Memtest #5 and # 8, both 25 passes each. Then i ran HCI Memtest for 8 hours, 4000%+ completed with 0 errors.

 

But my problem is when i tried to run Dual Prime(large ffts) with this supposely stable ram settings, my Prime will only run for 1 to 4 hours and give an error. The error i get is rounding should be 0.4 but given return was 0.5.

 

I have tried lowering(7), increasing multiplier(8,9) and it does not help. I have tried vdimm 2.7 - 2.9 and it's the same.

 

Am i right that if i get an error that is so close, ie. 0.5 instead of 0.4, i'm already quite close to attaining 100% stable?

 

I will greatly appreciate any advise by the experts here to make my system stable!!

[ElDuderino]

How about a divider?

[Boppo]

When you changed TRCD to 4 you probably should have made TRAS 7.

 

An excerpt from the memory guide

"For optimal performance, use the lowest value you can. Usually, this should be CAS latency + tRCD + 2 clock cycles. For example, if you set the CAS latency to 2 clock cycles and the tRCD to 3 clock cycles, the optimum tRAS value would be 7 clock cycles. But if you start getting memory errors or system crashes, increase the tRAS value one clock cycle at a time until your system becomes stable.”

 

For drive strength

Suggested Settings for DFI: From bigtoe: “If you are using TCCD you may want to try 3 5 or 7 as the drive settings as they usually seem to allow the modules to clock well. If you are using VX, or the new BH Gold, or any other modules from the OCZ range you may want to try 8 or 6.”

 

If those don't do it, try raising these two. Trc: 9 Trfc: 12

[bigzorro]

i made the same experience, when you want to test your ram 100% stable, use prime blend, memteststable says nothing, you will have to lower timings or htt...

[qwerty69]

Hi ElDuderino, this is the first time i'm using a AMD cpu and DFI mobo. May i know what divider would you suggest?

 

How about a divider?

[qwerty69]

Hi Boppo, thanks for your advise. I will try to increase TRAS and report back.

 

For drive strength, i have tried 3,5,7 in memtest and all works fine but not Prime. Will try this as well.

 

DFI is starting to become a love and hate kind of thing...

 

When you changed TRCD to 4 you probably should have made TRAS 7.

 

An excerpt from the memory guide

"For optimal performance, use the lowest value you can. Usually, this should be CAS latency + tRCD + 2 clock cycles. For example, if you set the CAS latency to 2 clock cycles and the tRCD to 3 clock cycles, the optimum tRAS value would be 7 clock cycles. But if you start getting memory errors or system crashes, increase the tRAS value one clock cycle at a time until your system becomes stable.”

 

For drive strength

Suggested Settings for DFI: From bigtoe: “If you are using TCCD you may want to try 3 5 or 7 as the drive settings as they usually seem to allow the modules to clock well. If you are using VX, or the new BH Gold, or any other modules from the OCZ range you may want to try 8 or 6.”

 

If those don't do it, try raising these two. Trc: 9 Trfc: 12

[qwerty69]

Hi bigzorro, thanks for the suggestion. I will try prime blend and probably only do Memtest when all Prime tests are stable.

 

i made the same experience, when you want to test your ram 100% stable, use prime blend, memteststable says nothing, you will have to lower timings or htt...

[ElDuderino]

Well, I was looking and you are using the lowest divider possible of 100 1:2, my bad.

[qwerty69]

Sorry for the misunderstanding and forgetting to include this information. When i test the rams at HTT 295(where memtest is stable but Prime is not), the divider and CPC is,

 

200 Dram Frequency 1:1

Enable CPC

 

Well, I was looking and you are using the lowest divider possible of 100 1:2, my bad.

[qwerty69]

I have increase Tras to 7, Trc to 12 and Trfc to 14. This is now 12 hours Dual Prime stable.(large ffts)

 

I hope when i increase multiplier to 9 to 2655ghz which is my safest CPU overclock, everything will run fine.

 

 

Stable Ram Settings

 

CPU : 2100ghz (295 x 7 underclock)

200 Dram Frequency 1:1

Enable CPC

Vddr: 2.7v

Tcl: 2.5

Trcd: 4

Tras: 7

Trp: 3

Trc: 12

Trfc: 14

Trrd: 2

Twr: 2

Twrt: 2

Trwt: 3

Tref: 3072 (200MHz 3.9us)

Twcl: 1

 

Bank int.: Enable

Skew control: 255 +

Drive strength: 7

Data strength: I used Auto (or 2)

*** why don't i see any option # 4 for this setting in both bios 623-3 and 704-2bta??

Max. Async: 7ns

Read Preamble: 5ns

Idle Cycle: AUTO

Dyn. Counter: Enable

R/W Bypass: 16x

Bypass Max: 7x

32Bit Gran.: Disable

[qwerty69]

I just tried increasing multiplier to 9. CPU is 2655ghz and ram 590mhz.

(HTT 295,1:1)

 

Both settings were found to be the highest stable cpu and ram clocks but when they are put together, it wouldn't pass Dual Prime.... I always get the same error within 1 hour of priming. (rounding should be 0.4 but given return was 0.5...)

 

Can someone please advise me what could be wrong?? Really appreciate your help!

 

These are my settings.

 

 

a. HTT = 295

a1. LTD/FSB = X3.0 (Should i put this on auto instead?)

a2. CPU/FSB Frequency Ratio = 9

a3. PCI EX Frequency = 100

a4. Cpu Startup VID = 1.45 Volts.

a5. CPU VID 1.45 Volts.

a6. CPU VID Special Control = 110%

a7. LTD voltage = 1.4 Volts.

a8. Chipset Voltage = 1.8 Volts.

a9. Dram Voltage = Tried 2.7 - 2.9 Volts

 

 

200 Dram Frequency 1:1

Enable CPC

Tcl: 2.5

Trcd: 4

Tras: 7

Trp: 3

Trc: 12

Trfc: 14

Trrd: 2

Twr: 2

Twrt: 2

Trwt: 3

Tref: 3072 (200MHz 3.9us)

Twcl: 1

 

Bank int.: Enable

Skew control: 255 +

Drive strength: 7

Data strength: I used Auto (or 2)

Max. Async: 7ns

Read Preamble: 5ns

Idle Cycle: AUTO

Dyn. Counter: Enable

R/W Bypass: 16x

Bypass Max: 7x

32Bit Gran.: Disable

[LanceDiamond]

Hehe still at it huh?

 

I did about the same as you, for over a week - I had mine setup on the kitchen table with laptop next to it to look stuff up. I didn't even place it into my office until I had decided what speed I was happy with...

 

I had somewhat similar issues - I could run everything except the HCI memtest for hours upon hours, but that HCI memtest would fail running CPU @ 1.6v at around 2700mhz, 2.9v on the memory. I suspect there may be some stable point up around 2700mhz for me, but I decided to back off to 2600mhz and lower voltages (1.5v/2.7v) and sure enough, all tests including the HCI memtest passed.

 

In your case, it sounds like prime95 is to you what the HCI memtest was to me. The guy raining on the parade. I'm sure you can find a stable solution close to where you are, but it may take lots more time. If it's going to drive you crazy or make you mad at your nice new system, maybe just back off 75-100mhz and see how it looks there? I mean I thought about the diff between 2500 and 2600 and realized, "hey, thats like 4% - what the hell do I care about 4% for if it's going to cost me another week!" I guess I'm just trying to offer encouragement here, no actual help...

 

Good luck!