Beginner's overclock question

[freezeepopprice]

I'm just starting to try and overclock with my new board. I'm getting my max CPU (I've read through the definitive guide here by and some other guides elsewhere).

 

At this point I am at a 290x9 on stock cooling with the stock thermal grease that was pre-applied to the heatsink. This is with a HTT of 3x and a (1/02) mem divider.

 

My idle temperature is about 34c and during the prime torture test it climbs to about 45c (thats average ... has hit 48c). This is why I am thinking of stopping here.

 

At stock MBM5 reports on an auto/auto bios setting:

 

Vcore + VID: 1.36V

LDT Voltage: 1.15V

+3.3 Rail: 3.22V

+5.00 Rail: 5.08V

+12.00 Rail: 12.21V

Chipset: 1.47V

DRAM: 2.61V

 

At 290 MBM5 reports on an 1.30/110% bios setting:

 

Vcore + VID: 1.38 V

LDT Voltage: 1.15V

+3.3 Rail: 3.22V

+5.00 Rail: 5.08V

+12.00 Rail: 12.21V

Chipset: 1.47V

DRAM: 2.61V

 

I have never seen errors with prime one time the machine locked up after about 7 hours. As a test I gave less voltage (1.275 110% ... which is reported as 1.36 by both CPU-z and MBM5) and had it lock up after about 20 minutes. Would this indicate that the CPU is not getting enough voltage?

 

Should I be giving more than 1.30 110% or is that just crazy on stock cooling and should I just dial back?

[ICON57]

i would bump it up a bit(volts), but the choice is yours to make 1.3x110%=1.430, you can go up to 1.5v and be in the safe zone.

just watch your temps...you should look into AS5, and aftermarket hs

[freezeepopprice]

thanks for the reply.

 

You say that 1.5v is still in the safe zone. I realize that overclocking can lead to a shorter CPU lifespan but will running it at 1.5v have a detrimental long term effect? How about running it at 290Mhz (in my mind quite an overclock)? Or is it really about running it at a higher temperature?

 

As far as the AS5 and the heatsink I'll probably go there some day but at this point I want to get the maximum overclock without actually going out and paying for it (having said that I know that I may pay for it if everything blows up). For me its not about the highest possible. It's about the highest (and most stable) with what I have.

[calvintang]

hmmm it certainly will make your processors life shorter .. but think ..in the future .. theres newer motherboards and newer sockets.. so then the old stuff in the future like a A64 3000+ will be preety cheap.. unless it sell off and it was discontinued... who knows.. maybe if you get a decent heatsink you could oc alot more.. depends on the processor.... mine sux lol .. at least its prime stable and rite now its at 1.1ghz lol... switch it on 24-7..

[freezeepopprice]

Yeah ... actually lifetime is not a huge concern. The reason I bought a 3000+ was that they were so cheap right now and I wasn't going to shell out big bux for a dual core.

 

Just as long as the 3000+ can last me out until the dual cores drop waaaay down in price.

 

Still with the heatsink its a principle thing. Nothing I have right now is specifically there for an overclock. I want to take it (safely) as far as I can without starting to get specialized (although I should have put some paste on ... but its in the case already .... next project)