OC'ing Help With 3800+ X2 Manchester

[Jamaro85]

Edit: Update: Problem solved. See last post.

 

Hey guys,

 

I have had this motherboard for under two weeks now. My previous motherboard was an Asus A8V Deluxe. I was not able to OC very much on that board because I was limited by how far I could run memory.

 

I would like any advice possible as to how I can get the maximum clock out of this.

 

I first tested my FSB to see if it could run stable 300, and it indeed could; it ran Prime95 with no errors for 12+ hours.

 

I tested my memory to see if it could run 300 MHz stable (with a low clock / LDT); it ran Memtest86 with no errors for 12+ hours.

 

Now, instead of gradually working my way up with the clock speed (from the base of 200x10) I wanted to start at a higher speed that I thought would be stable. I was able to get 300 x 8 stable with 12+ hours of Prime95.

 

I am unable to get much higher than this. I tried to jump to 260 x 10 and errored out of Prime95 after 6 hours and 22 minutes.

 

I have looked at the databases on several different forums to see how this processor fares with others who have the same motherboard. I have seen people attain 2700 (270 x 10) and another who got 305 x 9.

 

I have tried voltages as high as 1.65 total (1.450 x 1.10) for the VID, 1.30 LDT and 1.70 chipset. Can having excessive voltage make my system unstable? For instance if I could get 260 x 10 stable with 1.48 but 1.65 would give it problems.

 

When I test for a max clock speed I am lowering my memory speed with dividers. Is there any known problem with having memory clocked too low on this board? Usually I have the memory running in the 150-200 MHz range.

 

CPU temperature is not a huge concern for me; at stock settings with voltage around 1.35 my idle temp is 19, load 27.

 

I have tried another BIOS (6.23-2BTA Tony) and I get the same results.

 

Thanks for any help or advice you can give me to help attain a higher max clock. I'm sure it's possible with my system and there is just something that I'm doing wrong!

[sQuid]

Dude, you jumped right in and got an immediate 400 MHz overclock. What are you complaining about? 20% OC w/o any real work isn't too bad!

 

Going further is going to take some work with a systematic approach as explained in the stickies.

 

CPU temperature is not a huge concern for me; at stock settings with voltage around 1.35 my idle temp is 19, load 27.

 

To start with, what are your temps when OC'd?

[gotamd]

My system is very similar to yours. My 3800+ can run 300x8 stable, but it can't do 300x9 (unless I set the vcore to 1.61 which I don't want to do). However, it can do 270x10 on 1.525 vcore. You just have to figure out which settings work best for you. It's a case by case basis.

[Jamaro85]

Dude, you jumped right in and got an immediate 400 MHz overclock. What are you complaining about? 20% OC w/o any real work isn't too bad!

 

Going further is going to take some work with a systematic approach as explained in the stickies.

 

 

 

To start with, what are your temps when OC'd?

Yeah, I know I know. I'm going to be grinding in the next couple of days to play around and see what I can do.

 

I am wondering, if another burn-in would help since I haven't had the processor with this mobo for too long? I burned my memory and CPU in heavily with my other board.

 

When I'm running 300 x 8 at 1.49 V my idle temp is 21 and my load temp is 35.

 

My system is very similar to yours. My 3800+ can run 300x8 stable, but it can't do 300x9 (unless I set the vcore to 1.61 which I don't want to do). However, it can do 270x10 on 1.525 vcore. You just have to figure out which settings work best for you. It's a case by case basis.

Were you able to test 300x9 at that vcore for stability or did you not want to chance it? And also are you uncomfortable with this vcore because of the resulting temperatures or because that high a voltage can be considered dangerous?

[lowboy]

To test stability you need to be running 2 instances of prime with affinity set to each. If that is how you are showing load temps then you need to check temp as your way to low.

[gotamd]

I tested for stability at that speed and it was fine. My load temps were 51~52c running dual Prime95 w/ 10 priority each. The main reason I didn't want to run at that vcore was that it's not healthy for the chip. If I can achieve the same speed with just a lower memory speed with a much lower vcore (as I can) then that's what I'm going to go with.

[Jamaro85]

To test stability you need to be running 2 instances of prime with affinity set to each. If that is how you are showing load temps then you need to check temp as your way to low.

Yeah, that's the funny thing. I think that my temperatures are ridiculously low as well. That is how I stability test. I run two instances of Prime95, loading up about half of my memory for each one.

 

I have no idea how my temperatures are so low, but if that is the reality then I'm not complaining.

 

I tested for stability at that speed and it was fine. My load temps were 51~52c running dual Prime95 w/ 10 priority each. The main reason I didn't want to run at that vcore was that it's not healthy for the chip. If I can achieve the same speed with just a lower memory speed with a much lower vcore (as I can) then that's what I'm going to go with.

I gotcha. I wish my system would run at 300 x 9 stable. :drool: Or even 270 x 10.

 

Sadly when I run at 260 x 10 I only get stable for less than seven hours. Sigh.

[Jamaro85]

Update:

 

Got my setup to run at 300 x 9 for 10 hours Prime stable so far. :nod:

 

Before I was only able to get 260 x 10 Prime stable for 6 hours 22 minutes. I knew that my memory ran 300 MHz stable, but when trying to run 300 x 9 1:1 my system would reboot before detecting boot devices.

 

I played with my memory settings (which were recommended starting settings from OCZ forums) and found the problem to be my Max async latency. To let you know I have very little in depth understanding about how all the settings work. I raised it from 7.0 ns to 8.0 ns and boom, I was able to boot.

 

Was able to clock 300 x 9 with VID of 1.425 x 1.1 = 1.61 (1.58 effectively), 1.20 LDT and 1.60 chipset.

 

Idle temp: 24 degrees C

Load temp: 39 degrees C

[mlinz23]

Very nice. What Stepping is your 3800? I have yet to put my system together, but will be shooting for 2.6-2.7 OC as well. While I know its not the same for all the chips, having an idea of what others with the same steppings get is helpful

[naddie]

I dunno what's wrong with my setup. Maybe a cpu that doesnt want to OC then?

 

Mine has to drop to 2.55 GHz for it to be Prime and 3dmark03 stable (ran them both together).

 

Try that to see if your rig is going to pass that. I used it as a way to figure background apps while playing (intensive apps).

 

use 2 instances of primes in the background, and pleae report back if you can, thanks.

 

Min is just fine at 2.62 ghz when priming 2 instances only, or 3dmark03 only (all 3dmarks for that matter) but one u try to multitask, it crashes.

 

I played with the ram settings - even setting it more latancy than stock and compared to other UCCC users - it is worse than stock timing!

 

sorry for weird speak - late, frusntrated, and hating my compuer right now (actually since i got it).