Help to OC Phenom II X3 720 to 4.0

[Hedghawg71]

If you can't even post at 4 GHz using just the multiplier to overclock (why are you boosting the FSB on an unlocked CPU?) you won't make it to Windows...

 

 

FSB is where alot of the power is at. I overclocked my 955 to 3.9ghz on the multiplier with the voltages at 1.5 and the NB at 1.4 and it did ok, it ran hotter and I was a little uncomfortable with that so I tried the old fashioned way, with the fsb leaving the multi at 16X and it ran faster on less volts, (1.45 & NB is at 1.34 @ 36c on air) I have played with the multi and the fsb and got it up to 4193ghz stable but it does run a little "warm". Not enough of a difference in performance for the extra 3mhz. Alot depends on your motherboard's capabilities too. I tinkered with a 720BE before I got this 955BE and I had it up to 3.8ghz but didn't get any further with it. At 3.84 OCCT would kill over the whole computer to a reboot every time within minutes. At 3.8ghz it ran all night and I stopped it the next morning so I could check my emails. Don't try this with the 4th core unlocked thoug, Alot of weird crap happened every time I attempted to.

 

[dcl]

FSB is where alot of the power is at. I overclocked my 955 to 3.9ghz on the multiplier with the voltages at 1.5 and the NB at 1.4 and it did ok, it ran hotter and I was a little uncomfortable with that so I tried the old fashioned way, with the fsb leaving the multi at 16X and it ran faster on less volts, (1.45 & NB is at 1.34 @ 36c on air) I have played with the multi and the fsb and got it up to 4193ghz stable but it does run a little "warm". Not enough of a difference in performance for the extra 3mhz. Alot depends on your motherboard's capabilities too. I tinkered with a 720BE before I got this 955BE and I had it up to 3.8ghz but didn't get any further with it. At 3.84 OCCT would kill over the whole computer to a reboot every time within minutes. At 3.8ghz it ran all night and I stopped it the next morning so I could check my emails. Don't try this with the 4th core unlocked thoug, Alot of weird crap happened every time I attempted to.

 

I'm definitely not going to unlock the forth core, and from what I have read so far it's more of suicide than a suicide shot and it would be a while before I can get a new CPU. I don't plan on doing a stress test I just want a suicide shot. Just thinking on doing it kind of makes me a little nerves but I still want to try it.

[Stereoman]

I managed to get my Phenom 720 BE to 3.7 ghz without too much work, try raising multiplier to x18.5 and increase cpu vcore to 1.49v with +0.1.75v if u need more stability try +0.200v but I find my limit is +0.250v after that no amount of voltage improves stability, I would avoid overclocking via the fsb, it gave me so many headaches it just wasn't worth trying to get it stable, u can try raising the northbridge a bit, I found my limit was 2200 NB after that it was unstable however some can go to 2400 without any problems. Best advice I can give is set everything to stock and increase voltage and cpu multiplyer slowly that way u can find your limit, if u try overclocking fsb and nb along with it you never know whats causing the stability problems so approach everything one at a time. Good luck

Edited September 1, 2009 by Stereoman

[_TheAlexO]

If you cant get it to at least 3.6 or 3.7 on good air or water cooling, then maybe you just got unlucky and got a bad chip.

A lot of people have been able to take their 720's and 940's to 3.9 & 4.0+ on air, so just keep fiddling with it and something will click .

[dcl]

I managed to get my Phenom 720 BE to 3.7 ghz without too much work, try raising multiplier to x18.5 and increase voltage to 3.31v with +0.2.00v if u need more stability try +0.225v but I find my limit is +0.250v after that no amount of voltage improves stability, I would avoid overclocking via the fsb, it gave me so many headaches it just wasn't worth trying to get it stable, u can try raising the northbridge a bit, I found my limit was 2200 NB after that it was unstable however some can go to 2400 without any problems. Best advice I can give is set everything to stock and increase voltage and cpu multiplyer slowly that way u can find your limit, if u try overclocking fsb and nb along with it you never know whats causing the stability problems so approach everything one at a time. Good luck

Thanks for the info, the voltage seem a bit high but I'll give it a try once I get a chance. I'm curious how high do you have your CPU NB VID voltage at?

[dcl]

If you cant get it to at least 3.6 or 3.7 on good air or water cooling, then maybe you just got unlucky and got a bad chip.

A lot of people have been able to take their 720's and 940's to 3.9 & 4.0+ on air, so just keep fiddling with it and something will click .

I'm starting to think that. Saturday I tried for 3.6 and it wouldn't boot in to windows with some small adjustments in the bios but I didn't try it with the voltage high like Stereoman sad. I heard that vista 64 can contribute to boot when OCing a Phenom II.

Edited September 1, 2009 by dcl

[Stereoman]

Thanks for the info, the voltage seem a bit high but I'll give it a try once I get a chance. I'm curious how high do you have your CPU NB VID voltage at?

 

I have everything at stock voltage except for CPU at 1.5v for 3.7, it's a high voltage but I have good cooling and everything runs stable, my sweet spot is 3.6 at 1.46v, you could try for 3.5, most phenoms will run at 3.5 - 3.6ghz on air, try setting cpu multiplier to 17.5 then increase cpu voltage a little and see if it boots, keep increasing until you can boot then test for stability, I wouldn't go higher than 1.5v unless you have decent cooling, i'm using vista 32 btw, had some issues with 64 and 3dvision I doubt it would make a difference with overclocking tho but u could try installing 32.

[_TheAlexO]

are you using AMD OverDrive to oc? if you are, try from the bios. if you arent, try from AOD lol

[dcl]

I have everything at stock voltage except for CPU at 1.5v for 3.7, it's a high voltage but I have good cooling and everything runs stable, my sweet spot is 3.6 at 1.46v, you could try for 3.5, most phenoms will run at 3.5 - 3.6ghz on air, try setting cpu multiplier to 17.5 then increase cpu voltage a little and see if it boots, keep increasing until you can boot then test for stability, I wouldn't go higher than 1.5v unless you have decent cooling, i'm using vista 32 btw, had some issues with 64 and 3dvision I doubt it would make a difference with overclocking tho but u could try installing 32.

I am use liquid cooling so I'll be fine on that front. At 3.5 I can sable it, it's after that I have trouble with. I'll get a small HDD and put a 32 OS on it than I'll try to OC, if I can go higher than 3.5 on a 32 than it's the 64 OS that is giving me trouble, If I still have probables than I have a bad chip, which is rare. It will be some time before I can get to do it though.

Thanks again for your help.

[dcl]

are you using AMD OverDrive to oc? if you are, try from the bios. if you arent, try from AOD lol

No I'm not using AMD OC to clock, I only use it for referents. I rather use the bios to OC.

[Ligthz]

I have a phenom2 x3 720 2.8 ghz [3.4 ghz] and gigabyte nforce 570 motherboard totally stable (262 bus) with 4 gb ram patriot cl4 800mhz [700mhz 4-4-4-12-21 2T] [iMC NB = 2358 mhz] and asus gtx260 core 216 [NO OC].

 

---- In bios:

 

*Bus: 262 (200 default)

*Ht: x4 (262x4=1048 mhz) [this mobo AM2 only support 2000mt/s(1048x2 bidireccional=2096mt/s)] (default: x5 [200x5=1000mhz x bi direccional 2 = 2000mt/s])

*Multiplier: x13 (14 default)

*Vcore: 1.450v (1.325 default)

*Nb/cpu voltage: +0.200v (This is used for ram, pci-e graphics card and processor[fsb] and IMC NB stability and performace [Default: Normal])

*Sb/nb voltage: +0.100v ( not recommended to increase more high this value [never saw this value increased over +0.100 and I think it will be for security reasons on southbridge]) ( this is used for stability and performace for sound card, io controllers [harddisk,dvdrom,usb drives,etc] ,pci ports and pci-e x1 [Default:Normal])

*Memory frecuency voltage:+0.4v [2.2v] (default: 1.8v 5-5-5-12-23 1T ) [this setting is for more voltage in ram memory for overclocking it or for adjust latencys]

*Nb frecuency: x9 (262x9=2358 mhz) [this setting is for more mhz speed for comunicate NB with IMC of CPU] (default: x8 [200x8=1600mhz])

*Memory frecuency multiplier: x2.66 (13/2.66=4.887218045112782 [3406/4.887218045112782=696.92 mhz 4-4-4-12-21 2T, 700mhz in cpu-z with 2.2v (in default config [14/4=3.5 (2800/3.5=800mhz)]

 

Test with ortos all cores with ram and no bsod ;D. Sorry for my english. Im spanish. good post. salute

 

Note: now the info is more complete, I hope this will be of great help and resolve their doubts, I resolved my doubts with this information more or less. Lucky

 

Recomendation: for users who want to make a safe overclock, using oc by the bios of the motherboard. (dlc i recommended you use bios oc of your mobo or if your mobo dont have the option, buy one for these causes)

 

Postdata: By the moment in spain no am3 ddr3 nforce mobos at physical stores, I Waiting for early January to find it and buy it with goods ocz ddr3 memory 1800MHz DDR3 CL7.

Edited October 2, 2009 by Ligthz

[dcl]

i have a phenom2 x3 720 with 3.4 ghz and nforce 570 motherboard totally stable with 4 gb ram patriot cl4 800mhz set in 5-4-4-5 2T

 

In bios:

 

bus:262

multiplier:x13

vcore 1.450v

nb/cpu voltage: +0.100v

sb/nb voltage: +0.100v

memory frecuency voltage:+0.2v

nb frecuency: x7 (1834 mhz)

 

Note: nb/cpu and sb/nb voltages i used for stablity if dont use this, the vcore and bus up and down in seconds when play music with reproductor or execute anything... but with this two options on are totally stable (no bsod with this or without this, its only for stability the voltages of buss and vcore).

test with ortos all cores with ram and no bsod ;D. Sorry for my english. Im spanish. good post. salute

Hi and thanks, your english isn't to bad, knowing two languages is a lot to take in.

I think my problem lies some were else and not my settings in the bios, it's going to be some time before I can dill with it, till than I'm going to leave my setting were I have it.

Thanks for the advice.