X4 955 Phenom!

[Krieg1337]

Alright, I am bored and want to overclock my CPU(). I have never OC'ed an AMD, and I know i have it easy because mine is a black edition(Unlocked mulitplier). I heard that you do not need to overclock/change the memory when overclocking an AMD, is this true? I really want to get to around 3.6ghz for 24/7 use. I have a Xigmatek cooler(Detail in sig). I might be getting watercooling, but that will be in the summer.

 

My computer specs are in my signature.

[dr_bowtie]

yep just add volts as you need them and up the multiplier thats all...

 

just like intel if you up the HTT it ups everything...then its just like Intel...then you need to tweak the ram if need be or drop the multi and add more NB volts...

 

AMD is actually easier to overclock either way to go...just need to learn the quirks...

[Krieg1337]

What volts though? I have them at auto now because I find no need to change them at stock. I will google a little bit, but I trust people here more than google

 

I still added a pic of my CPU(stock obviously) and CPUz, and memory on CPUz

Edited April 18, 2010 by Krieg1337

[Savan]

try upping the fsb, or htt (they are the same thing it just depends on what your board calls it) frequency by 5 or 10 mhz at a time until you start noticing instabilities. you will want to use some stability checking programs, like OCCT super pi, and y cruncher. you should be able to get that chip close to 3.8 without much effort. the voltage to increase it you start getting instabilities is the v core. and these chips can take a lot of v core as long as you keep your temps in check. (i like to keep mine below 50c, but they max out around 62 if I remember correctly)

[joel.monteiro]

I have a black edition ,to overclock i just increase the multiplier by 0.5 and do a 1 hour occt test,if no error i increase the multiplier 0.5 once more if i get error or a bsod i just increase the Vcore by 0.25 volts until i get stability,very simple.Multiplier is , Cpu frequency = FSB(HT) X CPU clock ratio i.e multiplier

[tkrow21]

I do not know if they do this for AMD, but there should be a VID somewhere on your box or in CPU-Z. Enter that voltage in place of auto, as auto is the motherboard deciding what the CPU should be even though each CPU requires different voltages for stock. If there is no VID, try to find the lowest possible voltage for stock as that will give you a great idea on where to go from there, not to mention if your PC ever becomes unstable, you can revert the CPU to stock to see if it is your overclock that has become unstable, whereas on auto it gives an estimated number that may be out of line for your CPU.

 

Once you have found the stock voltages, slowly increase the CPU speed. Once it becomes unstable, increase the voltage until it is stable. Then continue to increase the CPU speed, and once it isn't stable anymore, increase the voltage until it is. Keep repeating this - it is much easier than picking a random number that's pretty high up there and then trying to find the correct voltage by guessing. You wouldn't know if it's even possible to get it stable at those speeds. Also, you know when to stop going higher when the voltage is starting to go a bit high for your tastes, or if the temperature is going to melt the heatsink, lol, oh and of course you stop when you reach the maximum speed of your CPU, but it's always more gratifying to know that your CPU is held back by temperature as temperature can be controlled with better cooling or when seasons change, whereas if you are held back by your CPU's maximum speed (every time I say this, it feels like Crysis), you will not be able to increase the CPU speed no matter how cold it is outside or if you have a phase cooler or whatever.

 

Edit: 1.35 is very high for auto. That is the exact reason why you should not use auto.

Edited April 18, 2010 by tkrow21

[Krieg1337]

I know what the settings are that you change, what I don't know is what the stock voltages are.

 

I'll still add a pic of the temps when gaming. Don't look at the low, I just opened my window and now its getting much cooler . The High was in MW2 for about 2 hours(maybe a bit less) and with the window closed.

 

I am guessing the high voltage is making it a bit more toasty than it should be

Edited April 18, 2010 by Krieg1337

[tkrow21]

Sorry, I made a mistake when I said you could find your VID in CPU-Z.

 

Download CoreTemp, you should find it here:

 

 

Edit1: Nvm, just saw your pic. Your VID is apparently 1.35 which is pretty damn high.

 

Edit2: It seems you have a pretty poor CPU, you only have .05 volts to work with.

 

linky here

 

You can probably go up to 1.45 pretty safely though.

Edited April 18, 2010 by tkrow21

[Krieg1337]

..lol. Its on both. Its at 1.35 right now which is auto. I want to know what the Stock voltages are SUPPOSED to be

[tkrow21]

..lol. Its on both. Its at 1.35 right now which is auto. I want to know what the Stock voltages are SUPPOSED to be

 

VID is your stock voltages. So if you raise your volts to 1.4, VID is still 1.35 as that is simply an identification for the amount of volts your CPU was meant to run at stock. These numbers are given by AMD/Intel for each CPU i believe.

 

Also, if you feel that your CPU can go on stock with a bit lower voltages, try it out. Also, test temps through stress testing utilities, not games.

[The Smith]

If I was you I'd raise the voltage to 1.4V and then overclock it as far as it can go. For temporary overclocks on air I go as high as 1.55V but I don't recommend that for 24/7 usage.

[Krieg1337]

Tkrow, 1.35 is what my motherboard puts it at on auto. I have looked at other 955's and they can be at 1.25 when at stock. Motherboard auto is bad in general, but it's fine when you don't oc.