Advice for a novice on Overclocking my new computer

bryanb58

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Good day everyone,

I am an avid pc gamer and have just recently taken an interest in overclocking, as my new pc came with a pretty hefty cpu cooler (coolermaster V6).

My specs are as follows:

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-890GPA-UD3H
AMD Phenom II X6 1055T w/ coolermaster v6
12 GB DDR3 Corsair Vengeance RAM
Cooler Master eXtreme Plus 700W PSU
ATI Radeon 6850 HD running at 830/1075

Now with regards to temps... I am kind of unsure which reading is correct. When I look in AMD overdrive at the status page of cpu Ive never seen it go above 25C...but for some reason I dont think that is the right reading...as most people seem to report higher then that. There is another reading in the extras sensors that will show around 40C I think that one might be a little more realistic?

What I am looking to find out is what the best way would be to overclock the processor. I have seen/heard that windows based tuners are no good, and that doing it from the BIOS is the best way. I also see that most people say you just slowly bump the base clock (200mhz) up 5 mhz at a time and I guess if it doesnt crash go until it does and then up the voltage a notch and then try again, etc. Is this exactly what I want to do? Are there any other considerations I should be aware of?

While Im here starting a post about overclocking, I also have a question about my video card. I am using msi afterburner to OC my card and right now I have it at 830/1075 and it seems that my games are running fine. I have experienced something weird though. When I stability test it with furmark and kombustor, I can put the card to the max allowable levels (850/1200) and it doesnt go above 70C which as far as I know is a perfectly acceptable temp. I ran it for 2 hours one night and it just stayed constant. I am using a custom fan profile too. However, when I load crysis 2 or black ops, the computer crashes. I'll be playing and out of nowhere, at a random point (ranged from 5 min to 20 min) the TV goes black saying no signal, I hear sound for 5 seconds and then it crashes and I hear the sound loop and I have to hard reset. Does anyone know for any reason why I can stability test it so well but then boom games crash like that? I have reinstalled the drivers (using driver sweep to rid everything) and I updated the VGA bios too.

Sorry for the long post, I am just eager to get this squared away and I hope some experts out there can give me some good input as the video card especially kind of bothers me.

Thanks a lot in advance everyone.

Bryan
 

bryanb58

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Hello again,

No input on this eh? I know it was a long post I apologize on that.

I figured out my video card anyway. I guess I had the memory clock too high. I have it at 850/1125 and it seems to be working now as I have gamed all night.

As for my actual CPU again if anyone has any opinion based on my above stats Id love to hear it!

Thanks

Bryan
 
Hi Bryan and welcome to Tom's forum.

You need know somethings before start to overclock. One of those is, that your CPU is locked multiplier and that means that the base clock (FSB) is linked with DRAM, NB and HT frequencies, so, if you change the FSB from 200MHz to 210MHz you are also changing the DRAM, NB and HT frequency.

Now, we need know your load temps at stock speed, for that you can use prime95 for 30 minutes and coretemp or HWMonitor can give you the temps. Open the program before start the stress test program.

Regarding the GPU overclock, those problems says me that your overclock isn't stable and that can be for two reasons.

1- Too high clocks
2- Too low voltage for overclock clocks

Finally, let me know the DRAM frequency of your RAM, or post the link for get an idea and give your better advice.

solid rig btw
 

bryanb58

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Thanks I just bought her and so far I'm quite happy with it. My apologies I forgot to put the memory clock, it's 1333 MHz. I wish my video card was a bit better but she is good for now. I am confident with it at 850/1125 it's been running all my games good now.

Yes I know that my Cpu multiplier is locked and that raising the fsb results in all of my components increasing, that is why I didn't know if I should be lowering other components so that they are not going through the roof. I mean I'm not looking for a crazy oc just something to satisy my curiosity and give my rig a bit more juice.

I will get prime95 and report back with the temps you have asked for.

Thanks for the reply, this is a very informative site and I look forward to learning more from it!

Best regards,

Bryan
 

bryanb58

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Hello Saint19,

I downloaded Prime95 as well as HWMonitor and ran the torture test (I just picked the one it defaulted on, Blend test, as I wasnt sure which one to do) for 40 minutes. The 6 core temps maxed out at 35C and there were three temps under my Motherboard called TMPIN0 which maxed at 34C, TMPIN1 which maxed at 43C and TMPIN2 which maxed at 50C. I'm not really sure what these temp sensors are a reflection of, but I thought I should post them too as they were higher then the actual 6 core temps.

I don't know if it is relevant or not to the potential overclocking, but that memory I bought is actually 1600 Mhz memory. It is running at 1333 Mhz because my Mobo does not support 1600 Mhz. I should also mention though that the specs of my mobo say memory support for DDR3 2000(OC)/1333/1066 MHz memory modules so I don't really understand where or how the 2000(OC) setting can come into play.

Anyways if you need any other info let me know. Otherwise I look forward to your response.

Thanks again,

Bryan
 
Those are very god temps in load for that CPU.

Those DDR3 2000 (OC) means that you can get that speed using overclock, but in you can we'd have 1600 that is the rated speed of your RAM.

Now, to the solve the main question.

1- FSB is linked with NB, HT and DRAM frequency, so, wee need keep the RAM the most closed possible to 1600MHz (rated speed), HT to 2000MHz and NB to 2000MHZ too. We'd get a different speed in the NB when the CPU overclock is done and stable.
2- Start to rise the FSB in little steps, 50MHZ -100MHz and test the rig for stability for two hours or more. In some point you will get a BSoD. Don't worry, that means that we need more voltage on CPU, but that is another step that I'll tell you later.
 

bryanb58

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hello Saint19,

Ok I will go ahead and start to do as you said by raising the FSB, until I get a bsod. I just have one more question before I start doing this. As you said the NB HT and DRAM freqs will all increase. So I see what you mean by saying we can get the RAM up to its actual rated speed. The only thing I wonder is I know that the NB and HT Freqs are already 2000 Mhz. From what I understand you are telling me not to go above that, but wont increasing the FSB automatically push those 2 past those values? Please just clarify that and then I will be good to go to start bumping it up.

Thanks again so much!

Bryan
 

bryanb58

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Ok that is awesome. So basically, as I up the FSB, watch the NB and HT and as they go up, reduce their multiplier until they are as close the 2000 as possible. Also with my RAM in the meantime, I am wondering...I never noticed but my BIOS does actually show that I can have it at 8X to have it run at 1600 MHZ. Should I just leave it at 6.66 and then as I up the FSB I can slowly get it to its Spec speed of 1600 MHz?

Cheers mate!!!
 

bryanb58

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Hey saint19,

I have disabled those settings, I bumped up the fsb to 250 so the CPU is 3.5 ghz NB is 2 ghz ht is 2 ghz and ram is 1666 MHz. Prime95 is running now. I'll leave it for 2 hours and see if it crashes. In the meantime I am curious if you have any thought as to what this TMPIN2 is? Like my CPU temps are at 35c ATM but this tmpin2 is at 52. Which temp should I be most concerned about? The other two ( tmpin0 and 1) are at 31 and 45 as well. These temperatures are listed under the motherboard in hwmonitor. Also do I need to be concerned with any of these temps reaching a certain level if it doesn't crash and possibly having to turn it off to prevent overheating?

Thanks again!
 

bryanb58

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Hey Saint19,

The temps pretty much stayed at the levels in my above post. It ran 2 hrs at those settings so I think its ok, Im gonna try to bump it up some more. I'll let you know what happens!

Alright so when I went to bump it further, I can't get the HT and NB to sit at a snug 2000mhz based on the multipliers. What im wondering at this point is would it be better to have those values lower or higher then the 2ghz mark...It seems if I am putting those lower that it could be affecting my performance negatively instead of getting a total overall gain. The same goes with the memory.

Also, When I did go to bump it up, I cant remember what numbers I tried it on (the lower nb and ht or higher than 2ghz) and went to reboot, the POST screen came up with a "There was a hardware device failure at bootup" something along those lines and it basically shows my settings and it tells me to press delete to enter bios to change , or any other button to goto windows and if I do that it just reverts to defaults? Do you know why it would be doing this?

So far it sitting at 3.5 Ghz seems to be good so I will wait out for a response regarding all these other concerns. I just dont wanna do something that could damage it.


Once again I thank you good sir :)
 
Hi.

So, we find your voltage wall. Here is where the temps of your CPU start to rise because we rise the voltage of the CPU.

Go to your BIOS set the CPU at 3.5GHz and add 200MHz more, so, final 3.8GHz. Look for the CPU voltage option and try with 1.3V on CPU, the rest of components in "Auto". If you can boot, test it for stability, if you can't add a little more voltage (0.025 max per change) and try again until you get it stable.

Always keep your eyes in temps, 55ºC or above isn't good and more that 1.55Vin air on CPU is a little risky.

Regarding the HT and NB, keep it the most possible close to 2000MHz, not really important if that is over 2000MHz or above it.
 

bryanb58

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Right on. I gotta goto bed as I have work early morning. So far I'm very happy with the progress. If I can bump it up a bit closer to 4 ghz I will be very happy. I played crysis 2 a bit and I swear I could see a noticeable improvement. Anyways I'll give what u said a try tomorrow after work and let you know what I come up with.

Cheers!
 

bryanb58

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Hello Saint19,

I was a bit busy tonight so I didn't really have time to mess around with my computer any more. I have a question though regarding trying to overclock past what I currently have it at (250 FSB, 3.5 Ghz, 2Ghz NB and HT, 1666Mhz Dram). I was expecting to get a bsod as you had mentioned went I went to boot up and if it was unstable or what have you....but instead all it does it on the POST screen it mentions current h/w state isnt going to work something along those lines and it basically forces me to goto the bios otherwise it reverts back to defaults. Is this just like a motherboard feature or something that kicks in if it knows it will not work with the settings I have? I guess what I am wondering is at this point I just need to bump the voltage up a bit and then try again huh? The voltage altering is kind of the next big thing for me and I am a bit nervous about it I wont lie, although my temps are still quite low so I guess it's not that big of a deal.

Anyways, I will give it a go tomorrow and let you know what happens.

Thanks
 
You have 3.5GHZ stable now right?, that message means that the current settings aren't enough for boot. Keep in mind that boot process until system show the wallpaper, is one of the most heavy process for the rig and overclock.

Rise the voltage in little steps and don't go above 1.5V and 55ºC
 

bryanb58

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Hey saint19,

Yea I'm running 3.5 ghz good now. I don't know if I am missing something, but it seems I cannot run anything higher than the current settings. I tried bumping up the cpu to 3.8 GHz and tried bumping up the voltage one step at a time, and no matter how high I go ( I didn't put it past 1.475) it just wont boot. I even reduced the HT and NB below 2000 (the next lower multiplier) and as well put the DRAM lower and it still just wont go not matter what I do.

I am not sure if I am missing something but...It just seems like I should be able to get more out of it.

I don't know if there is anything else I can do, If you have any other suggestions let me know, otherwise I guess this is all I can get out of it.

Also tonight after attempting all that, I went back to 3.5 and for some reason my comp froze once while I was browsing these forums and once when I tried to play crysis. I now am running prime95 I'm going to leave it overnight and make sure it's ok. I'm not sure why it's ran fine over the last day or two and all of a sudden did this but I'll wait and see how prime95 test turns out.

Thanks,

Bryan
 

bryanb58

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Hey Saint19,

Argg. Ok I got a bsod last night. I ran it from 8 pm until i wokeup this morning at 6 and when I checked it it was bsod, so I dont know when it happened, but I guess that doesnt matter. I guess before I can proceed past I need to figure out what is causing the instability now. At this point do I need to start raising the core voltage until it can run as long as I ran it for at the 3.5 Ghz setting? I am not going to lie, I still have the voltages on auto. the core runs at 1.344 right now. If you could confirm that this is indeed what I need to do. The other clocks are all still basically at stock in this setting so I don't think it could be any of them?

Thanks
 

bryanb58

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Right on I will give that a go. I assume then that the voltage is the primary reason why the prime95 failed then? I don't understand why the voltage applied determines how the CPU fails at calculations, but I guess thats a totally different thread all together. I am going to work now but when I get home I will try that.

Thanks Saint19

 

bryanb58

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Hey Saint19,

I ran prime95 earlier for 3 hours with the 1.375 and it was ok. I am going to run again overnight tonight and see how it goes in the morning. If it passes ill bump up the FSB for 3.8. If not I'll try raising the voltage up another notch. One thing I noticed though while running HWmonitor that I am kind of worried about is the temps accuracies. I keep hearing that when I see my core temps in the program, like for instance right now they read 19C, that they are actually 10C higher then that? Do you know if that is accurate? Even if thats the case the highest the cores read was 39C (or 49 if you add 10?).

One other thing I have noticed is the TMPIN0, 1 and 2...The 0 normally reads around 30C the 1 around 40C and the 2 runs at about 50-55C under load while running prime. I looked online and saw a few posts about it but I am still kind of unsure what they represent. Anyways, I have noticed that occasionally, the 3 of them will spike to 85? so the Max column will say 85...even though it is only for a split second. Do you think this is accurate? It seems to me like it may be like a glitch or something. For it to go up that high for a split second and then continue with the above said readings doesnt really make sense.

Other than that, I will let you know tomorrow if I get another bsod. Oh yea and as for the bsod, am I really damaging my computer at all when this happens? I know its something I have to deal with, I am just curious if it actually does any harm.


Thanks again!!