FX-8320 paired with GA-990fxa-UD3 - strange downspeeding and upspeedin

[tommycat95]

Hi,

I have a fx-8320 paired with a gigabyte 990fxa-ud3 MB that I purchased from Microcenter recently. I see a strange situation in which I am running Prime95 with the CPU being overclocked to 4.4 GHz on a +0.050 Vcore voltage increase. I have turned turbo mode off and C(c&q) off as well. The Vcore is jumping between 1.368 and 1.5V. While there are no BSODs or hanging situations, I see that the core speed is bobbing up and down from 2913 MHz on the low end to 4420 MHz on the high end. I also see that it seems to do that when the temps go beyond 43c. Below 43c, it seems to stay at 4420 MHz without downspeeding to 2913 MHz. Am I providing enough Vcore for the CPU to function or is it downspeeding because of the temps?

I am using a CM Hyper 212 plus air cooler. Seems not a whole lot warm to the touch although the VRM heat sinks seems to be a tad hot. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

tommy

 

[azraa]

Personally, I would turn off any automatic overclocking profiles. As far as I know, newer motherboards can adjust at will your processor speed and voltage according to temp and other factors, options that can be adjusted within the BIOS (now known as UEFI)

If you are handy with overclocking, I strongly suggest you to turn them off. They do help the novice overclocker when properly configured, but once you know how to get safe overclocks, you can ditch those features.

Now, about those VRMs, that's probably an issue due to some configuration on your BIOS, or maybe not enough airflow within your case. I cant really help you with that part, but try checking your overclock profiles (which you could have misconfigured if you didn't know what you were doing), if that doesnt solve the problem, either you have a defective mobo or your case has insufficient airflow. Installing an additional intake fan nearby the socket never hurts

Hope it helps, but wait for someone more experienced with that particular UEFI.

 

[stickmansam]

It is likely do to temps either at the VRM's or the CPU, I am guessing you don't have any throttling on the cpu based on temps in your bios?

Also try auto voltage and see what happens

 

[tommycat95]

thanks. I set the voltage to auto and its still doing the same. It seems to have a particular affinity for 2913 MHz. It steps down to 2913.xx MHz and then quickly jumps back to 4419...4420 MHz. Its quite amazing that it only goes down to 2913.xx and nothing else in between and it stays there for a less than a microsecond and switches back to 4420 MHz for longer periods of time compared to the length of time it stays at 2913.xx MHz. I will have to look for where throttling on the cpu based on temps setting is on this bios (version FB)

tommy

 

[stickmansam]

Oh and check the CPU power settings in windows and set to maximum performance

If it's dropping down like that and then coming straight back up its not an temp issue

 

[tommycat95]

Thank you, Stickmansam. Your power setting suggestion in windows was on the money. I changed the power setting to high performance and the cpu seems to be more solidly hanging on to 4420.xx MHz than the lower end. Appreciate your suggestion.

tommy

 

[tommycat95]

Best answer selected by tommycat95.

 

[stickmansam]

No problem, glad I could help