Overvolting necessary when overclocking?

[sevenpioverthree]

I just recently overclocked my FX8350 to 4.5GHz using the bulldozer guide, everything is stable and working great but when I leave my cpu core at auto my cpu runs a hell of a lot cooler than when I manually set the cpu core to 1.325 or 1.331. So my question is, as long as my system is stable can I go and set my cpu core to auto?

 

[Supernova1138]

When overclocking, it is usually best to manually set your voltages, as the Auto option can provide more voltage than is needed leading to higher temps. Auto can also push your voltage past the safe maximum potentially burning out the CPU. Your best option is to stress test at a manually set voltage and keep your voltage at the lowest level that is stable during stress testing. If you want to keep it at Auto, watch your voltages carefully with a monitoring program to make sure it isn't spiking too high.

 

[sevenpioverthree]

When overclocking, it is usually best to manually set your voltages, as the Auto option can provide more voltage than is needed leading to higher temps. Auto can also push your voltage past the safe maximum potentially burning out the CPU. Your best option is to stress test at a manually set voltage and keep your voltage at the lowest level that is stable during stress testing. If you want to keep it at Auto, watch your voltages carefully with a monitoring program to make sure it isn't spiking too high.

It doesn't jump too high, maybe goes 1 increment up then back down. I'm still learning about all this so are you saying there's no positive correlation between overvolting and overclocking?

I tried the method that says to read your cpu voltage on auto setting then manually set that as your voltage, mine was at 1.320, but my only options are 1.318, 1.325, or 1.331 if I overvolt. 1.325 seems the most stable under stress tests. So should I go with that?

 

[Supernova1138]

You'll usually need to overvolt when overclocking to keep your CPU stable, the only time you don't is if you're doing a very mild overclock or you have a golden sample chip that is stable at very high clocks on stock voltage.

As for voltage, go with whatever is stable. If its crashing at anything less than 1.325, then use 1.325 or back off on your overclock a bit.

 

[sevenpioverthree]

You'll usually need to overvolt when overclocking to keep your CPU stable, the only time you don't is if you're doing a very mild overclock or you have a golden sample chip that is stable at very high clocks on stock voltage.

As for voltage, go with whatever is stable. If its crashing at anything less than 1.325, then use 1.325 or back off on your overclock a bit.

Is 4.5ghz a mild oc? Also does 1.325 sound low for that frequency? I'm just nervous I guess, want to make sure things are healthily overclocked. I'm considering just undoing it all and reading up more about overclocking before I touch it again

 

[Supernova1138]

4.5 is a moderate overclock on an 8350, with something in the 4.7GHz + range being a pretty heavy overclock. If you're stable at 1.325 Volts, you probably have a really good chip, I think most people usually need a higher voltage to get stable at 4.5GHz, but you should probably ask someone who has more experience with overclocking an AMD FX CPU. Just keep an eye on things, and if you run into a lot of BSODs, crashes, freezes or random errors, then you're probably not stable and you'll need to up the voltage a bit more.

 

[sevenpioverthree]

4.5 is a moderate overclock on an 8350, with something in the 4.7GHz + range being a pretty heavy overclock. If you're stable at 1.325 Volts, you probably have a really good chip, I think most people usually need a higher voltage to get stable at 4.5GHz, but you should probably ask someone who has more experience with overclocking an AMD FX CPU. Just keep an eye on things, and if you run into a lot of BSODs, crashes, freezes or random errors, then you're probably not stable and you'll need to up the voltage a bit more.

I ran some prime95, did min/max 1344 fft according to one site for 30 min with no problems, and small fft's for 30 minutes with no problems as well. Cpu never went over 45C at 1.332v (I went up 1 increment). So maybe I do have that golden chip? All that's left is to run small fft's for 12~24 hours right?

Thanks for all your help by the way!

 

[Supernova1138]

Yeah a longer stress test would be the next step. 12 hours is likely enough of a stress test to determine stability.

 

[sevenpioverthree]

Yeah a longer stress test would be the next step. 12 hours is likely enough of a stress test to determine stability.

Small fft? Blend isn't really necessary unless I'm testing ram too right?

 

[Supernova1138]

Small FFT is the best for CPU testing. Blend and Large FFT test RAM more and stress the CPU a little less. Since you probably didn't overclock your RAM past what it's rated for, you don't really need to do that.

 

[sevenpioverthree]

Small FFT is the best for CPU testing. Blend and Large FFT test RAM more and stress the CPU a little less. Since you probably didn't overclock your RAM past what it's rated for, you don't really need to do that.

Thanks again I really appreciate all your help!