Please help, 3200 Venice 2.3Ghz max

[AdamBomb42]

I'm feeling like a noob. 🙁
I can not get this processor past 2.3Ghz no matter how much voltage I put into it.

3200 Venice 939 rev. DH-E6
EPoX 9U1697
2x1GB GSkill PC4000
Sunbeam NUUO SUNNU550

Right now I have it running at 250x9 with HTT x4 and memory 1:1. It runs fine at these settings, but if I set my multiplier to 10 I lose stability. I even pushed the voltage up to 1.55 and it's still unstable. It does boot into widows fine and runs most programs without a hitch, but errors in Prime95 and BF2. At 2.3 it does not need any voltage increase. It's as if their is a wall there that will not allow me to go past. Did I just get a crap chip or what? I would appreciate any advise.

 

[NaDa]

I am certain that every Athlon64 will go to at least 2.4GHz. It's probably your mobo. Try to lower the HT multy to 3x and try again.

*edit
Update your bios to the latest!

 

[AdamBomb42]

The bios is the latest, but I have not tried 3x on the HTT. I figured at 250x4 that would not cause the problem. Thank you for your input. I'll give it a shot, although I am sceptical that it will work.

 

[AdamBomb42]

Another concern of mine is the temps that it runs. At idle it's a cool 36C but at load 60C. I am using the stock cooler (liquid system en route) with silver compound and 3 120mm case fans. Is this normal for this processor at default voltage?

 

[AdamBomb42]

Changing my HTT to x3 did not help. This mobo is suppose to be a great overclocker and everything is pointing to the CPU. I am quite disappointed with this processor and think that I may try my hand at an Opty 170.

3200 Venice for sale!!!! 😀 Barely used!!! 50 bucks!!!

 

[AdamBomb42]

BIOS is the latest. Anymore suggestions?

 

[NaDa]

Maybe you should play with the 1T-2T command rate for memory and also with the memory latency. I guess you are running the memory at lower speeds (using dividers) so your memory isn't the problem?

I have read a bit on anandtech about the mobo and it is a good overclocker. So try the command rate maybe it helps.
Did you try to up other voltage setting than the CPU?

With so much voltage boost to the CPU it should run at least a few Mhz more, so if it doesnt then it's probably not the CPU but something else.

 

[AdamBomb42]

The RAM overclocked to 250 run 100% stable, I am sure of this. I did up the voltage on the chipset but was worried about burning it. The heatsink on the chipset is small and passive, something that I will have to remedy.
If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm not new to overclocking and I'm pretty sure that I've covered all my bases. The RAM has been tested stable at overclock, the HTT is not running out of spec, and timings are not too low. At the lowered CPU multiplier it runs fine, it's only when I take it up to 10x that I have the issue. This makes me think that I got a crap chip.
I thank you for all the help with this issue, but I think at this point it is futile.