How much should I OC in my situation?

[KnickNut3]

Hey. I just got a new Geforce4, so I'm looking to max out my entire (year old) machine to maximize my scores and performance. I've fooled around with OCing my machine, but I put it back during troubleshooting a month ago. I'm not sure exactly how to OC it depending on a FSB/Multiplier combo, but I've gotten it to 1333 or 1360 without trying. I have standards set on the voltage. Right now it's at 9x133 = 1200. Here's my rig:

CPU: AMD Athlon Thunderbird 1200MHz
Motherboard: Abit KT7A-RAID
Memory: 512 MB of Crucial PC133
Video Card: Abit Silurio (Nvidia Geforce4 Ti4400)
Hard Drive: Maxtor 80.0 GB @ 7200 RPMS
Additional Hard Drives: Maxtor 40GB @ 7200 RPMS
Monitor: NEC MultiSync FP950
DVD Manufacturer & Model: Pioneer 16x
CDR/CDRW Manufacturer & Model: Cyberdrive 32x12x48x
Storage Interface: IDE
Sound Card: Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 X-Gamer

I've got an Inwin case with an intake fan in the front and an exhaust in the back. I have a kit Coolermaster fan on my CPU. Here's my temp info according to Via Hardware Monitor v2.04 when idling in Windows XP.

CPU: 55C
System: 25C
CPU Fan: 5242 RPM
System Fans: 2860 RPM

VCore - 1.79V
3.3V - 3.41V
5V - 5.03V
12V - 11.59V

Is it me, or does the CPU seem low and the system seem too high? That's a very uneducated guess, though.

What would you suggest for my FSB/Multiplier combo? I don't feel too comfortable (nor do I have the patience and nerves) for trial and error. Do my temps/voltages seem OK? I'm hoping to get this over 1.4 if possible (Get 8 to 9k from my 7800 on 3DMark .

Thanks again.

 

[gunf1ghter]

What would you suggest for my FSB/Multiplier combo? I don't feel too comfortable (nor do I have the patience and nerves) for trial and error. Do my temps/voltages seem OK? I'm hoping to get this over 1.4 if possible (Get 8 to 9k from my 7800 on 3DMark .

Unfortunately overclocking IS a trial and error process. You bump the FSB a little bit, and test for stability... then you possibly back of RAM timings, up vcore, or unlock the multiplier to get more speed.

 

[esquared]

I could be wrong but I think you have the sensors reversed on the hardware monitor. If it's set up anything like Motherboard monitor, you have to set up the sensors correctly (within the program, this also means the fan sensors for correct RPM), to get your temps for the case, mobo and the cpu. If the settings aren't correct they will reflect strange temps like you're seeing. If you can run Motherboard Momitor on XP, give it a try and see how it matches up to what you're seeing.


Here's a link MBM 5

By the way it does run on XP.

 

[KnickNut3]

Hey.

I'm currently at 10x138 = 1380MHz. My CPU temp is now at 60C, but my system is still 25C.

How much farther can/should I go? What is a "stay below to be safe" line temperature for Athlon processors? I'm hoping to get over 1.4GHz and still be safe, even when the room I'm in gets a little warmer .

Thanks. What temp should I overclock until I hit? A temp so that even when working hard won't get over the "don't cross" line? Thanks.

 

[esquared]

The Athlon temps are rated to running hotter than 60C but I myself would feel an little uncomfortable running at 60C. I wouldn't go much furthur than that until you find out why it's at 60C.
I have an Athlon 1300 with an Abit KT7 Raid board that runs at 46C idle and when I bump up my FSB to 110 (1430 MHz), it runs at 48C at idle.

The 1200 is rated to 95C but I am sure no one around here would feel good running near those temps.
Here's a link to the temp ratings for different AMD cpus. Here

Is that also the temp that is indicated in the Bios under PC Health status?
Did you try reseating the HS/fan with some artic silver?

 

[gunf1ghter]

Keep in mind that a lot of monitoring programs and motherboards don't properly interpret the onboard thermistor. In other words, one users 45C under "load" could easily be another users 55C. As long as it's stable and under the manufacturers limit it shouldn't be a prob with the temps.... although higher temps WILL shorten the lifespan of the CPU most of us won't have these CPU's for more than a couple of years.

 

[esquared]

You could also try adding one of the cpu cooling programs like, Rain, Cpuidle or Waterfall to see if the temps drop. I just put Cpuidle on and my idke temps went down to 35C from 48C.

 

[KnickNut3]

Those sound cool. Anyone else try them? Where can I get them (couldn't seem to find them)?

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[esquared]

Here's a link to benchtest. All the tests for cooling programs are on the bottom of the page. There should be links to each individual program within the links.

Benchtest

 

[esquared]

You also need to install Motherboard monitor for CpuIdle to work. I am not sure about Rain or Waterfall.
Here the MBM link again. MBM

 

[KnickNut3]

Thanks. I haven't installed the cooling programs yet, but I haven't gotten MBM to work for the temps. The other things work (for the most part), but all my sensors read 0. I've tried one through five, and they're all zero. Any suggestions?

 

[esquared]

Do you still have your VIA hardware monitoring program installed? If you do you probably have to remove it then reinstall MBM. I have a feeling it's interfering with MBM. Also, when you set up MBM with the sensors, the CPU sensor needs to be sensor 1 in MBM for CpuIdle to see it. It should be pretty easy to tell the differences between the three sensors on your board (CPU, system and case. cpu is the highest temp, next is case and third is the motherboard.). It should be similar to my KT7 Raid board. Once you set the sensors up don't forget to click the apply button in MBM settings.

 

[KnickNut3]

OK, I got that all configured, but I'm still having problems -

CPUIdle is making the system hang. A lot.

The troubleshoot said that the multiplier could not be at a half setting, so I kicked it up to 10x136 or so. This allowed CPUIdle to work fine, at least for a little bit. I have MBM working in my tray. Here's my stats:

Without CPUIdle:
Idle: 62C
Typing this letter: 68C

With CPUIdle:
Idle: 56C
Installing a game: 59C, but it was hung up after 3 minutes.

Obviously, this program is doing a lot for my temps. Why is it making my system hang, though? It's obviously not my temps, since I'm typing with 69C in my tray with no problems now that it's disabled, but if I were using it I'd be much lower, but probably hanging by now. Any suggestions? I'd like to try some of the other programs, but I'm afraid since they're old they won't support the new chipsets/etc.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[KnickNut3]

Any stability suggestions? Thanks...

 

[gunf1ghter]

If by "hanging" you mean the system is hard locking then you have reached the limit of what your core can do. Possibly massive cooling could get you a little further, but when a core has reached it's limit, that is it.

Progs like rain and cpu idle cannot let you o/c any further than you would otherwise, because when the system hits 100% load it will run the same temp with or w/out those programs.. all those programs do is issue idle instructions to the cpu when it is not doing anything else.

 

[KnickNut3]

The problem is, I underclocked back to 1.2 GHz and it's still hard locking. I don't know if it's the program or what, but my CPU is reading 60C to 62C and the computer is still locking up. This didn't happen before this ordeal (it's also 7C hotter idling, but that might be after a day of running)

 

[gunf1ghter]

what vcore were you running at? despite what many of the OC noobs here at AT might say it IS possible to damage your cpu by overclocking.

it is also possible that you have had data corruption from the cpu running so high, but that wouldn't explain the high temperatures.

 

[esquared]

I am not sure what the problem either. What I might do, is just reset the Bios to it's default settings and see what happens if you didn't already. I am not sure what the voltage is supposed to be on a 1200. My 1300 is either 1.725 or 1.75. I don't think your voltage being 1.79 (1.8?), would account for the high temps but I would still reset to default settings and see what the temps are. Gunfighter might be right, that the CPU might be damaged.

 

[KnickNut3]

Just what I want to hear - more "damaged" stuff after I just spent a week dibilitated by a bad HD with corrupted partition tables.

I'm just going to stay stock now. I'm not going to use that program (knock on wood, I've been OK when I haven't used it). The voltages were never anything other than default.