Overclocking Guide

[sdack]

I'm missing something in the guide: A reference to memory timings and how to make use of them for overclocking.

I want to overclock my memory by changing _all_ its timings and want to know if anyone has done so and knows if it is possible to gain from it. The idea is not only to increase the voltage but also the timings next to CL. Most DDR modules above 400 also come with higher timings. I would do it myself, however resetting the CMOS with every false attempt and with the amount of possible settings the chance of finally damaging my system increases.

Who can help?

Sven

 

[VIAN]

...that... was... the funniest video I ever saw! LOL! Gonna try to dl it.

 

[UberL33tJarad]

timings help in synthetic benchmarks, but not much in games. lower timings are better. for DDR, 2-2-2-5 is ideal at >250mhz. memory modules that can do that are BH-5. they're hard to come by. simply lower them until your system becomes unstable. lowering timings is making it faster than stock, so it's considered overclocking.

here is a memory timings guide.
http://www.ocfaq.com/article.php/overclocking/63

there are names for the numbers in the timing layout. i prefer to go from CAS to tRAS. they do it backwards. either way, CAS affects performance the most.

 

[sdack]

> timings help in synthetic benchmarks, but not much in games.

Now that is a pretty lame excuse for someone who has such a good understanding of overclocking! You should know that the sum of all efforts counts (not just the single effort) and therefore every attempt should be made to push the limits.

However, thanks for the link. I will see what I can find.

I hope to increase the FSB of my board a bit further and keep the memory stable. Just increasing the voltage (from 1.5V to 1.6V) has not helped and I'm still trying to find the limits. Tweaking a mainboard with out proper tools is a bit like playing Uru I find (or Myst or Riven).

Sven

 

[UberL33tJarad]

well it's true. you'll see a <1fps gain with lower latencies. better to achieve 1:1 ratio with fsb than doing a 5:4 just to maintain lower ram latencies. lowering cas when oc'ing just creates an unnecissary instability.

 

[Taggerung]

One thing bout to say the exploding processor, LMFAO!

 

[UberL33tJarad]

the first time i saw it, i knew everyone had to see it. not just because it's funny, but anyone remotely unsure about overclocking will instantly not want to overclock. you have to be confident to overclock and i think that gets anyone not willing to take risks to not overclock.

good times.

 

[sdack]

It makes a difference if you have made an experience or just heard about one. This matters more than the difference of having made a good or a bad one. Of course, an exploding CPU is a very bad experience and someone might say you do not need to go to the northpole just to find out that it is cold there. However, if you do not dare to overclock, you will never see what is possible. Warnings like "overclocking can damage your hardware" usually will not help because whoever understands what overclocking can give you also knows that warnings do not give you anything
I've now increased the voltage to my 1.3GHz Duron by 0.125V and only felt like an idiot once, when I didn't clear the CMOS long enough. I've increased the FSB further, now at 140MHz and got a 1.824GHz Duron (like the last ones you can still buy in the shops).
Modifying the memory timings did not help since I believe the Duron to be at its edge with the 1096MB/s (taken from memtest).

Sven

PS: Warnings help you prevent loosing things you already have, but who cares about that either?

 

[LyNX31]

"So go back to the RAM that I linked before. It is listed at a speed of DDR PC-4000. PC-4000 is equivalent to DDR 500, which means that PC-4000 RAM has an effective speed of 500MHz with an underlying 250MHz clock speed.
"

where is this link?

 

[UberL33tJarad]

not a link, i meant the quote with the speeds a few paragraphs above.

here's the easiest way to remember the PC-xxxx speed of something:
get the raw speed, say 225mhz fsb. you want to pc-xxxx ram, times it by 16. 225 * 16 = 3600. they don't make pc3600, but they do make pc-3700, which would be more suitable for a insured 1:1 to the fsb.

 

[StriderGT]

Shouldn't my little puppy be included in the guide?!?
Seriously now I think that many of the ever reappearing questions regarding overclocking Athlon 64 how to would be avoided if the OCA64 Calculator was made somehow sticky...

 

[UberL33tJarad]

i could add it if you want. what exactly does it do?

 

[StriderGT]

You can enter the target OC frequency for your A64 cpu and the program calculates all the valid BIOS multiplier combinations to reach that frequency and all the REAL operating frequencies (Memory, Hyper Transport) since most of the time they are being severely misreported even in BIOSes. The calculation also takes into account user provided memory capabilities (max stable mem) and other parameters. It has a graphical represenatation of all the results and a page full of actual tests with very usefull conclusions (unworkable/phantom multiliers etc). If you have ms excel installed just give it a try it doesn't change anythig in your computer. (its just an xls)

 

[UberL33tJarad]

sounds good. i don't have excel installed, tho. i'll ask around of what people think of it. is it for A64 only?

 

[StriderGT]

Originally posted by: UberL33tJarad
sounds good. i don't have excel installed, tho. i'll ask around of what people think of it. is it for A64 only?

Just for A64

 

[richardrds]

Damn Jarad,

I am new to overclocking and have been reading up on it for the past 2 weeks on the web. I learned more in 15 minutes reading your guide then i did in two weeks and you explain every point so clearly.

You did a graet job with this quide and every newbie to overclocking that reads it owes you big time!!!

Thanks a million times over and let me buy you a nice big Frosty Internet BEER, CHEERS!!!!!!

 

[imported_samk]

StridweGT - The link for OCA64 program doesnt work for me. Could you help me find a way
to download it...

Thanks

Samk

 

[StriderGT]

Originally posted by: samk
StridweGT - The link for OCA64 program doesnt work for me. Could you help me find a way
to download it...

Thanks

Samk

Have you got MS Excel installed? Excel is required to view the calc for now at least...

 

[imported_samk]

Yes I have program installed.........


Samk

 

[papadiddydoo]

I agree, great guide, you should make a tutorial book =P

 

[Kay0s24]

VERY nice OC Guide ! Taught me alot !... Go0d Job !

 

[kef7]

one suggestion: once you start overclocking and then test for stability via Prime, memtest, 3dmark, or whatever and it fails I'm often unsure as to what to do...
if it fails test#3 of memtest should I increase vdimm?
if it fails large FFTs in prime95 but passes small FFT's should I increase vcore?
if it fails test#1 of 3dmark should fsb be lowered?

has anyone created a chart or table of possible solutions when stability tests fail?

 

[StriderGT]

Originally posted by: kef7
one suggestion: once you start overclocking and then test for stability via Prime, memtest, 3dmark, or whatever and it fails I'm often unsure as to what to do...
if it fails test#3 of memtest should I increase vdimm?
if it fails large FFTs in prime95 but passes small FFT's should I increase vcore?
if it fails test#1 of 3dmark should fsb be lowered?

has anyone created a chart or table of possible solutions when stability tests fail?

Identify what fails: At stable CPU freq, check the limits of you ram. (Vdimm might help you get higher)
At a stable ram freq check the limits of the CPU. (Vcore might help you get higher)
Up them both a bit lower than the limits and see if you are stable. If you are not decrease gradually one component at a time till it becomes stable...

 

[UberL33tJarad]

Remember that adding voltage can increase stability at the cist of heat and lifespan. On a prescott, if you choose to go over 1.55v, the lifespan is much less than that of >1.55v, but it's ok for quick benchmarks. If you are only testing for quick benchmarks, the only real thing holding you back is heat. Make sure it doesn't exceed its safety limits.

 

[bobsmith1492]

Anyone know how to overclock a P-M on a Centrino platform? (Sager 3790) It's at 1.7, but was available up to 2.0 at the time, so I know it's got some headroom.