Overclocking Woes

[Boo025]

I seem to have trouble hitting past 2.4Ghz...

Following the guide on the forum, I used these settings:

HTT: 219
Divider: 1:2 (x0.5)
CPU Volt: 1.4v
DDR Volt: 2.9v
Multiplier: x11
HyperTransport: x4

My hardware is A8N-SLI, Corsair XMS TWINX1024-3200XL DDR400, and XP-90 w/ Panaflo 90mm.

I boot into Windows with these setting, ran Prime95, and pass. Then I increased by +5 HTT more and booted into Windows. Boy, I regret making that decision...

Windows boots up, everything seem to be fine, then screen blinks once. Since it seemed fine (no graphic corruption, error message etc.) I ran Prime95, and again it passed without a problem. Hooray! Then everything went to hell.

I tried rebooting and decided to run Prime95 again with same setting (that blink worried me), and see Windows notice saying my registry have been recovered from the logs. Uh oh, not good. Then I notice something weird; the login screen is completely missing... I tried going into safemode to login as Adminstrator, but again the user icon on the login screen wasn't there. After spending 2 hours trying to fix the problem, in the end, I just wiped and reinstalled (my files!).

While it reinstalled, I remembered the sata lock. Although my HDD was on port 1, it didn't bothered me because people have confirmed that A8N-SLI's sata port was indeed locked. However, just incase I decided to move to port 4 and decided to try again.

Unfortunately, the result was same and I got the same error message, same blinking problem as soon as Windows loaded. Feeling super paranoid, I immediately turned off the machine, set it to default, booted into windows. Thankfully, this time it was ok. (Thank god...)

I tried turning down the multiplier down to x10 and crank up the HTT higher, but same problem occured.

I'm really clueless right now, any advice?

Edit 1: Temperature was around 40-45c so I don't think that's the issue.

Edit 2: Specific Windows notice: Registry Recovery, One of the files containing the system's Registry data had to be recovered by a use of log or alternate copy. The recovery was successful.

 

[avi85]

the more recent 939 x2-4200+'s seem to be crappy overclockers...

 

[Boo025]

Originally posted by: avi85
the more recent 939 x2-4200+'s seem to be crappy overclockers...

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: avi85
the more recent 939 x2-4200+'s seem to be crappy overclockers...

AMD never made a 4200+ that overclocked well. If you're an overclocker, it's the one not to buy.

 

[Boo025]

I should have of gotten the 3800+. Figured higher multiplier would help...

And based on more testing, it seem to go nuts with high HTT setting (over 220).

 

[myocardia]

I just realized that you've got an AM2 4200. Those overclock very well, if you know how to overclock. You should try reading this: link. It will tell you what you don't know yet.

 

[Boo025]

Nope, it's not AM2 (I wish though!), socket 939.

 

[supaidaaman]

ive just finished OC'ing my x2 4200 for the first time and it seems stable @
ddr at 2.8v
multiplier 11
voltage 1.45
frequency 220
= 2420
temp 33c idle

Question about your HD problem though...Should i lock the pci clock at 33.3 or to cpu. Its at auto right now...is that bad?

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Boo025
Nope, it's not AM2 (I wish though!), socket 939.

Hah, my mistake. I was reading avi85's sig. Yeah, the Skt 939 4200's were never good overclockers, especially compared to the X2 3800's, and the 4400's.

 

[supaidaaman]

according to the AT article...they got to 2.64ghz witht the 4200 http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2452&p=3

maybe its possible then?

 

[Boo025]

What divider are you running at supaidaaman?

Also, I locked both PCI and PCI-E (33.33Mhz and 100Mhz) when I oc'ed, and my hdd went poof so watch out.

 

[supaidaaman]

well...this is my first time so i dont think i have a divider...er...yeah lol The memory is still at the before OC settings with 400ddr

 

[avi85]

Originally posted by: myocardia

Originally posted by: Boo025
Nope, it's not AM2 (I wish though!), socket 939.

Hah, my mistake. I was reading avi85's sig. Yeah, the Skt 939 4200's were never good overclockers, especially compared to the X2 3800's, and the 4400's.

mine is also 939...

 

[CurseTheSky]

Right now, I hit a brick wall on the S939 X2 4200+ at 2.64GHz, which is where everyone else seems to stop as well.

Originally I couldn't get past 2.4 either, but after changing my memory divider to 1:1, setting all the memory timings back to original (except 1T instead of 2T), HTT multi to 5x, and tweaking a few other settings, I finally got it to run (and extremely stable) at 2.6.

Everything I did is in this post.

 

[dennilfloss]

I read that 4200+ Manchesters overclock better than the succeeding Toledos. Dunno about Windsors though. I haven't tried to go above 2.7GHz as it would mean increasing voltage (above my current 1.41-1.42v) and MHz and that implies more heat than I'm willing to accept at the moment.

 

[Sjokoprins]

Try CPU volt at + 0.2?