Quick and dirty A64 clocking guide **UPDATE** X2 OC information!

[deadseasquirrel]

I don't know if this is necessarily your problem, timrsl, but often times, when you drop the divider to 100, the BIOS automatically assigns much more aggressive timings to your RAM. I know my DFI NF4 does this with the Corsair Value I have.

Here's what I suggest, just in case. Set everything to auto and run the 200 1:1 divider. Boot into Windows and use A64 Tweaker to see your RAM settings. Write these down or print out that screenshot.

Then, boot back to BIOS, change the divider to 100 and leave everything else the way it is. Back to Windows, run A64 Tweaker again, print that page out, and compare to the 200 1:1 printout to see what is being changed to more aggressive numbers.

Then, next time you try a /100 divider, manually change those settings to what they would be if you ran the 200 1:1 divider. And then try your testing again. Technically, I suppose this is the manufacturer saying that the RAM *should* perform at those aggressive timings when running at the slower speed. Well, sometimes they just don't. Not only that, but later, when you're running a divider AND overclocking, your BIOS will be forcing tighter timings on normal speeds... which will kill your chances of an overclock.

 

[Heinrich]

timrsl - there is an issue with this board that many seem to be overlooking and I don't quite understand why. The Anandtech review posted yesterday ignored it

New Winchester - Anandtech

 

[timrsl]

At least i know it is not me, thanks for the info. Now I just have to wait for a bios update and hope it fixes things

 

[CaBoOse999]

I tried raising my memory's speed to 218 Mhz with timings of 2-3-2-5 1T with a vdimm of 1.85 (my boards max) and I get 2 errors on memtest test 7. I don't know if I should be concerned with this or not. Also I only get errors when I run the full test, when I just run test 7 it gets no errors, I dont know if this is a heat related issue or something else. :roll:

 

[Tab]

I am getting really confused here...

I was experimenting tonight, but it didn't work out too well...

I was trying to hit at least 2Ghz...

9 (Mutli) x 223 (HTT) = 2007Mhz

For my divider I used a 5/6...

This would set my Memory Speed at 185Mhz correct?

Right??? :|

Which Vcore opition should I modify exactly? I am seeing quite a few...

Someone has to know!

 

[thunderroller]

thanks. it helped me a lot

 

[imported_JohnC]

So I got bored tonight and figured I'd try to see how high my cpu/mobo can go. Already found out before that my ram can't go very high (Corsair VS, nothing unusual).

Last time I tried, I'd been stopped at around 2.4ghz. This time I set the memory timings to 3-3-3 instead of auto, and lo and behold I could go higher.
Epox 9NDA3J, Athlon64 3000+. HTT x3, ram divider "133"
CPU max: 2.7ghz. Woo! 300x9, 1.45v. Tho, it only managed to post at this speed, it wouldn't get into Windows.
FSB max: 310-320. Forgot the exact number, but didn't raise the chipset voltage. Would that help at all?
It'd boot into Windows at 2.565ghz (285x9) but it wasn't Prime stable. After that, I decided I'd go do something else and try the overclocking again some other time.

I was kinda surprised at how both would go. I'll definitely spend a weekend some time trying to see how high they can (reliably) go.

Btw, tried to skim some posts but couldn't quite see anything definite - what temperature should I start getting worried about the cpu getting too hot?

Edit: Oops. Meant to open a new window to edit in.

 

[CaBoOse999]

If it passes prime95 don't worry about heat.

 

[Go Go Gadget]

Ok, having some problems.


3500+ Winchester (90nm)
VNF4 Chaintech Nforce4
1GB of Corsair Value Select



I downloaded the bios update for my motherboard (2.0), and installed it.

Disabled Cool n Quiet
Turned HT to 4x
Ram = 166


Then I upped my fbs from 200 to 219.

Now my clock is at 2400mhz, from 2200, but Prime95 fails within 10 minutes of the heat test.


If I go to far up my computer says "WARNING, YOUR CPU IS IN SAFE MODE" or something like that.


my voltage to the processor is 1.45v

 

[CaBoOse999]

Try raising the voltage a little bit. If not your cpu probly reached its limit.

 

[Go Go Gadget]

Originally posted by: CaBoOse999
Try raising the voltage a little bit. If not your cpu probly reached its limit.

I upped it to 1.55v in the bios but ntune and cpuz both say it is at 1.45 still


What happened?

When I reboot, the bios still tells me 1.55, but cpuz and ntune still stay 1.440-1.456

 

[Erssa]

What's the deal with cool and quiet and OCing? I have read that it has to be disabled. Is this just for the procedure so that you can turn it on after you have successfully OCed your system?

 

[FarGone]

I have a problem , whenever i try and set my vcore to 1.55 its stays @ 1.39 or so ?

On the Asus A8N SLI ....

 

[Cares]

How long would you say it takes to find the right settings for overclocking? Just out of curiousity.

 

[DKlein]

Nice guide. One question, which in turn is many questions: how would you change this for the older Athlons? I'm going about overclocking my 2600+ again, and want to do it right this time (not that it wasn't right last time, but you know just looking for any new insight).

 

[cubeless]

athlon tends to be easier, less options... see how tight u can get the memory settings to run, then drop the multiplier on the CPU and see how far u can take the fsb... then loosen up the memory settings and see how much farther u can go... memory latency is pretty important to athlons...

i get better 'feel' on my k7s5a's, xp333's, and 8rda+ with lower latency than a couple extra mhz...

 

[DKlein]

I'm wondering mostly about the HTT (FSB for me) overclocking. Would you still recommend the bumping the FSB until it can't boot and dropping 5% for max-FSB o/c (with stability test, of course, afterwards)? I was never clear on max-FSB methods...

 

[md1865]

I'm trying to find the best settings to use to OC it and directions to disable the dynamic OCing.

Got my MSI K8N Neo 4 Ultra this week and almost have system built. It's running, but waiting on 2nd Geil Ultra X 512. It is fast memory. I haven't played with OCing yet, only the DOT overclocking.

They do have a 1.2 bios now and I got he 1.24 bios sent to me via email from MSI. I had a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 300gb drive not being detected properly using the SIRaid. All is good now. I went ahead and moved it to the NVRaid on the board.


Also waiting on 2 Maxtor 80GB Sata II drives. I will mirror them, or maybe RAID for better throughput.




-----------------------------------------
MSI K8N Neo4 Ultra Platinum
AMD 64 3500 90nm
CoolerMaster Hyper 6 Heatpipe
Geil Ultra X 1GB(512x2) (2,5,2,2)
MSI 6600 GT 128MB
Audigy 2 Zs
NEC 3520A DVDRW
Hardcano 13 Fan controller
Aspire 550w Chameleon
DiamondMax10 300GB Sata/150
Maxtor 80GB SATA II/300(soon)
Maxtor 40GB IDE(temp)

 

[DKlein]

Another question: when you push your frequencies back 5%, do you test the new clock at the same voltage as the max-unstable or try to find a new low voltage? For instance, if you had a 2600+ maxing out at 2.53@1.8V and turned it back to 2.41 for stability, would you go still 1.8V, or would you try to see if you could run it stable at 1.75V or lower?

 

[andy nowotny]

nice guide, that is my need, thanks

 

[Accipiter22]

I need a beginner's guide for and A64 3500, with asus a8v....this thread is confusing the heck out of me

 

[xblyx]

Got a question...

I have a 939 3000 Winnie with an Epox 9NDA3J

FSB @ 290
8x Multi
3x HTT
CPU @ 1.50 V

Now the question...

I have one 512 MB Cosair Value Select and one 512 MB Corsair LL - Dual Channel
Memsetting is at 100 MHz (so mem is runnnig at 145 MHz)
3-3-3-10 @ 2.60 v @ 1T

I can run Prime95 for a few hours and it passes, MemTest passes, 3dMark03 passes.

But when I run World of Warcraft for 1+ hour it crashes.

I'm beginning to suspect its the RAM since they are different models.

Any advice?

 

[Toro 45]

Originally posted by: xblyx
Got a question...

I have a 939 3000 Winnie with an Epox 9NDA3J

FSB @ 290
8x Multi
3x HTT
CPU @ 1.50 V

Now the question...

I have one 512 MB Cosair Value Select and one 512 MB Corsair LL - Dual Channel
Memsetting is at 100 MHz (so mem is runnnig at 145 MHz)
3-3-3-10 @ 2.60 v @ 1T

I can run Prime95 for a few hours and it passes, MemTest passes, 3dMark03 passes.

But when I run World of Warcraft for 1+ hour it crashes.

I'm beginning to suspect its the RAM since they are different models.

Any advice?

Try one stick at a time, also try bumping up the ram voltage to 2.7 . Once you get it nailed down you should try to bring that ram speed up closer to 200mhz. Stock cooling on your cpu, temps?

 

[Toro 45]

Originally posted by: Accipiter22
I need a beginner's guide for and A64 3500, with asus a8v....this thread is confusing the heck out of me

Get a notepad, calculator and a big cup of coffee, just read the first post by Zebo. Go into your bios and see what options you have. Re-read the first post again. If you already know what your ram is capable of an easy way to start out is to simply raise your fsb/htt to 210-215(mild oc) assuming your ram can run at this speed. Don't stary playing with your voltages until you understand exactly what your doing

 

[Toro 45]

Originally posted by: DKlein
Another question: when you push your frequencies back 5%, do you test the new clock at the same voltage as the max-unstable or try to find a new low voltage? For instance, if you had a 2600+ maxing out at 2.53@1.8V and turned it back to 2.41 for stability, would you go still 1.8V, or would you try to see if you could run it stable at 1.75V or lower?

You don't have to back it down unless you want to, if you have an xp-m that can do 2.53@1.8V
I'd run it like that assuming you have good cooling? If you do pull it back 2.51 or 2.52 you'll probably still need 1.8V. 1.85Volts with good air cooling is considered pretty much the max "sane" voltage for the mobile Bartons, although many have run higher on air.