s939 Opteron CAB2E Overclocking Thread

[Elfear]

Hey Mucker, could you post up a screenshot of A64 Tweaker open so we can see your dram timings with those 1GB sticks? Either that or just list the settings out of your bios. It would be much appreciated.

 

[carpenter]

You guys have got me wondering if I'm looking in the wrong direction for a cpu. I have a DFI Ultra D mobo and an Evga 7800GT CO that I need a processor for. So I've been looking at Venice chips. Now it seems like a lot of guys are using Opterons. Looking through my "parts stash", I've got a spare XP90 w/Pana and some ram that might work. Mushkin 3500LII, OCZ 3500 (thanks PJ), Mushkin 3200LIIV2, Corsair 3200LL. I've got a 36gb Raptor that I'm not using and a bunch of ide WD hds. I guess I'd be using this as mainly a gaming rig. Maybe for burning dvds when not doing that. I've got a DFI 250Gb with a 3400NC @2700, X800XT PE that does well in games. But I want to try the pci-e and see what the fuss is. Any advice here? Opteron newbie.

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: Jay25dj

I'll tell you right now it's your motherboard. The A8N-SLI Deluxe has an ongoing (and apparently unfixable) issue with FSB's higher than 250 and 1T command rates. That's exactly why I bought a DFI board about 6 months ago. If you're serious about wringing the max performance out of that CPU, eBay the board and get a DFI SLI-DR or Ultra-D.

However, if you're NOT that serious about OC'ing it, I'd be happy to buy the CPU off of you! [/quote]

So it is the mobo then? i was thinking that could be the problem. I have it SuperPI stable now but Prime still fails within seconds. I think i will Ebay the board and get a DFI, gonna hold out for the expert tho with further spaced pci-e slots and better layout for my HSF. The Freezer 64 Pro is designed so it FINALLY blows air out the back exhaust fan and not up into the psu!

Would you guys say the superpi is s decent test of stability as i don't stress my system massively and only play games in a1-3 hour bursts...[/quote]

Nah, Superpi is not a good stability test for the CPU. Any program you'd run on a system that can pass Superpi but not prime will crash if CPU use gets anywhere near 100%.

 

[Mucker]

Originally posted by: Elfear
Hey Mucker, could you post up a screenshot of A64 Tweaker open so we can see your dram timings with those 1GB sticks? Either that or just list the settings out of your bios. It would be much appreciated.

As you wish , 2 different cpu's are used but the 2GBZX is used for both:

DDR466 @ 2.7v: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/CAB2E2.jpg
DDR527 @ 2.8v: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/FPMW6.jpg


Unseen values:
Skew: Auto, 0
DRAM drive strength: 7
Data drive strength: 3
Dram response time: normal
Tref: 3684 (100 MHz, 1.95us)

 

[Jay25dj]

Q]Nah, Superpi is not a good stability test for the CPU. Any program you'd run on a system that can pass Superpi but not prime will crash if CPU use gets anywhere near 100%.[/quote]

Thats what i thought. Looks like the Lanparty Expert has just come into stock at OCUK so i think i'll bag me one of those and sell the Asus on Ebay with my old Venice 3200+ chip. Can guarantee an overclock on that baby of 2.5Ghz no probs on air, which i thought was pretty decent! should be able to easily cover the cost of the DFI with that!

The only errors i get in Prime are rounding errors now, so i'm thinking it probably the ram timings. Trouble is no matter what timings or dividers i use its just not stable. Overclocking is so damn picky! lol!! Didn't think i'd get as into it as i have when i first started to experiment!

 

[Mucker]

Jay if you don't mind refurbs, this is a good deal. Beware, you may only get just the board though. But it should still qualify for DFI warranty: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152R

 

[Jay25dj]

Originally posted by: Mucker
Jay if you don't mind refurbs, this is a good deal. Beware, you may only get just the board though. But it should still qualify for DFI warranty: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813136152R

Thanks for the suggestion Mucker, trouble is i'm in the UK and i don't think NewEgg deliver here, and if they did i'd get slapped with import tax. Damn English tax laws! lol!! I'm liking the more roomy PCI-E slots on the Expert model as i'm a fan of Arctic Cooling on the vid cards. It also has better orientation of the cpu socket for my Arctic Freezer64 Pro meaning the fan will blow the air out the back exhaust fan and not up into the psu. Thanks for the suggestion tho, if it wasn't for delivery and tax this would cost me about £50, bargain! lol!

 

[Elfear]

Originally posted by: Mucker

As you wish , 2 different cpu's are used but the 2GBZX is used for both:

DDR466 @ 2.7v: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/CAB2E2.jpg
DDR527 @ 2.8v: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/FPMW6.jpg


Unseen values:
Skew: Auto, 0
DRAM drive strength: 7
Data drive strength: 3
Dram response time: normal
Tref: 3684 (100 MHz, 1.95us)

Sweet! Thanks Mucker.

 

[Mucker]

New results, I'm really liking my 146 CAB2E 0540 FPMW, 100% gaming stable as well as the following:

Before at stock voltage (1.360v cpuz, 1.40 Volts actual):

Pi32m: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/CAB2E1.jpg
OCCT: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/OCCTCAB2E.jpg


After, undervolted (1.328v cpuz, 1.375 volts actual):

Pi32m: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/CAB2E3.jpg
OCCT: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/OCCTCAB2E1.jpg
Prime95: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/PrimeCAB2E.jpg

Undervolting gives me higher frequency at the lower temperature I desire (<50C is my target). Hard gaming temp never exceeds 48C, simply outstanding. :thumbsup:

All indications point to this cpu hittng about 3.15 GHz (24/7), but I am not going to spend the money on better cooling. I am quite happy with where I sit right now.....

m

 

[Grimace]

i got to play with a 146 with that exact stepping yesterday, got the same results 280 at 1.4v, didnt try undervolting, ill let my friend know since its his opty now.
what temp program are you using? occt wouldnt recognize speedfan for me.

 

[Mucker]

Using Speedfan 4.27 and OCCT 0.91. Hmmm...I'm not sure why that is.....

My bios setting is 1.375 volts with special vid in Auto....

 

[ric1287]

mucker you are gonna have to guide me with my first oc when i get my stuff next week my setups will look like this hopefully

148 CAB2E w/ xp90
DFI SLI DR
2 gigs of somthing good
OCZ 520 or Forton 550w

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: Mucker
New results, I'm really liking my 146 CAB2E 0540 FPMW, 100% gaming stable as well as the following:

Before at stock voltage (1.360v cpuz, 1.40 Volts actual):

Pi32m: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/CAB2E1.jpg
OCCT: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/OCCTCAB2E.jpg

After, undervolted (1.328v cpuz, 1.375 volts actual):

Pi32m: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/CAB2E3.jpg
OCCT: http://members.cox.net/mucker/GSkill/OCCTCAB2E1.jpg

Undervolting gives me higher frequency at the lower temperature I desire (<50C is my target). Hard gaming temp never exceeds 48C, simply outstanding. :thumbsup:

All indications point to this cpu hittng about 3.15 GHz (24/7), but I am not going to spend the money on better cooling. I am quite happy with where I sit right now.....

m

Hmmm...so undervolting in that situation actually allowed you to gain clock speed?

BTW, I have a shiny new Opteron 146 sitting in my system priming away at stock right now for a bit of a burn in. I can't get enough of these things. More details in a bit as I get them

Ugh. This thing is having problems priming at stock.
Yeah, instead of the usual rounding errors reported by Prime95 when a chip isn't stable, it's giving me the error "Illegal Sumout! Possible hardware failure!" and spams it a dozen or so times before Prime stops.

When I received my box, it didn't have any bubble wrap on it, and one side of the retail box was a little crushed. When I opened it up, the green foam tray that the HSF sits on and the CPU is enclosed in was split in half. The first half with the CPU in it was in tact, but the second half where the HSF sits was broken into multiple pieces and the HSF was just sort of jingling around in there. Do you guys think my chip was damaged during transit?

WTH, it did that strange error after 4 minutes, but now when I try priming again, it's not?
Here, look.
Text

*Edit*
System rebooted itself 5 minutes after that.
Nothing better than receiving a defective CPU :roll:

 

[Mucker]

Originally posted by: Avalon


Hmmm...so undervolting in that situation actually allowed you to gain clock speed?

Yes, that is correct, but only because it allows me to stay at or below my max acceptable operating temp target of 50C.

1.400v pushes it over 50C @ 2800
1.375v lets it operate @ <50C @ 2870

I doubt your chip is damaged Avalon, those green trays inside the retail packages are a joke, way too flimsy. I received a few that were totally destroyed, but the chip was fine. As long as the chip container is not damaged and no bent pins, the cpu is probably fine....

 

[Avalon]

I don't know. It killed Prime95 on small FFTs in just 4 minutes with an error I've only seen on a defective processor. Tried again, 15 minutes into it, it rebooted. Third try, it primed for an hour and 45 minutes no issue. This chip has me really worried, because like I said, this is all at stock. I'm not going to overclock it if it's going to have problems. That's just going to kill it.

 

[Mucker]

Give it a good workout, it is retail correct?

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: Mucker
Give it a good workout, it is retail correct?

It is. I actually grew a little daring and rebooted at 201HTT (Shh, that's stock ) and my system did another happy reboot when I initiated prime. This thing boggles my mind, and I really don't trust it in my system, or anyone else's for that matter. I'm going to throw my Venice back in to see if there is some quirk I'm overlooking, although I doubt it. I've already handled half a dozen CPUs in the past two weeks alone and haven't had an issue with my board at all, or since I bought it for that matter.

 

[MattySlider]

CPU/Stepping: Opteron 144 CAB2E 0545 FPAW
Max Stable OC: 2.7ghz @ 300HTT
Voltage: 1.475v
Stability Test: Prime95 small FFTs 20 hours
Mobo: DFI NF4 SLi-DR expert
PSU: Silverstone Zeus 650w
Memory: 2x512mb ocz value vx (running stock timings on 3/4 divider, ive had it at the same freq. on 2-2-2-5 1T but it was unstable in cs:source which I like to play so i loosened them - TEAM tccd ddr600 ram coming so i can run synchronous )
Cooling: Zalman CNPS9500 LED
Case/Case Cooling: Antec SuperLANboy
CPU Idle/Load temps: 24C/36C

At the moment i'm small fft priming @ 9x310 but it dies after about 15 mins on 1.5v - i'll up the voltage in steps until 1.6v and see what I can get.

 

[Avalon]

Thanks for the results

 

[MattySlider]

Seems to be stable at 310x9 @ 1.55v with LTD 1.5v and chipset 1.68v. I'll prime it overnight.

 

[davegraham]

guys, got some CAB2E 0546GPAWs into today (146 trays) so, i'll hopefully be getting some of my customers to test 'em out.

dave

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: davegraham
guys, got some CAB2E 0546GPAWs into today (146 trays) so, i'll hopefully be getting some of my customers to test 'em out.

dave

CAB2E 0546 GPAWs? Interesting. Never heard of this stepping before. Everyone that gets one better post in this thread

 

[Avalon]

Well, I just got my Opteron 148 in. It's a CABYE 0542 FPMW. Burning it in at stock, and will start playing with it in a bit.

 

[imported_importpsycho]

how does this look?

http://img230.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3000opt5hy.jpg

http://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=3100opt20iz.jpg


146 CAB2E 0540
DFI Ultra-D
OCZ 2GB Plat Kit
OCZ Powerstream 520w
Ninja /w Delta lowest speed on nexus fan controller

 

[Mucker]

Looks great , what are your temps?