A64 4000+ 2.4GHz 939 1M 90N CPU + A8N-SLI *OC Advice*

[tek]

As the topic states, I am looking for advice on overclocking the A64 4000+ w/ my A8N-SLI motherboard.

Firstly, here are my current basic system specs:
-ANTEC TRUEPOWERII 480W PSU
-AMD64 3200+ @ 2.2GHz 1.375v (Upgrading to the 4000+)
-ASUSTeK A8N-SLI BIOS 1014 (latest besides beta)
-ATI X1900GT PCI-X
-MUSHKIN 2x1GB EM3200 (3-3-3- 2.6v Memory Module
-ZALMAN COPPER HEATSINK/FAN FOR CPU
-2xEXHAUST FANS AND 2xINTAKE FANS (80mm + 120mm)

The CPU was purchased just a month ago from NewEgg - it was the only Socket 939 processor left in stock so I had to grab it as I do not want to upgrade the entire system.

The stepping of the processor is:
ADA4000DKA5CF
LCBBE 0640BPMW

The Mushkin memory modules are obviously great for overclocking they run stock PC3200 @ 400MHz @ 3-3-3-8 @ 2.6v - should get a decent clock out of it.

I'd just like some advice from people who have overclocked a similar system in the past so I know where to start and to make sure I dont go overboard.

Any advice is appreciated

-tek

[tek]

Anyone with any kind of advice?

[mydian]

Well.. for starters set your HTT multiplier to 3 or 4, set your ram to a divider like 133 to keep it out of the picture and slowly start raising the HTT using prime95 or something to test for stability and keep a close eye on your temps. Once the CPU is unstable increase your vcore a little until you find your max clock. Then lower the CPU multiplier to keep the CPU out of the picture and see how high you can clock your ram. Once you find your CPU and your RAM's max clocks, you'll need to figure out how to get them both working together. Either with a divider, or 1:1 depending on where the ram tops out. Remember, more mhz on an A64 is more important than ram bandwidth. If you can run 2.6ghz 1:1, but 2.7ghz with a divider, the 2.7ghz will win every time.

That CPU should be good for 2.6 - 2.8ghz depending on how good that stepping you got is.

If your real unfamiliar with overclocking an A64 you may want to read a guide. Here's one to start you off: http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showthread.php?t=151373

[LostBok]

Apps that you will need: CoreTemp, CBid, TaskAssign (from tomshardware guide), a graphics benchmark such as 3Dmark - just the old free version will suffice and SUPER_PI.... extract/copy Super_PI to two folders and rename one of them Super_PI_1 and the other Super_PI_2.... also rename the super_PI.exe in each folder to super_pi_1.exe and super_pi_2.exe...

These will be for checking your setup is what you think it is and checking stability...

Before you start ANY over clocking... check the system is stable:

Launch CBid to check that the system is running at the speeds, ratios and voltages that you would expect.

Launch CoreTemp to check what temp each CPU core is running at (each Core is different!).

Launch TaskAssign... add super_pi_1 and assign to CPU0, add super_pi_2 and assign to CPU1 - this is the same as setting the CPU affinity in Task manager, but once you have set this up once, all you will have to do for future reboots is launch task assign before you launch the two Super_PI sessions... this ensures that you are stressing each CPU core separately... and doing this via Task Assign will save a LOT of hassle after each reboot to run another test...

Launch Taskmgr and switch to the performance screen where you can see the two CPU graphs.

Launch one of the Super_PI's and run a small run (32K) and check that only one CPU spikes to 100% (without task assign or setting the affinity, the CPU's would be at a very obvious 50% each).

Now fire up the other Super_Pi session and run them BOTH at the same time for 8M iterations... approx 10-20mins....

Keep an eye on Core Temps while this is happening...

The grpahics card testing software is only used at the latter stages of overclocking - and it's more of a test of your Case cooling that anything else..

Also
Forget about the ASUS probe and ASUS Ai Booster software - not tried it for a year or so, but the last version I tried gave you some BADLY misleading numbers!

Overclocking
Okay, step one... as mentioned above.... in the BIOS, lock your PCI-E and PCI to exact clock speeds (not as a ratio to FSB, CPU, etc)...

Now switch your HTT multiplier from 5x to 4x (remember this HTT number should be kept in the 800-1050Mhz range... FSB x HTT ratio = HTT speed).

Now the step that gives you the BIG overclock... change you memory speed from 400Mhz to 333Mhz...

Reboot and launch CBid, check that everything is as you would expect.... (yes memory will be at 333Mhz).

Now reboot and get back into the BIOS. Start pushing your FSB speed up... probably 5Mhz for the first step to start with, but 1 or 2Mhz at a step only you're around the 2.6Ghz mark....

Each 5Mhz FSB step will push your RAM from it's lethargic 333Mhz up at 10Mhz per step.

BETWEEN EACH STEP: Reboot, launch CBid to check what it's running at, launch coretemp to check your temps and run 2 x superpi.

Ideally you're aiming for pushing the RAM until it's back close to 400Mhz, but that would be 400/333 x 2.4Ghz = 2.88Ghz... probably not feasible on air cooling.

If you're able to pull your multiplier down from 12x to 11x, then that would have you getting the memory back up to 400Mhz when the CPU is hitting just over 2.64Ghz - which is a pretty good option and lower multiplier also = better performance.

If the system starts getting unstable, then you may need more voltage, but that a whole new chapter - all I can do is re-emphasise CoreTemp and 2x SuperPi stressing the system....

Just remember - most of that generation of CPU were NEVER designed to run over 2.6Ghz, so that's the ceiling for a LOT of them....

Mine is proof of that: 1.8Ghz in name... 2.7Ghz in nature

I've heard of some people pushing some of the last S939 core to around 2.9-3Ghz and some even beyond that.... normally on liquid cooling....

[daglesj]

I just set mine to 2.6Ghz and it did it. I did have DDR500 ram though.

To be honest though a quick and easy way to tweak your system now is to use some software that used to be hated but actually seems to work now.

Get the latest version of nTune installed and run the optimisation application. Run the 3 hour+ version and let it slowly creep up the settings till it just keeps running the same settings for 30 mins or so.

Make a note of them, shut down nTune and then go set those settings in the BIOS. Saves hours of messing around.

Even oc's the PCI-e bus. I have mine set at 110Mhz.

Rock solid tweaked setup and easy to do. Worth a try.

[LostBok]

I'm not gonna vouch for nTune, but give it a try if you want

DDR500 is a nice easy way of getting 25% overclock without stressing anything too much at all (aside from the CPU).

But such a specialist item that it's a "bit steep"...

Corsair twinX and OCZ PT EL are the two to go for...

[daglesj]

nTune (I think its name has changed) is definately worth a go. I was surprised how well it worked.

Once it had finished I deleted all trace of it. It got me to a place in about 90 mins that would have taken several hours by trial and error.

If nothing else it get you to a stable OC'd platform to then tweak further.

To be honest though OC'ing is getting a bit past it really especially tweaking ram settings to get an extra 1fps.