Overclocking FX-6100

Hi everyone having a bit of overclocking trouble with the FX-6100.

My previous motherboard was an ASUS M5A78L-M/USB3 (4+1 VRM, 4-pin CPU, 760G Chipset). I was able to overclock the FX-6100 to 3.9 Ghz (6 cores). Disabling two cores making it a quad core allowed a mere 4.4 Ghz overclock. Disabling another 2 cores to make it a dual core allowed a budge to 4.5 Ghz. All this was done setting the voltage to 1.45.

Now, my new motherboard is a much better ASUS M5A97 PRO, with 6+2 VRM (Digi + VRM) with TPU and EPU (with heatsinks) and a 8-pin CPU power plug. It has the newer AMD 970 Chipset (supposedly for better overclocking AM3+ CPUs). It comes with the nice GUI for the BIOS with AI Suite II, so it has much better features available than my previous board, with some features such as:

CPU Load Line Calibration
CPU/NB Load Line Calibration
CPU Phase Control
CPU Power Duty Control
VRM Frequency Control (Fixed frequency or spread spectrum)
CPU Current Capability
CPU/NB Current Capability.

It has all the usual overclocking tools, but here's the odd thing, I get somehow WORSE overclocking. For all 6 cores a mere 4.0 Ghz is pushed. Disabling cores to make it a quad core only allows just over 4 GHz, with all cores except the default enabled to make it a dual core, it just pushes for 4.5 Ghz.

I have set for normal mode instead of power saving, all features above to extreme (for apparently better overclocking), and still it only reaches the above frequencies stable, no higher without errors from Prime95 or freezing. The new ASUS board I have features auto phase control, so apparently it will adjust voltages for the overclock, or you can manually set it.

With the default settings (so everything at standard) the most overclock I can get is 4 Ghz, but the strange thing is the max frequency I can get for only TWO cores is 3.5 Ghz... that is a 200 Mhz overclock.

Am I doing something wrong, are there any features that may be stopping an overclock? Anyone experienced overclocking with this board, because somewhere I read this board is great for the FX series, but bad for the Phenom series. But I have an FX.

Surely it can't be my memory, because my previous board was fine with it. Besides you can overclock the CPU using the multiplier on its own, you don't need to mess with memory timings and frequencies any more?

My details:
Corsair TX650W PSU.
HD 5830
1x HDD 500GB SATA
8 GB DDR3 RAM (4GBx2)

CPU never passes 40 degrees, idles at 12-16 (yes my house is very cold).

Sorry for the essay-like description :P

Thanks everyone for the support!

Sorry forgot to add, if I keep the voltage at STOCK I cannot overclock at all. The minimum voltage to overclock is 1.400, anything lower does not allow any overclocking :(

Before I actually figure out whats going on, can someone just explain whats needed for overclocking and different things to tinker with?

What is the max safe voltage for the CPU VID?
What is the max safe voltage for the NB VID?

I don't want to make anything go pop whilst I am doing it.
It really must be something I am doing because these chips are supposedly overclocking friendly.

I managed 4.8 Ghz with 2 cores by setting the CPU VID to 1.475, and the NB VID to 1.25.

Temperatures are within range, but to me setting a voltage that high for 24/7 use seems a bit risky?

Googling around I have seen people manage 4.4 Ghz with all 6 cores on stock voltage.

I am stumped, it is got to be something I am doing wrong?

Are you using the stock cooler??

No I am using Zalman CNPS 5X. According to HWMonitor, AMD Overdrive and in the BIOS the CPU temperatures go from 8-13 (idle) and 30 on load.

I also use Arctic Cooling MX-2 thermal paste.

I have found this overclocking guide on the net: http://www.overclock.net/t/1140459/b...results-coming

I have managed to overclock over 4.3 Ghz with all 6 cores using 1.42 voltage, with 190 FSB.

It could be due to my cooling I am not sure, it does freeze, sometimes without Prime95 giving an error.

I am sure this board can support the FX overclock. Would memory affect the CPU frequency at all. Because with previous CPUs you had to adjust the FSB, but with an unlocked CPU memory is of no concern?

Firstly I am trying to find how high I can push the multiplier, then lower the voltage to see when it does not POST (or crash using AI Suite II at Windows). Then I was going to tinker with the FSB, raise the NB voltage and CPU voltage and lower the multiplier to even it out? Am I doing it right.

Cooling
What Cooler would you suggest for overclocking? Maybe my cooler is not up to the task. A long with a new cooler and my MX-2 thermal paste I think I should be able to reach better overclocks (thermal wise)?