OC'ing problems

[leimrod]

Hi, you can see my system specs on the left.

Whats happening is that I seem to be hitting a brick wall with my CPU when overclocking. I've gotten the +3700 up to 2.75Ghz with these settings

HTT: 250Mhz
CPU Multiplier: 11
RAM Divider: 5:6 (DDR333)
HyperTransport: 4 x 250 (1000Mhz)

My temps with the Zalman 9500 range from 34-38'c, and my Tcasemax is 59'c for this CPU.

I've turned everything else down (i.e. the RAM and HyperTransport) and tried to get past 2.75Ghz, but everytime I do, no matter what combination of CPU multiplier and HTT, I can only prime stable for 5 minutes or less. My temps aren't really going up much higher (to 49'c max maybe) so i'm wondering what the problem is? Is my mobo limiting the CPU, as from reading around, a lot of people are getting close to or above 3Ghz with the 3700+ on air?

Any help much appreciated.

[-ChEM-]

3700+ isnt a great chip for overclocking, 2.75ghz is about what i'd expect maybe a bit low but its the luck of the draw

the motherboard should go up to 300HTT or higher so its unlikely to be that, try dropping the multi to 10 and up the HTT to 275ish and see what happens

[NightshadowUK]

You haven't by any chance got it running at the stock voltage have you?

[chuckskull]

Either you've maxed out the processor, or you aint giving it enough juice.

Athlon OC's are really dependant on voltage in my experience.

[leimrod]

You haven't by any chance got it running at the stock voltage have you?

I was slowly upping the HTT 10Mhz at a time when I got to 2.75Ghz, then if it failed prime95, i'd up the voltage and try again until it passed, then i'd up the HTT again. The best I could get to was just under 2.8Ghz at 1.5v (max i'm allowed in the BIOS), but my max temps where hitting 59'c at that voltage, which is why i'm at 2.75Ghz at 1.4v now, my max temps are just over 43'c now.

I'd read places though that having the HTT too high can damage your SATA drives if they are unlocked, I haven't been able to find the info, but are any of the SATA connectors on the A8N-SLI unlocked?

I was at 2.75Ghz before I got the Zalman 9500, I really thought the added cooling would allow me to get a better clock out of it. Could the mobo be a factor?

[BUFF]

3700+ isnt a great chip for overclocking

mmm, they're pretty good - better than Rev E6 Venices & basically the same as the Opteron 148.

leimrod, have you tried dropping down to the next RAM divider to take the RAM totally out of the equation (yes, I know that it's only at DDR393currrently)?
Pretty crappy that the Asus only allows 1.5V Vcore ... but a 16C differential for a O.1V increase also seems out of order.

[lukpri]

ive got a 4000+ running at 2.7

225 * 12 3htt

and a 3500 + running at 2475

225 * 11

very stable clocks and the performance is awesum

[leimrod]

well, no the temps rise with each voltage increase,

I'm getting 43'c at 2.75Ghz at 1.4, 45'c at 1.45, 50'c at 1.5 and around 58'c at 1.55

The reason I ask is that I have a few friends with the 3700+ and they are all getting close to if not above 3Ghz on air, with a voltage of 1.45. The only difference is that they have the DFI mobo, and I have the ASUS. Which is why i'm wondering if my mobo could be the culprit, and how I could troubleshoot that.

I always turn the ram and hypertransport all the way down when testing the max clocks for the CPU, to rule them out and also to not have to worry that i'm going to damage them I set them to DDR200 and 1x.

[NightshadowUK]

The reason I ask is that I have a few friends with the 3700+ and they are all getting close to if not above 3Ghz on air, with a voltage of 1.45.

I very much doubt that those overclocks are stable, you'd be lucky to get that out of an Opteron.

[chuckskull]

For a while there were a few very clockable 3700's around, but 3ghz is very unlikely on most of them. if you really wanna know if it's your motherboard you could always borrow a mates for a few hours (presuming you have generous mates).

Theres a possibility something on the mobo cant take the temps (mosfet, northbridge etc), but those are generally well colled on ASUS boards anyway.

[Mr Pants]

Your getting to the limit unless you have crazy voltages and cooling, my opteron after 3ghz goes haywire for stability (firefox wont run etc) at 3.1 or above it wont boot

Is it stable at 2.75?

I normally run my opteron 146 @ 2800

Also it can be luck your friends could have a good batch

[NightshadowUK]

My sexy stable 3700+ is pushing the limits really, it's at 1.525v and I've gotta say I wouldn't be happy taking it any higher.