Safe xp1700 voltages

[blockers]

Hi.

NF7-S (v2.0)
2x256mb sammy pc2700
xp1700 (1.6v default)
gainward gf4 ti4200
levicom 450watt

I tried some overclocking on the system above. I managed to get to 2042mhz (180x11.5) or something at 1.85v. When i put the multipler to 12 so 21**mhz the computer crashes to the desktop in games, and wont do a loop of 3dmark.

I want to increase voltage, but is it safe? i have heard that the mobo unvolts a bit...how serious is this, how should i compensate?


Thanks
Will

[steve threlfall]

You dont need to worry to much. Just put up the vcore in small steps try 1.65 1.7 etc. Donny john on this forum runs quite a high vcore and he has no problems with it. Apparently it shortens the life of your chip slightly but by the time thats a concern you will have upgraded long ago i should think

[Austin]

Tbreds and Barton are actually designed for 1.65v so raising to that is not actually overvolting at all (I'm sure AMD would disagree). As a safe overvolt 1.70v is the highest I'd advise but since those CPUs are now so cheap (and Barton has/had come down in price) it wouldn't hurt to try up to 1.75v IF it enabled you to run significantly faster. Overvolting places a lot more stress on the CPU, can cause some damage to the CPU and gives off LOADS more heat.

As pretty much covered, o/c in small steps using default voltage (either 1.60v or 1.65v) and see how high you can go. When you find the stable limit either back off a little for the long term or else add 0.05v (at a time) and see if it helps you to go significantly higher.

Your RAM is only rated to 333FSB (2x166), I wouldn't advise exceeding this (without PC3200) but simply use multiplier to go higher. A TbredA should top out around 1.8-1.9ghz while TbredB top out around 2.1-2.3ghz but every chip is different. It's best to use Prime's tortue test to test you're 100% stable, if you can run Prime the CPU should handle anything you throw at it in the real world.

Rem to o/c your 4200 as that's where the real gaming perf gains will come from, 250/500ish stock should often get between 280/550 and 310/600 (past 4400/4800SE).

[m2c4u]

The lowest volts ive went to at default speed is 1.25, cuts around 8 or so degrees off the temp. I see so many people blowing loads of cash on fancy cooling techniques when undervolting does the job! And of course the lower the temp the quieter fan you can use.

Sorry for flipping the thread around

[blockers]

cheers guys.
I think ill back off a bit on the voltages then. How do i know if it is tbred A or tbred B?

Thanks
Will

[Austin]

Check the stepping code found on the CPU itself. All TBredAs have a stepping code which ends in "A," like "AIUGA". All TBredBs have a stepping code which ends in "B," like "AIUGB".

To avoid stripping your HSF off you can check the family, model, stepping info with CPUID or by typing SET at the DOS/CMD prompt as 6-8-0 is TbredA while 6-8-1 is TbredB.

[blockers]

Whoop tbred B is what i have...
CPUID: 6-8-1
voltage: 1.568*
core speed: 1963.3mhz

*is this voltage what is stock for the CPU, or what the motherboard is giving it? I took your advice and put the voltage to default, while upping the multipler to 12. but it didnt boot, so its at 11.5 x 171.

How come i cant either get it to boot (but post) or just not boot at more than 2.1. At 2.1 it is unstable with 1.85v going through it?

Is it just a bit gay at the whole overclockign lark...?


Will

[SilentDeath]

when u overvolt tooo much ur cpu should start to restart itself randomly.. this is when u should lower it a bit.
u should be fine upto 1.9v any higher would be risky, and dont let it over 50°c at this voltage either.

[blockers]

So...
when it doesnt boot at all, put some more volts in it. Providing the temp is less that 50. should i trust the BIOS on the NF7-S (v2.0) becuase that says 40ish in my PC-60.

Then when it starts to randomly reboot its too much voltage....

Finally, when it crashes to the desktop this is too few voltages?

Will

[SilentDeath]

when it doesnt boot at all - GO BACK!

cpus real temp will be bios temp + ~10°c + 2-8°c, but u are safe upto about 50 in mbm5 temp (bios + ~10)

randomly reboot is too much, or ur north bridge is getting to hot, or many other things...

prime95 is much better then crashes to desktop to check for if u havent got enuf voltage.