Vcore fluctuation and X2 hotfix question

[kalniel]

Under both the hardware monitoring in my bios, and also under CPUZ, I've notice my VCore fluctuates a lot!

For the X2 3800 it goes between 1.360 and up as high as 1.392 (though tends to alternate between 1.360 and 1.374). Is this likely to be a problem, or just a side effect of the relatively cheap voltage regulator on the motherboard?

Also, for the AMD X2 hotfix, for anyone that's done it, is entering 0 as the value in the registry the fix, and 1 to undo it, or the otherway around?

[peterb]

Don't know how accurate the measurements are, but probably not to the degree of precision you are quoting wich is down to millivolts! Assuming that the measurements rae indeed accurate (lets say to 1% - which would be pretty remarkable) you are nticing a change of 32 millivolts or 32/1000 of one volt. Not a lot really! However in terms of the the absolute voltage, (1.36) it is a fluctuation of less than 3% variation. Is the system working? If it is, don't worry about it. If you are feeling bored, have a look at the AMD website for the specs of the precise device you are using, and if you REALLY want to feed a potential ulcer problem, go and get a high impedance calibrated voltmeter and measure the voltage on the pin (although without a test rig you do run the risk of shorting pins together which stands a greater chance of kluging your CPU instantly, than the slight risk of overvoltage.

[prehensile]

The most obvious bug I've seen which is due to dual core is demonstar is running much too fast.


forget about the voltmeter- watch out for kernel patches-Apparently if you want to achieve a high overclock, you have to just install the Microsoft hot fix and leave out the AMD driver, there may be a possibility of installing the AMD driver but disabling the cool and quiet feature out of it or something I have no idea, any informed people please advise! What do you do with X2 on winxp?

edit--Make sure you download the AMD X2 driver from their website, it sorts out a timing issue when threads are hand over to the other core (causing stuttering and crashes apparently).

Edit-chances are the Microsoft hot fix also does this.

This is a decent link with some really confusing stuff going on-
http://forums.anandtech.com/messagev...VIEWTMP=Linear
1.) Install Hardware
2.) Verify version of BIOS
3.) If new BIOS is available from Asus, backup this BIOS
4.) Install new BIOS from Asus web site via floppy disk
5.) Configure BIOS to enable RAID 0 – nVidia RAID
6.) Select Drives to be used in RAID – Format Drives
7.) Load Windows XP Professional from CD – Clean Install
8.) Press F6 during OS install and load RAID drivers from floppy
9.) Cancel out of any attempt of the OS to auto load any drivers
10.) Install latest XP service pack
11.) Reboot Computer
12.) Install nVidia Chipset Driver – From CD supplied with motherboard? Latest from Asus website? Latest from nVidia website?
13.) Reboot Computer
14.) Install AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual Core Processor Driver for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Version (exe) 1.2.2.2 - http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/..._13118,00.html
15.) Reboot Computer
16.) Install/Configure Windows XP SP2 Dual Core Performance Fix - http://support.microsoft.com/?id=896256 based on this thread - http://forums.anandtech.com/messagev...&enterthread=y – Install Patch – Reboot Computer – Modify Registry Settings – Reboot Computer
17.) Install latest nVidia ForceWare driver from EVGA website or nVidia? Current version on nVidia’s website is 78.01 and EVGA is 77.77. Any Pros/Cons using drivers from EVGA verses nVidia? Are EVGA’s optimized for their specific hardware?
18.) Reboot Computer
19.) Configure SLI and verify the OS sees both cards and they work properly
20.) Download latest Creative drivers for X-FI Card – Install
21.) Reboot Computer
22.) Verify sound works properly

[prehensile]

what do you do with the AMD driver, the AMD clock utility, and Microsoft hot fix, and the registry, and.ini files and the BIOS when you're overclocking? are there any definitive guides?

[kalniel]

Thanks,

Not interested in overclocking here until a) I need it b) the warrenty runs out on the processor anyway

I now understand the hotfix isn't actually at that site, you have to contact MS to get it. The registry edit in the support article disables the hotfix when set to 0 *if* you've installed it.

With VCore I think you're right - if it ain't broke, don't worry I just noticed it moving and thought I'd check incase it might become a problem.

[kalniel]

heh I've just figured out what this is - it's not a bug, it's a 'feature'

I had 'spread spectrum' enabled in the bios - it actually modulates the chipset speed slightly - this spreads out electromagnetic interferance across a range of frequencies rather than concentrating it at one frequency!