Overclocking AMD 8320 And AsRock Extreme3 990FX

TheAterix

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I have a 8320 which is watercooled by a H100 and is like 18 degrees at stock clocks at idle...
Looking to get the highest clock i can with the 4+1 power design on this board without frying, if someone can give me simple instructions as im an overcocking beginner but i know my way around the BIOS menu, and im not some pc noob lol, i just havent experienced this part of the pc area, but ive been waiting a while, and doing some reading, but there is too much to take in haha, just can someone explain step by step on how to do it

Thanksss
 
Solution
I would try not to increase the vcore too much with that board. Stay with just increasing the CPU clock multiplier for now. Do it in BIOS and save & exit. Each clcik will increase the freq of the processor. You may want to disable Turbo Mode for overclocking until you get a stable OC.
Between increases, stress test it with something like prime95 for at least a full hour using small ffts. If you are in a hurry, you can use Intel Burn Test instead. Watch your temps with AMD Overdrive. It will show Thermal Margin instead of directly displaying the core temps. That is the better way to watch temps with FX processors and APUs. Thermal Margin is the distance to where the CPU throttles down to save itself...

clutchc

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I would try not to increase the vcore too much with that board. Stay with just increasing the CPU clock multiplier for now. Do it in BIOS and save & exit. Each clcik will increase the freq of the processor. You may want to disable Turbo Mode for overclocking until you get a stable OC.
Between increases, stress test it with something like prime95 for at least a full hour using small ffts. If you are in a hurry, you can use Intel Burn Test instead. Watch your temps with AMD Overdrive. It will show Thermal Margin instead of directly displaying the core temps. That is the better way to watch temps with FX processors and APUs. Thermal Margin is the distance to where the CPU throttles down to save itself.
http://www.mersenne.org/download/
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/4965-intelburntest.html
http://www.techspot.com/downloads/4645-amd-overdrive.html
 
Solution

TheAterix

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Okay, so, i increased the multiplier so that i was on a 3.9ghz clock, which i thought was a good base to start, and i run prime95 and the cpu is well within its thermal limit and it just completely throttles it down to 1392mhz, i have disabled pretty much every power saving thing i can find aswell as cool n quiet and APM and all of that, but still it throttles... im almost sure its something overheating on the motherboard as i have corsair link open aswell just so i can watch normal temps, and there is 4 things that say asrock motherboard and the top one is the highest temp, so im guessing thats VRM and as soon as the cpu throttles that is the one to decrease in temperature the most

Please help ASAP as i am wanting to get this done

Many thanks
 


Did you change the power options in control panel to high performance mode instead of balanced?
 

TheAterix

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I have always had it on high performance, i heard its my motherboard and the VRM isnt cooled at all well and the motherboard is bad for overclocking, but on prime95 i tested it and it throttles it after a while, but i done the amd test on overdrive and it lasted the full 3 hours without being throttled... its currently on 4.0ghz which will have to do me until christmas when i can get another motherboard hopefully

 

clutchc

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I was afraid that board would be an issue, but I thought if you left the vcore alone it might be OK. Maybe the auto voltage is taking the vcore up on its own. Does the BIOS allow manual setting of the vcore?

Is the CPU throttling during the prime95 run, or at idle?
 

TheAterix

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I cant find the option for VCore... not sure if im looking for the right thing or not though lmao

And its throttling on prime95 after 10-15

 


Vcore might be listed as VDDA voltage i think
 

clutchc

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I don't do Skype or any other messaging other than here.

When you reach a multiplier increase that is no longer stable, you have the option of increasing the CPU voltage (vcore, vddc, voltage offset) a tiny bit to see if that brings it back to stability. I don't have that MB so I don't know what kind of options you are given when you set it to manual.
 

TheAterix

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thing is, it is stable, the vrm is overheating and thats what i need to cool off.... im guessing reducing the VDDA voltage will do just that??
 


you could try mounting a small 80mm fan over the CPU VRMs on the mobo, blowing air directly onto the VRMs. This is a good solution but takes some tweaking. I had to use twist ties to get my fan to mount there (between the CPU cooler and the back exhaust fan).
 

TheAterix

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I was thinking of doing a full DIY job and putting a fan on the side of the case blowing air direct onto the vrm, dunno how well it would work tho
 


http://cdn.overclock.net/d/d9/350x700px-LL-d904767c_68d9da13_diymosfet.jpeg

this picture explains my thinking

350x700px-LL-d904767c_68d9da13_diymosfet.jpeg