AMD Athlon 64 x2 6000+

[ekulz]

My specs:
Asus M2N68 Motherboard
AMAZE Ati Radeon 4870
AMD Athlon 64 x2 6000+ (stock 3.1ghz)
WD 320gb Sata II 7200rpm
4gb DDR2 800
iCute S901 Case (1x 250mm intake fan, 1x 120mm intake fan, 1x 120mm out take fan)
Arctic Cooling 7 pro Rev.2 CPU cooler
Silverstone Strider ST50F-230 500w psu

Now that I have my cpu cooler I have a goal in mind, to get to 3.5ghz with my processor. However I keep encountering a problem, and I'm not sure what it is. Max I can get the overclock to stable is 3.44ghz (FSB - 230, Multiplier - 15x, Memory 333mhz, cpu voltage 1.5v). I am currently using these settings now. I have also tried another way and gotten up to 3.43ghz (FSB - 237, Multiplier 14.5x, Memory 333mhz, cpu voltage 1.5v). However when I try up the FSB on any of these settings, my system becomes unstable. It just can't seem to pass 3.44ghz! It will either not POST, boot up into the loading screen then lines will appear over the screen and restart, or fail Prime95 tests.

The temps are around 55C idle, and when running prime95 they will get up to 65C, then rapidly drop down to 50C. I guess this is my fan speeding up.
Any help is appreciated.

 

[AKM880]

Your pretty lucky to get that OC on a AM2 Brisbane, from my experiences they are horrible overclockers. Maybe someone with more expertise can help you.

 

[ekulz]

Your pretty lucky to get that OC on a AM2 Brisbane, from my experiences they are horrible overclockers. Maybe someone with more expertise can help you.

What's the difference between the Windsor (spell check?) and the Brisbane? Other than the wattage and the multiplier?

 

[anonymousdude]

The Windsor is 90nm part while the Brisbane is a 65nm part. The Windsor has 2MB L2 cache while the Brisbane has 1MB of L2 cache. This means that the Brisbane is more energy efficient and is supposed to be able to overclock higher. The Windsor on the other hand takes more power and is faster based on its cache. It is also a horrible overclocker, while the Brisbane is much better. The 5000+ black could OC to around 3.0ghz from 2.2ghz. I think your problem is that your 6000+ is already clocked so high that it can't be OC'ed too much more and the fact that Athlon x2 chips just don't OC very well.

 

[ekulz]

The Windsor is 90nm part while the Brisbane is a 65nm part. The Windsor has 2MB L2 cache while the Brisbane has 1MB of L2 cache. This means that the Brisbane is more energy efficient and is supposed to be able to overclock higher. The Windsor on the other hand takes more power and is faster based on its cache. It is also a horrible overclocker, while the Brisbane is much better. The 5000+ black could OC to around 3.0ghz from 2.2ghz. I think your problem is that your 6000+ is already clocked so high that it can't be OC'ed too much more and the fact that Athlon x2 chips just don't OC very well.

Yeah ok thanks. The next cpu I buy would probably be Intel. I would probably spend that little bit extra to get the overclocking capabilities of intels cpus.

 

[Boxa786]

5000+ black is 2.6 stock and can oc to 3.2 without a voltage increase in most cases. This is why it was such a big hit.

All the new range from AMD, the new phenom II's and new Atholon's are great overclockers, not sure on actually figures but they are recommended above Intel for something new, with a low to medium budget for the entire build (under 1000). Anything around medium high budget, Intel is still recommended best buy.

It would all depend on what you need your next build for etc. An AMD option may still be better with a high budget if you need to spend that extra on other parts.

Regarding your current CPU, the average is around 3.4ghz, so getting 3.44 is great. The more new phenom II cpus from amd hit around 4.0 to 4.2> and are very much the same as Intell in terms of max oc. Im not talking about the difference in overclock, just the highest possible overclock. Intell beats AMD in this top sector, due to their chips being better.

 

[anonymousdude]

The new Phenom II's overclock very well up to about 4ghz I think, but still not as well as intels. Alot of of AMD procs now have unlocked multipliers making it easier to OC, but that takes the fun out of OCing for me. Either way you can't go wrong. Just some food for thought.

 

[anonymousdude]

5000+ black is 2.6 stock and can oc to 3.2 without a voltage increase in most cases. This is why it was such a big hit.

I got my clocks speeds and procs mixed up so sorry for giving you the wrong info.

 

[Boxa786]

NP, I have had the 5000+ BE for some time now, still using it, max Iv got is 3.4, which after some changes I was unable to test (my own fault for messing around with bios).

Then I got 3.3 max and max stable 3.25, took this down to 3.2 since then, but for the past 6months its been upd again to 3.25 just to see how it goes, everything is fine and I dont see any increase in temps from 3.0.

Im going to try again soon, just to see what I can get max stable before my new proc arrives (odered a pII 965 125w).

Soon as I get that, I aim to take it to 4.2 or more

This is all on AIR, no thousand fans etc, basic setup with a good cpu HSF (sry forgot its name).

Also have a few plans about changing fans, but ofcourse monies is the driving force in it all. Can only buy what I can afford

 

[ekulz]

NP, I have had the 5000+ BE for some time now, still using it, max Iv got is 3.4, which after some changes I was unable to test (my own fault for messing around with bios).

Then I got 3.3 max and max stable 3.25, took this down to 3.2 since then, but for the past 6months its been upd again to 3.25 just to see how it goes, everything is fine and I dont see any increase in temps from 3.0.

Im going to try again soon, just to see what I can get max stable before my new proc arrives (odered a pII 965 125w).

Soon as I get that, I aim to take it to 4.2 or more

This is all on AIR, no thousand fans etc, basic setup with a good cpu HSF (sry forgot its name).

Also have a few plans about changing fans, but ofcourse monies is the driving force in it all. Can only buy what I can afford

Hm, might get my friend around to help me get to 3.5ghz. I feel as though my life would be complete if I achieve that

 

[pkw4]

to be honest i wouldn't o/clock that cpu with stock cooler, anything over 55 with athlon x2's have high chance of cpu damage. x2 6000 gets to hot with stock cooler, it a known fact, o/clocking just going to cook it.

i have a x2 4000+@2.6ghz and that reaches 50*c at full load with an akasa-876 copper heatpipe cooler, its an (am2) brisbane core to 65nm.

 

[ekulz]

to be honest i wouldn't o/clock that cpu with stock cooler, anything over 55 with athlon x2's have high chance of cpu damage. x2 6000 gets to hot with stock cooler, it a known fact, o/clocking just going to cook it.

i have a x2 4000+@2.6ghz and that reaches 50*c at full load with an akasa-876 copper heatpipe cooler, its an (am2) brisbane core to 65nm.

it's not stock.
Arctic cooling freezer 7 pro rev. 2

 

[pkw4]

ah thanks for pointing that out,
still wouldnt o/clock with them temperatures though, it will die at them temps for long periods of time, really need athlon x2's to be around the 50*c mark at full load.
it's thermal max temperature is 55-63*c, as i said above it has a high chance of faliure.

 

[apache_lives]

sorry but i just dont see a purpose in risking killing a chip to gain a few more mhz, and overclocking doesnt add IPC, optimisations and core count - if you want more performance a new motherboard (if required) and cpu would be a much better option

 

[JofaMang]

Some people just want to get more for the sake of getting more. I can understand this, in my relelentless pursuit to get a stable 3.6 out of my 710 x3. No luck yet, or maybe ever, but it gives me something to focus my OCD on~

 

[megamanx00]

First turn off cool and quiet. You want that cooling fan running at full speed the whole way and of course power saving technologies interfere with your ability to overclock. Make sure that you have manually set your RAM timings. Even though you lowered your RAM speed to overclock, your motherboard may have tightened the timings so that could also hold you back. Finally, lower your HT (Hyper Transport) multiplier. That motherboard is really only good for an HT speed of 1GHz.

With a HT multiplier of 5 and that FSB you're hitting 1150 HT which will make that board unstable. Lower that multiplier to 4x (or 800MHz if it gives you a speed option for the HT), and that would put your HT speed at 920 and allow the board to go a bit farther with the FSB. That said your current overclock is pretty good for a Brisbane. 3.5GHz is really pushing it, so you may not get it.

 

[ekulz]

Thanks for your help everyone. Looks like 3.4ghz is fine. I might even change it back to stock sometimes.