Overclocking my 970 x4

[capsandogs]

CPU: AMD Phenom II x4 970 3.5 ghz (stock)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master 212 EVO
Mobo: MSI NF725GM-P43
RAM: 2x 4gb Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR3

Hello, This is my first time overclocking my CPU, and it wasn't something I decided to do impulsively. I've done a lot of reading, and purchased the 212EVO cooler so it would be possible. I've managed to get pretty far on my own, I was just curious if anyone had any comments on how to get the voltage lower if possible and stay around 4.0mhz.

I followed the AMD BE overclocking guide and got to the point where I found 20.0 to be the right multiplier (20.5 was BSOD during start up through the upper 1.4xxxs). I increased the vcore incrementally until I got a good start up at 1.4750 and I've been in prime 95 for a little over 20 minutes now and so far so good. Temps are good- Max temp is 54C, Tjmax: 70.

Does this sound good? Best case scenario I could lower the voltage somehow and stay at 4.0mhz

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks

screenshot status:

By capsandogs at 2012-08-22

 

[capsandogs]

Haha, moments after submitting I had BSOD... I'm at 1.4875 and x20.0 @4.0mhz, this is the highest I was looking to go on the volts, I hope it works.

 

[oxford373]

many forums overclocking it at 1.4v and 20x or 1.3375v and 19x like this article
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/phenom-ii-overclock-graphics-card,3032-8.html

 

[capsandogs]

That is for the 955, if I'm not mistaken. But I have read comments from people saying they've gotten to 4.0mhz at 1.4500, when I tried it BSOD after about 2 minutes of prime

 

[oxford373]

all phenome II x4 BE have unlocked multiplier and have the same OC capabilities so if it worked with 955 it must work with 970

 

[capsandogs]

Oh, Yeah most of the guides I've come across are generic phenom II x4 guides (found a couple helpful threads from 970 owners though). I know that they are supposed to be the same, but my chip isn't stable at 1.4v 20x

 

[gorz]

You have reached the limits of that motherboards capabilities. The power delivery on that board is probably getting too hot and it is not delivering the correct voltages. Typically if it is not getting the correct voltages from the start it will bsod on prime within 10 seconds from my experience. The fact that you are bsoding minutes into the stress test further backs my guess that the power delivery components on the motherboard are getting too hot to deliver the voltages you need.

 

[oxford373]

there is something wrong with your CPU hypertransport(HT) it should 2000 and not 769

 

[capsandogs]

I've heard the CPU-NB sometimes needs to be changed to keep up with the cpu? Also, I seem to be doing good at 1.4875v x20 ... I'm 50 minutes into prime. If it was my motherboard having trouble with higher voltage wouldn't it BSOD faster with higher vcore?

 

[oxford373]

the default setting of your cpu is CPU-NB ratio 2000 and HT link speed 2000 and CPU FSB frequency 200 so when OC your CPU you must keep them at their defaults setting also make sure your RAM is also at its default settings after OC

 

[gorz]

I've heard the CPU-NB sometimes needs to be changed to keep up with the cpu? Also, I seem to be doing good at 1.4875v x20 ... I'm 50 minutes into prime. If it was my motherboard having trouble with higher voltage wouldn't it BSOD faster with higher vcore?

No, it would not cause a bsod if it got too hot, it would just explode and might take your cpu with it.

 

[oxford373]

just like any 970 stock http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/Phenom_II_X4_970/images/stock.jpg

 

[capsandogs]

So when I go into my Bios, the options are to let it auto pick the HT Link, or I can select 200, 400, 600, 800, or 1000 manually

hmm I wonder why it says that for mine

 

[oxford373]

all settings must be like this picture http://techreport.com/r.x/amd-990fx/msi-bios-oc.jpg

 

[capsandogs]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/842/img0178si.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/18/img0176ww.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/89/img0175eo.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/855/img0174dq.jpg/

 

[capsandogs]

No, it would not cause a bsod if it got too hot, it would just explode and might take your cpu with it.

I missed this earlier, I don't know what part of the motherboard would get hot, but I do have heat sensors for my fan controller (I know, not very reliable) that says temps on the mobo were pretty low, mid 30s C

 

[capsandogs]

I'm going to bed, it's pretty late here and I've been working on this all afternoon/night. Thanks for the help, I still think it's strange not being able to make HT Link 2000

 

[oxford373]

did you try to update your bios http://www.msi.com/product/mb/NF725GM-P43.html#/?div=BIOS
set HT link to 1000 ,all other settings were correct

 

[capsandogs]

I changed my HT Link to 1000.

I got a bsod right before bed last night using 1.4875v x20 about an hour into prime. I've decided to go with 19.5 as my multiplier- I don't want to keep running tests for an hour and then bsoding. I'm currently at 1.4250 and x19.5

 

[gorz]

The mosfets would be what is getting too hot on the board

 

[capsandogs]

Well, I'm stable at x19.5 at 1.4250v (3.9 mhz)... Ran prime for a good 3 hours today and no issues. I know it should be longer, but I had to go to work. I would have really liked to get it to 4.0 and maybe I will still try, but that was kind of intense with all those bsods

 

[nuowuzhi888]

. I'm at 1.4875 and x20.0 @4.0mhz, this is the highest I was looking to go on the volts, I hope it works.

 

[capsandogs]

it does help to know it's possible, your HT Link is 2000 right? I think since my mobo only lets mine go to 1000 max, I think it's not stable at volts that other chips are. I did try x20 and 1.4875 last night and it worked for a while, almost an hour

edit/update: I realized in posting this that I didn't try 1.4875v x20 again with the HT Link on 1000 and it's doing pretty good. 1h 20m into Prime and no BSOD. I will run it longer tomorrow

 

[capsandogs]

Best answer selected by Capsandogs.

 

[capsandogs]

Settled at x19.5 1.4500v, ran prime for 6 hours and it's good. I kept getting random bsod (while watching a movie with prime off, during a calm moment in a non-intensive game, just sitting at desktop, etc) with x19.5 at 1.4250 and 1.4375... both would run prime over 2 hours though