A8N-SLI = Brickwall?

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 01:09

Hi,

Ive been trying to get over 2.4Ghz with my AMD64 3000 Winchester, but it just wont go.

More on the setup:

Asus A8N-SLI
Geil Value RAM @ 2.5-3-3-6
6600GT @ 600/1200

Anyways, ive got the HT set to x3 in the BIOS, the RAM divider at 266 (running at 172Mhz) and the FSB at 267.6Mhz.

NV Ntune reports that the HT is running at 804 out of the max 1000, so ive got a bit of overhead and the RAM can go upto 200Mhz, so i notch up the FSB a bit to around 277Mhz BUT!.

NO!, it doesnt want to load windows, it seems the motherboard just wont go above 273Mhz (Thats the value that will let me load to the desktop, even then it crashes when i load up CSS).

My main point being, the A8N-SLI is said to be a pretty good OC'ing motherboard and i remember seeing hundreds of threads of people with the same CPU/Mobo combo posting their OC's of up to 2.6Ghz on air!.

So is my motherboard broken, is there anything i can do?. I was thinking maybe of flashing my BIOS to a newer version, would that help?.

And if ive said anything in the above waffle that appears to make me look like ive been mis-informed aka a tit, please let me know.

Cheers

BigDom · 20 May 2006 at 01:12

Core voltage need upping?

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 01:15

I set the core voltage to 1.52, is that enough or should i pump it to just under 1.6?

BigDom · 20 May 2006 at 01:19

Oberon said:
I set the core voltage to 1.52, is that enough or should i pump it to just under 1.6?

Not sure on winnies but my instinct is if winnies are capable of more then your problem is core voltage - but don't know safe voltage on em,.

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 01:36

Bigdom, i love you.

Seriously now, you were correct there, although i have to mention i did consider CPU voltage before i decided to experiment. So i set it to Autovoltage in the BIOS, clearly that setting is flawed.

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 01:51

Erm,

What about my RAM voltage?, what value should i set that too?

if you havent guessed im back because it just crashed out whilst loading CSS again...

str · 20 May 2006 at 02:44

Can you drop the multiplier with your motherboard? If you can drop it down so the CPU is running well below stock and use the default Vcore. Now up the HTT (FSB) and see if it's stable then once you found out how far you can take it try the overclock and up the Vcore until it's stable or you hit the wall again.

Depending on your cooling and CPU temperature I wouldn't really go much higher than 1.55v as a max or if you've got really good cooling then 1.6v.

A2Z · 20 May 2006 at 02:46

ok

i have similar setup, same mobo/cpu/gfx card/corsair ram though

im at 2.7ghz

first thing - which BIOS version are you using?

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 03:18

str, i set it to 1.55 and it boots to desktop etc and boot programes but only to the point that CSS will just crash and now trying out WoW, its artifacting. I thought it was my GFX OC but i just put it to stock speeds, tried uninstalling current driver, driver cleaner, newer driver, problem persists.

so it would seem the problem is either the CPU or Memory now, and my bet is on the memory, but i cant think why.

I manually set ramped it up after each failure and now im at 2.85v and its only running at 178Mhz!.

So that means it must be the CPU wanting a tad more voltage for stability.

As for my BIOS, its version is "1004"

A2Z · 20 May 2006 at 03:22

update the BIOS

im using 1008, has been very good to me, but you should probably just get the latest ones

i couldnt go past 235FSB before i updated the BIOS

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 03:30

Ok cool, ive just download the 1014 and put it onto a floppy. Ive got to get those new chipset drivers too though otherwise it will become unstable apparently.

no_1_dave · 20 May 2006 at 09:34

Upped the chipset voltage?

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 14:15

no_1_dave, how would i bump up the chipset voltage?.

I have to admit this is something ive not had to do yet and have no idea how to do that. Just had a look around in the BIOS and im not seeing any settings on the chipset voltage. Obviously im wrong, but what is the setting called?.

A2Z · 20 May 2006 at 14:17

you dont need to touch the chipset, and yea i dont see any option either

did you update the BIOS?

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 14:19

Yes i did, the artifacting problem persists.

The system temps are just fine aswell:

CPU 45-47c (full load)
Mobo 25-30c (full load)
GPU 35-40c (full load)

A2Z · 20 May 2006 at 14:22

ok, whats the current settings for everything, htt,voltages etc in bios?

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 14:30

CPU: 2500Mhz
Memory: 371Mhz (179Mhz)
GFX: stock speeds, 500/1000

FSB: 278.5Mhz (CPUZ report)
HT: 837/1000
PCIbus: 2250

Voltages:

CPUv: 1.55-1.6
(the bios setting is 1.55, i might have to check if theyve added a new higher setting).
Memory: Ive put that on autovoltage (i have nothing that tells me its voltage)

+3.3: 3.26v
+5.0: 4.95v
+12.0: 11.78v

A2Z · 20 May 2006 at 14:40

you can safely bump up the vcore to 1.575

also your ram dont leave it on auto in BIOS, change it to the 333 divider, should be ok, if not then 266. my ram voltage is 2.8 as well. what timings is your ram? mines set to 2.5-3-3-7

after that try putting the HTT thingy to X2

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 16:24

right ill bump up the Vcore a bit then.

EDIT: The bios will only allow me to set the CPUv to 1.55 and nothing more...

As for my ram divider i already have that set to 266 (forgot to put that in) and ill go and put the ram at 2.8v aswell.

Ill see how it goes with the HT at x2...

Oberon · 20 May 2006 at 16:53

Right ok now for the last update really before i throw this PC out the window.

The CPU is running at 2.5Ghz, the Memory at 179Mhz/371Mhz (that value is very much off, it should 358Mhz).

Ive loosened the RAM timings to 3-3-3-7 and pumped 2.8v into it.

The HT bus is running at 558/1000 (x2 in the bios).

However yet the crashing and artifacting persists :| .

Im guessing im just unlucky that i cant get the stable 2.6Ghz that most others have been able to get.

The best i can do now is just after reading the motherboard manual is to put the CPUv on Auto as it states it will enable voltages above 1.55 which may make it stable.