AMD Phenom ii x6 1090t; m4a78lt-m.

[[mikey]]

Hi Guys,
I've already started to overclock my CPU but I thought I should probably ask for some advice before continuing since this is the first time for me. Basically I've left everything on auto in the BIOS except for the CPU Overclocking which I've enabled and left the Core Clock Speed on 200mhz (default speed of 3.2mhz). I've disabled 'cool n' quiet', disabled 'unleashed mode', and left 'Advanced Clock Calibration' on auto.

My Jumpfree configuration:
Processor Frequency Multiplier [x17.0 3400mhz]
AMD Turbo Core - Disabled
CPU/NB Frequency - Auto
CPU Overvoltage - Auto
VDDNB Overvoltage - Auto
Loadline Calibration - Auto

Now I went and increased it to a x17.5 multiplier, however this was unstable and it black-screened me, BIOS posted ok and the system was fine. I should point out that I have not set any RAM parameters. So my questions are these:

1) Do I need to mess with the advanced clock calibration setting?
2) Was this blackscreen most likely an issue of too little voltage?
3) Am I foolish to leave mostly all the settings on auto?


Specs
Processor - AMD Phenom ii x6 1090t;
Mobo - m4a78lt-m;
Ram - 4GB Corsair Dominator, 1600MHz, 9-9-9-24, 1.65V;
(My CPU temp usually maxes out at around 51 and idles at 29-30).

 

[JJimmyJ]

Hello

What type of cooling have you got?
The auto voltages usually provide too much voltage so potentially that's put your temps up and caused black screen.
It could also be a memory issue as everything is interlinked and the HT CPU/NB frequency has increased.
Check your voltages and set them to the corsair recommendations.
Overclocking can be overwhelming at first so I'd read up on some guides

I'm sure the more experienced bods will be along shortly.

Check this link: http://www.overclock.net/t/985897/phenom-ii-1090t-overclock-help/10

 

[[mikey]]

Hey JJimmyJ,
In answer to your question - I have air cooling; a few days ago I replaced my old CPU fan with a CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Evo. I also replaced all my fans and cleared all the cables within my case to allow for decent airflow. My cpu temp dropped from 51 to 30 idle.

I think you're probably right about the voltages being the cause of the problem and I think I may be missing a step by not downclocking my ram before messing with anything else just so I can rule it out whilst I'm testing.

It is definitely daunting as a first time overclocker, but doing some successful GPU overclocking has wet my appetite and now I find it really addictive to improve and tinker with my setup. (I had hoped to get some pictures but I cannot find my bloody camera).

Check this link: http://www.overclock.net/t/985897/phenom-ii-1090t-overclock-help/10

Thanks for the advice and the link Jimmy, very much appreciated!

 

[Futures]

You won't need acc as its used to unlock cores, but you already have 6.
What's your default voltage on the CPU & NB?
You can try 1.4v to get CPU to 3.6ghz. And +0.1v to get NB to 2.4ghz.
You'll have to manually set HT to keep it at, or close to 2ghz.
+1 llc.

 

[[mikey]]

Ok Futures, I'm going to have a go at increasing the voltage!
I'm not sure if I should be able to see the voltages in the bios but regardless I can't find it. CPUZ tells me that my core voltage is 1.296 (occasionally fluctuates to 1.312).

So,
CPU is: 1.296volts.
NB is: 2009 mhz.

Beginner Questions:-
1) What does NB stand for and should I be able to manipulate voltage to it?
2) Is HT seperate and what does it stand for?

I think I may have to read up on this BIOS more to understand the specific terms better, and thank you Mr. Futures!

Edit - Actually, I'm not sure if the CPUZ core voltage is referring to the VRM as there is another value - VID: 1.325v

 

[JJimmyJ]

You may need to enable 'Manual' overclocking in the bios in order to open up the
voltage control options. There should also be a 'Hardware Monitor' tab somewhere in
there that will display fan speeds, current voltages etc.
1. NB stands for Northbridge. You'll probably have 2 voltages with the NB label.
NB and CPU/NB. The CPU/NB controls the links to memory so as Futures said you
can increase the voltage to overclock the CPU/NB. It's essentially the speed at which
your memory can be accessed.
2. HT should always be kept below CPU/NB speed. Keep it close to 2000. It stands for Hyper Transport and is the link between your CPU and all other components

The most methodical way of overclocking is setting everything to stock, lowering your multiplier and then putting the FSB up in stages of 5. This then allows you to find out the highest FSB your cpu and motherboard can handle. Once you've found the max, take it down a good few notches and then try upping the multiplier. It's a slow process, but it is the most reliable way to get a good overclock Once you get your speed sorted you can then move onto the RAM and NB overclocking.

If your lazy like me, I just go straight into:
CPU 1.4 - 1.45 CPU volts
CPU/NB 1.2/1.3
CPU/NB set to about 2.5ghz
RAM voltage 1.65 (based on manufacturer specs)
RAM speed, try and get it to 1800, if not keep it at or close to 1600 and maybe try tweaking the clocks to 8-8-8-24