right myself and a couple of friends of mine have noticed a weird thing about overclocking AMD athlon 64s, not sure if its something im doing wrong or what, but my 4600+ for instance WILL NOT go higher than 3.0Ghz, it simply refuses, no matter what core voltages, ram timings, etc it won't go any higher, is this known problem with K8 architecture or something?
AMD 'Brick-Wall'?
- Thread starter Gashman
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Just the chip's limit. Not all chips overclock to the same degree - some only overclock a bit, others overclock hugely well. It's pretty much luck of the draw unless you can get the same stepping and date as another person who has had very good luck. Even then it's not entirely certain.
How many 4600+s go past 3.0ghz anyway?
How many 4600+s go past 3.0ghz anyway?
@ 3ghz it was stable
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Could this be why my 3200+ isn't going to 2400?
Tried almost everything, runs perfect at 2390 with stock everything, but wont budge to 2400 no matter what.
Tried almost everything, runs perfect at 2390 with stock everything, but wont budge to 2400 no matter what.
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Think yourself lucky. I can't get past 2.8ghz with my 4000+. 
Depends a lot on the package ability to handle voltage and the cooling used.
If the cold bug doesn't kick in at earlier HTT clocks, cooling A64's can give large benifits. The package is less important but still there - for example A64's on N package will scale well with voltage, T package less so - but the T packages do seem to do better at lower voltages.
You have to remember that the contact between the IHS and the die is often poor and that IHS is also 3-4mm thick.
Cooling is the most important from what i've seen, often on air cooling gains from voltage are offset by losses from increased temperatures so most "walls" are self built
If the cold bug doesn't kick in at earlier HTT clocks, cooling A64's can give large benifits. The package is less important but still there - for example A64's on N package will scale well with voltage, T package less so - but the T packages do seem to do better at lower voltages.
You have to remember that the contact between the IHS and the die is often poor and that IHS is also 3-4mm thick.
Cooling is the most important from what i've seen, often on air cooling gains from voltage are offset by losses from increased temperatures so most "walls" are self built
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Starfall said:
Lol...3-4 mm thick?
Why is this random when it's an answer to the question..? You did ask the question "is this known problem with K8 architecture or something?" 
Why is saying the IHS is 3-4mm thick funny? I can measure a removed IHS with a Vernier caliper if you would like? It's probably more like 3mm die to heatsink but that wasn't the point i was trying to make...
Why is saying the IHS is 3-4mm thick funny? I can measure a removed IHS with a Vernier caliper if you would like? It's probably more like 3mm die to heatsink but that wasn't the point i was trying to make...
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i do know what you mean, my old 3400+ (s754) would NOT go above 2.4ghz (infact more like 2.39) and this 3700+ will NOT go above 2950mhz, its very odd - its like stable all the way upto that point - then bam restarts on me... o well still happy with this oc, the FSB, CPU, Ram, HT everything is at its top limit so i've got the best possible all-round overclock for this system
still happy with this oc, the FSB, CPU, Ram, HT everything is at its top limit so i've got the best possible all-round overclock for this system 
Yeah its very annoying, the amd brick wall. My 3800 x2 wont go above 2800 on stock vcore no matter what, and wont budge above 3000 stable no matter what. Doesnt like vcores more than 1.55v else it doesnt even load windows at any speed. Any to top it off my board doesnt run 1t command rate above 280 htt so im stuck at 2750mhz.
My 3500+ wont go 24/7 stable at 3000 no matter what, 2907 is the limit for folding to be stable - ive tried more vcore, lowering the memory divider etc and the ht link is fine but it just gets unstable above 2907. Have a 3700+ that wont do more than 2.65 stable, had a 4000+ that Id have to up the vcore just to do a 200mhz oc..
My 3500+ wont go 24/7 stable at 3000 no matter what, 2907 is the limit for folding to be stable - ive tried more vcore, lowering the memory divider etc and the ht link is fine but it just gets unstable above 2907. Have a 3700+ that wont do more than 2.65 stable, had a 4000+ that Id have to up the vcore just to do a 200mhz oc..