Cool n quiet not working with overclocks

Merlin5 · 21 Aug 2011 at 17:18

With my cpu at stock speed of 3.1Ghz and stock 1.34v, cool n quiet kicks in and drops it to 803Mhz, and drops stock 1.34v to 0.992v. When I start Orthos Small FFTs, everything kicks in immediately, cpu speed goes straight back up to 3114Mhz and volts back to 1.34v. So that's fine, all is working as it should be on default everything.

But when I overclock, various strange things happen. At 3.7Ghz, even 3.6Ghz, cool n quiet does not work, so cpu-z shows maximum cpu speed all the time and whatever max voltage I set. I tested those overclocks both with stock voltage, and also increased 1.44v. Same result, so it's not the voltage affecting it.

So then I decided to take the overclock back to just one notch above normal, by 0.5, from 3.1ghz to 3.2ghz, to see if cool n quiet would work wth a minimum overclock. This time cool n quiet kicked in dropping it to 1004mhz. However, the voltage of 1.34v did not drop to 0.992v this time, it remained at 1.34v. Even more strangely, when I started Orthos Small FFTs, the cpu speed didn't throttle up, it remained at 1004mhz. This also happened when I notched the cpu speed up by another 0.5.

So does anyone have any idea what's going on here? Motherboard is fussy with cool n quiet and overclocks? Cpu is fussy? (Rig is in sig for reference)

davieg · 21 Aug 2011 at 17:24

Have you put the multi back on auto and used manual rather than offset voltage, both those things can stop cool and quiet working on some boards.
Also check that you renenabled Cool and quiet in CPU options of Bios as when you over clock some boards disable this option and needs to be changed back.
On my Asus you need to overclock with offset voltage not manual as that stops my c and q working, dunno if its the same for you.

Merlin5 · 21 Aug 2011 at 17:46

davieg,thanks, I'm just loading some pics I took with my phone of my bios, brb.

Merlin5 · 21 Aug 2011 at 17:55

I checked cool n quiet and it seemed to be enabled still. Don't know what you mean exactly, so here's some pics. One thing I've never touched is cpu host clock control, that lets me change FSB doesn't it? Never used that. I just use the multi and increase it from auto by .5 steps. And you can see in the pics how I do voltage changes. I don't know what you mean by 'offset' voltages, but even on auto/normal voltage, cool n quiet doesn't work with overclocks.

davieg · 21 Aug 2011 at 18:09

Hiya Merlin, nothing obvious to me jumps out in the pics as wrong, ignore the offset/manual thing as it doesnt look like that option shows in your Bios.
Some boards can be a pain with Cool and Quiet if you clock using the multiplier.
Just try clocking with the Host clock control rather than the multiplier (put this back on Auto) and see if that helps the CnQ situation.

Quixote · 21 Aug 2011 at 18:22

Hi merlin5, I have the same board as you, also a rev 2.0.
As far as i know, this board always disables cool and quiet if you increase the multiplier. I found that to be the case with any bios.
BUT that was with my old x4 955. With my x6, it works as it should.
So I think that any deneb cores, increasing the multiplier turns off cool & quiet but for thubrons it's ok. I guess its a bug or limitation.
I never did find a way to get it working with the x4.

Merlin5 · 21 Aug 2011 at 18:36

Thanks davieg and Quixote. Interesting. So in that case, multi doesn't work with my callisto chip. Right then, so, I'll try the FSB method and see if that works.

buchtis · 21 Aug 2011 at 19:21

Turn Cool 'n Quiet off. No idea why people who overclock have it on in the 1st place, it causes more harm than good. Once it's turned off you should have no issues at all.

Merlin5 · 21 Aug 2011 at 19:28

buchtis said:
Turn Cool 'n Quiet off. No idea why people who overclock have it on in the 1st place, it causes more harm than good. Once it's turned off you should have no issues at all.

I had C&Q turned off the last couple of days and was told in gen hardware my electric bill would see £25 to £50 more a year. Tbh, I'm not that interested in an overclock anymore, this is more of an experiment now to see if I can overclock and still keep C&Q.

buchtis · 21 Aug 2011 at 19:36

Ahh I see. How are you managing so far because it suds like quite a nice little experiment. I've managed 4.3 with CnC turned off, do you think i'd be able to push it to, say 3.8 with it on? Not at home atm so can't try but i'll give it a go.

DragonQ · 21 Aug 2011 at 19:46

buchtis said:
Turn Cool 'n Quiet off. No idea why people who overclock have it on in the 1st place, it causes more harm than good. Once it's turned off you should have no issues at all.

CnQ and SpeedStep reduce energy usage, electricity bills and heat output, as well as potentially increasing the lifespan of your components.

For example, my machine uses 25 W less both when idle and under normal usage with SpeedStep, C-States and C1E on. This typically equates to a 15% energy saving!

Merlin5 · 21 Aug 2011 at 19:54

buchtis said:
Ahh I see. How are you managing so far because it suds like quite a nice little experiment. I've managed 4.3 with CnC turned off, do you think i'd be able to push it to, say 3.8 with it on? Not at home atm so can't try but i'll give it a go.

Don't ask me, I'm an overclocking noob

I did a bunch of long stress testing earlier this year. I think 3.7Ghz was about the most stable I got to.

Merlin5 · 21 Aug 2011 at 23:05

I did my first overclock with FSB instead of multi. Increased fsb from 200 to 240, reduced memory clock of x4 = 800mhz to x3.33 = 799mhz, and my overclock is at 3720mhz. Amazing, as cool n quiet now works prefectly with this overclock.

Same overclock speed, but different method. Does that mean I need to do a whole bunch of stress testing again?

davieg · 21 Aug 2011 at 23:31

Yeah its wise too Merlin, but dont think you will be far off. PS lots of people overclock and leave CnQ on Buchtis? Whats the point of leaving it off if its going to make sod all difference to the stability of your clock, but reduce heat and power consumption?
Cool and Quiet shouldn't be a problem anymore at all on a properly done AMD overclock. Then again if you haven't got the patience to get it correctly stable then any shortcut could probably help you out

Phil2008 · 21 Aug 2011 at 23:32

Ok Ive helped merlin OC his sys by the FSB so the cool n quiet works, and I just want to make sure everything looks ok to you guys?

davieg · 21 Aug 2011 at 23:38

What temps it getting to under load? Leave it going at least 15 mins though if not a little longer (Until CPU temp stabalizes).

Merlin5 · 21 Aug 2011 at 23:46

I'm testing with orthos properly now davieg. I did hours and hours of orthos earlier in the year at this speed, so I don't expect any failure, certainly not in less than a few hours. I could be wrong though!
I usually get about 45c max core temps.

davieg · 21 Aug 2011 at 23:57

Nice one then cant see anything obviously wrong in the screen shots, your NB has probably clocked slightly too but thats not a bad idea for these CPU's anyway, and its not a mad amount of volts for that CPU so hopefully all will be alright.
Should imagine it will be stable I usually get running a stress test till one of the kids starts going on to use PC so mine get given up on pretty quick, then again kids are a pretty good stress test in themselves

Merlin5 · 22 Aug 2011 at 00:00

Lol, yea. My max core temp under load is actually higher than it was earlier in the year, it's maxing out now at about 51c. Definitely need to clean out the pc, but maybe the NB you mentioned is affecting it.