Athlon II X2 240 Overclocking

[Cheeseball]

Hi guys,

I currently have my Athlon II X2 240 running at 3.5GHz from the stock 2.8GHz. The multiplier max is 14, so my bus speed is set at 250. I'd like to go higher but keep it stable and cool. My motherboard is a ASRock A780GM-LE/128MB (780G/SB710, AM2+, DDR2) and still using the stock heatsink. RAM is 4GB of Team Elite DDR2-800. ACC is disabled in the BIOS (don't need it). I have a couple of questions though:

1. What's the safest HT Link freq. for my motherboard and CPU? I currently have it locked at 8x, which is the stock 2,000 MHz. NB frequency is also set at 2,000MHz.

2. I currently have my RAM locked at 3:5, with timings at 5-5-5-15-23-2T running on 1.8v. With my above CPU/HT, it's effectively at 416MHz (833MHz). Is there a way to even it out at 400MHz without sacrificing CPU clocks? Would getting DDR2-1066 RAM help even though the Athlon II is rated for DDR2-800?

3. Has anyone here in XS been able to unlock this processor to a Opteron 1300 ES aside from this post?

Thanks in advance.

[Peen]

I have a 240 and Gigabyte 785G coming in tomorrow. I'll test it out, maybe even on water

[WSP]

you had SB710 mobo with ACC, why not try yourself if your X2 240 can be unlocked to opteron 1300?
simply just enable ACC-->auto

the safest HT Link freq vary from one systems to another. but I can say that 250mhz HT Link is safe for 24/7 with stock cooling. just keep an eye for the temps though

and why you would run your RAM to 800mhz, if you got it @833mhz? I dont see a reason to do that.
for RAM freq, HT Links plays a role here, play with HT Link to get your desired RAM freq
Although Athlon II is rated for 800mhz, you can overclocked it to higher speed if your cpu/mobo/RAM can handle those speed

[Cheeseball]

@WSP

Yeah, I tried ACC but it doesn't do anything for me, unfortunately.

2,500MHz HT Link is what you mean?

I'd like to try and run my RAM at their proper rated modules for now, so 400MHz or near would be preferrable for now.

[WSP]

HT Link = 250mhz (fsb/bus speed).HT frequency = 2500mhz, if HT Link multiplier = 10x

[Cheeseball]

Yeah, I forgot Intel's FSB is AMD's HT Link frequency. I'm so used to CPU-Z now, hehe.

I'm still running 3.5GHz @ 1.3625v, NB at 2,000MHz (8x) @ 1.1250v. I forgot Athlon II X2 chips have a problem with Cool'n'Quiet (I have one of an older batch since I thought it may help turning it into an Opteron) so I disabled it and now it's slightly more stable.

I have another question though... does turning on ACC disable the temperature sensor on the CPU? Core Temp reports zero degrees and AMD Overdrive reports -256C when I have ACC on in any way.

[WSP]

Originally, ACC was introduced to help OCing Phenom II. I dont know how's the effect on Athlon II though.
maybe ruining the internal sensor is the one of many effect.

[TheGreenFoX]

AFAIK the ACC was designed for the original phenom?!?

[ELItheICEman]

HT Link = 250mhz (fsb/bus speed).HT frequency = 2500mhz, if HT Link multiplier = 10x

I think you're confusing the HTT with the HT Link. From what I remember of my Athlon duals, the FSB was called the HTT, which defaults at 200MHz. The HT Link had a multiplier that was x5 back then, and nowadays is either x9 or x10 depending on which CPU you're talking about.

[WSP]

AFAIK the ACC was designed for the original phenom?!?

yep...my bad. was meant to type Phenom I, but in the end my hands keeps me from typing Phenom I :p

I think you're confusing the HTT with the HT Link. From what I remember of my Athlon duals, the FSB was called the HTT, which defaults at 200MHz. The HT Link had a multiplier that was x5 back then, and nowadays is either x9 or x10 depending on which CPU you're talking about.

that is correct

[Tom128]

HT Ref clock = 200Mhz, HT Link = 2,000Mhz

[Peen]

Well I got my Gigabyte 785G mATX and Athlon II X2 240.

Running 3.8ghz 1.488v, stable, Max HT speed seems to be around 284

ACC does nothing, still stays Athlon II x2

[Cheeseball]

Thanks for the info, Peen. Does that board use DDR2 or DDR3? What's your current RAM speed?

[Peen]

906mhz 5-5-5-15-2t

Was just cheap $26 ram.

Will try to hit 4ghz later as the board ALMOST does 286mhz HT (14x286=4ghz)

btw I don't know much about AMD OC'ing but what voltage do I need to raise to get higher HT speed?

NB VID seemed to help, but NB voltage did nothing. 286 is the number I want to hit stable hehe

[Cheeseball]

I have my NB voltage set to 1.1250v, so it's undervolted from the stock 1.1750v on this ASRock board. I think you may need to loosen your RAM timings. DDR2 or DDR3? (906MHz x 2??)

[Peen]

I have my NB voltage set to 1.1250v, so it's undervolted from the stock 1.1750v on this ASRock board. I think you may need to loosen your RAM timings. DDR2 or DDR3? (906MHz x 2??)

DDR2 but I have tried to even run my ram with lower multi (like 700mhz) and with low CPU multi.

I always OC to find max FSB or HT speed first then it's alot easier to tell whats crashing. In this case its def the board but no clue why I can't get it to budge to 286mhz HT

[Cheeseball]

Hmm... that might be the FSB/HT wall of the board? Then again, it's Gigabyte so there shouldn't be an apparently wall before 350 or so...

[Cheeseball]

Sorry for the double post...

I am able to run 3.6GHz (250 x 14 = 3,640MHz) now at 433MHz (866MHz) DRAM, 5-5-5-15-23-2T. CPU VID has been shot up to 1.3750v, and DRAM voltage is at 1.85v (+0.05 from stock). Northbridge voltage is now at 1.1375v from the last value of 1.1250v (just covering my tracks).

I'm going to OCCT and Linpack test it in just a bit. Hopefully it's stable. Still on the stock Athlon II X2 heatsink as well...

[Peen]

I can't seem to downclock my NB frequency even though the bios allows me too it stays at 2720mhz

[Cheeseball]

You don't have a choice between x1 to x10 for the NB frequencies?

I tried OCCT at 3.6GHz DDR2-866 and it BSOD with an unexpected hardware failure. I'm guessing it might be the RAM being stressed out too much.

I'm back at 3.5GHz, OCCT and Linpack stable.

[Peen]

Ahhh ya, but I gotta set that and also HT link speed at same time. Got it down to about 2.1ghz'ish but still errors out at 286mhz even with 1.3v NB

Guess I will have to settle with around 3.95ghz

[Cheeseball]

Is that DDR2-8500 (1,066MHz) or DDR2-6400 (800MHz) you're using? At 3.5GHz, my system is OCCT stable (still running as I type this!!), but once I knock it up +10 with the FSB to 260, it bottoms out even with the stock 1.425 voltage. I'm thinking it might be my RAM not being to take it. I'll try to loosen/lower the RAM freq.

[Peen]

Ya I'm using 800mhz ram running at 900mhz 5-5-5-15-2t 1.9v

I can boot up till 4ghz but not stable it just errors out

[Cheeseball]

What's the make/model of your RAM?

[Cheeseball]

BTW, I'd like to verify this, regardless if I own a Phenom/Athlon II/Phenom II, would I get good results if I keep the HT Link to around 2,000MHz and increase the NB Frequency to around 2,600MHz?