dfi nf4 lp: How to set your voltages RIGHT (w/ working C'n'Q *and* best overclock)

[flexy]

UPDATED 3/6
UPDATE 6/15:
UPDATE 7/11

7/11
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I found out (after months and months of using rmclock that my A64 is NOT stable if rmclock clocks down to 4xHTT. Solution is to set the minimum HTT to 5x. Voltage should be total to about 1.20V if you downclock to about 1200/1300mhz.
This may depend on what HTT you use. Right now use 260.
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IMPORTANT !!! IMPORTANT !!!

If you use Cool'n'Quiet and NOT a 3rd party tool like CPU rightmark:

CnQ always uses between 1V VCore voltage (for idle) and 1.40 VCore (for max), it uses the default CPU voltages !

THEREFORE if you use your bios settings,
eg. "CPU Special Control" = VID * 123% with CnQ your max. voltage (VCore)
*WILL* be 1.40 * 123% ~~ 1.7V which is WAY TOO HIGH in many cases and causes crashes or instability.

The "Special control" you set in bios is *always* added to the normal VCore voltage later.

A64 CPUs do usually NOT like high voltages, try to keep the total UNDER 1.60

If you use the original CnQ you HAVE to adjust your BIOS "Special Vid Control" this way that 1.40V + "SPECIAL VID CTRL" equals your desired VCore. Use "CPU Special Ctrl" values BELOW *123% !!

--> IF YOU USE a 3rd party tool like rightmark cpuclock:
rightmark takes over control of all this because in rightmark you can specify your min/max voltages for the CPU. This will have priority over ALL other tools
you have running incl. CnQ.

The "philosophy" behind rightmark/CnQ is basically *dynamic* adjustment of the HTT (multi) AND the VCore. AMD designed their A64 CPUs with this in mind.

END IMPORTANT INFO
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just a very quick and dirty guide.

In the bios:

Set
CPU VID Startup --> 1.400V
Set CPU VID --> AUTO
Set CPU VID Special Control to +112%


For *my* system (winnie 3500+) this prove to be the best and most stable voltage for overclocking - higher does NOT do any good, actually over 1.6V gets more instable. (Contrary to the oldschool thought of "more voltage=better overclock")

UPDATE:
In the section where you specify "MIN FID" and "MAX FID" (which actually is the CPU multi) you have to enter your OWN multi as MAX FID and not the default one. The default assumes you running 200HTT but you probably wont since you are a overclocker So: If you run 9x300 etc. use "MAX FID" == 9 !
These two values specify the multi CnQ clocks your CPU down when idle and clocks it up again under load.

-->
The "CPU VID" --> AUTO is a key to a working Cool'n'Quiet.

You have to set "CPU VID" to AUTO so you can change the voltages (CPU VID) on the fly in windows, eg. w/ various tools like clockgen, cool'n'quiet or tools like rightmark cpu clock.

(If its NOT on AUTO you can NOT set your CPU voltage at run-time, its stuck at what its set in bios + the special control.)


Also....Cool'n'Quiet AND overclocking work PERFECTLY together and i did NOT see any negative side-effects of C'n'Q in regards to my overclock !


I installed rightmark cpu clock utlity (which was quite a biatch to get it run and dont ask me how i got it to run all of a sudden)....but anyway i now can activate "automatic management" and my A64 clocks down to 1156Mhz at 0.800 (+VID SPC CTRL in bios), which makes roughly 0.90V which is "cool", no pun intended when idle.

(You can reach similiar results with Cool'n'Quiet, just not that much control over it)

I can leave at automatic - or for gaming and benching just set to "maximal" and it clocks up at 2601mhz 1.400+112%, about 1.57V which is my sweet spot for my CPU.

I never understood people claiming that C'n'Q must be turned off for overclocking - its just not true btw.