Overclocking woes

[DarkBahamut]

This is something ive been menaing to post about for ages

A month or two ago i took my system apart to clean the dust out, since it was getting hot here. Ever since then i can barely overclock at all. I have an X2 4400+, 2GB of Corsair PC3200XL memory (4*512MB sticks, yes i know), DFI LanParty NF-4 Ultra-D and a GF7800GTX.

Before the clean out it would run at 11*235 with memory timings of 2-3-3-8 2T 1:1 (could have been 2.5 CAS but im sure it was 2) with the Vcore was set to 113%. After cleaning it out my system wouldnt even boot anymore, After messing and resetting the CMOS i got it to boot but ever since then i cant get anything out of this thing. The most i can get is 11*210. Even 11*215 2.5-3-3-8 2T barely stays in windows for more than a minute. Temps are fine so the heatsink it mounted fine. I took all the memory out and reseated that and still nothing. I had a good look over the BIOS to see if i was missing a setting somewhere but i cant see anything. I reset my VCore, changed the DDR voltage, lowered the HTT multiplier, changed memory timings, everything i could think of.

From some of the tests i did i *think* it could be memory related, but i cant see why or how really. If the memory was damaged i'd expect problems all the time, not just when overclocking?

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[nooh]

For a start run memtest. Also with memory i have seen that the more you have as chips on the module the bigger problem it can get. Also is there no chance of you running at 1t. You have 2gb and that should be able to run at 1t , so is it because you have four modules its like that?

When you cleared your Cmos there is some other things you also cleared and that was the BIOS configrations, maulayy tweaking all the BIOS options does improve the way your system works.

I tried this other day on my neices PC and up[til now it ran in the way the BIOS had it , this meant it was ok but not brilliant, it was running on 2t , i changed it 1t , also tightened the latencies. Before i was getting 440mb bandwidth but when i finisehed with tweaking it i got 630mb.

This is the difference a PC can make if it is configured properly. Read it up on lost Circuits website.

Use it to maually tweak your BIOS , you will be very happy with the results. I know i was.

 

[Zero82z]

With the A64 CPUs, you can't run 1T with 4 sticks, which I presume is why the OP isn't doing so.

 

[Arcygenical]

You... CAN run 1t... But not at anything over stock speeds.

How careful were you with handeling your Mobo? Did you know that oils from your fingers, when strewn across PCB traces, can have a negative impact on your hardware performance.

I never believed this "myth" but after dis-assembling my system, my GPU's RAM wouldn't overclock nearly as high as it used to (I used to get 1.17ghz out of a 7800GT, I was topping out at 1.13ghz)... I read something about oils and stuff, thought it was a load of crap, but swabbed my card with alcohol anyways.

After letting it dry overnight I was able to OC again t 1.16ghz... Same room temp, Same build (I have the HS's glued on) and all I did was wipe the underside of the board with some 99% alcohol.

Other than that... Geez, I dont know what else to suggest... Wierd things like this happen all the time... Try reseating your cards and RAM, and making sure everything's plugged in properly