Windows stable, hangs on games/3Dmark

ryuen

Limp Gawd
Joined
Nov 2, 2005
Messages
326
Hi all, I've got a small (noobish) question for the experts out there

First off let me list the system:
AMD Athlon64 3200+
MSI K8N neo4 F mobo
2 gig G.skill HX PC3200 memory kit
Sappire X1900XT
CPU & GPU cooled by Koolance Exos with CPU-300 & GPU-180 blocks

The overclock is as follows:
FSB from 200 to 250
CPU multiplier left alone
HTT multiplier from 5 to 3
mem timings from standard 2-2-3-5 to 3-2-3-5
all voltages left alone for now
graphics card also left stock

Now my problem is as follows: everything in windows is stable, I can use the system for hours doing anything without a hitch, except play games or run a 3D benchmark, which will hang the system immediately and every single time.
I tested this very same OC (I wrote the settings down) a while ago just for fun when I still had an X850XT and it worked flawlessly even in gaming, the rest of the system was the same.

Now that I upgraded my video card to an X1900XT for the extra shader performace in EQ2 I wanted to OC again to counter the card being so CPU limited.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if any of you have encountered something like this and could tell me what is causing the problem... it's more out of curiosity than anything else really as I consider an OC nothing more than a bonus untill that CPU gets an upgrade in a few months.

Thanks in advance,
Ryu
 
It could possibly be a power supply issue, the newer card requires alittle more juice and combined with the overclocked cpu it could be stressing it to the point of intermittant failure. Reason I think of that first is youve said that it worked with those settings just fine with the previous card. Do you have a multimeter? You should check your rails while gaming and see if theres a significant drop in voltage on the 12v rail.
 
My PSU is this one: Enermax Noisetaker 480W EG495AX-VE(W)

Nothing is connected on the same line as the video card.
 
So your CPU is running at 2.5 correct? I just wana make sure I'm not reading this wrong.

If it is, try rasing the voltage on the CPU but have you tried running prime 95 first...
 
Yes it's at 2.5 now, I haven't tested with prime extensively with the new card, just a quick 30min test.
I did test with prime the first time I ran my CPU/mem at these settings for several hours though and that went well.

I'll retest it more extensively tonight as well as disconnect some devices to lessen the load on my PSU.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.
 
Try doing the Prime95 small FFT test to stress the CPU the most. If it fails doing that you'll know its a CPU instability.
 
when you say your running you memory at 250 do U mean your using a 250mhz divider, or that your running a 200mhz divider and overclocked your memory to 250?

If your running a 250mhz divider thats probably your problem, the memory can't handle it. When I tried running my memory with that divider it wouldn't run any benchmarks either, but I would be able to do anything in windows.
 
Essi1553,
I upped the bus speed to 250Mhz, didn't touch the divider so it's running 1:1 at 250Mhz

acascianelli,
thanks for the tip, I ran prime with a small FFT like you said and it turned up an error after about 15mins. Before this I used the blended mode to test.
I upped the voltage a tad and I'm now passed the 30min mark, culprit identified I think, I'll let it run a few more hours now.


I'm honestly starting to think I didn't write down a voltage change on my scrap of 'working settings' paper.. that would explain my initial confusion at why it wouldn't work anymore like it used to.
I swear if this works I'm adding a 'up the voltage noob' line so I won't forget ever again.

Thanks for the helpfull advice everyone, I really appreciate you guys putting me on the right track again.

Ryu
 
Well it looks like I can't get it stable at 2.5 anymore, I went up to 1.65v and each increase it would run prime for a bit longer before getting an error.
Tried to up the voltage to 1.69 but then my keyboard stopped working in windows, every time I tried at this voltage this happened :confused:
Also tried loosening RAM timings and upping voltage on that but still errors.

It's stable at 2.4 on stock voltage though and a 400Mhz increase being better than nothing I just left it at that.
 
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