Tom's Hardware > Forum > Overclocking > AMD > [Solved] Unlocked 720 BE Stability

[Solved] Unlocked 720 BE Stability

Forum Overclocking : AMD [Solved] Unlocked 720 BE Stability

Hey there guys and gals. I haven't asked a question in awhile and wanted to get you guys/gals opinion. I recently built a new system and started reading about this possibility to unlock my tri-core.

I am running on stock cooling and haven't tried any type of OC at all. I can use that ACC option in the BIOS to unlock my CPU to a X4 and here's my question.

When running Prime95 and IBT, my system will randomly freeze and lock up at different times.

1.) I am thinking this is a temperature issue and because I can't read temps on the unlocked CPU that I should consider getting some aftermarket cooling to help keep it cool. (I dunno which reading to take on the temp btw, CoreTemp says 29C idle and BIOS says 43C. CPUID and AMD Overdrive show my RAM at 800 speed, BIOS shows 1066.)

2.) Once I get the aftermarket cooler installed, possibly increase the voltage to 1.35 or 1.36. Currently the voltage fluctuats from 1.29 up to 1.344 all on it's own.

So with that said, any thoughts?? Comments?? I would like to get it stable on the unlocked part first before trying to OC it.

Here is my system:

AMD X3 720 BE
ASRock A780GHM/128M
4GB DDR2-1066 Kingston HyperX
850W Thermaltake Black Widow PSU
Thermaltake LanBox (that little cube case)
XFX 4890 1GB DDR5

Reply to kiddagoat

Best answer

What is the idle and load temsp as an X3? Keep that handy.
Unlock the extra core and see what the idle temp is as an X4 on Auto volts. Give it a minute or two and write that down (is this the 43C you mentioned before?).
Now set core volts to 1.375, save and exit, then back into BIOS. See what the idles temps are now as an X4 with 1.375V.

So you've recorded four sets of temperatures of cpu to compare. Hopefully the three idel temps are close to each other, especially the X4 Auto and Manual volt settings.

With the Asrock board use the Asrock OCTuner software on your driver disc. Don't overclock or anything with it, just click on the hardware monitor tab and have a look at the temps there. I've found it to be accurate while unlocking cores when other monitoring programs aren't playing fair. It won't provide a log or min/max, only real-time.

You have an X3 full load temp from above, so while running Prime95 with four cores at 1.375V, keep the OCTuner open and displaying temps. See what you get. Post your results when you can.

Message edited by seabreeze on 09-20-2009 at 04:12:19 AM

Reply to seabreeze

Here are my temperature readings:

ASRock OCTuner:

IDLE: 48C LOAD: 61C

AMD OverDrive:

IDLE: 35C LOAD: 58C

X4 AUTO VCore:

IDLE: 55C

X4 Manual VCore (1.375):

IDLE: 56C

When I am inside Windows, I do not get any temp readings whatsoever. The software GUIs are all jacked up. All my programs show 0C or -255C. So when I unlocked it, all of those readings are from the BIOS. When left as an X3, I am able to get readings inside windows with my GUIs.

Message edited by kiddagoat on 09-21-2009 at 07:33:19 AM

Reply to kiddagoat

Well, that's a shame. I was hoping OCTuner worked when it ran as an X4. It looks like OCTuner is closest with the BIOS reading, 43C/48C respectively. Considering BIOS is absolutely doing nothing, it should be reading slighly lower or equal to desktop temps (os loaded).

I use one of these:
http://www.silverstonetek.com/products/p_photo.php?pno=fp52&area=usa

Install and calibrate. Essentially run as an X3 and compare. You might find it reads a consistent 5C less than OCTuner, as an example.

Now you have the ability to measure temps accurately no matter what's going on, X3, X4, oc, etc.

Reply to seabreeze

CoreTemp won't read unlocked cores.

Okay here are some results after getting an aftermarket fan. I work at best buy so I went with our Rocketfish CPU Cooler.

This is a Cooler Master equivalent:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6835103041

Upon adding the new fan at stock these are the temps I was getting:

IDLE: 23C LOAD: 44C (Taken with CoreTemp, and AMD OverDrive) IDLE: 46C LOAD: 52C (Taken with ASROCK OC Tuner)

Upon unlocking to an X4 and upping the voltage to 1.375V:

IDLE: 46C LOAD: 61C (Taken with ASROCK OC Tuner)

For some apparent reason, the ASRock tuner only lets the targer CPU temp bottom out at 45C. I don't get it at all....

I did 10 runs with the IntelBurnTest on Maximum and it passed with no varience whatsoever.

I let Prime95 run overnight and at 7h 41m both the 3rd and 4th cores reported an error. I never got that far before with Prime.

During the IBT, the temperature on the OCTuner topped out at 56C, and with Prime95, it topped out at 61C.

I have read that IBT is a much better assessment of stress testing and that Prime95 is old. I have also read the opposite. Any thoughts???

***PS: I believe it would be safe to assume I am not one of the lucky few with a functioning 4th core.******

Reply to kiddagoat

Quote :

I have read that IBT is a much better assessment of stress testing and that Prime95 is old. I have also read the opposite. Any thoughts???

***PS: I believe it would be safe to assume I am not one of the lucky few with a functioning 4th core.******

Anything that stresses the CPU and reports warning or errors is fine. You're not likely to ever stress your computer from daily use how IBT or Prime95 does.

The only Phenom II X3 720 BE's that I heard that have a functioning 4th core were ones ordered a while back from ASRock. Mine was a no go from Newegg, worked well at first, but started reporting errors over time.

My 710 has been unlocked recently on a friends new 790x mobo (batch 904, woo hoo, bought in march) so I plan on holding on to it till my next board, if only to bench it and see how it goes for the long term (only managed to run Prime95 for 2 hours with x4@3.25ghz, stock cooler,no errors, just not enough time, he was eager to finish HIS computer, lol). Not many people used the 710s, since the 720 BE was more desirable for the type that were shopping it, anyhow.

Considering that AMD was demanding that the mobo manufacturers fix their bios to close this feature (as opposed to just laser etching the locked cores), and the scale of economics and production efficiencies, I am thinking the unlock success rate in new chips should be even higher.

------------------------------ Awaiting Insurance Claim on powersurge, RIP my sweet Leo
Reply to JofaMang

little off topic here, but you have a really similar build to me dude, i just unlocked the 4th core, and at standard voltage im sitting at 3.4 stable with all 4 cores working, i havent upped voltage yet, but let me know how you get on as i am thinking of going higher, so glad i didnt go with the 940 or 955 now

Message quoted 1 times

------------------------------ gigabyte 990fxa-ud7
bulldozer fx 8150 @4.2ghz
6gb Crucial ddr3 1333mhz
Sapphire 6970
Reply to dacca

dacca wrote :

I'm not sure if you're talking about me or not. For my 720 BE, I actually run it at 3.4 GHz stable with 3 cores at 1.4V and NB at 2.6 GHz stable at 14V. It's for my girlfriend, and she has no need to run it at 3.7 GHz, I just wanted to see what the highest stable overclock I could get just to see.

I would recommend for the lifespan of the CPU not to run it 24/7 higher than 1.4V. Though with good enough cooling, I guess it's anyone's guess to how long a CPU actually would last, anyway.