My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Y'know.. I wonder if the MSI utility is _adding_ the temperatures together, or something similar.

I thought that as well, but its doesn't add up. (pun intended)

Core 0 = 29C
Core 1 = 36C

SO..... 29C + 36C = 65C

MSI Utility & the bios says: 57C

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

ALSO...... anybody know a good benchmark for dual cores. Currently the Prime 95 I'm using can barely heat this thing up.

[acstech]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Take a look in the task manager. Is Prime95 loading both cores 100%?

Are you using the latest version of Prime95? Latest is v.256. Some of the earlier versions were single threaded, and as such only load one core. See here:

http://www.mersenne.org/gimps/

I usually leave the motherboard software in the box. Then, I'll use this to monitor things in Windows:

http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php

Another interesting program to monitor frequencies and stuff:

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Take a look in the task manager. Is Prime95 loading both cores 100%?

Are you using the latest version of Prime95? Latest is v.256. Some of the earlier versions were single threaded, and as such only load one core. See here:

http://www.mersenne.org/gimps/

I usually leave the motherboard software in the box. Then, I'll use this to monitor things in Windows:

http://www.almico.com/sfdownload.php

Another interesting program to monitor frequencies and stuff:

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

I'm using CPU-Z 1.43, p95v2414 & Speedfan 4.31. I think I', gona get the newer versions. THANKS

[acstech]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Yep, 2414 is only going to load the one core, unless you run two instances of it.

[zandrax]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

@zandrax: This one's for you :

Readings on my PSU through the Bios then through MSI Utility. :-) Appreantly you were right. High +5v and low +12v. I pretty much suck at math though, so I'm not sure about this statement of yours: (5% on 5 v and 10% on 12 v)

Sorry: it's 5% tolerance on both 5 v and 12 v - see the latest ATX specs, chapter 4.1.4.
+ and - 5% tolerance on 5 v line means voltage can fluctuate from 4.75 v (5 v - 5% of 5 v = 5 - 0.25 = 4.75 v) to 5.25 v (5 v + 5%); 12 v can do from 11.4 to 12.6.
If the hardware monitor is trustworthly, your voltages (4.9 and 11.75) are lower than their nominal values but within tolerances: check them during intensive workload (e.g. prime95 while scanning or defragmenting your drive).
Last words: did you overvolt slightly your memories? Standard DDR2 voltage should be 1.8 v

Zandrax

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Sorry: it's 5% tolerance on both 5 v and 12 v - see the latest ATX specs, chapter 4.1.4.
+ and - 5% tolerance on 5 v line means voltage can fluctuate from 4.75 v (5 v - 5% of 5 v = 5 - 0.25 = 4.75 v) to 5.25 v (5 v + 5%); 12 v can do from 11.4 to 12.6.
If the hardware monitor is trustworthly, your voltages (4.9 and 11.75) are lower than their nominal values but within tolerances: check them during intensive workload (e.g. prime95 while scanning or defragmenting your drive).
Last words: did you overvolt slightly your memories? Standard DDR2 voltage should be 1.8 v

Zandrax

No. In bios its actually set on "AUTO." Bare in mind though that my memory sticks are Corsair Value Select DDR2 533MHz. (VS1GB533D2)

Should I set it to 1.8v as a precaution? I did play like four hours of Counter Strike: Source while running a single instance of an old version of Prime95 (Not optimized for dual cores), and no problems were encountered, I plan to do some more stress testing in the next few weeks.

[zandrax]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

No. In bios its actually set on "AUTO." Bare in mind though that my memory sticks are Corsair Value Select DDR2 533MHz. (VS1GB533D2)

Should I set it to 1.8v as a precaution? I did play like four hours of Counter Strike: Source while running a single instance of an old version of Prime95 (Not optimized for dual cores), and no problems were encountered, I plan to do some more stress testing in the next few weeks.

Try setting the sandard voltage and testing with memtest if it runs stable: sometimes a voltage increase can make cpus and ram more stable, but never abuse of: heat production depens linearly from working frequency and on the square of voltage, so the more you increase the hotter it will be.
Set the lover setting at which your pc runs fine.

Zandrax

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Try setting the sandard voltage and testing with memtest if it runs stable: sometimes a voltage increase can make cpus and ram more stable, but never abuse of: heat production depens linearly from working frequency and on the square of voltage, so the more you increase the hotter it will be.
Set the lover setting at which your pc runs fine.

Zandrax

Hmmm...... now that you mention it, my the sinlge chipset on my mobo does run a bit HOT. I think I'll lower the voltages.

Again, Thanks.

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Hmmm...... now that you mention it, the sinlge chipset on my mobo does run a bit HOT. I think I'll lower the voltages.

Again, Thanks.

Uhhhhmmmm..... looks like there's no way of adjusting it xandrax. Already I've updated to the latest bios, and there is still now way to manipulate the RAM voltage. The bios says taht 1.9V IS the default of my DDR2 533 sticks. :-(

[zandrax]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Uhhhhmmmm..... looks like there's no way of adjusting it xandrax. Already I've updated to the latest bios, and there is still now way to manipulate the RAM voltage. The bios says taht 1.9V IS the default of my DDR2 533 sticks. :-(

Well, leave it at 1.9 v: it's about 5.5% more than 1.8, so the heat increase should be around 11% (1.055 ^2 = 1.11). A bit warmer but not hot.
The chipset runs warm, sometimes hot because it's a single chip solution: try installing a fan on its heatsink.

Zandrax

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Well, leave it at 1.9 v: it's about 5.5% more than 1.8, so the heat increase should be around 11% (1.055 ^2 = 1.11). A bit warmer but not hot.
The chipset runs warm, sometimes hot because it's a single chip solution: try installing a fan on its heatsink.

Zandrax

Already planning to this weekend. How does a 70mm Delta fan from an AMD Stock HSF sound?

Also, I've tidied up the cabling. PLUS, I installed a 120mm fan on the side panel. It's blowing air into the Processor socket and RAM area.

Again, thanks for your helps zandrax.

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

@zandrax: I think I finally found something to stress this rig to the point of locking up and only pressing the reset would solve it.

Recently played CS:S on this thing with all settings on high, before i played CS:S with all the settings down, recently i played at high settings, thus stressing the P.C. to the limits.

As I play CSS with high settings I have encountered lock-ups that render the rig unusable with only a press of the reset button as the remedy. I've noticed that after i rebooted from the lockup the 12v on my rig drops from the "11.9" value to "11.7," according to the bios's temp readings.

I'm thinking the PSU is the culprit.

I might get one that's of the ATX 2.2 standard instead of something this old (ATX 2.0). I'm actually thinking of getting one of these:

http://www.silverstonetek.com/produc...st400&area=usa

It's supposedly an FSP design. :-)

[acstech]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Hook up a multimeter to the 12v line and then go watch it when you're stressing it. That's when you'll see the biggest movement. It should recover fairly quickly after the load is removed. The only thing left would be heat related. If it's changing that much due to heat, ugh...

I'd just get the FSP. It's cheaper. Also note the ratings comapred to the Silverstone.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817104952

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

thanks acstech. :-)

Anyways another issue:

I wanted to make this an FYI to Brisbane users.

Apparently, according to this thread here: http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/...103639&page=15

Also read here: http://forums.amd.com/forum/messagev...&enterthread=y

AMD has reported the DTS on Brisbanes as being "broken"

NOTE: Intel and AMD recently published detailed, public information about the "DTS" (Digital Thermal Sensor), which provides much higher accuracy and more relevant temperature reading than the standard thermal diode sensors do.

This would mean that even using Core Temp you are not getting the accurate measurements on the temps of your processor's cores., specifcally on the Athlon x2 (Brisbanes only)

[acstech]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

Huh. The Brisbanes on the Biostar boards I have, and have sold, have all worked correctly. On cold boot, going into the bios, they report ambient temp, then climb from there.

In Windows I generally use Speedfan to read temperatures.

http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php

I've also seen some pretty screwed up included motherboard software, so I have to wonder if software isn't part of the problem people are having with temp readings.

Like I say, I've never had a problem with it. Of course I never use the motherboard disk for anything but the ethernet driver...

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

@acstech:

My mobo is fairly new that Speedfan does'nt detect any sensors, heck it doesn't even know what the freakin chipset is!!!!

Mobo: MSI K9N Neo-F V3 From what I gather its an Nforce 560

(linky: ttp://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=K9N_Neo-F_V3&class=mb)

[acstech]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

I try and avoid MSI whenever possible. I had some bad experiences with them over the years. Bad caps, unstable boards, etc. Maybe they've got better recently.

I'm sure you are, but I have to ask: Are you using the latest version of Speedfan?

http://www.almico.com/speedfan433.exe

I've found that speedfan might not label the processor temperature correctly. Have it running and watch when you start a P95 torture test. The one that goes up quickly will be the processor.

Did you ever download the newest version of Prime95?

32 bit version:
http://www.mersenne.org/gimps/p95v256.zip

64 bit version:
http://www.mersenne.org/gimps/p64v256.zip

Linux 32 bit version:
http://www.mersenne.org/gimps/mprime256.tar.gz

Linux 64 bit version:
http://www.mersenne.org/gimps/mprime255-linux64.tar.gz

For memory testing, I usually do a custom test, run the FFT's in place, and set the size from double the total L2 cache size (minimum), to quadruple the total L2 cache size (maximum).

For processor testing, run the small FFT's.

Let it go for about 6 hours. Overnight is usually good. Once you get it set to where it doesn't crash, let it go for 24 hours. When it can pass that on both above settings, then it should be stable.

Have the multimeter plugged into the 12v when you start the tests. You might be surprised.

[grss1982]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

@acstech:
Yes indeed, I did use v4.33. I just looked at it last nyt and it seems the only temps listed are that of the GPU and core 0 at 21c, which by the way is quite ridiculous for Brisbane with stock cooling. Chipset remains unidentified. No voltages and fan speed is detected or shown by SF 4.33.

Downloaded and used p95v256.zip (32-bit) as well. ;-)

[zandrax]

Re: My Proc-Mobo Combo Choice......

@ grss: I didn't reply before because I was really busy. Change your psu, this behaviour is far from being normal. As astech pointed out, voltages should recover in a small time (a couple of second or less) otherwise your psu is faulty.
If Speedfan doesn't recognize your hardware monitor (which is different from your chipset), then you should try RMClock or Notebook Hardware Control: the former is very detailed, showing both load and temperature of the two cores and allowing you to undervolt the cpu; the latter is notebook oriented and is recommended only if RMClock should crash.

Zandrax