Question about Orthos and Memtest86

[Bognostraglum]

Decided to try and run Orthos for the recommended 8 hrs to test stability. Using the system in my sig.

The processor is at 3.1ghz with a X9 multiplier and the FSB is at 1400. All the voltages are set to auto. Is setting the voltages to auto a bad thing? and if it is what should the voltages be set too?

Earlier the ram was tested using Memtest86 burned to a CD. The timings are 4-4-4-12-2T Bank Cycle Time 20 @ auto voltage and set in the bios to 700 to achieve the 1:1 ratio. Memtest ran for 3 passes on std test with no errors. Was this long enough? and 700 too high for 667 rated ram.

The temps never went higher than 51C according to Core Temp and Asus Probe said 46C all the time... lol. Probe also listed the cVolt at 1.34 throughout the run.

Here's the weird thing. Orthos ran 5 hrs 54 mins before the system hung and needed a reset, which BTW is the longest that it's ran so far The weird part was at about the 4 hour mark the core2 was running tests faster than core1. Yet when it was first started the core was running both tests at the same time. When the system did hang core2 was at test 5 and core1 was at test 3, and it had been this way for almost 2 hours. Any idea why this happened? or is this the reason for Orthos hanging the system. Is it possible to fix this? Or should another program be used to stress the CPU. If so, which one. Can't use TaT won't work on this MB.

[Eldonko]

What test did you use? Use blend, prio 7, let it run overnight. If that passes run some 3dmark 06.

[Bognostraglum]

Was using the blend test.

I'll try it again but this time the only apps open will be Orthos and core temp.

[sswilson]

Is setting the voltages to auto a bad thing? and if it is what should the voltages be set too?

Auto should set your proc to default volts, so it's perfectly fine.

I'm not completely sure on the C2D platform, but on the A64 the first step for a prime95 (orthos) failure was usually a small bump to vcore (what you have set to auto now).

Once you start bumping vcore though it's time to really monitor your temps.

[Eldonko]

Yea, bump vcore a tad to 1.375 and rerun, this time use small fft, If you get error in that one 90% its cpu.

[Patriote]

Lots of questions here. I can answer a few ones

Originally Posted by Bognostraglum

Decided to try and run Orthos for the recommended 8 hrs to test stability. Using the system in my sig.

I personally recommend nothing less than 12hours.

Originally Posted by Bognostraglum

The processor is at 3.1ghz with a X9 multiplier and the FSB is at 1400. All the voltages are set to auto. Is setting the voltages to auto a bad thing? and if it is what should the voltages be set too?

IMO, Yes it is. As it will give the CPU sometime not enough, sometime too much... It's best to know what your CPU can do with "X" amount of voltage and "Y" amount... you know ?

Originally Posted by Bognostraglum

Earlier the ram was tested using Memtest86 burned to a CD. The timings are 4-4-4-12-2T Bank Cycle Time 20 @ auto voltage and set in the bios to 700 to achieve the 1:1 ratio. Memtest ran for 3 passes on std test with no errors. Was this long enough? and 700 too high for 667 rated ram.

No. I don't think it was long enough. Normally i let it run for a good 20 passes when i want to make sure it's stable. Same thing for auto voltage here... If you want to overclock you must know what your component can do and with what amount of voltage...

Originally Posted by Bognostraglum

The temps never went higher than 51C according to Core Temp and Asus Probe said 46C all the time... lol. Probe also listed the cVolt at 1.34 throughout the run.

Coretemp is different than Asus probe. Here a quote about Coretemp :

The temperature readings are very accurate as the data is collected from a Digital Thermal Sensor (or DTS) which is located in each individual processing core, near the hottest part. This sensor is digital, which means it doesn't rely on an external circuit located on the motherboard to report temperature, its value is stored in a special register in the processor so any software can access and read it. This eliminates any inaccuracy that can be caused by external motherboard circuits and sensors and then different types of programs trying to read those sensors.

Originally Posted by Bognostraglum

Here's the weird thing. Orthos ran 5 hrs 54 mins before the system hung and needed a reset, which BTW is the longest that it's ran so far The weird part was at about the 4 hour mark the core2 was running tests faster than core1. Yet when it was first started the core was running both tests at the same time. When the system did hang core2 was at test 5 and core1 was at test 3, and it had been this way for almost 2 hours. Any idea why this happened? or is this the reason for Orthos hanging the system. Is it possible to fix this? Or should another program be used to stress the CPU. If so, which one. Can't use TaT won't work on this MB.

This is totally normal. It just means that your overclock isn't stable. Computer needing a reset or Orthos freezing/Hanging ? Overclock not stable. Either your ram or CPU overclock isn't stable. But i doubt it would be the ram. Just to make sure, drop the ram at or under what it's rated to run at with stock voltage.

When i overclock my CPU, i always drop my ram at stock... And that way im sure that it's not the ram making my overclock not stable. Sometime it can be the FSB that make your Overclock not stable... To fix this, you need to find whats your mobos max FSB. Finding what your RAM (Or simply set it a stock) and FSB can do before starting to overclock your CPU is a good idea. That way you'll know what each component can do when your overclocking... That way you'll know that if your overclock isn't stable, it's because of your CPU not getting enough voltage.

To find whats your max FSB : Drop your CPU multi at 6x, set the default voltage on your CPU (This can be found by opening coretemp and having a look at your VID. The voltage indicated after VID is your stock CPU voltage.) and raise the FSB! You might want to play with the Northbridge voltage as well to be able to reach high FSBs. But be careful! This can damage your NB depending on what cooling you have on it.

Have fun and if you have some other questions, come back

Oh yeah and BTW 1 core not following\doing the same test as the second core in Orthos is normal. I get this all the time. Sometime it pass 21hours stable like that and sometime it crash after 8 hours... When it crash after 8 hours i just bump CPU voltage a bit and im good for a 21hours run

[b1lk1]

I run Orthos while I am surfing the web and listening to music and so forth. I like to torture test my PC to the max to make sure it is 100% stable. You should be able to do everything you normally do while Orthos is running in the background. Lockups are almost always CPU voltage related while crashes are almost always memory related.

[Patriote]

Originally Posted by b1lk1

I run Orthos while I am surfing the web and listening to music and so forth. I like to torture test my PC to the max to make sure it is 100% stable. You should be able to do everything you normally do while Orthos is running in the background. Lockups are almost always CPU voltage related while crashes are almost always memory related.

And what about BSOD ? What it's related to ?

[Babrbarossa]

Rather than start a new thread, I hope I can just tack this question on this thread since it's related- I have MemTest burned to A CD in .bin format- how do I use it?

[Bognostraglum]

Thanks for all the help and info.

Originally Posted by b1lk1

I run Orthos while I am surfing the web and listening to music and so forth. I like to torture test my PC to the max to make sure it is 100% stable. You should be able to do everything you normally do while Orthos is running in the background. Lockups are almost always CPU voltage related while crashes are almost always memory related.

Did this at first too, but thought it affected the test, so instead just let Orthos running and walked away from the comp... that is after checking to see the temps were ok.

Going to set the ram to stock and play around with the FSB and see how far it will go on air before instability.

Originally Posted by Patriote

To find whats your max FSB : Drop your CPU multi at 6x, set the default voltage on your CPU (This can be found by opening coretemp and having a look at your VID. The voltage indicated after VID is your stock CPU voltage.) and raise the FSB! You might want to play with the Northbridge voltage as well to be able to reach high FSBs. But be careful! This can damage your NB depending on what cooling you have on it.

The formula that I'm using is CPU MHZ = X/9*4 which tells me what to set the bios too.

Example 3.1Ghz is 3100/9 = 344.4*4 = 1377 is the number the FSB is entered in the bios

For the ram I just double the 344.4 to give me a 1:1 ratio

Is there another formula used that is easier?