Shuttle Overclock

T-b0n3

Spec as sig and I changed the mhz from 166 to 200 ( my 2500 to 3200 ) and i also changed the settings in the BIOS to "aggressive" instead of "optimal". Booted up fine , played some CS , seemed perfect. I tried to run prime95 and I got ;

"Possible hardware failure , read the readme.txt "
"Restarting test" ( some thing like that )

This spammed down my screen , then comp frezzes , noting responds. Had to reboot.
I put it back to default settings and ran prime 95 and test runs fine. So tried overclocked settings again , same happens.

Should I just ignore the prime95? Or will I have problems , or is there something else I need to change etc.?

Regards Adam

Col_Loki

Yea that happened me a couple of times, just press alt + ctrl + del , go to task manager and close prime95.exe....... when it stops run it again and see how it goes. Might be worth re-installing prime95.

[edit] But one thing when that happens to my system it doesent crash or stall it just keeps looping like that........ might be an indication that your system is unstable if its crashing. Try testing the CPU with prime with ram on normal settings and then try further.

T-b0n3

kk cheers mate , but im sure alt + ctrl + del didnt work when it was froze. But Ill try re-install.

Cheers Adam

T-b0n3

I re-installed prime95 and it ran its-self and comp froze up straight away and alt + ctrl + del didnt work etc.

Any ideas?

Adam

Col_Loki

Relax your memory timings , reduce the speed of the CPU and see if its your hardware or prime95.

You might be pushing your CPU or Memory too far. I generally found that prime95 gives errors for memory and CPU problems and locks up for FSB (possible CPU also) , and reboots for PSU's.... sometimes its different but thats just what i found. Is your motherboard 400mhz FSB rated?

Try test things one by one. Ie test your CPU at Xp3200+ with standard timings. If this doesent work then reduce the FSB (and if its not locked up the multiplier so the CPU is at 2.2ghz) and try again. This will tell you if its FSB or CPU. When you find a stable level there , then worry about memory timings.

T-b0n3

"If the message "Possible hardware failure, consult the readme file."
appears in the results.txt file, then prime95's error-checking has
detected a problem. After waiting 5 minutes, the program will continue
testing from the last save file.

Could it be a software problem? If the error is ILLEGAL SUMOUT and you are
running Windows 95/98/Me, then there is some chance that this is a software
problem. A device driver or VxD may not be saving and restoring FPU state
correctly. Windows NT/2000/XP protects prime95 from bad device drivers.
In that case ILLEGAL SUMOUT is very likely a true hardware error. The good news
is that prime95 recovers very well from ILLEGAL SUMOUT errors. Try seeing
if the problem occurs only when a specific device is active or a specific
program is running. "

What it says in readme about it.

Isnt it easy to get 3200 speeds out of a 2500 , with 3200mem aswell?

Adam

Col_Loki

Isnt it easy to get 3200 speeds out of a 2500 , with 3200mem aswell?

lol, yea its easy but not just poping the FSB up to 200mhz and there you go!!
When people say its easy, it doesent mean your guarenteed to get it. It means that you have a good chance. By easy we also mean no messing arround with multipliers, FSB, Voltage to a certain extent, Ram etc. So the Xp3200+ is easy when you compare it to some of the horid hard overclocks you can get.

It depends on your cooling, you will prob have to increase the Vcore voltage to stabilise prime95. You are getting errors, thats what tells you your system isint stable.

You shouldnt tighten your memory timings at all, up the Vcore one notch and run prime95 again . Your system isint stable.

[edit] if prime95 stall's, gives errors, crashes, reboots, windows gives you an error........ that means your system is not fully stable and you have to reduce your overclock. The odd time this can be a fault with prime95, but mostly its not.

secret_squirrel

stop wacking the fsb straight to 200, try it in small increments first moving closer and closer to your targets. When you get to the point where Prime95 gives you errors, then you have to start fiddling with memory timings and possibly v.core.

I strongly recommend you download speedfan or Motherboard Monitor to keep an eye on the temps in your shuttle. Bear in mind that your cpu is gonna be running hotter there than a roomier case. Especially if you increase V.core

Do you have the original SN45 (200W PSU) or the New revision with the 250W Silent X psu. If you are running a highpower GFX card (9700, 9800 etc) then bear in mind that the original PSU's are very close to their limit - especially when overclocking.

Having said all that all the XP2500's I have had I was able to get to 200FSB or there abouts within a few hours of messing about. For the record thats 1 in an SN42G2, 1 in a SN45 and another in a normal case.

Bear in mind that there is stability and stability - 3Dmark03 is very tempramental on my shuttle but I have no problems in games.....

T-b0n3

Im using the 200watt PSU , in the BIOS i dont see any options where I can p the mhz in small incrediments. 133 , 166 , 200 , 201,202 up to 250 I think.

I have motherboardmoniter temps are around 50 ish.

Adam

secret_squirrel

There's a setting called custom I think that should let you increment the fsb in 1mhz increments
alternatively d/l the nvidia mb utility that lets you change the fsb on the fly in windows - not sure how good this is for overclocking.

T-b0n3

Okay Cheers I'll try that.

Also the CPU voltage is set to "auto" so I cant up it one notch. Elsewhere is says the CPU voltage is at 1.75 so if i set it to 1.8 that be okay?

Adam

Col_Loki

try it in small increments first moving closer and closer to your targets. When you get to the point where Prime95 gives you errors, then you have to start fiddling with memory timings and possibly v.core.

What secret_squirrel said. Your trying to jump in the deep end a little bit. Did you read any overclocking guides? Research it at all?

BTW the stock voltage for an Xp2500+ is 1.65v, if you have it at 1.75v that means its already over stock.

secret_squirrel

custom setting should let you do that as well - I think! (never messed with voltages on my shuttles)

T-b0n3

Yes I read a bit , alot here and also Datas special little guide

Adam

secret_squirrel

to be fair to T-bone. I did the same thing to the 3 other bartons I've o/c'd, after my first 2500-3200 worked like a charm, just slapped them up to 200fsb and tried to boot. (worked every time lol)

/me slaps own wrist

Col_Loki

/me slaps own wrist

lol very tempting isint it.

Hey T-b0n3 , can you tell me excatly what your setup is reading? Ie your voltage mainly, but temps also. Like i said 1.65v is stock with the Xp2500+ so it would be strange to have 1.75v without having altered it.

You dont seem too far from stable since its booting. Try 190mhz FSB and run priem95, if it passes then 195mhz FSB.... just to find a stable figure. I wouldnt go over 1.8v as its too hot for a shuttle (id even say 1.75v would be enough but thats up to you ). Try some of the things mentioned in this thread and let us know what is and isint working........ and we can help from there.

T-b0n3

KK will do mate , ill have a look before or at the weekend. And cheers for the inputs.

Ta Adam