Overclocking 3870 x2 Guide

[trans am]

Fed up with pussy clocks in CCC! FVck it! here's what you do. FYI you do not need 6 pin and 8 pin psu dongles connected. Just two 6 pins dongles are fine.

1. If you want to run fan at 100% download and install riva tuner 2.06 and do the following:

x:\Program Files\Rivatuner 2.06\rivatuner.cfg

Comparing files rivatuner_2.06.cfg and RIVATUNER_2.06_8800GTS_G92_3870X2_RV670.CFG

***** rivatuner_2.06.cfg
G86 = 420h-42Fh
G92 = 610h-61Fh

***** RIVATUNER_2.06_8800GTS_G92_3870X2_RV670.CFG
G86 = 420h-42Fh
G92 = 600h-60Fh,610h-61Fh

*****

***** rivatuner_2.06.cfg
RV630 = 9588h-9589h
RV670 = 9500h-9501h,9505h,9507h

***** RIVATUNER_2.06_8800GTS_G92_3870X2_RV670.CFG
RV630 = 9588h-9589h
RV670 = 9500h-9501h,9505h,9507h,950Fh

*****
edit your rivatuner.cfg so it looks like the bottom entry, the important line is the rv670 one for you. Open notepad as Run as Administrator, open the rivatuner.cfg in x:\Program Files\Rivatuner 2.06, edit the RV670 line so it looks like this:
RV670 = 9500h-9501h,9505h,9507h,950Fh

save it close and restart riva tuner

2. Download amd gpu clock tool here: http://www.nordichardware.com/skrive...kTool_v0.7.zip

You will need to apply this patch to the root in AMD gpu tool before running the program. here: http://www.nordichardware.com/skrive...16/ToolLib.zip

2. run AMD GPU clocktool, see on device - BN:3, DN:0 = GPU1 and BN:4, DN:0 = GPU2... BN:3, DN:0 = GPU1

BN:3, DN:0 = GPU1 will show default clocks(825/900)


3. select Bn4 core and type in your gpu and mem clocks and hit apply. then select the second Bn3 and do the same.

Check your clocks by opening the thermal sensor tab and hit start. it will show current clocks for both gpu's and mem

4. next try to max out each core and mem by overclocking one slighty higher than the other core and running a benchmark like 3dmark 2006. if it fails then you will know which each core maxes out so you can get the optimal performance from the card. Do the same for the memory.

[Fitseries3]

doesn't work for vista 64.

[trans am]

Originally Posted by fitseries3

doesn't work for vista 64.

not surprised

not much does

[Fitseries3]

Originally Posted by trans am

not surprised

not much does

actually... i've been using vista 64 for over a year now and i've found VERY few things that wont work. i don't understand this nonsense about things not working with vista64. you name it , i've got it to work.

[trans am]

Originally Posted by fitseries3

actually... i've been using vista 64 for over a year now and i've found VERY few things that wont work. i don't understand this nonsense about things not working with vista64. you name it , i've got it to work.

I know. Just joking. I'm referring to vga drivers etc. Anyway, I hope we get full ati x2 support in the next beta release.

[zoran800]

Originally Posted by trans am

1. run ATITool 0.27beta4 and go to settings page and you'll see BUS:3,Dev:0 = GPU1 default clock 411/450MHz and BUS:4, Dev:0 = GPU2 default clock show 825/901MHz

select GPU2(BUS:4, Dev:0)

I couldn't find beta 04

Is it beta 03 you ment?

edit: I'm usin' Vista x64......Amd tool says it can't set clocks

edit2: How stoopid I am Allright, I've found everything, and it seems to work.

Thanx again, great job!

20K in 3DM06 here I come!

[CY:G]

Awesome, im gonna give it a try as soon as i get my x2 later this week, hopefully i can get more than 20K in 3DMark, that would be sick....

[zoran800]

I recommend modifiing the cooling, if nothing else, just apply some AS5 to the cores and check if the backplate does have contact w/ the rams as mine didn't.

BTW: it DOES work for Vista x64

[trans am]

I'm getting close to 19k in vista with e8400 @ 4.3 ghz c2d 4 gigs of ddr3 @977 mhz
3870x2 is clocked at 932mhz/1026 mem gpu1
932/1026 gpu2
fan at 100% default bios.
pcie frequency at 120mhz

I was getting mid 16k at stock clocks.

I'm sure if I benched in xp it would be about 20k

[CY:G]

Originally Posted by trans am

I'm getting close to 19k in vista with e8400 @ 4.3 ghz c2d 4 gigs of ddr3 @977 mhz
3870x2 is clocked at 932mhz/1026 mem gpu1
932/1026 gpu2
fan at 100% default bios.

I was getting mid 16k at stock clocks.

That is sweet, keep us posted.

Hey, do you think i might be able to reach 20 k with:
e8400 (will try to OC as far as i can with Ultra 120)
4 gigs of DDR2- 667mhz
3870x2

[trans am]

Originally Posted by CY:G

That is sweet, keep us posted.

Hey, do you think i might be able to reach 20 k with:
e8400 (will try to OC as far as i can with Ultra 120)
4 gigs of DDR2- 667mhz
3870x2

It's hard to say until you know how well that E8400 and x2 clocks.
Are you benching in XP?

[CY:G]

Originally Posted by trans am

It's hard to say until you know how well that E8400 and x2 clocks.
Are you benching in XP?

I will be, its a system im building right now, only missing the hd3870x2, but that is being delivered today, so im playing with this setup on the weekend

Im really really hoping i can get to 20 k, might not be as easy as i thought....

[Nitro-Max]

Im close to 19k with my card at stock 3.6ghz on on the cpu

[CY:G]

Originally Posted by Nitro-Max

Im close to 19k with my card at stock 3.6ghz on on the cpu

Yeah its easier with the quad cores hehe...

[zoran800]

I've got ~19800... can't get thru 20k mark tho.

The card behaves strangely, the higher the clocks, tme more fluctuation in results..
With stock clocks it's fine, giving me almost the same results, but when overclocked, it seems to have a problem maybe it has something to do with the internal CF link chip, or maybe it's because of the ODD cooling solution (Why did they not use the same material on both cores???) or maybe the GPU clock tool only changes the frequency of one RV670, or maybe it's something completely different

nonetheless i'm lookin' FW to the new atitool/rivatuner. as i'd rather forget about the gpuclocktool completely

Update: It's a problem of the Vista driver or Vista itself... in XP, things look different: have a look below

[zoran800]

O lord, why do I hate Vista so MUCH????

heres what I get in XP:


When under Vista, I get "hiccups" in performane... 5-30FPS noticable drops.
Must be the driver, or maybe that SHIT system

[CY:G]

NICE, awesome, 20k , congrats mate.

One question, i noticed you have 4GB of ram, did you use XP 64 bit?

[zoran800]

no, its 32bit...

But I might try a little later...
Need to reinstall this sh*t anyway, I might dump it completely.
It's annoying, slowing things down and is no better in any means then XP...

Except for Dx10

Thanx BTW

[trans am]

860/1050? both cores?

I'm lucky then.

958/1145 gpu0
945/1145 gpu1

took the top spot in on the orb for vista and c2d and 3870 x2

[CY:G]

Sweet, good work mate, keep pushing for 20k hehe

[zoran800]

Lucky

What cooling do you use? Mine's stock, except for the tim as it was replaced for AS5.

I don't want to go any further, as this card goes back to the wholesaler since the've sent me something else than I've ordered.
I'm waiting for the other ASUS card, as it's supposed to have .8ns samsung chips on.
2.5GHz DDR3?!

I hope they didn't lie!

Then some water.... we'll see.

[trans am]

Originally Posted by zoran800

Lucky

What cooling do you use? Mine's stock, except for the tim as it was replaced for AS5.

I don't want to go any further, as this card goes back to the wholesaler since the've sent me something else than I've ordered.
I'm waiting for the other ASUS card, as it's supposed to have .8ns samsung chips on.
2.5GHz DDR3?!

I hope they didn't lie!

Then some water.... we'll see.

Thanks guys. Everything's stock on the card. Stock bios. I just put the case in the window. I am cpu limited right now. Once I get the cpu on liquid nitrogen later 20k will be easy. When I get a new card and on the stock cooler the first thing I do is take the cooler off and reapply as5 or ceramique and make sure all the mem thremal pads are making good contact. Then with a good screwdriver I torque all the screws down as hard as I can without stripping them. This way the cooler is making the best contact with the core.

:up:

[zoran800]

...be careful with srewing things down as hard as you can, as most stok coolers are "shit engineering"... Other than that you may break your card when overtightening the screws! Just scew as much as necessary, and not beyond! I've seen cards looking like a rollercoaster

950 w/ stock cooling is sweet, anyway

Edit: BTW, be careful with condensation, even in the window... Especially in the window

[CY:G]

So i did the riva tuner trick but how can i tell if the fan is really going at 100%

[Fitseries3]

it's FAR too loud at 100%. i run mine @ 35% and it idles at 34c.