Assist in boosting AMD FX-6300 performance on Asus M5A78L-M with USB3
Assist in boosting AMD FX-6300 performance on Asus M5A78L-M with USB3
Hardware:
- AMD (Piledriver) FX-6300 3.50GHz (4.10GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 6-core processor.
- ASUS M5A78L-M/USB3 AMD 760G (Socket AM3+) DDR3 PCI-Express motherboard.
- Crucial & Corsair 2x4 8GB RAM and 1Gb total 9GB.
- 2GB MSI Radeon R7 260X over-clocked graphics card.
- Cooler Master Seidon 120V All In One Water Cooling Kit, quiet with a compact 120mm radiator for both Intel and AMD CPUs.
- 60GB SSD (window 8.1)
- 1TB hard disk for backup
- Asus DVD/Writer.
- ATX Domnitor case with 6 LED fans for airflow in and out.
- 600W Corsair Builder Series CX600M 80PLUS Bronze power supply.
I moved from a PlayStation to a computer and was really impressed by the results I'm getting, which is why I've spent most of my time on these consoles instead of PCs. My computer is functioning well, and it takes about 15 seconds to boot into desktop mode. The CPU temperature stays between 15 to 30°C, never exceeding this even during gaming sessions.
I'm completely new to overclocking, so if it's possible, I'd appreciate some guidance via a video call or detailed step-by-step instructions. I won't push the temperature beyond 4.5, even with my cooling setup. The weather in the UK is extremely harsh, so I'm just here to wait and set up. Thank you.
I have your PM or video buddy, but I’ll post here just in case someone with the same setup needs this info.
I’m aware you have solid cooling, so we’ll focus on a 4GHz clock—something the FX6300 handles easily in my experience.
Turn on BIOS, go to the advanced tab, set jumper free configuration, adjust CPU overclocking to MANUAL, set CPU ratio to x20.00 at 4000MHz, and turn off AMD Turbo Core—just leave the rest alone.
Exit BIOS without saving changes.
Switch to Windows, install these three tools—great for stress testing and monitoring:
hwinfo – http://www.hwinfo.com/download.php
intel burntest (much better for stress testing)
1) Turn off Turbo and all core-boost features;
2) Manually adjust your VCore settings;
3) Set an initial voltage level of 1.375v; and
4) Slowly increase your CPU clock multiplier, checking temperatures and stability.
If you encounter issues, adjust the VCore by +0.0125v and retry. Consider using AMD OverDrive to track the *Thermal Margin* during over-clocking.
Wisecracker:
1) Turn off Turbo and any core-boost features;
2) Manually adjust your VCore settings;
3) Set a baseline voltage of 1.375v; and
4) Slowly increase your CPU clock multiplier while checking temperatures and stability.
If you encounter issues, adjust your VCore by +0.0125v and retry. Consider using AMD OverDrive to track the *Thermal Margin* during over-clocking.
Sorry, but I’m not an expert—I built my first computer from scratch with help from my Google uncle. I need clearer guidance, like understanding what VCore is.
Barto:
Also keep an eye on your motherboard temperatures regularly. Even with a good CPU cooler, your motherboard may lack adequate cooling. The chokes usually include heat sinks to help dissipate heat. Proceed carefully.
The board will heavily limit any overclocking since there is no VRM cooling and fitting a water block on the CPU eliminates any natural cooling that would happen with a flat down cooler. I own one with an FX 6300 and a large Shuriken 2 cooler – it can reach a maximum of 4.2ghz before the VRM temperatures become too high and cause throttling. I’ll give you a brief tip if you’re still interested later – just avoid touching the voltages at all; the BIOS voltage control options are unreliable and can easily destabilize the whole system. You should be able to hit 4ghz comfortably on stock voltages, depending on your VRM temperatures. Keep in mind that you won’t notice a big boost in rendering or gaming performance, as the 260x is the weakest part of your setup. Have you tried using the Asus Turbo software that comes with the motherboard before?
I have your pm/video mate, but I’ll post here just in case someone with the same setup needs this advice.
I’m aware you have solid cooling, so we’ll focus on a 4ghz clock—something the FX6300 handles easily in my experience.
Launch BIOS
Navigate to advanced settings
Switch jumper free configuration
Set CPU overclocking to MANUAL
Adjust CPU ratio to x20.00 4000mhz
Turn off AMD Turbo Core
That’s it—leave the rest untouched; the BIOS lacks good voltage control options, so I’d save changes and exit.
Switch to Windows
Install these three tools—they’re top for stress testing and monitoring:
- hwinfo
- Intel Burntest (far superior to Prime for pushing CPUs)
- amdmsrtweaker (includes two batch files to simplify enabling APM)
Download them from the links provided.
hwinfo must be installed as a regular program
Intel Burn Test & MSRTE should be unzipped to an accessible location like your desktop—they’re standalone and don’t require installation
Run hwinfo, select the sensor only checkbox, then close the update dialog—note the beta version has minor issues
This will display a list similar to other system information tools
We’re mainly after core clocks #0-#5 and CPU/motherboard temperatures under the IT8728F header
Currently, core speeds will swing between 1400mhz and 4000mhz—this is typical. The board’s BIOS is quite basic and can’t disable any advanced power management features
Proceed with Intel Burn Test
Click the start button and keep settings unchanged
After a few seconds, click the clock icon at the bottom of the hwinfo window
This will refresh the current/minimum/maximum/average settings
What we need is a consistent 4000mhz (or 3999mhz) across all tabs
At this point, intermittent throttling appears to be caused by the board’s aggressive APM handling
We have a solution.
Use the Intel Burn Test stop button
Open APM Tweaker (should be unzipped to your desktop)
Double-click the off.bat file
You’ll see a quick black command prompt flash on and off, which should disable APM BIOS
Clock speeds will still vary under light load—this is normal since we kept the BIOS cool and quiet
Restart Intel Burn Test
Click the clock icon at the bottom of hwinfo to reset clocks
CPU speeds should now stabilize at 4000mhz across all tabs
Let the Burn Test complete its full 10 cycles
Monitor CPU and motherboard temperatures in hwinfo
For acceptable results, aim for 60c or lower on CPU and mid-high 30s on the motherboard section
Your system will withstand this stress only if used normally—no extreme conditions
Once the Burn Test finishes, you should have a stable 4ghz overclock on a budget CPU and board combo—well done!
Personally, I wouldn’t attempt this with a stock cooler; pushing to 3.8 (the chip’s normal turbo) is unlikely without aftermarket cooling.**
I received your pm/video mate, but I'll post here just in case someone with the same setup needs this advice. I'm aware you have good cooling, so we'll focus on a 4ghz clock which is easily supported by any FX6300 in my experience. Start with BIOS, navigate to the advanced tab, adjust the jumper free configuration, set CPU overclocking to MANUAL, change the CPU ratio to x20.00 4000mhz, and disable AMD Turbo Core. Save all changes before exiting. Then boot into Windows and download the recommended stress testing utilities: hwinfo, intel burntest, amdmsrtweaker, and hwinfo mirror. Install hwinfo as a program and ensure it's running. For stress testing, use Intel Burn Test and MSRTE; these tools are highly recommended for CPU monitoring. The core clocks should stabilize around 4000mhz, which is normal given the board's basic BIOS. If you notice throttling, it may be due to aggressive APM settings. Disable Intel Burn Test via the stop button and use APM Tweaker to reset APM settings. Once stable, run the Burn Test again and verify consistent 4000mhz across all tabs. Acceptable temperatures are around 60°C or lower for the CPU and mid-high 30s for the motherboard. This should be safe under normal usage. If you reach stable speeds, congratulations—you've achieved a reliable 4ghz overclock on a budget setup. Your efforts are impressive!
You're attempting to exceed the capabilities of the small Asus board mate. The highest I could achieve on stock voltage was 4.2. The issue isn't the cooling system—it's the power delivery of the board, which uses a 4+1 phase design without VRM cooling. Running an Evo on the 6300 is fine for CPU temperatures, but it drastically cuts off secondary airflow to the MOSFETs. I managed 4.4ghz on my board with added VRM cooling and a 120mm blower CPU cooler. The temperatures remained above what I find acceptable. In reality, 4.2ghz is the safe limit for a 6300 on this board—you're demanding too much. Once you start adjusting voltages, you're likely to encounter problems; this board offers the most confusing and extreme voltage settings I've ever seen. I'm glad you're using what you have, but you're pushing it well beyond its limits.
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