oc make games crash?
oc make games crash?
There is no point in running prime95 once you encounter errors. Prime95 will automatically stop worker on that core and you will see less than 100% cpu usage.
From your tests so far, we can tell that it is fairly unlikely for there to be anything wrong with the ram or memory controller (breath a sigh of relief!). Failing small FFTs in prime95, we can tell that your cpu is not stable for some reason. The most likely scenario is that there is not enough voltage being delivered to the cpu. Prime95, in smallFFTs, will attempt to force your cpu to work at full load. At full load, the voltage delivered to the cpu will drop, as many parts of the cpu are demanding more power. This voltage drop is normal and is what we call Vdroop.
Now, back to the issue on hand. Your overclock is running 4.6GHz at 1.400V. Your voltage is pretty much as high as you should go; any higher, you may need some form of exotic cooling (either a water-loop with a ton of giant radiators, phase-change, or liquid N2). Given that this is the case, your only option is to back down your overclock a bit.
Try out 4.5GHz, 4.45Ghz, 4.4Ghz, 4.35Ghz, etc. Run prime95, with the backed down overclocks, until prime95 no longer gives you errors. Wherever it is that you end up at, that should be the most stable overclock you can achieve.
For more confidence, try running prime95 for around 12-48 hours to be absolutely certain that this is INDEED the most stable overclock setting.
There is no need to run prime95 if you hit errors. The program will stop the worker on that core automatically, and you’ll notice less than 100% CPU usage. Based on your tests so far, it seems unlikely there’s an issue with RAM or the memory controller—relax! If you see small FFTs failing in prime95, it suggests your CPU isn’t stable possibly due to insufficient voltage. The most probable cause is that the voltage being supplied to the CPU is too low. Prime95, when used for small FFTs, tries to push your CPU to full capacity. At full load, voltage drops across the CPU, which is normal but can be called Vdroop.
Now, regarding your overclock: it’s currently running at 4.6GHz with 1.400V. The voltage you’re using is almost optimal; going higher would require special cooling solutions like water loops or liquid N2. In this situation, lowering the overclock slightly is the best choice.
Test lower frequencies such as 4.5GHz, 4.45Ghz, 4.4Ghz, etc., using prime95 with reduced overclocks until errors disappear. Once stable, run it for 12 to 48 hours to confirm stability.
For more certainty, consider running prime95 for a longer period.
Not kidding—it actually worked! But I was worried about the risks; let’s go with this approach.