Hi all, been a while since I've posted here, but I have a problem and some questions.

The problem is this: I took apart my computer last night to clean everything out. I bought compressed air cans to blow all the dust out and took every little part out of it's place and put it on the floor. I take pictures when I do this before I take everything out, so I can compare before and after. Well, I put it all back together and after a few quick fixes (like forgetting to plug in the CPU fan, and forgetting to plug in the data cables for my 2 SATA HDD's), I got it back up and running. Now, for some reason, my computer will stay on for about 15-20 minutes before going to a blue screen, doing a memory dump, and then restarting. I did a memory check and that's working all right. Nothing else is improperly placed (I compared with the pictures, to be 100% sure). All I added was a new fan in the front, for a total of 5. I know I have enough power to run them all, I have a 500 W PSU. Can anyone think of a reason why this would happen?

Ok, now for the questions. My CPU is the AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+, is supposed to run at 3.0 GHz, dual core. When I open CPUz, a hardware monitoring program, it only lets me look at one core and says that it's running at 1000MHz with a 5x multiplier (bus speed is 200MHz). Sometimes the multiplier jumps to 15x, bringing the total core clock speed up to 3000MHz, but most times it's at 5x. Now I know very little about overclocking, so what I need to know is if I go into BIOS setup and "overclock" the CPU to have a bus speed of 250MHz and a multiplier of 12x (or 200MHz with a 15x), which will be 3000MHz, will that potentially ruin the CPU? I am uing the stock fan, which is actually really powerful for being stock, and I've never had problems with it. Windows reports that my CPU is running at 3.0GHz, but CPUz doesn't, and I'm leaning toward trusting CPUz. I'd like to get my money's worth for this CPU, but I'm not sure if what I'm trying to do will ruin it. It's supposed to be rated at 3.0 GHz (per core?) but it's most definately not running that.

Also, my RAM. I have currently 4x1GB, 2 of them are running at DDR2 5300 (667MHz) and the other 2 are running DDR2 6400 (800MHz). Would overclocking the memory to run at 800MHz for all 4 affect the computer? Meaning would that cause it to malfunction, because I changed it back (I had it on 800MHz) and it hasn't shut down yet (knock on wood). This isn't a HUGE issue because I'm getting 4x2GB RAM today, I ordered off Newegg. They are all the exact same and are all running at 800MHz, and I don't think I'll overclock.

Anyways, I would appreciate some help with all this, even the memory question, it might help in the future.

Thank you in advance.

Did you actually remove the cpu and put it 'on the floor' ?

I put it on my desk so I wouldn't get any fluff in between the pins, but yes, I removed it, as I did the last time I took apart the computer.

Like I said, knock on wood, since I set the speed for the RAM back to auto, it hasn't restarted or blue screened yet, so I'm hoping that was the problem, but I'd still like to get the CPU clock problem sorted. Is it 3.0 GHz per core, because the one core is only reading 1000 MHz. I just need to know if setting the bus speed and multiplier manually in the BIOS setup will hurt it if it's supposed to go at 3.0 GHz.

Here's what I think - the cpu is probably being 'smart run' which is to say powering down when not loaded so it looks like it is not what you actually installed. - the ram should not be mixed and matched and then overclocked (there is an extensive article prepared by Raybay or another smartie on this site about RAM - read it).

Well, the RAM isn't a huge issue, like I said, because the delivery truck is out with my new RAM right now. I was just wondering. It sounds like that was probably the problem. So if I disable the auto clock feature on my cpu and set the clock myself do you think it will hurt the CPU. I know that AMD's are known to run pretty cool, it rarely gets very hot, and I leave my computer on almost 24/7. So will setting the bs speed and multiplier manually to 200MHz and 15x (or some other multiples of 3000) hurt the thing, having it run at the prescribed speed all the time? I know I don't NEED it to, but I like to see it.

It sounds like what you're saying makes sense...smart run, because in CPUz sometimes the mult. will be at 5x and then it will suddenly jump up to 15x, then back down, no lower or higher than those though.

Having never had an AMD I cannot say if that would hurt it or not with any conviction.

Sorry!

Please note that Tedster was th person with the Ram Guidelines -

http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic65114.html

AMD cpus have a feature called cool and quiet. It is a throttling system that declocks the CPU to save power and keep it cool. You either love it or hate it. Its response time and its accuracy in clocking have been challenged by some. The feature is normal on all AMD cpus nowadays, and there is nothing wrong.

That said, you can disable it, there are a few ways of doing it.
A. BIOS may or may not have an option for doing it.
B. You can disable it in Vista by changing your power scheme.

I saw that in the BIOS, and I turned it on, I wasn't 100% sure what it did, but I had a good idea. If I disable it, and OC the cput to run at it's tested speed all the time, will it hurt anything? I won't be going more than 3GHz.

did you put the parts on to carpet?
maybe something got static damaged :dead:

Why would you over clock the CPU to run at stock speeds? If you disable the CnQ it should stay at 100% multiplier, and normal speed. Try that first. If you disable CnQ and you are posting below speed, you either has the FSB set wrong, Vcore to low, there could be many more.

@mootz: yes, I put everything but the CPU on the carpet, the CPU I placed pins down on my desk (I didn't want to smear the silver thermal compound), I was very careful with it and none of the pins were bent. It sounds like they were saying, the CnQ function is keeping it from running at 3.0GHz at all times, I'll try disabling that and see how it turns out.

Another questions would be, would there be a problem with overclocking it even more than the stock speed? Like say...3.2 GHz? Not that I need it, but just cuz, you know.

Yes you could overclock it. But there are several factors that determine how much. Quality of Mobo, PSU and RAM all determine how well you OC. You will have to increase the FSB by small increments, while balancing voltage the CPU. Then heat becomes an issue., Its a lot of work and if you dont know what you are doing its something you want to do some research on before you do it.

Luckily my board has a "smart" O/C feature that lets me control CPU voltage, timings, bus speed, multiplier, etc right from the bios without touching jumpers or even the board itself. I can change the multiplier to whatever I want and everything that needs to be changed to make that happen will automatically be done for me, it's a lazy man's O/C. Not that I don't know how, I've done it about 2 times in my life...and that was a few years go back in high school, so it's not new to me, but I haven't done it in a while.

I also have the M2N-E SLI ASUS Mobo, a 500 watt Antec Earthwatts PSU, and 8 GB of GSkill DDR2 6400 800MHz RAM.