X264 crashing from O/C

[datman]

Just built up a new system. As it turns out I have by far one of the best bang for the buck out there. I have a AMD phenom 2 550 be, 3.11g it’s sold as a dual core I got it for $79. A new gigabyte ga-ma785gm-us2h also $79, that allows me to unlock the 3rd and 4th cores with the stock cooler I hit temps of 75c during a 2nd pass so I U/C to 2.81g and lower the volts a notch. That got my temps down to 58c, core 49c, a guess the core temps sensor doesn't work with the 4 core hack.

I got a sunbeam cr-cctf92-4 cooler installed, another band for the buck $31 with $15 rebate at newegg and it came with extra rubber fan mounting grommets that worked perfect with the antec 75002 92mm fan I bought to mount on the back side of this cooler. This really brought the temps down. I had it up to 3.71 all was good temps at 52c, core less than that. And everything stable except x264 crashes. So I backed it off to 3.61 and the highest temp I get is 47c.

I put the same cooler setup on my phenom 2 940 O/C to 3.41, a $249 chip. I bumped it up to 3.61 and the temps were ok topping at 58c where I like it and x264 crashed to. So dropped it to 3.51g.

Both systems are running stable now but if I could stop x264 from crashing I would bump them up a little more. What adjustment would best make x264 stable?

[jdobbs]

Just built up a new system. As it turns out I have by far one of the best bang for the buck out there. I have a AMD phenom 2 550 be, 3.11g it’s sold as a dual core I got it for $79. A new gigabyte ga-ma785gm-us2h also $79, that allows me to unlock the 3rd and 4th cores with the stock cooler I hit temps of 75c during a 2nd pass so I U/C to 2.81g and lower the volts a notch. That got my temps down to 58c, core 49c, a guess the core temps sensor doesn't work with the 4 core hack.

I got a sunbeam cr-cctf92-4 cooler installed, another band for the buck $31 with $15 rebate at newegg and it came with extra rubber fan mounting grommets that worked perfect with the antec 75002 92mm fan I bought to mount on the back side of this cooler. This really brought the temps down. I had it up to 3.71 all was good temps at 52c, core less than that. And everything stable except x264 crashes. So I backed it off to 3.61 and the highest temp I get is 47c.

I put the same cooler setup on my phenom 2 940 O/C to 3.41, a $249 chip. I bumped it up to 3.61 and the temps were ok topping at 58c where I like it and x264 crashed to. So dropped it to 3.51g.

Both systems are running stable now but if I could stop x264 from crashing I would bump them up a little more. What adjustment would best make x264 stable?

Well, that's kind of a contradiction. If X264 is crashing -- then it isn't stable.

[datman]

Well, that's kind of a contradiction. If X264 is crashing -- then it isn't stable.

with the new lowered setting x264 is NOT crashing :thanks:


edit; I have room to bump them up if it weren't for x264 but even if I leave them where ther are at now I'm happy and both machine run cool

[jdobbs]

with the new lowered setting x264 is NOT crashing :thanks:


edit; I have room to bump them up if it weren't for x264 but even if I leave them where ther are at now I'm happy and both machine run cool I guess the point I was making is that if you bumped it up, and it appeared to be stable except for X264 -- that just means that it really wasn't stable, and other apps would eventually start having problems too. It would probably look like a random error. X264 puts a lot of pressure on the processor and is a good bell-weather for true stability.

[datman]

I guess the point I was making is that if you bumped it up, and it appeared to be stable except for X264 -- that just means that it really wasn't stable, and other apps would eventually start having problems too. It would probably look like a random error. X264 puts a lot of pressure on the processor and is a good bell-weather for true stability.

So me being a newbe at O/Cing wondered if bumping the volts up would stablize the systems. Or maybe bumping up the NB volts. I'm just looking for input.

It's understood that x264 crashing is the result of a unstable system.

When I set up the 940 a year ago, the whole system crashed and rebooted when I got to high .

[Dark Shikari]

You will find that x264 is often much better at stressing your system than Prime95 ;)

[Groucho2004]

That's really strange - you run the processor way out of specs, enable cores that were disabled by the manufacturer and your system crashes when you stress it.

I suggest you submit your application for the Darwin Award as soon as possible.

[datman]

That's really strange - you run the processor way out of specs, enable cores that were disabled by the manufacturer and your system crashes when you stress it.

I suggest you submit your application for the Darwin Award as soon as possible.

are you kidding me. I take a $79 chip that's set up stock takes 14 hours or more at the best quality, I tweak it and I get them done in 5-6 hour with no temps above 52c. When I had it a 3.71g all that happened is x264 stopped working. The system never crashed.

[datman]

You will find that x264 is often much better at stressing your system than Prime95 ;)

yea I never even downloaded Prime95. I just run an encode if it works, I'm golden.

By the way if I never said thanks for all your work without your work we sure would have the fantastic program we have.:thanks:

[Groucho2004]

are you kidding me.
Of course. When I read your posts I get the impression that you are a very smart, mature person.

When I had it a 3.71g all that happened is x264 stopped working.
How about liquid nitrogen for cooling?

[datman]

Of course. When I read your posts I get the impression that you are a very smart, mature person.

funny that's what I thought about you:)

How about liquid nitrogen for cooling?

not needed a $15 air cooler keeps the temps below 52c

[datman]

I ended up bumping up the volts even more and now it running fine @ 3.72g

[Capsbackup]

It will be interesting to see what the life expectancy will be of this "super charged" machine you have OC'd. :rolleyes:
Spring and summer is coming, so there will be some additional increased ambient temps soon. But, of course, temp is only one factor of stability. Let us know how some BD-RB backups turn out, and how long some take.:cool:

[datman]

It will be interesting to see what the life expectancy will be of this "super charged" machine you have OC'd. :rolleyes:
Spring and summer is coming, so there will be some additional increased ambient temps soon. But, of course, temp is only one factor of stability. Let us know how some BD-RB backups turn out, and how long some take.:cool:

So far the few backups I've done are still in the 5-6 hour range. Since I clocked @ 3.72 and upped the volts it has ran perfect, rock solid. The speed didn't really change from 3.52

From what I've been able to find out these chips were designed as a 4core chip but fail some of the tests so they sold them as 2core processors.

[SLOVEHEART]

How about liquid nitrogen for cooling?

Nice comment - I used the same concerning my build here:
HERE (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1374240#post1374240)

for dateman:

So far the few backups I've done are still in the 5-6 hour range. Since I clocked @ 3.72 and upped the volts it has ran perfect, rock solid. The speed didn't really change from 3.52

From what I've been able to find out these chips were designed as a 4core chip but fail some of the tests so they sold them as 2core processors.

You might be trying too hard to get every bit out of your chip / system - like someone said (excuse the reference - I don't remember the username) summer is coming - I won't trade stability for absolute speed or lifespan anyday - see my post on O/C with respect to BD-RB - I get 3 Hr BD25 to DVD9 encodes at 3.515 GHz - low temps - no problems at all.
link: HERE (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1374018#post1374018)

cheers...

BTW -I use a Corsair H50 hydro-cooler - beats the air coolers hands down - $75 - great cooler - nice construction etc...

[mariush]

You could have spent those 75$ on a Phenom II x4 Black Edition from the start and have it running with stock cooler at 3.2 Ghz and not worry about the stability of those unlocked cores at high temperatures and power usage. Now you're probably wasting 10-20$ on extra power wasted each month due to overclocking.

oh sorry... i thought he was using the cooler you mention. It still applies to his post though - he could have invested the 30$ he spent on additional cooler to get a phenom 2 x4

[datman]

You could have spent those 75$ on a Phenom II x4 Black Edition from the start and have it running with stock cooler at 3.2 Ghz and not worry about the stability of those unlocked cores at high temperatures and power usage. Now you're probably wasting 10-20$ on extra power wasted each month due to overclocking.

oh sorry... i thought he was using the cooler you mention. It still applies to his post though - he could have invested the 30$ he spent on additional cooler to get a phenom 2 x4

The way I see it I'm saving power by turning 14 hour encodes into 6:p

I don't think I'm even pushing this as much as it will go. Even at 3.72 I'm still no hotter than 52 and that's cooler than it ran stock with stock cooler.


edit; and I have a phenom 940 x4 at 3.51 and it hits temps of 58c.

another edit; it's not the overclocking it's the unlocking of the 3&4th cores that really picked up the speed.

[datman]

BTW -I use a Corsair H50 hydro-cooler - beats the air coolers hands down - $75 - great cooler - nice construction etc...

I gave some thought to water coolers. I'm sure they are far better and much quieter but every now and then I read a post where someones cooler sprung a leak:eek:

[SLOVEHEART]

You could have spent those 75$ on a Phenom II x4 Black Edition from the start and have it running with stock cooler at 3.2 Ghz and not worry about the stability of those unlocked cores at high temperatures and power usage. Now you're probably wasting 10-20$ on extra power wasted each month due to overclocking.oh sorry... i thought he was using the cooler you mention. It still applies to his post though - he could have invested the 30$ he spent on additional cooler to get a phenom 2 x4

actually I use the Turbo V utility on the Asus mobo (P6T WS PRO) to turn on and off the O.C.'ing on my rig - I usually run at stock 3.06(7) GHz - I just use O.C.'ing for BD-RB and other apps where it is handy - Asus is 'green' conscious - they have emissions utilities too -HA, so you don't have to swipe at MY O.C. wastes - *only in time of dire need* my friend...

edit: and dateman is right - running an encode in a 1/4 th of the time is a huge savings in time - and the power - if you really figure the Watt Hours used by O.C.'ing - it's chicken droppings, nothing to sneeze at - industrial waste is where the real wastes are - not some poor soul at home with his or her little PC - I think you get the picture - I hope so...Here are the facts: (Jump of say 60 Watts by CPU in O.C.'ing - times 8 Hrs a day = 480 Watts or approximately 1/2 Kilowatt Hour (at $0.10 / KWHr) = $0.05 / day - therefore, in a month - a total of $1.50 spent on overclocking (if on all the time (the O.C.)) - Nothing - eh?). :)

BTW, everyone usually spends something on a CPU cooler - if you have any brains and want to keep your rig running for a longer time (duh) - why not get something that works well - but as 'dateman' says - "...sometimes they spring a leak..." - but the Corsair H50 has been tested well - I have never heard of the leak problem - I'm sure it happens - that would be bad...v. true!!!
Cheers...:)

P.s.

Do you really think (Mr. / Ms. mariush) that a Phenom II x 4 @ 3.2 would outperform a core i7 - 950 (or 920) @ 3.515 GHz? There are some processor architecture glitches with the AMD's at this point - they are working on it - (they have to w/ the core i7's out) - check out an Intel W3580 CPU (socket 1366 too) - that is a real core i7 975 extreme - done right - only costs a cool $1000 - but makes core i7(975 at that) look bad.

[SLOVEHEART]

The way I see it I'm saving power by turning 14 hour encodes into 6:p

Reply: so true, so true...my encodes are down to three hrs. from 12-16 Hrs on a vista x86 w/ Q6600 CPU (stock), you sure you spend 6 Hrs???

I don't think I'm even pushing this as much as it will go. Even at 3.72 I'm still no hotter than 52 and that's cooler than it ran stock with stock cooler.

Reply: stock coolers = stockade for your rig, not the way to go. So true, so true...

another edit; it's not the overclocking it's the unlocking of the 3&4th cores that really picked up the speed.

dateman:

could you reply or PM me about the unlocking of the 3rd and 4th core in connection with the speed - I do not follow
:confused: you say it's not the O.C.'ing - how do you figure - know this?

Your reply would be most welcome... :)

[SLOVEHEART]

You will find that x264 is often much better at stressing your system than Prime95 ;)

not to be nasty - but better than prime 95 w/ eight stress tests at once (can also add RAM stress too) - cpu use goes to 100% steady - what could be harder than that? X264 puts the whammy on the CPU / system how? :confused:

of couse - prime95 doesn't put drive use into play...

[jdobbs]

Nasty or not, I can only tell you from experience and posts right here on Doom9 that there are many instances where Prime 95 gave a system the thumbs-up -- and video encoding proved that to be wrong. Not just X264, but also HC encoder and CCE.

[SLOVEHEART]

Nasty or not, I can only tell you from experience and posts right here on Doom9 that there are many instances where Prime 95 gave a system the thumbs-up -- and video encoding proved that to be wrong. Not just X264, but also HC encoder and CCE.

okay - I believe the majority - I'm just wondering what the reason(s) for this are - only thing I can think of is that video encoding puts RAM, CPU, and HDD(and SSD) into play - as well as swap / page files (maybe) - a more full system use stressor??

Thanks for the reply... :)

And also (a la dateman) - Thank You to Dark Sharki for the excellent work and effort in x264 - I'm no expert - but the BD-RB is a beautiful thing - meaning that every component is too!!