How to properly overclock Zotac Nvidia GT 520 Zone Edition?

[HiTech_32]

Hello to all,

I would like to know,how to properly overclock my Zotac Nvidia GT 520 Zone Edition GPU.

I am using the following OC values from this post :

ZOTAC GeForce GT 520 1 GB Review

Last week NVIDIA quietly released their GeForce GT 520 which offers DirectX 11 support and comes with a low-profile that can fit into compact media PC systems. Will this $60 card be good enough for gaming, or is the gamer's money better spent on more powerful cards?

www.techpowerup.com

And I am using ZotacFirestorm as an overclocking utility.

But I get frequent graphics drivers crashes,and the clocks revert to the stock ones.

Please help me to properly overclock my GPU.

 

[Toothless]

That thing ain't worth tinkering with since they're so locked down with such little performance. If you want more power it's time to upgrade.

 

[HiTech_32]

That thing ain't worth tinkering with since they're so locked down with such little performance. If you want more power it's time to upgrade.

I understand you,but I cannot afford a better GPU at the moment.

So please help me to get the most of my current GPU.

 

[agent_x007]

You should simply increase clocks by 20-40MHz first, and then go down to 10-5MHz when card get's unstable. Don't blindly put what reviewer got.
Also : Isn't your card passive cooled ?
Because review was for fan cooled one, and it uses different PCB.
So, run GPU-z, and put screenshot here so that We know with what we are dealing with.
Like this (but with just GT 520 in your case) :

 

[HiTech_32]

My GPU is a fanless one,but I have added a 120 mm case cooling fan to it.

Here you are a screenshot from GPU-Z in attachment:

 

[agent_x007]

OK.
Try for now 900MHz on Core and 800MHz on memory and see if those are stable.
If not - go lower by 50MHz on both, if it's stable - increase one (Core or Memory) by 20MHz and retest.
Repeat for first instability, and then decrease to last stable setting, and increase the other clock by 20MHz.

 

[HiTech_32]

OK.
Try for now 900MHz on Core and 800MHz on memory and see if those are stable.
If not - go lower by 50MHz on both, if it's stable - increase one (Core or Memory) by 20MHz and retest.
Repeat for first instability, and then decrease to last stable setting and increase the other clock by 20MHz.

Which stressing software for stability testing would you reccommend to me please?

 

[agent_x007]

Unigine Heaven 4.0 or 3DMark Vantage/3DMark 11
(for GT 520 better use "Entry" test for 3DMarks, you can get the needed key for Advanced edition for free here : https://benchmarks.ul.com/legacy-benchmarks).
They do not guarantee 100% stability, that you have to test in actual games you want to play.

 

[HiTech_32]

Unigine Heaven 4.0 or 3DMark Vantage/3DMark 11
(use Entry for 3DMark, you can get the needed key for Advanced edition for free here : https://benchmarks.ul.com/legacy-benchmarks).
They do not guarantee 100% stability, that you have to test in actual games you want to play.

Is Unigine Heaven enough? Because I've heard that 3dMark could harm hardware sometimes.

Also how much time to test with Heaven,to be sure that OC is stable?

 

[agent_x007]

I'd go 15-30 minutes.
But even if you crash in game after that, you should be able to get it stable under any game with a simple few MHz tweak (decrease of 5-10MHz on either Core or memory).

Are you sure it wasn't Furmark the one you should be afraid of (Furmark and 3DMark are seperate programs) ?
Either way, your card is WAY too slow to have a problem with running either.
Especially if you put a fan on top of it.

 

[HiTech_32]

I'd go 15-30 minutes, but if you crash in game even after that, you should get it stable under any game with a simple few MHz tweak (decrease of 5-10MHz on either Core or memory).

Are you sure it wasn't Furmark the one you should be afraid of (Furmark and 3DMark are seperate programs) ?
Either way, your card is WAY too slow to have a problem with running either.
Especially if you put a fan on top of it.

Yes,you are right it was Furmark.
It once burnt my PSU.

So which software would you reccommend to me more: Heaven or 3DMark?

 

[agent_x007]

Install both and see which one is easier to use for you
Personally I use both, but for shorter 10 minutes run (or at least two full "cycles") - if it's stable, it's stable and I test games, if either one isn't - I tweak some more and try once more (again : that's how I do it, not how Everyone should do it).

 

[HiTech_32]

Install both and see which one is easier to use for you
Personally I use both, but for shorter 10 minutes run (or at least two full "cycles") - if it's stable, it's stable, if either one isn't - I tweak some more and try once more (again : that's how I do it, not how Everyone should do it).

Thank you very much! I'll test it and report after I succeed.

 

[agent_x007]

Good luck.

 

[HiTech_32]

Good luck.

Thank you

I tested the GPU with 3dMark11 Advanced edition,and it passed all of the tests.
Then I ran some games,but I found out something strange,the V-sync was turned off in both of the games.
Then I opened Nvidia Control Panel,and all of the applications and games profiles were default,so I decided to edit the games' profiles,but when I tried to save the new options I got the following screen

Then I uninstalled the graphics driver with DDU and uninstalled the GPU overlclocking utility,and after that I installed the latest version for my GPU (version 391.35) and reinstalled the overclocking utility.

I have a new question: is there a need I update my Nvidia PhysX driver?

The PatchMyPC program I use is showing me that there is some update for the PhysX driver.

 

[agent_x007]

You can install PhysX seperately. Here's a bit newer version (from 2019) : LINK.

PS. You can use MSI Afterburner to OC your card.

 

[HiTech_32]

You can install PhysX seperately. Here's a bit newer version (from 2019) : LINK.
Keep in mind, that this version was released AFTER last driver for your card (it may not optimised to work with your card as ealier one from your driver is).

PS. You can use MSI Afterburner to OC your card.

MSI Afterburner doesn't allow me to increase the memory clock for more than 870 MHz.

 

[agent_x007]

I see...

 

[Toothless]

NVIDIA Inspector is an other option but gonna say it again; card ain't gonna get anywhere far enough to make this all worth it.

 

[Frick]

NVIDIA Inspector is an other option but gonna say it again; card ain't gonna get anywhere far enough to make this all worth it.

I used a GT520 for a while and even ran WoW Draenor on it (with a Wolfdale E8400), and when you're on the really low end every extra bit of performance actually improves things. I gained several FPS by overclocking, which can make the difference between slightly unplayable and straight up unplayable.

This was a while ago though, but I seem to remember overclocking the RAM was where the major boost came from. And as for testing stability I'd just run the games you normally run. A game can be game stable but not stress stable and vice versa. I had a model with 2GB memory though, can't recall exact model.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

This might sound crazy I know. But this is a one in a million situation where buying a graphics card off Aliexpress or wish.com for cheap might actually get you a card thats better than your 520 even if its had the wrong bios flashed to it.

For two reasons...

1. prices are CHEAP -- CHEEEEAAAAAP, Prices that are literally too good to be true. Thats how they cheat people. like $10-30 for a GTX760 or GTX750 but it wont be either of these cards. Most of these cards should be GTS250s or 450's

2. A GTS 250/450 is faster than your 520 by quite a big margin.


Its a win win situation. you pay dirt for a card and get a card back which is better than yours despite you being scammed.

 

[Toothless]

I used a GT520 for a while and even ran WoW Draenor on it (with a Wolfdale E8400), and when you're on the really low end every extra bit of performance actually improves things. I gained several FPS by overclocking, which can make the difference between slightly unplayable and straight up unplayable.

This was a while ago though, but I seem to remember overclocking the RAM was where the major boost came from. And as for testing stability I'd just run the games you normally run. A game can be game stable but not stress stable and vice versa. I had a model with 2GB memory though, can't recall exact model.

My first gpu was a GT220 that could manage +10mhz before crashing. At the same time I was using NVIDIA Control Panel to overclock my Athlon from 2.6 to 2.933. I miss those strange times.

This might sound crazy I know. But this is a one in a million situation where buying a graphics card off Aliexpress or wish.com for cheap might actually get you a card thats better than your 520 even if its had the wrong bios flashed to it.

For two reasons...

1. prices are CHEAP -- CHEEEEAAAAAP, Prices that are literally too good to be true. Thats how they cheat people. like $10-30 for a GTX760 or GTX750 but it wont be either of these cards. Most of these cards should be GTS250s or 450's

2. A GTS 250/450 is faster than your 520 by quite a big margin.


Its a win win situation. you pay dirt for a card and get a card back which is better than yours despite you being scammed.

Is it *really* a scam if it works in his favor? Scamming the scammer?

 

[Frick]

My first gpu was a GT220 that could manage +10mhz before crashing. At the same time I was using NVIDIA Control Panel to overclock my Athlon from 2.6 to 2.933. I miss those strange times.

You young pup. And as said in reviews, the GT 520's can be pushed pretty far. I mean yeah they still won't be fast but still.

 

[Toothless]

You young pup. And as said in reviews, the GT 520's can be pushed pretty far. I mean yeah they still won't be fast but still.

Far for what they are. Honestly if OP lived nearby I have a GTX560 and GTX580 they could have. Those at least have gains when overclocking a fair bit.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

Is it *really* a scam if it works in his favor? Scamming the scammer?

Its still a scam. Youre paying for a card that claims to be what it isnt. But like i said. Its the one in a million chance where its actually a good idea as youre paying a cheap price for a card thats still better than then 520.