EP45-DS3R Won't Overclock Past 3.2GHz or allow normal voltage changes

[mikeynavy1976]

Ok...now I'm confused and frustrated. I can't get it to overclock over 3.2GHz (I've tried repeatedly to get it to 3.4GHz and it won't boot). It won't post at all and it won't accept any manual voltages (except DRAM). I encountered this with a previous Gigabyte P35 motherboard trying to overclock an E8400 past 3.4GHz and the same thing. Are these Gigabyte boards that bad at overclocking and adjusting settings? The CPU voltage doesn't change no matter what settings I put. Right now I'm running the Q9450 on an EP45-DS3R and the following BIOS settings:

CPU Vcore - 1.2875V (manually picked)
CPU Termination - 1.30V (I don't know what this means but I tried to pick a higher value hoping my voltage would show an increase).
CPU PLL - 1.5 V (Auto) - I don't know what this means and I haven't changed anything.
CPU Reference - 0.76V (Auto) - I don't know what this is

MCH Core - 1.1V (Auto)
MCH Reference - 0.76V (Auto)
MCH/DRAM - 0.9V (Auto)
ICH I/O - 1.5V (Auto

DRAM - 1.8V (manually changed to 2.16V but shows lower in BIOS and Windows)
DRAM Termination - 0.9V (Auto)
Channel A Reference - 0.9V (Auto)
Channel B Reference - 0.9V (Auto)

When I open up the PC Health Tab in the BIOS to view the actual voltages it shows CPU VCore as 1.252V and DRAM as 2.128V (there is approximately 0.03V difference from BIOS settings). When I log into Windows and view with Everest, HW Monitor, and CPU-Z the CPU voltage is at 1.23V and Memory is at 2.13V. The VID on my processor is supposed to be 1.25V. When I change the CPU Voltage to Auto in the BIOS it jumps to 1.3V and my CPU temperatures are 3C cooler. Can someone please explain what the previous voltage settings mean and why everything seems so messed up, settings won't hold, and why I can't get 3.4GHz??

 

[mikeynavy1976]

Ok...I did some research on the web and found someone with the same setup who posted what he did. I now have my voltage at 1.28V and my CPU at 3.4GHz and memory at 5:6 ratio (1020MHz). I just ran Prime 95 and had an immediate error returned on core 4. Is there a way to fix this? It passes at 3.2GHz and my temps looked good, even at 3.4GHz...just under 60C with ambient temp of 28C (82F). Will adjusting the voltage up a little more...to around 1.3V be an option or does this mean I'm stuck at 3.2GHz and my processor doesn't want to go higher.

 

[Guest]

some boards don't like going past 400 fsb... no matter the v core...

 

[mikeynavy1976]

Ok...I did some research on the web and found someone with the same setup who posted what he did. I was able to get my computer to boot at 3.4GHz and went up to 1.3V (overall). Unfortunately, Prime 95 had an error relatively quickly. Temps looked ok, though...highest was 60C...with ambient room temp being 27C. For those that have overclocked the Q9450 to 3.4GHz and got it stable. What voltage did you have?