Help a new guy

[Squall]

Here's the system:
Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 @ 3.00ghz
DX48BT2 Motherboard
2x2gb DDR3 1333mhz OCZ ReaperX Ram
1000w Antec PSU
2x ATI HD3870x2 Vid Cards
Antec 1200 Case
all air cooled, stock CPU heatsink. current temps are 46C until threshold after 12 hours of 100% CPU load.

Now heres the hard part: I tried a bit myself but when I set it to 3.6ghz, the neighborhood transformer blew up so im scared crapless right now to touch anything. I thought I burned the rig and knocked out the power in the house lol. Anyone know some stable hard numbers I can set this system to work at safely? I do alot of gaming and AI research, so I need my CPU and RAM running at optimum speed.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[RJR]

Hello Squall,

First, you should get a good aftermarket heatsink if you plan on OCing your rig. The Intel stock heatsink just isn't up to overclocking.

IF you haven't yet:
Download Core Temp or Real Temp and Prime95 or OCCT + Cpuz

This will get you started with the monitoring and stressing software you will need.

Have you read any of the guides on overclocking to get an idea of what the Bios options are and what needs to be adjusted and turned off?

 

[iluvgillgill]

Have you read the sticky yet?

plus a pc is not enough to drain a transformer inside a house.

 

[Squall]

I've been inside my bios plenty of times, I have an idea about most of the stuff in there, I just dont have a good idea of how fsb speeds and multipliers and voltages work together. I use Intel's Desktop Control Center to monitor the temps. I will look into getting CPU-Z and whats occt?

Im looking to get liquid cooling in on this rig, as its fully complete hardware-wise now, and i was actually just about to read the sticky, and saw your posts. And I know, one pc isnt enough, but it happened RIGHT the moment I saved changes lol. freaky.

 

[iluvgillgill]

If you dont mind me asking if you were planning to overclock why did you get a intel mobo and not any other "off brand" like Asus and gigabyte?

anyway this is how it work you get a total clock speed by using CPU multiplier X FSB. so if the CPU multiplier is 10 then the fsb is 333.you will get 10X333=3.33Ghz.and voltage works on their own, the higher the voltage the higher the overclock it can do.

 

[Squall]

I went with intel because every computer I had in the last 9 years was Intel. I now wish I went with Nvidia, but Intel+ATI have been good to me, so I decided to build a custom rig with brands that I knew well.

Also, I have to manually change the voltage right?

 

[RJR]

Good luck.

 

[Squall]

Thanks, I will. Just a couple things before I begin;

1) if failsafe watchdog is on, my comp will never get through POST, and that means im safe?
2) how far should I go on a stock heatsink? I heard 3.6 ghz is possible on a stock sink, but you know how that ended up.

 

[RJR]

Failsafe watchdog, no idea, never tried to OC on an Intel MB.

Stock heatsink, only time and testing will tell you how far you can push it.

Again, I would suggest you download Core Temp or Real Temp to check your temps. Prime95 or OCCT to stress test and Cpu-z for monitoring.

Just stay within the Thermal and voltage specs:
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLB8W

Once you take a look at the Guide get back with any questions.

 

[teamlosigp]

You wasted your money on a QX9650!! and then come to us to oc it! I mean at least try not to spend $1000 on a proc that performs the same as a $300 proc oced