New to OC. Q9450

[stuck804]

Using this motherboard:

ASUS RAMPAGE FORMULA LGA 775 Intel X48 ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131284

And this CPU (Q9450):
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115042

My mind is bogged down with all the overclocking guides that are out there and I'm trying to understand over clocking. I guess have the general idea but it would help if i had some examples to work off of. I heard that the Q9450 has a max over clock at 3.8ghz. What settings do i need to set in the bios get the CPU to run at 3.8ghz? Will it even run stable at 3.8?

Any advice is appreciated.
~Scott

 

[level101]

What cpu cooler are you using?

 

[stuck804]

CPU Cooler: Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme + Scythe S-Flex SFF21F
Basically, I'll get whatever cooler is necessary for the task.

 

[shadowthor]

run realtemp and list your VID.

 

[level101]

Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme is fine. You'll be lucky if you hit 3.4GHz-3.6GHz

 

[stuck804]

I haven't actually built my system yet, which probably needs to happen first before I start asking a million questions. I guess, I'm just looking for hypothetical answers in order to understand the whole process of over-clocking. At first I thought over-clocking was as simple as changing a couple figures in BIOS. Now, that I've read a bunch of information about over-clocking it's possible that I'm over thinking or reading too deep of information before understanding the basics. Maybe that doesn't make since. My main course of study has been understanding networks as oppose to understanding the engineering aspect of computer science. Iguess I'll have to re-read those over-clocking "how-to's" many times...

 

[zipz0p]

There's no real guarantee with overclocking, but I think the Q9450 very reliably hits 3.2GHz (mine is 24/7 @ 3.2 and is rock solid and quite cool) and probably 3.4. I don't know about 3.6, and I think 3.8 will require a great chipset, a lot of voltage, and very good cooling. Definitely read up on it, and peruse others' questions in this forum. I know I learn a lot from looking at other people's issues!

 

[YourGodOnEarth]

My maximum 24/7 stable OC so far is 3.51-gHz on my Q9450 on a P5E.
Temps were a little higher than I liked (using a good, but compact HSF) on hot days (computer room hitting 90f (32c)), so I backed it down to 3.2-gHz as a good compromise (using 1.2675v for vCore).
I don't yet know if the limit I've hit is the CPU's limitation, my motherboard's limitation, my RAM limitation, or just mine (still learning how to "really" OC, and taking it slow & easy).
Not too concerned with it for now as either 3.2-gHz or 3.4-gHz it's noticably faster than stock, so the gain is well worth it.
Unfortuantely, it seems that by the time I learn more about overclocking on the last of the FSB systems I'll ever own, the Nehalem's will change the way I need to do things.
But it's fun learning how. 😉