Overclocking P35/Q6600 question

[zhakar]

So I've got these components:

1. Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield 2.4GHz 2 x 4MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core
2. GIGABYTE GA-P35-DS3L LGA 775 Intel P35 ATX
3. G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400)
4. CORSAIR CMPSU-550VX ATX12V V2.2 550W Power Supply 90
5. XFX PVT88GYDF4 GeForce 8800GTS (G92) 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16

and a XIGMATEK HDT-SD964 92mm Rifle CPU Cooler that's keeping my CPU at around ~35C idle, and doesn't go over ~50-51C at full.

ANYWAY, to get to my actual question- my bios is reading a RAM rated number that's equal to the actual number it's set on, and when I up the FSB, the number changes to go way above the rated speed. I read this was never good to do, but to get my CPU to over 2.4 (266 x 9), I have to raise the FSB im assuming. Is there any way to overclock this rig safely and get some decent OC speeds out of it without frying a component or two? I've read up and havent found any situations like the one I'm in, so thanks for your help =D!

BIOS reads:

CPU Clock Ratio 9x
CPU Frequency 2.40GHz (266 x 9)
CPU Host Frequency 266
Memory Frequency 800 800

Normal CPU Vcore 1.325V

 

[Mondoman]

You just need to set your memory bus speed to 1/2 the FSB datarate; this will result in the FSB and memory bus throughput running in a 1:1 ratio. So, for a FSB throughput of 1066MHz (266x4), set the memory bus speed to DDR2-667 (1066/2). Your DDR2-800 RAM should thus be fine for FSBs up to 1600MHz datarate.

 

[zhakar]

You just need to set your memory bus speed to 1/2 the FSB datarate; this will result in the FSB and memory bus throughput running in a 1:1 ratio. So, for a FSB throughput of 1066MHz (266x4), set the memory bus speed to DDR2-667 (1066/2). Your DDR2-800 RAM should thus be fine for FSBs up to 1600MHz datarate.

I don't understand exactly how that makes sense, so I'll just post a picture and maybe you can tell me which numbers to change to what =), or anyone else for that matter.

 

[monst0r]

You just need to set your memory bus speed to 1/2 the FSB datarate; this will result in the FSB and memory bus throughput running in a 1:1 ratio. So, for a FSB throughput of 1066MHz (266x4), set the memory bus speed to DDR2-667 (1066/2). Your DDR2-800 RAM should thus be fine for FSBs up to 1600MHz datarate.

Actually thats wrong..he needs to set the ram to a 1:1 ratio. That would mean DDR2-533..
Anyway, I have a DS3R (similar BIOS). Just set the memory multiplier to 2.00. Good luck.

 

[roadrunner197069]

PCI express form auto to 100
System memory multiplier from auto to 2. I believe for Gigabyte. 2 or .2? whatever it shows up as.
FSB to 333 atleast.

 

[htoonthura]

I don't understand exactly how that makes sense, so I'll just post a picture and maybe you can tell me which numbers to change to what =), or anyone else for that matter.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/Zhakar/DSC00175.jpg

I have the same motherboard, cpu (same vid) and psu as yours. I am running at 3.2 g. Here are a few things i want you to do. First of all press Ctrl+F1 from the main screen. then go to the page you show me. Then do the followings.

1. Set your cpu frequency to 3.2 G ( if that is what you want to do) or any frequency you want to achieve.
2.Set your pci E frequency to 100.
3. Set your SPD to 2.
4. Set system voltage to manual.
5. Set your cpu voltage to 1.4 in bios. It will be about 1.344 in windows due to Vdroop.
6. Save and exit.

That is it. It is prime stable at 3.2 G with the above settings. It is very likely that yours will also be stable. But, it might give different results. At least, you have got some sorts of guidline. If you want to reach to 3.6 , set your net voltage to 1.5 ( i.e voltage in windows). But, i am happy with what i have got.

Also, there are a couple of settings you need to disable in second items from the main menu. If you can give me a snapshot, i can tell you what you should disable for stable oc.

Have fun.

 

[zhakar]

Also, there are a couple of settings you need to disable in second items from the main menu. If you can give me a snapshot, i can tell you what you should disable for stable oc.

2nd tab =)

 

[htoonthura]

Here's the seconds tab in the main menu. Thank you htoonthura!

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/Zhakar/DSC00179.jpg

Ok. Here are the settings:

1. set first boot device to your hard drive.
2. set C1E to disable.
3 set EIST to diable.
4.set virtualizaiton technology to disable.
5. set full screen logo to disable.
6. set int display to pci ex.
7. save and exit.

Then, run the prime test. watch the system temperature closely while running prime test. it should never exceed 71C. Mine is around 60 C after hours of prime test. If you exceed the 71 C limit, readjust your cooling solutions or reduce your vcore. In my case, i have to set it to 1.4 v in bios to get a stable system. if the system is stable , you might want to turn the item 2 on.

Good luck.

 

[zhakar]

Ok. Here are the settings:
6. set int display to pci ex.

there was only a PCI and PEG option for the int display, so I set it to PEG that and ran prime after bootup. after 5 minutes my system automatically shut down and I got this error...

hard to see, but it says:

Problem was cause by an unrecoverable hardware error that cause the operating system to stop functioning.

We recommend doing the following:
1. back up all files to avoid data loss in case of a hardware failure

 

[htoonthura]

there was only a PCI and PEG option for the int display, so I set it to PEG that and ran prime after bootup. after 5 minutes my system automatically shut down and I got this error...

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/Zhakar/error.jpg

hard to see, but it says:

Problem was cause by an unrecoverable hardware error that cause the operating system to stop functioning.

We recommend doing the following:
1. back up all files to avoid data loss in case of a hardware failure

what are your settings. what frequency are you at now? what is your idle temperature. what is your Ram speed and settings.

 

[monst0r]

there was only a PCI and PEG option for the int display, so I set it to PEG that and ran prime after bootup. after 5 minutes my system automatically shut down and I got this error...

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/Zhakar/error.jpg

hard to see, but it says:

Problem was cause by an unrecoverable hardware error that cause the operating system to stop functioning.

We recommend doing the following:
1. back up all files to avoid data loss in case of a hardware failure

I don't think that setting the initial display to PCIe would cause a hardware error.. what else did you modify?

 

[Shadow703793]

GUIDE: Overclocking On P35-DS3L

 

[Mondoman]

monst0r - thanks for catching my silly arithmetic error on the FSB/2! So much for sleep-posting!

 

[monst0r]

monst0r - thanks for catching my silly arithmetic error on the FSB/2! So much for sleep-posting!

Heh, no problem. Happens to the best of us 😛

 

[zhakar]

I'm at these numbers atm...

and Shadow, I've look at the guide quite a bit and can only see that the tRD hasn't been manipulated. I'm idling at ~35-40C atm, and not sure at full because prime only runs for about 5 minutes.

 

[htoonthura]

I'm at these numbers atm...

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/Zhakar/DSC00180.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e358/Zhakar/DSC00181.jpg

and Shadow, I've look at the guide quite a bit and can only see that the tRD hasn't been manipulated. I'm idling at ~35-40C atm, and not sure at full because prime only runs for about 5 minutes.

It looks good. can you give me your ram spec?

 

[rgsaunders]

The core voltage setting of 1.4 may not be required, I am running my Q6600 G0 at 3.2GHz on auto voltage setting, which according to CPU-Z ver 1.44.2 is 1.248V. I also left my ram voltage setting on auto, which in my case comes out 1.8V. See sig for other system details.

 

[htoonthura]

The core voltage setting of 1.4 may not be required, I am running my Q6600 G0 at 3.2GHz on auto voltage setting, which according to CPU-Z ver 1.44.2 is 1.248V. I also left my ram voltage setting on auto, which in my case comes out 1.8V. See sig for other system details.

How stable is your system? is 1.248 V recorded during the prime test? Mine is not stable at that voltage. 1.248 V is too good to be true or stable.

 

[rgsaunders]

Zhakar, although your figures will work, normally for 3.2G you would reduce the CPU clock ratio to 8 and set you CPU host freq to 400, then your system memory can run with the 2.00 multiplier at 800MHz, standard freq for PC6400 memory. My core temps at 51C under 100% load on all 4 cores, running Folding SMP version, and Folding GPU version for the last 10 days, room temp is 24C. CPU cooler is OCZ Vendetta 2 w Arctic Silver 5. I would consider trying your CPU voltage on normal first, rather than starting at 1.4V.

 

[rgsaunders]

How stable is your system? is 1.248 V recorded during the prime test? Mine is not stable at that voltage. 1.248 V is too good to be true or stable.

Not necessarily so. Each CPU mobo combination is unique, and other system components also factor into the equation. The EP35-DS3R ver 2.1 seems to work quite nicely at normal voltage settings for my Q6600 Stepping B Revision G0. No problems with stability whatsoever under Vista 64 SP1, Cat 8.4. I am using 8X CPU multiplier with 400FSB setting,
Memory 1:1 FSB😀RAM 5,5,5,18 2T. Others posters here have had the same experience leaving the system voltage (CPU Core) setting at normal.

Your experience may vary.

 

[Asian PingPong]

Ok. Here are the settings:

1. set first boot device to your hard drive.
2. set C1E to disable.
3 set EIST to diable.
4.set virtualizaiton technology to disable.
5. set full screen logo to disable.
6. set int display to pci ex.
7. save and exit.

Then, run the prime test. watch the system temperature closely while running prime test. it should never exceed 71C. Mine is around 60 C after hours of prime test. If you exceed the 71 C limit, readjust your cooling solutions or reduce your vcore. In my case, i have to set it to 1.4 v in bios to get a stable system. if the system is stable , you might want to turn the item 2 on.

Good luck.

What exactly does virtualization technology do?

 

[htoonthura]

Not necessarily so. Each CPU mobo combination is unique, and other system components also factor into the equation. The EP35-DS3R ver 2.1 seems to work quite nicely at normal voltage settings for my Q6600 Stepping B Revision G0. No problems with stability whatsoever under Vista 64 SP1, Cat 8.4. I am using 8X CPU multiplier with 400FSB setting,
Memory 1:1 FSB😀RAM 5,5,5,18 2T. Others posters here have had the same experience leaving the system voltage (CPU Core) setting at normal.

Your experience may vary.

Well.. i understand that every cpu is different. but, my question is How stable is the system.

 

[rgsaunders]

It has been perfectly stable, no issues whatsoever. The only time I have rebooted in the last couple of weeks was when I accidentally unplugged the system. I leave Folding SMP and GPU running 24/7, case fans are set on low speed. I carry on doing my normal browsing, photo editing, etc as usual, I have had no stability issues, and a max core temp of 53C over that time period, normally lower, but it does vary slightly iaw the room temp.

 

[zhakar]

Zhakar, although your figures will work, normally for 3.2G you would reduce the CPU clock ratio to 8 and set you CPU host freq to 400, then your system memory can run with the 2.00 multiplier at 800MHz, standard freq for PC6400 memory. My core temps at 51C under 100% load on all 4 cores, running Folding SMP version, and Folding GPU version for the last 10 days, room temp is 24C. CPU cooler is OCZ Vendetta 2 w Arctic Silver 5. I would consider trying your CPU voltage on normal first, rather than starting at 1.4V.

I did exactly that, I set the multiplier to 8 and the FSB to 400. I also set the voltage to auto/normal. Prime is running fine now without crashes or anything in the last 10-15 minutes. Idled at around 30C and running 61C or below at 100% on all 4. I have a feeling it was a problem with the frequencies.

 

[zhakar]

ahhh, killed my system after 15 min. htoonthura, ive got this ram: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231122 and im not sure how to check the voltage through prime, but decreasing the multiplier and the voltage, and increasing the FSB definitely helped. Not sure how to make it endure. But results are as follows:

[Wed May 21 19:53:34 2008]
Self-test 1024K passed!
Self-test 1024K passed!
Self-test 1024K passed!
Self-test 1024K passed!

[Wed May 21 20:02:19 2008]
Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz
CPU speed: 3600.18 MHz, 4 cores <------ it misread my speed i think, it's at 3.2
CPU features: RDTSC, CMOV, Prefetch, MMX, SSE, SSE2
L1 cache size: 32 KB
L2 cache size: 4096 KB
L1 cache line size: 64 bytes
L2 cache line size: 64 bytes
TLBS: 256
Prime95 32-bit version 25.5, RdtscTiming=1
Best time for 768K FFT length: 13.485 ms.
Best time for 896K FFT length: 16.040 ms.
Best time for 1024K FFT length: 18.404 ms.
Best time for 1280K FFT length: 22.852 ms.