Poor OC results - E6300, Biostar motherboard

[bigslickak]

Well I recently bought and built a new system last week. Here is the thread discussing the details.

Here is a quick summary of my setup:
E6300
Biostar Tforce 965PT motherboard
1 x 1GB Gskill DDR2 800MHz 5-5-5-15 RAM 1.8-2.0 volts(will dual channel in a few weeks)
Sapphire X1900GT
Coolermaster Centurion 5 case
Seagate 7200.10 250GB

My initial goal was a modest overclock for this rig. This is my first time OCing, but I am an Electrical Engineer and have caught on fairly quickly I feel.

My RAM is Gskill 5-5-5-15 at 800 MHz, so I figured that my max FSB potential would be around 400 MHz, but I would be quite content with 350-360 for a 2.5 GHz CPU result. I changed the RAM mulitplier to 1:1 (533 MHz setting in the Biostar BIOS) and started the process as described in the Core 2 Duo OC sticky.

So, I can get the system to POST and boot into Windows at around 350 no problem, but stability is hosed even with bumping the Vcore up to 1.5 and Vfsb around +0.2 and Vmch +0.15. I was setting the RAM in this case at 2.0 volts (the max the memory is rated for). I can get through 12 or so hours of Prime95 no problem at FSB = 315 MHz with Vcore = 1.37 and default Vfsb and Vmch and 2.0 volts RAM.

Also, when I jump even closer to 370 FSB, the BIOS is giving the two long beeps, which means a DRAM issue This despite the fact that I have set the RAM multi to 1:1 (meaning RAM at 740 MHz) and my RAM is DDR2 800MHz.

Any insights guys? Should I just be content with an 18% improvement with this setup? Thanks in advance.

 

[AMDThunder]

Try running memtest on your Ram just to be sure. I swear by that stuff after the great resuts I got, but doesn't mean you couldn't have gotten a bad stick.

I'm running 430 FSB with the only big difference being the S3 from Giga. But with the reviews on the Biostar, I'd think that 400 should be easily obtainable.

BTW, your vcore shouldn't need to be anywhere near 1.5, unless it's just a byproduct of the Biostar board. I'm currently at default vcore with my OC.

There's another OC guide by Wiz83 in the OC section under General Discussions. (Not stickied tho) Anyway, it's based on the S3 mobo, but may help you tweak a bit. It helped me.

 

[dermotti]

I am able to run my e6300 in the 965pt @ 443mhz rock solid. Ive had it up to as high as 470mhz but with considerable voltage increases i was not comfortable with.

I would try to overclock past 400mhz, you may just be hitting a overclock deadzone.

Only other thing that might be iffy is your ram. My buddy built a e6300 with the red gskill pc6400 and we were having some difficulties getting past 400.

Im using buffalo firestix pc6400.

Also be very careful with the northbridge voltage, that board overvolts like crazy.

Actual Vcore Measurements
1.400V = 1.39V
1.450V = 1.44V (BIOS displays 1.42V)
1.500V = 1.49V
1.550V = 1.54V
1.600V = 1.59V


Actual Vdimm Measurements
1.8 = 1.88V
2.0 = 1.98V
2.1 = 2.07V
2.2 = 2.17V (BIOS displays 2.10V)
2.2 Jumper = 2.22V


Actual Vmch Measurements
1.25V = 1.26V
1.35V = 1.47V (BIOS displays 1.45V)
1.45V = 1.66V
1.55V = 1.87V


Heres some more good reading this board:

http://www.rebelshavenforum.com/sisubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=33;t=000001

 

[mayouuu]

just set manually your RAM timings to 5-5-5-15. set PCI-E to 100 mhz and PCI to 33 mhz, then you should only take care of ram frecuency, Vcore, and temps, i got my E6600 1.2V 3000 Mhz with the stock cooler and all was ok, with other cooler and more Vcore i can go further.
so do it and check your tems under full load with CoreTemp and stress it with TAT(Thermal Analissi Tool) from intel
PD: I´m Electronics Engineer in project xDD

 

[bigslickak]

Wow, I followed dermotti's advice about the fsb "dead zone" and just said screw it and oc'd to 400 FSB at 1.375 Vcore, Vfsb +0.1 and V(g)mch +0.1 and it worked. It's stable after almost 9 hours running Orthos Blend and full load temp hovers between 38-42C. Weird but I am pleased especially after I thought I did everything exactly as everyone specifies.

mayouuu, I am not too familar with project xDD, my experience is mainly in embedded systems design with 8 and 16 bit microprocessors.

 

[AMDThunder]

Heh, glad it worked. Guess maybe that's why I didn't run into those issues. I jumped straight to 400FSB out of the box, then inched it up from there.

Gratz on getting everything going, and reaching a disireable OC.