Q6600 "tape mod" pseudo-overclock

[HiFiSi]

Hey guys. I've got an old dell from my brother to fiddle around with (not much OC options with this thing lol) and I ran across a CPU mod (LINK) that you can use to step the FSB up from 1066 to 1333. I figured, not much risk here, it's a free computer if it dies I could care less, so I went ahead and did it. Seems to work perfectly fine, and it feels like it is performing tasks noticeably quicker than before the mod... although that could just be the placebo effect lol. But in the end, a 3.0GHz quad is a rather substancial improvement over a 2.4GHz quad, especially if it can be done for free on an OEM system that permits little to no overclocking.

There is one thing I have noticed with this though with a run of cpuz to inspect the results... although the FSB is at a steady 1333 (give or take) the core speed and multiplier is constantly fluctuating between x6.0/2 GHz and x9.0/3GHz. It exhibited the same behavior both at idle as well as when under considerable strain. Is this something I should be worried about? Has anyone else here tried this mod? I'm just not sure if the speed fluctuations are a sign of impending doom, or if it's normal fare, or if it's something cpuz is picking up incorrectly.

Thanks in advance for any input you could give!

~HiFi

 

[HiFiSi]

Oh, sorry. I guess this might have fit better over on the overclocking sub-forum, my bad. 🙁

Also, forgot to post the link in the first post:
http://forums.nvidia.com/index.php?showtopic=58361

 

[jimmysmitty]

Its Speedstep. Its a power saving feature on all Intel CPUs and even AMD has their own version called Coll'N'Quiet.

What it does is it changes your CPU multiplier between 6 and 9 depending on if there is a load or not, normally it needs to be 20% over the entire CPU to go up to 9.

It wont hurt performance but it helps to lower your idle heat output and power usage. When its needed, the CPU will instantly kick up to 9x, 3GHZ, and give you the full power of the CPU.

Its also known ad ESIT (Enhanced Intel Speedstep Technology). Here is a link to a demo with the info:

http://www.intel.com/technology/product/demos/eist/demo.htm

You can turn it off but knowing yours is a Dell chances are the options in the BIOS might not allow you to turn it off and may have to keep it on. But as I said, it wont hurt your performance at all as I have a Q6600 @ 3GHz with EIST on and its the same with or without it on.

 

[ubernoobie]

coolnquiet* +1 for speedstep so it's ok

 

[HiFiSi]

Cool. Thanks for the info. Good to know it's SUPPOSED to happen lol. I just wonder why I never saw it happening before doing the tape mod...

Anyway, I thing I do remember seeing the setting for that in the BIOS setup menu once. I think. May have been a different computer though. There's like 7 of them in my house and I tend to get things mixed up sometimes.

It's a shame about the lack of overclocking options on this XPS420 though. If this thing had the ability to change voltages and overclock in the bios and it would be a pretty awesome machine for an OEM type PC.

 

[HiFiSi]

Yep, the speedstep on/off setting was there in the Dell BIOS. Unfortunately changing the setting has no effect, speedstep stays on regardless if I set it to on or off in the BIOS. Typical Dell... 😀

 

[jsc]

Typical Dell... 😀

In this case, it's good for you.

 

[craigs_krapp]

Hi,

I tried this on a XPS420 and worked PERFECT! then on my ASUS P5K se mobo and NOTHING!!
It did recognize a new CPU but it still reports to run @ 2.4 :-(

Any ideas?

thanks

 

[shagrathdex666]

maybe the p5k mobo needs a bios update regardless of the cpu performance good for you.
__________________________________________________________________
asus p5q pro turbo/q6600 @ 3.4 ghz 24/7/asus silent knight II/
8 gb ocz sli edition/wd green 1 tb/seagate barracuda 250 gb/
antec 300/ gtx 280 @ 690 mhz/1572mhz/1300mhz,
apevia iceberg 680 watts/lite on dvd r/lite on cd r.

 

[craigs_krapp]

tried that (I should have mentioned)

Latest BIOS installed

 

[Bluescreendeath]

I chuckle when I come across another post where a user knows how to overclock, but doesn't know what stepspeed or cool 'n quiet is...

 

[craigs_krapp]

I chuckle when I come across another post where a user knows how to overclock, but doesn't know what stepspeed or cool 'n quiet is...

Silly me thinking that a forum such as this was a place to ask/seek help. I wish I too was born with the overclocking gene, like the one you obviously have, but alas i'm forced to use the learn by trial and error method. But thank you for your contribution.

PS. I followed the advice of several people here and made numerous changes to the BIOS settings (incl. speedstep) and after many non-POST asked for advice.

 

[spahiu]

i've done the tape mod on my q6600 aswell,but the cpu was still running @ 2.4ghz,no change at all,that was on a dell inspiron 530!!!

 

[craigs_krapp]

i've done the tape mod on my q6600 aswell,but the cpu was still running @ 2.4ghz,no change at all,that was on a dell inspiron 530!!!

I have an Inspiron 530 as well with a Q9300 - I swapped the q6600 in there and it worked fine at 3GHz.

make sure that your pin is completely covered with the tape.

 

[beltzy]

Where are you seeing the 2.4 ghz? A lot of times some windows displays will still show you at 2.4ghz, but if you get a program like RightMark CPU it will show you how fast it's running (this was the case with me on a Dell XPS 420).

If you want to continue past 3.0 ghz, get a program called "SetFSB". On the first tab, use the drop down to select CV184-2APAG (this is for a dell xps 420 mobo, yours is probably different- may have to do some research). From there you can move a slider to increase the FSB and get up as high as 3.5ghz at stock voltage from what some users are reporting. I went up to 3.3 and called it good. May play with it some more to see just how high I can push. Cheers.