Q6600

[Tunga]

Hello,

Im new in the overclocking subject and after Reading of lots of OC stuff i still cant understand a half of what those tuturials mean/say i have a Q6600 @ 2400Mhz and i want to OC to 3000 MHZ and i know that besides changing BUS speed i need to increase voltage and configure the ram timing but i dont know wich values of voltage shall i use, and my attempt to 2800 MHZ my ram timing has changed from 5-5-5-15 to 5-4-4-12 unstead of 4-4-4-12.

Can anyone help me or giving some tips of how should i make a right OC from a 2.4ghz to 3.0 ?

Computer Specs:
-Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @2.40 GHZ (G0 thing)
-Biostar P965 775 (ver 5.1)
Module 1 2.048 MB Kingston DDR2 @ 400 MHz
Module 2 2.048 MB Kingston DDR2 @ 400 MHz
Module 3 1.024 MB Melco DDR2 @ 400 MHz
Module 4 1.024 MB Melco DDR2 @ 400 MHz
-Windows 8 x64
-NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 1GB OC to 765 MHZ (base is 738 MHZ, it was overclocked by GIGABYTE)

Thanks for your time

PS: when choose the "Graphics" tab in CPU-Z it shows me that the current profile is (core/shaders/memory @ 300MHZ/600MHZ/100MHZ) when i can see 3D applications with (765MHZ/1912MHZ/1100MHZ) so, is the 3D aplications enabled when i play games or its always not enabled?

 

[olin9]

Hello,

Im new in the overclocking subject and after Reading of lots of OC stuff i still cant understand a half of what those tuturials mean/say i have a Q6600 @ 2400Mhz and i want to OC to 3000 MHZ and i know that besides changing BUS speed i need to increase voltage and configure the ram timing but i dont know wich values of voltage shall i use, and my attempt to 2800 MHZ my ram timing has changed from 5-5-5-15 to 5-4-4-12 unstead of 4-4-4-12.

Can anyone help me or giving some tips of how should i make a right OC from a 2.4ghz to 3.0 ?

Computer Specs:
-Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @2.40 GHZ (G0 thing)
-Biostar P965 775 (ver 5.1)
Module 1 2.048 MB Kingston DDR2 @ 400 MHz
Module 2 2.048 MB Kingston DDR2 @ 400 MHz
Module 3 1.024 MB Melco DDR2 @ 400 MHz
Module 4 1.024 MB Melco DDR2 @ 400 MHz
-Windows 8 x64
-NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 1GB OC to 765 MHZ (base is 738 MHZ, it was overclocked by GIGABYTE)

Thanks for your time

PS: when choose the "Graphics" tab in CPU-Z it shows me that the current profile is (core/shaders/memory @ 300MHZ/600MHZ/100MHZ) when i can see 3D applications with (765MHZ/1912MHZ/1100MHZ) so, is the 3D aplications enabled when i play games or its always not enabled?

The Q6600 is easy to OC to 3.0. You shouldn't need to change your volts. Just change the FBS to 333.

If your MB has auto setting for your ram, then it will ajust the time to get close to 800 MHz and the same for the GPU.

I have been running at 3.2 for 2 years

 

[jsc]

Tunga. Welcome to the forums.

Because you are a beginner, I am going to include a sort of primer on system frequency and timing.

//start primer

Definition time (attention purists, I'm talking about DDR2 and I'm simplifying a little ):
Core2 CPU's use a frontside bus (FSB). The FSB is a thing with two main characteristics: speed which is usually defined in MHz and width which in the Core2's is 64 bits wide. We are concerned with the speed.

Using the Q6600 as an example, the FSB frequency is 266 MHz. The matching DDR2 memory clock for that frequency is 533 MHz (266 X 2). DDR2 memory transfers two chunks of data for each bus cycle, hence double the frequency. So, to run 1:1 at an FSB of 266 MHz, we need DDR2-533 RAM. What CPUZ does is a little confusing. It will tell you that the memory frequency is 266 MHz for a 1:1 ratio.

The FSB clock is 1066 MHz (266 X 4). The bus is "quad pumped". It transfers 4 chunks of data into and out of the CPU each cycle. So each FSB cycle generates 4 FSB clocks.

Now, if you increase the FSB frequency to 333 MHz, the corresponding memory clock is 667 MHz and the FSB clock is 1333 MHz.

I always run my memory at 1:1. That is the FSB freq to mem freq ratio of one to one. That means that the memclock is twice the FSB freq. It's a little confusing. Running memory slower costs performance. Running memory faster does not give you much if any real world performance increase and it can lead to higher instability.

//end primer

I do not have any Biostar motherboards. In many cases, motherboard BIOS's are different. I use Gigabyte motherboards, and the BIOS is different from Biostar.

//start overclocking instructions

This should be your first stop.
Core2 Overclocking Guide (generic guide based on an Asus motherboard)
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/259899-11-core-overclocking-guide

Next stop should be a guide for your particular motherboard. Google is your friend.

Shadow's Gigabyte motherboard OC guide:
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/page-245679_11_0.html
It's for an EP35-DS3L, but the guide will show you how another motherboard works.

Go through the guides. Then take your core voltage off Auto and set your memory voltage to factory recommended values. Change the System Memory Multiplier (or whatever your BIOS calls it) from AUTO to 2.00 - whichever you need to set the Memory Frequency to twice the FSB. Then when you increase the FSB, the memory clock will rise in step with it. At an FSB of 266 MHz, your memory clock should be at 533 MHz.

Do not leave your main memory setting on AUTO. Let's say you have DDR2-400 RAM. Each RAM stick should have a little SPD (google it) chip that will provide the data that the motherboard needs to automatically set up your RAM. When you increase your FSB freq from 266 MHz to 333 MHz, your memory frequency will increase to 500 MHz - or try to. This is the most common problem when trying to overclock 1st gen Core2 systems.

Use whatever your motherboard needs to do to raise your memory frequency to 333 MHz, your memclock to 667 MHz, your RAM multiplier to 2.0, or your FSB:RAM ratio to 1:1. All 4 things do the same exact thing.

Download CPU-Z to check your FSB:RAM ratio. It should be a 1:1 ratio.

A G0 version (called a "stepping") Q6600 should need little no voltage increase to run at 3.0 GHz. At any rate, do not exceed 1.50 volts CPU core voltage. Because you probably will not need to increase voltage, the stock cooler should be adequate. Keep your core temps when under load to below 70 C. 65 C is better.

You may have a problem getting a stable overclock withe your mismatched memory. The simple thing to do is pull the 1 GB sticks. If you do have problems, try increasing your memory voltage to no more than 2.2 volts and relax your timing to 5-5-5-15 or even 6's-18.

Keep in mind that these are guides, not cookbooks. YMMV. Because of all the variables, you may not do as well as someone else with a similar system. Or you might do better.

My Q6600 in a Gigabyte EP45 motherboard runs at 3.6 GHz with excellent stability (24 hour Prime95 test runs). But then, I have been doing this for a while.
----------
Overclocking since 1978 - Z80 (TRS-80) from 1.77 MHz to 2.01 MHz

 

[Tunga]

Best answer selected by Tunga.

 

[Guru82]

Hi Tunga,

Don't forget to watch your temps. I use a Thermalright Ultra-120 which is draws a more heat than stock HSF.

Q6600 G0 Overclocking

Average CPU-Z voltage reading from other overclockers load:
VID -------- MHz -------- vcore CPU-Z(load)
1.2635 -- 3315.913043 -- 1.285956522

You can use this as a guide to assist in starting to find what your Q6600 needs:
Mhz / CPU-Z = MHz per volt
3315.913043 / 1.285956522 = 2578.557662153993 MHz per volt for average Q6600 G0

3.0GHz > 3000 / 2578.56 = 1.163440059568131 vcore load CPU-Z
min:1.190 | mid:1.211 | max:1.232

3.1GHz > 3100 / 2578.56 = 1.202221394887069 vcore load CPU-Z

3.2GHz > 3200 / 2578.56 = 1.241002730206006 vcore load CPU-Z
min:1.216 | mid:1.256 | max:1.296

3.3GHz > 3300 / 2578.56 = 1.279784065524944 vcore load CPU-Z
min:1.264 | mid:1.280 | max:1.296

3.4GHz > 3400 / 2578.56 = 1.318565400843882 vcore load CPU-Z
min:1.208 | mid:1.292 | max:1.376

3.5GHz > 3500 / 2578.56 = 1.357346736162820 vcore load CPU-Z

3.6GHz > 3600 / 2578.56 = 1.396128071481757 vcore load CPU-Z
min:1.280 | mid:1.340 | max:1.400

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Find what your BIOS CPU voltage setting may need:
1. In BIOS, restore normal clock (default) and set your CPU voltage to your default VID. Example: 1.2250v
~ and turn off LoadLine Calibration
2. Download and open CPU-Z in Windows
3. Find your current CPU-Z Core Voltage during load and record (start IntelBurnTest on High with 3 threads + MSI Kombuster[download Afterburner] default 'Run stress test')
4. Take your default VID and calculate the difference using the following...
~ VID - CPUZ = vDroop
~ Example: 1.2250 - 1.141 = 0.084
5. Now calculate what BIOS setting you may need...
~ Goal(vcore) + vDroop = BIOS CPU voltage starting point
!!! The following are examples, so do your own calculations (look above here to find a Goal) !!!
~ 1.241 + 0.084 = 1.325 (3200MHz) CALC
~ 1.216 + 0.084 = 1.300 (3200MHz) min
~ 1.256 + 0.084 = 1.340 (3200MHz) mid
~ 1.296 + 0.084 = 1.380 (3200MHz) max

~ 1.319 + 0.084 = 1.403 (3400MHz) CALC
~ 1.208 + 0.084 = 1.292 (3400MHz) min
~ 1.292 + 0.084 = 1.376 (3400MHz) mid
~ 1.376 + 0.084 = 1.460 (3400MHz) max

~ 1.396 + 0.084 = 1.480 (3600MHz) CALC
~ 1.280 + 0.084 = 1.364 (3600MHz) min
~ 1.340 + 0.084 = 1.424 (3600MHz) mid
~ 1.400 + 0.084 = 1.484 (3600MHz) max

----------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Load BIOS Optimized defaults and turn off LoadLine Calibration
2. Set PCI Express Frequency to 100MHz
3. CPU GTLREF# from Auto to Normal
4. If you have high performance DDR2, calculate overvolt needed and set DDR2 overvoltage. Example: 2.2v; 2.2 - 1.8 = +0.4v
5. Lock in your DDR2 timings. Find them online if you have to. Example: 5-5-5-18-2[800MHz]@1.8v was detected, but 5-5-5-15-2[1066MHz]@2.2v is what we want
6. Pick a task... you might want to think about step 7 here
~ 9 multi * 333MHz FSB = 3.0GHz
~ 9 * 356 = 3.2GHz
~ 9 * 378 = 3.4GHz
~ 9 * 401 = 3.6GHz (my GA-X38-DS4 was designed to cater for 400MHz FSB (1600MHz) CPU's. Setting to 401MHz is stable without FSB or MCH overvolt)
~ 8 * 375 = 3.0GHz
~ 8 * 401 = 3.2GHz
~ 8 * 450 = 3.6GHz (pushing the FSB beyond 400MHz will generate more heat and possibly require more voltage on the FSB and MCH)
7. Pick your Memory multi...
~ 401 * 2.0 = 800MHz
~ 401 * 2.66 = 1066MHz
~ you have a calculator?
~ MCH 200(C),266(A),333(B),400(D)MHz... 200MHz is tightest internal timings. 400MHz is looser. And no, because 200MHz(C) is lower than 400MHz(D) doesn't mean it is slower speed
8. Set the tRead Value (performance) in advanced timings to 9 for now
9. Save & exit but wait to jump on that Del key to get back in...
10. Hope you got back in BIOS OK. Now, lock in all the detected advanced memory timings but tRead Value... leave that on 9 for now.

Test and try and lower that tRead Value to 7 if you can.

Stress test with...
1. IntelBurnTest on High with 3 threads and 10 runs + Kombuster default stress when trying to find vcore needed
2. Prime95 Blend all cores (4) for 8-12 hours when you think you have it
...while CoreTemp and CPU-Z are loaded, so you can monitor temp and voltage

And don't forget to watch your temps.

I started overclocking this thing in 2007!!!

LLC off vs LLC on...
8x401=3.2Ghz @ 1.30625v BIOS
A-1) Idle without Loadline Calibration: 1.264
A-2) Idle with Loadline Calibration: 1.296
B-1) Load without Loadline Calibration: 1.232
B-2) Load with Loadline Calibration: 1.248
LLC off: 1.264-1.232 = 0.032 variance
LLC on: 1.296-1.248 = 0.048 variance

I prefer LLC off on my setup.

My Benchmark comparisons:
9*266(2400MHz)@normal volts-4.00A strap-DDR1066MHz-5-5-5-15-Auto-2
~ A64 = MR:6807, MW:4865, MC:5487, Latency:76.4, CPU Queen:19800, CPU Julia:5793
~ 3DMark11 = P3903, gfx:4197, physics:3300, combined:3125
8*401(3200MHz)@1.30625v(bios)-2.66C strap-DDR1066MHz-5-5-5-15-3-3-6-52-3-8-auto-2
~ A64 = MR:8136, MW:7219, MC:7487, Latency:64.4, CPU Queen:26438, CPU Julia:7746
~ 3DMark11 = P4188, gfx:4200, physics:4355, combined:3885
9*401(3600MHz)@1.46250v(bios)-2.66C strap-DDR1066MHz-5-5-5-15-3-3-6-52-3-8-auto-2 (This proved to be unstable after further Prime95 testing and I went back to 3.2GHz cause I wasn't happy with the temps going over 80c)
~ A64 = MR:8448, MW:7318, MC:7415, Latency:62.9, CPU Queen:29771, CPU Julia:8717
~ 3DMark11 = P4260, gfx:4204, physics:4689, combined:4116