What's holding me back?

neo-omega · 15 Dec 2009 at 13:22

Hey all, have a Q6600 currently sitting at 3.6 GHz at a nice 1.4v yet if I try and go almost any higher i need a lot more volts and the temps go through the roof! Spec as in sig, raised the voltages for the FSB to accommodate the RAM. I have left the timings for the RAM on auto. Is it my RAM that's causing the problems?

I try upping the FSB to 425 and multi x9 and it holds for a little while though BSoD's when I start stressing it. I go up to about 1.5v but dont really want to go any higher for fear of damaging the CPU. Currently am sitting at 34c idle and going up to 58c or so when stress testing.

Any and all advice would be welcome ^_^

bifday2k · 15 Dec 2009 at 14:08

Id suggest, doing abit of testing, to see what max fsb u can reach, and max u can run yout memory.

To do this leave ur vcore as it is, leave the memory on auto (for timings). Put the cpu multi to its lowest setting most probably 6, and also the fsb/memory ratio to 1:1.

Slowly start raising the FSB untill it becomes unbootable, at that point that will be either ur max fsb, or the max the memory will run at, which ever comes first, at this point you may have to add more volts to the north bridge.

Don't worry about the cpu at this point, as it won't really be getting overclocked due to the multi being very low.

I can't see it really being ur memory, as if you are currently using a 1:1 divider, your memory is only running at 850mhz, which is'nt that high, im fairly sure your memory can go higher, so to me its a FSB issue.

So try testing to see, if it is or not.

Nocky24 · 15 Dec 2009 at 15:14

Have you set your ram voltage to the maximum recommended setting? As you're now overclocking your memory with that fsb. I think its 1.8v with those modules but dont quote me on that. A little obvious i know but just thought i'd ask to rule it out.

Pneumonic · 15 Dec 2009 at 15:47

You will almost certainly need some extra NB voltage with 4 sticks..

As suggested it may be you have a FSB hole on the board.. so go up through your FSB first to establish what you can and can't run..

Then drop the RAM into snail mode slacken the timings right out to 5-5-5-23

I think that board has a 400mhz FSB to NB strap if so run on that..

you can find some more info here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17825087

neo-omega · 15 Dec 2009 at 16:08

Already had upped the NB volts when I added the other 2 sticks, now running at 430x6 stable as a rock but it appears that 450 is just too much for the board or the RAM to handle. I assume I don't need to stress test when just doing a FSB run?
Have clocked this rig before but this time I want to do it *properly* as in my sig I get 3.6 stable at quite low voltages, but I guess I just want to push the envelope and see how far it'll go.

bifday2k · 15 Dec 2009 at 16:50

yeh i never stress test when finding the highest fsb my board/ram will boot at, i use it to know what max i can aim for, and then i would set clocks, and stress, those.

does sound like its the mobo holding it back, as i can't see it being the memory personally, but as with cpu's not all memory will overclock well, but most will comfortably do 900mhz + especially branded stuff.

Personally as ur mobo will only do 430, the added vcore to run at 3.8ghz probably is'nt worth it really, so might be best to stick at ur 3.6ghz.

neo-omega · 15 Dec 2009 at 18:18

Yeah that was my thoughts exactly. It takes about 0.12 vcore increase to even boot at 3.8. Well Am happy with it as it is I guess.

Some benches just to check everything is alright (standard settings for benches).
SuperPi 1M - 14.76s
Furmark - 3861
3dMark06 - 16,242 (cpu score 5047)
3dMarkVantage - P10333

Any other benches to run as well?

bifday2k · 15 Dec 2009 at 18:30

Seems fine to me, my E8400 did 13.1s on superpi but that was a striped down win7 for benching, so that pi time on day to day operating system is about spot on.

all seems well, still a very nice overclock, just a shame the mobo is the problem, my problem with my setup is my memory, my mobo will fly, but ahwell you win some u lose some lol.

Pneumonic · 15 Dec 2009 at 18:51

Motherboard should be fine for 430mhz without to much messing around and should boot up to around 490-500mhz, will probably require some messing with the RAM / voltages..

Highest I could bench (under air) on my Q6600 was 469 * 9, that was on a P5K-E which is the board down from yours

you might need to give the PLL a bump.. 1.6v is the 'safe-ish' limit

setter · 15 Dec 2009 at 18:59

I needed quite a few hefty voltage increases on mine when trying to hit 422 fsb, 3.6ghz was achieved on 1.4 vcore, needed just over 1.5 vcore and pll at 1.6, nb and vtt at 1.34 to get it stable at 3.8ghz, temps went through he roof so i lapped the cpu and TRUE to bring them down a bit.

neo-omega · 15 Dec 2009 at 19:11

Yeah to be honest the con's far outweigh the pro's for me. I'd much rather have a slightly slower chip running much cooler and using less power.

setter · 15 Dec 2009 at 19:19

I ran mine most of the time at 3.6ghz, only knocked it upto 3.8ghz for a few benchmarks, to be fair though it ran pretty cool for an air cooled setup at 3.8ghz (68-68-62-62 prime load) i upped mine more or less as an experiment to see if the chip was capable off it, besides 3.6ghz was more than enough for my uses at the time.

bifday2k · 15 Dec 2009 at 19:31

Pneumonic said:
Motherboard should be fine for 430mhz without to much messing around and should boot up to around 490-500mhz, will probably require some messing with the RAM / voltages..

Highest I could bench (under air) on my Q6600 was 469 * 9, that was on a P5K-E which is the board down from yours

you might need to give the PLL a bump.. 1.6v is the 'safe-ish' limit

ah good point, totally forgot about the PLL