Help with advance overclocking bios settings and stress testing

Constantinos · 23 Jun 2007 at 22:04

Please to whoever can help,

My system build is:

Case-Coolermaster stacker 830
MB- P5B Premium Vista Ready
CPU-Conroe E6600
CPU cooler- Asus Silent Knight
Memory- Crucial Ballistix (2x1GB) DDR2 PC2-8500C5
Graphics-8800GTX

Current overclock set up running at 3.3 MHz (just over in fact):

CPU Configuration:

Modify ratio support-disabled
C1E support-enabled
Max CPUID value limit-disabled
Vanderpool technology-enabled
CPU TM function-enabled
Execute disable bit-enabled
PECI-enabled
Speedstep-enabled

I have not disabled C1E or speedstep simply because I don’t believe that they really interfere with the overclocking and keep the CPU cool whilst idle.

Jumperfree config:

CPU freq-367 X 9 (multiplier)
DRAM freq-1101
PCI Express freq-100
PCI clock synchronization-33.33
Spread Spectrum-disabled
Memory V-2.15
CPU-1.4250
FSB Termination-1.200
NB V-1.45
SB V-1.50
ICH Chipset Voltage-1.057

Note: I am also unable to do increments of 5 in the NBV, instead it goes from 1.25,1.45.1.55.1.65

Northbridge:

Everything on default except for timings, which are set to recommended 5.5.5.15 and the SPD disabled to keep the timings and I have tried to loosen the timings to 4.4.4.12 but without success, the computer simply has a hard time booting.

Stress testing

I have been stress testing with both ORTHOS beta and SP2004 (2x instances), priority set at level 9 for approximately 30mins +, just to test initial stability, although I am not sure what priority level I should be testing at so I would be grateful for any advice here. My current temps using core temp 39 idle and 55/56 at load but at present I am testing with a priority level 5-I am a little concerned about doing possible damage and heat of course.

What I like to know and understand is do I need to make further adjustments in the bios settings for possibly better overclocking the above settings have been creating gradually to find stability. I would also be grateful to what priority levels should I be testing at and what do they mean?

I have tested the overall system using 3DMark06 without any problems.

Many thanks in advance

Constantine

Tooks · 23 Jun 2007 at 22:22

Your Northbridge timings are actually your RAM speed settings. Going to 4-4-4-12 is actually 'tighter', not 'looser'.

To be honest, your clock isn't a bad one as it is. I take it you've gone as far as you can on the current voltage, in which case try a bit more CPU voltage and see if that allows a bit more FSB. The temps your are reporting look fine, so I don't think you need to worry about any heat issues.

You might want to try tweaking the FSB Term voltage up a tad as well.

Constantinos · 24 Jun 2007 at 07:47

Tooks said:
Your Northbridge timings are actually your RAM speed settings. Going to 4-4-4-12 is actually 'tighter', not 'looser'.

To be honest, your clock isn't a bad one as it is. I take it you've gone as far as you can on the current voltage, in which case try a bit more CPU voltage and see if that allows a bit more FSB. The temps your are reporting look fine, so I don't think you need to worry about any heat issues.

You might want to try tweaking the FSB Term voltage up a tad as well.

Thank you for your reply, especially about memory timings. I am a little curious as to what you mean with "as far as you can go on current voltage!"- are you referering to NBv or other voltage settings and please when it comes to stress testing with Orthos SP2004 or the single core version (just SP2004),
what priority level should I be testing at please.

Sorry a few more things you mentioned the "FSB Term voltage" and notching up some volts, I am curious as to what this effects in terms of overclocking this has and I have also noticed that in the "Jumperfree config" once you start increasing voltages the bios starts to block highlight fiqures notably the FSB Term, CPUv NBv and memory voltage-what does this mean, especially as I'm not used ASUS mobos/bios etc?

thks

Constantine

Tooks · 24 Jun 2007 at 09:41

On Asus boards, when you start to set voltages outside of normal operating limits, it just colours them differently. On mine, the text goes a slightly bolder colour, and then red when you set high voltages (eg 1.55v and above on the CPU).

You asked how you could get a better clock in your original post, by which I assumed you meant higher/more stable? The way I approach OC'ing is first to raise the FSB little by little but leaving the CPU voltage at stock/auto. Once it no longer boots or is unstable, I give it a bit more CPU voltage and see how that goes. I carry on doing that until either I get to my OC target, or temps and instability mean that's as far as I can go. Then, I back it off a bit to ensure it's within limits.

FSB Termination voltages when increased can sometimes get you a bit more FSB speed (and hence CPU speed), or make the whole thing a bit more stable. I've never needed to increase mine by +0.10v though.

For stress testing, most people use Orthos SP2004 which stresses both cores at once. Intels TAT in my opinion stresses the CPU more, and I always get higher load temps with TAT than Orthos.

Back to Orthos, if you want to just stress your CPU, then Small FFTs is the setting you need. The Blend setting stresses both your CPU and RAM, useful if your FSB is OC'ing your RAM too.

It sounds like you're going about things the right way, and remembering the golden rule of small changes at a time, and only one change at a time so you know where you are!

Constantinos · 24 Jun 2007 at 13:50

Tooks said:
On Asus boards, when you start to set voltages outside of normal operating limits, it just colours them differently. On mine, the text goes a slightly bolder colour, and then red when you set high voltages (eg 1.55v and above on the CPU).

You asked how you could get a better clock in your original post, by which I assumed you meant higher/more stable? The way I approach OC'ing is first to raise the FSB little by little but leaving the CPU voltage at stock/auto. Once it no longer boots or is unstable, I give it a bit more CPU voltage and see how that goes. I carry on doing that until either I get to my OC target, or temps and instability mean that's as far as I can go. Then, I back it off a bit to ensure it's within limits.

FSB Termination voltages when increased can sometimes get you a bit more FSB speed (and hence CPU speed), or make the whole thing a bit more stable. I've never needed to increase mine by +0.10v though.

For stress testing, most people use Orthos SP2004 which stresses both cores at once. Intels TAT in my opinion stresses the CPU more, and I always get higher load temps with TAT than Orthos.

Back to Orthos, if you want to just stress your CPU, then Small FFTs is the setting you need. The Blend setting stresses both your CPU and RAM, useful if your FSB is OC'ing your RAM too.

It sounds like you're going about things the right way, and remembering the golden rule of small changes at a time, and only one change at a time so you know where you are!

Many thanks for your reply, you have been most helpfull in every aspect.

I too use "TAT" and since you use this too may I ask you how long you run TAT at full load to determine that your system is stable, the other thing is if I use sp2004 to stress test and use any 1 of the choices given ie blend test, core test etc what priority level should I use 1,2,3,4 etc?

Many thks

Constantine

Tooks · 24 Jun 2007 at 16:09

To test my interim clocks, I don't usually run for more than about 30 to 60 mins.

Once I've reached my target OC, then I run either TAT or Orthos for about 12 hours, overnight or something.

I'm not sure what the priorities mean on Orthos to be honest, but I always just leave it on priority one.

Happy to help by the way, but thanks for saying thanks!

Constantinos · 25 Jun 2007 at 10:17

Tooks said:
To test my interim clocks, I don't usually run for more than about 30 to 60 mins.

Once I've reached my target OC, then I run either TAT or Orthos for about 12 hours, overnight or something.

I'm not sure what the priorities mean on Orthos to be honest, but I always just leave it on priority one.

Happy to help by the way, but thanks for saying thanks!

Cheers Tooks, you have been great help again, I've been stress testing using Orthos priority 5, so I guess my system is having quite a sound testing. Everything is going sweet regarding this so again thanks for the info and help.

Constantine