How easy is it to overclock a Core2?

OzZie

OzZie

OzZie

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Evening,

I recently built a computer for my cousin after i seemed to break his old AGP motherboard of an unknown cause. :rolleyes:

Anyway, its got 4GB of Crucial RAM, a newer Core2 (the 2.0ghz 1mb cache one) and a 8800GTS(superclocked one) and obviously the CPU lets the system down at the speed its currently at. However, i want to overclock it to around 2.5ghz if possible, if not 3ghz would be great. His ram is currently at 667mhz on a divider instead on 800mhz because otherwise the system doesn't post with his P5E-SLI. However, the ram is 800mhz stuff. The multi of the CPU is 10x.

How do i overclock these? Do i simply upp the FSB and watch the VDIMM voltage and CPU Vcore as i go? I tried this before and it completely messed up the windows install (explorer crashing, nothing loading up etc) but that may have been a coinsidence.

Basically, ive only overclocked AMD's which seems a million times easier at the present time, but i know overclocking C2D are also very easy.

Thanks for any help and advice, as he has just bought crysis for his birthday and fears it wont run well at 1280x1024 with medium details, but i said it will if he overclocks his CPU.

:)
 
I think thats the one yeah, although i'm not 100% sure. Specs are 2.0ghz per core with 1mb L2 cache, and its one of the newer ones that are rebranded.
 
Make sure you put the ram in the right slots and check the bios to ensure they are running at the right speed and with the rights volts.
 
Try only putting in 1 stick of RAM in slot 1 first of all, boot into BIOS, and try 800Mhz. If it POSTS, then the RAM probably isn't getting enough volts to run both sticks together.

Once that is done you can start try OC'ing it.
 
Sorry i didnt mention that that he has 4x1GB and there are many issues with 4 stick of RAM. The way i got around it was to lower it all to 667mhz, increase the VDIMM a notch, and the NB voltage.

However, if i overclock the RAM past 667mhz then i may get issues like i did before, but im not sure.

I would just generally like to know the process of overclocking the C2D, and what overclocks what in relation to what. :)
 
You've picked some good hardware there, shouldn't have any issues playing Crysis at Medium settings, probably high for most things.

4x1GB RAM can be an issue ssometimes as you've found out. The usual way round it is to use the maximum rated volts for the RAM, and then increase the NB voltage untill it's stable. What Crucial RAM is it? Ballistix? If it is the PC2-6400 800Mhz Ballisitix set, then you can use 2.2v quite safely - make sure there's at least some sort of airflow around them if you can, or stick a fan near them just to be sure. That, along with increasing NB volts should cure the 800Mhz issue.

Now, that's a side issue to the overclocking as you'll probably be able to set the RAM on a divider so that it doesn't go over 667Mhz until you reach 3.3Ghz on that CPU.

Math: DDR(Double date rate)667 = 333Mhz actual ram speed. If you use the 1:1 ratio for the ram, you'll only hit the DDR667 when the FSB speed is raised to 333Mhz, which means with your current CPU that it'll be running at 333Mhz x10 = 3.33Ghz.

So, setting a 1:1 ratio will take the RAM out of the equation.

Next is the fundamentals, which is disabling Speedstep and C1E and locking the PCIE Frequency to 100 or 101. That allows you to do exactly as you said - start upping the FSB until you get instability, and then increase vcore and start upping FSB again.

Once you get to a point where you don't want to increase vcore anymore, or the temps are getting toasty, stop. Hopefully that should be at a point that you're happy with. Do some extended stability testing at that speed (6-12 hours Prime/Orthos), and then look at the RAM ratios you have available. Pick one that will put the RAM in the 700-800 range and you should be fine.

Post back any problems :)
 
Very good advice above, i did pretty much exactly that (didn't lock the pcie thing) and my e2180 is now running at 3.1 on the stock cooler, very stable, very quiet and very happy.
 
Thanks Richie!

Shall look into all of that you mentioned and will see how i get on. A lot of that is different from the A64's i am used to overclocking, and so that was all helpful information. :) So putting the ram 1:1 will allow my to overclock the CPU whilst not having to worry about the memory speed in relation to this? Then once the CPU speed is good, then i use the best ratio available to get back up (or as close to) to 400/800mhz?

Will post back with results within the next few days.
 
Last edited:
OzZie said:
Thanks Richie!

Shall look into all of that you mentioned and will see how i get on. A lot of that is different from the A64's i am used to overclocking, and so that was all helpful information. :) So putting the ram 1:1 will allow my to overclock the CPU whilst not having to worry about the memory speed in relation to this? Then once the CPU speed is good, then i use the best ratio available to get back up (or as close to) to 400/800mhz?

Will post back with results within the next few days.
Click to expand...

Exactly ;)

Wow...my explanation can't have been bad if you understood it all first time...:D
 
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