Overclocking Abit IP-35e + e2140
- Thread starter XCougar
- Start date
Hi again,
This is what I had set to get my cpu to 3Ghz.
Hey XCougar,
Can I have more info on this memory you are using please? you say it's 3GB of 800MHz Ram, is that 2x1GB and 2x512MB or? . . . Have you tried removing the extra sticks of memory to see if that makes a difference?
Any chance you can include a CPU-z screenshot of the Memory [SPD] tab please, I want to check they are all the same timings and stuff. I dug up some old screenies from when I was running an E2140 @ 3200MHz and it all seemed quite straight forward although I did need to boost the vNB quite a bit to get the system stable!
I think you may need to reset the BIOS and slowly but surely work your way upwards. I am interested to see how the motherboard sets up your memory when you load BIOS defaults. From defaults I would work my way back up to about 3GHz using pretty much [Auto] settings before switching over to manual.
Assuming you make it to approx 3GHz I would then start turning down each seperate voltage a notch at a time and see which effect the overclock and which don't. It's all a time consuming process this overclocking stuff and it certainly does require a lot of experimentation and a lot of patience!
Did you have any joy with the NBCC testing I mentioned above? basically can you try to boot the system using:
7x350MHz-FSB
7x372MHz-FSB
7x394MHz-FSB
Comparing out CPU-z screenies of an E2140 running at 3GHz I can't help but feel you have a fetish for vCore lol!
Does it actually need over 1.5v to run at 3GHz?
Hmm . . . I'm not sure what running three sticks of DDR2 memory does to the chipset? I've only ever run two sticks myself in dual-channel. I think maybe for testing purposes you should remove the third stick and start your testing again!
The ram is 3 x 1GB.
If your motherboard can boot with an E2140 (natural 8x multi) at 7x350MHz that shows your chipset is good for 400MHz-FSB, what voltage (vNB) did the Nortbridge require to run that btw?
I think you will have a bit better luck if you whip out the extra stick of ram and then with most volts on auto have another crack at it.
When you loaded BIOS defaults and booted Windows how did the memory tab look in CPU-z? With the default FSB being 200MHz did your board set-up your RAM to run at 400MHz (DDR2-800) using the 1:2 multiplier or?
I would be interested to see some screenies of this program running on your system:
MemSet v4.0
It's a very useful tool once you sus it out but even just looking at it from time to time when you tinker in the BIOS can help you see what subtimings are being adjusted by the motherboard!
I think you will be able to achieve your 3.2GHz overclock but there is a bit of a learning curve ahead of you above just setting your RAM to 1:1 sync and bOOsting your vCore sky high!
Let me know how you get on with 2 sticks of RAM, also play with your voltages a bit more, get that vCore right down. Sorry for all the questions but it's flippen hard trying to help overclock someone elses system via the internet lol!
Lol, thanks for your reply, made me laugh, hehe, ive read through what youve said and im gonna try what you said tomorrow (after ive got back from work) as im quite tired now lol.
And yes v core is high, but thats because my understanding of overclocking is not very good (no matter how many guides I read, lol).
Also I would be interested to know what your running at the moment build wise?
Thanks again,
Tom,
And yes v core is high, but thats because my understanding of overclocking is not very good (no matter how many guides I read, lol).
Also I would be interested to know what your running at the moment build wise?
Thanks again,
Tom,
Yeah no worries XCougar, you seem to have a grasp of the basics but there is a lot of other factors to consider. Reading guides is a small part of the learning process, the rest if spending a lot of time tinkering, taking notes and being very patient! 
The bottom line is no two systems normally clock the same, different chips, different chipsets and different memory with their own SPD settings produce enough variables alone to make a basic cut'n'paste overclock almost impossible!
I think the problem you are having with the *No boot* situation at 400MHz-FSB is a mushup in the memory/northbridge dept.
When you load BIOS defaults with a 200MHz-FSB Processor installed the motherboard sets up a heap of timings and voltages expecting the system to be run at 200MHz-FSB. You are trying to get the whole shebang up to 400MHz with only a few manual adjustments (i.e random volts and setting the memory 1:1 sync) and it may require more than that!
Wish I had a nice easy answer for you but I don't, I'm not familiar with your mobo or your memory or indeed how they interact with each other while running an E2140!
The bottom line is no two systems normally clock the same, different chips, different chipsets and different memory with their own SPD settings produce enough variables alone to make a basic cut'n'paste overclock almost impossible!
I think the problem you are having with the *No boot* situation at 400MHz-FSB is a mushup in the memory/northbridge dept.
When you load BIOS defaults with a 200MHz-FSB Processor installed the motherboard sets up a heap of timings and voltages expecting the system to be run at 200MHz-FSB. You are trying to get the whole shebang up to 400MHz with only a few manual adjustments (i.e random volts and setting the memory 1:1 sync) and it may require more than that!
Wish I had a nice easy answer for you but I don't, I'm not familiar with your mobo or your memory or indeed how they interact with each other while running an E2140!
Ok I tried again with just 2 x 1gb sticks of ram.
I set everything back to default (apart from ram ratio, I changed to 1:1, because thats the only choice I can pick, right? Otherwise it will set the ram fsb too high?)
Tried 375 fsb, booted.
380, would not load windows. Raised the cpu v, would not load windows. Raised again, would not load windows. Raised again, and it went through ok.
Ive now got it to 385 fsb with just the cpu v raised, but am unable to get to 390 fsb. =|
Oh yea and that memory tester wouldnt run, it said something about being non compatible?
I set everything back to default (apart from ram ratio, I changed to 1:1, because thats the only choice I can pick, right? Otherwise it will set the ram fsb too high?)
Tried 375 fsb, booted.
380, would not load windows. Raised the cpu v, would not load windows. Raised again, would not load windows. Raised again, and it went through ok.
Ive now got it to 385 fsb with just the cpu v raised, but am unable to get to 390 fsb. =|
Oh yea and that memory tester wouldnt run, it said something about being non compatible?
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For the purpose of trouble-shooting thats a good move! . . . sometimes you need to adjust hardware, move memory too different slots etc, it's utter madness the things you don't expect to have an effect but sometimes they do!
Sometimes you may need to alter BIOS settings slowly and save n exit after each small adjustment, pigeon steps if you will, this is because sometimes the board isn't able to resolve too many changes at once i.e if working on a memory overclock you may first need to adjust vDImm then save/exit then come back in and adjust the Memory timings then save n exit then finally boost the Memory frequency etc rather than adjusting all three at once and then saving and exiting, it's just all too much for the board sometimes so give it a helping hand!
Well I was interested to see how the board set-up your memory if you left it on [Auto]. More than likey you won't be able to overclock to your present level is the memory multiplier isn't changed but by changing the memory ratio to 1:1 sync you are effecting other Northbridge timings, not just the memory speed!
It would be good to see how the board set-ups the memory at full [Auto] and how far you can raise the FSB without adjusting anything. I think there may be a difference in the timings if you don't switch to 1:1 until you have maxed the auto setting as the board will be making adjustments up until that point.
A CPU-z screen of the [memory] tab would be good with the board on [Auto] right after the reset and just before the point when youv'e raised the FSB so far the board won't boot (with the DDR2-Frequency on Auto).
Very good, your starting to get the hang of it now, small steps, small adjustments, lots of variation and you start to set a feel for how your particular hardware plays. Just getting to PC to POST is a good sign and you've already dealt with it not loading Windows by boosting the vCore. You may find that giving the CPU enough vCore to boot windows isn't enough to make it pass stability testing but another few bumps should sort that out.
Now I'm thinking you may need to start tinkering with adding more vNB and vTT. Apart from getting the PC to POST and boot windows another useful test is to power it down so the system is totally OFF and then power up again, sometimes if the settings are a bit ragged the PC won't POST everytime! I've found adding more vCore, or vTT helps this situation?
Ok so is that with the BIOS on full [Auto] apart from vCore and DDR2-Frequency?
Now you should start bringing vNB into the mix, maybe vTT also but not all at the same time.
I'm thinking you will need a big boost in vNB perhaps, give it a try by nudging it upwards to 1.45v ish then save n exit, then if that fails nudge it up again . . . similar approach to how you handled the vCore.
If that doesn't work try the same approach but with vTT, smal steps, lots of patience. If that doesn't work then try the same again except adjust both vTT and vNB etc
Seems there is a problem once the system gets around 385MHz-390MHz-FSB and its still not clear why. Could be a so called FSB-Wall of the chip and this is where an extreme trouble-shooter would swap out the CPU for a known good 500MHz-FSB runner but you don't have the luxury atm!
I'm hoping either a vNB/vTT adjustment will sort this out or perhaps leaving the DDR2-Frequency on full auto a bit longer may shed some light on things!
Out of interest have you done any *isolated* memory testing? that is using the memory multipler to make your RAM run a lot faster than your set FSB, you can do some quick testing with your kit at 400MHz(DDR2-800) while the rest of your system is running a lot slower. Would be good to confirm the sticks good n working.
What's this? You mean Memtest or? more details please!
