Overclocking E8500 update

[dr4g0nf1y]

I can't remember exactly when but I said I had this processoer up to 3.8GHz when coppmparing it to my AMD 955 at the same speed.

Since then I Overclocked it to 4.0GHz a few nights ago and this morning I got it to 4.4GHz (464 x 9.5) @ 1.4v.

Temps after 5 hours shows as follows

core #0 = Low 30 - High 53 - Idle 32
core #1 = Low 30 - High 51 - Idle 32


Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't the official limit for voltage described as 1.3625v?

During a stability check it crashed during 1.3750v so I pushed it to 1.4. I've seen others use at most 1.6 so it would be great if I still have 0.2v to play with.

Can I go any further with this processor or have I maxed out again?

Other components are

MB - Asus Formula Rampage
Ram - 4x 2GB OCZ 800MHz Gold

Current cooler - Zalman 9900


If there's more potential I'll watercool it but I always reach the max voltage before I need it

 

[dr4g0nf1y]

nothing seems to be as high as the cpu I believe.

Although I can't see what exactly HWmonitor is referring to as my NB.

I have readings for "Analog Device ADT7475" that reads as...

Remote 1 - 42 degrees
Local - 40 degrees
Remote 2 - 53 degrees

but that seems stable at those temps

 

[dr4g0nf1y]

I ran IBT at the highest settings and it was stable even if the temps went into the 60's.

should I just be happy with that and not touch the bios any more?

The performance in game was fantastic, there was no load time in map changes but I'd never be happy until I know I've reached it's limit

 

[dr4g0nf1y]

actually I was shocked at my cpu voltage when I just looked.

It was actually set at 1.45v and I started to play as I thought I still had a bit bus speed to play with on that voltage.

not successful at 4.5GHz but showed promise under 4.6GHz but I instead reverted back to 1.425v @ 4.4GHz and is stable.

I don't believe for the temps to be a problem, worst comes to the worst I'll change the cooler for an H50 (which I may do anyway).

Shall I try 4.6GHz beyond 1.45v or be relunctantly happy at 4.4GHz?

 

[dr4g0nf1y]

in the end I'll have to go back to 1.45v.

I had it stable on 1.375 I believe but that was under standard Ibt whereas with the 1.45v it was stable on all.

so it looks like I'll have to keep it at 4.4ghz but I am tempted to get the H50 and possible the 4channel ram cooler as I'm going to start looking to overclock that some more... maybe that'll help the cpu.

downside with this is I have 2 different types of seagate barracuda drives (one has 26mb other has 32mb cache) and start up is is quite slow, whereas I have 3x F3's in raid in my other system so I might also venture having a single SSD for win 7 on this pc might with the prices still being silly I may just leave it.

It'll be a shame to lose my Zalman 9900 because it looks so awesome with the copper heatsinks on ther board but it doesn't cope with the temps going up 200% from idle to load.

Will the H50 prove to perform better with this?

 

[dr4g0nf1y]

Careful with those volts, wolfdales have been known to quickly degrade over 1.4-1.45v so you'll end up having to add more nd more volts to keep the same clocks. Personally I'd try to stay below 1.4v

also, if IBT was stable on standard but not max at 1.37v then it might be worth looking at your NB and DRAM volts to see if that's what's holding you back. Try dropping your cpu multi and running it again.

So are you suggesting that I should go back to 1.4v and try a higher bus and a lower multiplier to get it stable at that speed?

I can remember the voltage I have on my ram so I wouldn't know what the max is I can have on that.

Anyone know what's the limit for the voltage on the dram and northbridge?

 

[dr4g0nf1y]

what am I trying to determine by doing this?

is it trying to make the cpu more stable at the lower voltage I had previously? if so can't I just go back to the setting I had and try lowering the ram speed?

 

[dr4g0nf1y]

Depends what you are trying to achieve?
http://processorfinder.intel.com/details.aspx?sSpec=SLAPKYou already beyond the maxVID for an E8500, each cpu has its own tolerance factor for overclocking dependant on its stock VID.

I knew that I had from what I said in my first post.

after reading what I originally had I'll try playing about with other settings with voltage on 1.375v again. I'm sure I can get it stable around that with adjusting things and still have it 4.4GHz if not I'll go to 1.4v

it's one thing what intel says and something completely different what you're safely able to use.