Q6600 and P5Q Dlx – help clocking past 3GHz

[Misiowiec]

I’ve got an issue overclocking a Q6600 G0 past 3GHz on a P5Q Deluxe (1306 BIOS) with 4 x 2Gb OCZ PC8500 RAM on Vista x64 and I’m wondering what’s holding me back. When I try for 3.2GHz (have tried both 8x400 and 9x355) the IntelBurnTest will crash or the system will reboot. CPU cooler is a TRUE with a 800rpm 120mm fan and temps hit about 67-70 degrees with IBT, less with Prime 95.

See below for settings with comments – appreciate any help as to what I should change to try for 3.2 GHz. Thanks!

1. CPU-Z CPU
2. CPU-Z Memory
3. CPUID Hardware Monitor

AI Overclock tuner: Manual
CPU Ratio Setting: 8X
FSB Frequency: 375
PCI-E Frequency: 100
FSB Strap to North Bridge: 266
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-940MHz [have tried lower RAM speeds with no change]
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel A1: AUTO
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel A2: AUTO
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel B1: AUTO
DRAM CLK Skew on Channel B2: AUTO
DRAM Timing Control: Manual

CAS# Latency: 5
DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay: 5
DRAM RAS# Precharge: 5
DRAM RAS# Activate to Precharge: 18
RAS# to RAS# Delay : AUTO
Row Refresh Cycle Time: AUTO
Write Recovery Time: AUTO
Read to Precharge Time: AUTO

DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled
DRAM Read Training: AUTO
MEM. OC Charger: AUTO
AI Clock Twister: AUTO

CPU Voltage: 1.38125 [with 1.35V at 3GHz the system fails in IBT. Tried 1.45V at 3.2GHz with IBT failing]
CPU GTL Voltage Reference (0/2): 0.630
CPU GTL Voltage Reference (1/3): 0.670
CPU PLL Voltage: AUTO
FSB Termination Voltage: 1.36
DRAM Voltage: 2.06 [have tried up to 2.1V]
NB Voltage: 1.26 [have tried up to 1.35V; probably needs more with 4 RAM sticks?]
NB GTL Reference: 0.630
SBridge Voltage: 1.10
PCIE SATA Voltage: 1.50

Load Line Calibration: Enabled
CPU Spread Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled
CPU Clock Skew: AUTO
NB Clock Skew: AUTO
CPU Margin Enhancement: Optimized

Advanced CPU Settings
CPU Ratio Setting: 8
C1E Support: Disabled
Max CPUID Value Limit: Disabled
Intel Virtualization Tech: Disabled
CPU TM Function: Disabled
Execute Disable Bit: Disabled

 

[Misiowiec]

The first thing I would do is goto Xtreme Systems website and do a search for Ketts modded bios - this will make overclocking easier - get the latest deluxe version.

Try setting everything back to default (especially all the voltages) and try these setting:
356 FSB
9x Ratio
Set the RAM at 333 speed 800
The DRAM voltage should be given on your RAM suppliers packaging/website (mine is 2.1-2.2)
Disable - everything that the BIOS says will enable better overclocking when disabled - spreadspectrum,etc

Go into the advanced section of CPU and disable everything except CH1e or whatever its called.

Then disable everything not required eg Splashtop, Marvell IDE, floppy, Serial port, firewire,etc.

Upon boot load cpuz and write down the voltage it has auto set for the CPU.

Test the system for stability.

If stable - try booting with 2 knotches less voltage and repeat until you find the lowest stable boot.

If unstable - add 2 knotches of voltage and test again - repeat until stable.

The Kett bioses have a larger memory table so should recognise your brand of RAMS settings they also provide greater overclocking potential than the official BIOS's.

Thanks, have tried all of the above without any luck except for Ket's mBIOS which I'll try tonight. Seems hard to believe a Q6600 should be limited to 3GHz! Will also try to get it running with two sticks only, tough I will want to use four sticks in the future.

No need for the chipset voltages to be anywhere near that high at for 3.2ghz.

Firstly -

Leave the GTL's on Auto. You only really need to start tweaking them as you near 450mhz.

Set PLL to 1.52v, FSB Term to 1.26v, and NB to 1.24v. Leave SB, PCI SATA voltage and the NB GTL Ref on auto.

Ok, tried all that without any change - still won't play nice at 3.2GHz. Any other ideas?

I've found that when Priming if it reboots the PC under test then that's normally associated with a problem with RAM.

Change the RAM FSB to be as near to 800 as you can get it and see if that makes a diff.

Have actually tried it at less than the rated speed, but I'll try it again tonight with two sticks only.

Set your FSB to Northbridge Strap to 333mhz

NB Voltage wise: 1.24 / 1.26 should be enough up to 400mhz FSB, 1.3v for between 400-500mhz and you should never need more than 1.4v..

VTT (FSB Termination Voltage) I have been told should be kept above NB voltage but never more than .5v higher

when clocking your CPU make sure your RAM is running really slow.. set the timmings right out and keep the frequency as low as possible... make sure you are giving the RAM enough voltage as per manufactures guidelines

Ok, will play around with the FSB Termination Voltage tonight and tie it to the NB voltage. Will also try with really relaxed memory timings and will up the voltage to 2.2V

 

[Misiowiec]

I'll update by saying I have no update, or success rather. It still won't clock past 3GHz and I've tried countless combinations of voltages and FSB / multiplier settings. Ket's mBIOS made no difference either. I'll play around with the RAM sticks; still have my old 1Gb GeIL PC6400 RAM so I'll try that too.

Some apps that I though didn't work due to the overclock (CPU-Z, IBT, games etc) continued to crash when I returned to 3GHz, and later even at stock. A reinstall solved most problems but some still don't work so I'm wondering if not only the apps but also Windows has been corrupted due to the overclock. Any thoughts on this one?

On the good side I've transferred everything to a P182 which fits perfectly; there were some reported problems of the TRUE touching the side panel and the I/O shield not aligning properly but this is not the case here. Also replaced the stock cooler on the 4780 with a Accelero S1 which lowered idle and load temps 20+ degrees and made the system inaudible (have a total of 4 x Scythe 800rpm 120mm fans, plus the PSU).

 

[Misiowiec]

Have you tried disabling Load Line and also changing the FSB strap to 333?

Tried this last night and it may actually have added some stability. It boots fine, runs the Prime 95 and Everest stability tests (have only tried 20 mins in each) but still crashes the Intel Burn Test (that is, just IBT, not the system). The vdroop is really quite something with these settings - I've had to incrementally move all the way to 1.5V VCORE in the BIOS which is only about 1.42V in actual use, so I might have to push even further.

According to Anandetech leaving Load Line disabled is recommended on an Asus board, but I'm a bit worried about the peak voltage now - according to HW Monitor it shot up to 2.04 at one point (!) which really can't be good.

 

[Misiowiec]

Loadline Calibration has never given me an issue with clocking.. really dont see why you would need to disable it..

Enable Loadline Calibration
FSB: 400mhz
CPU Multi to 8

what vcore are you using for 3.2? set the vcore to 1.4v initially (unless you no you can post at lower, if it does not post then up it in small steps)

set the RAM to the max voltage the manufacture recommends.. disable AI clock twister or set it to 0 cant remember the exact BIOS setting... on that FSB and 333mhz divider you should have an option to run the RAM @ 801mhz set it to that.. set you PCI-E Frequency to 105.. set NB voltage to 1.3v and FSB termination to 1.36v..

what is you PLL currently set at?

and then can you do the following... run a blend test in Prime95 let it run for a good couple of hours lets elimiate the RAM as an issue here..

It's now stable at 3.2GHz / 1.55V with Loadline Calibration disabled, but I'll play around with it a bit more to see if I can lower voltages. As you can see IBT works fine, as does the torture test in Prime 95 (will do the blend test too to eliminte RAM), stability test in Everest Ultimate and various 3DMark benchmarks. Games and apps also work fine (except Crysis and STALKER which I can't get to run on Vista x64 no matter what I do... so much for trying out that 4870!).

I'll try to lower the voltage and will play around with the Loadline Calibration again. Thanks also for the other settings, will try. PLL is 1.52V btw.

it might be that you have an FSB hole?

Well I has issues both at 400x8 and 355x9 so I doubt it, but I guess it doesn't hurt to try 457x7 or so.