Newbie q6600 OC question

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

I come before you guys b/c clearly, you guys know more than I do about OCing the C2D & C2Q cpus.

I have a q6600 G0, p5k deluxe (0404 bios), and 4 gigs crucial ballistix ddr2 800 @ 4-4-4-12 stock.

I did some reading and got the chip to 3.6ghz with a fsb: dram of 1:1 (400fsb).

Everything is basically on auto. What do I need to do to OC this chip more? I am fairly sure I am not even close to its potential. I can do 420x9 (3.78ghz) and load vista, but then it blue screens on me.

Do I need to up the voltage on the northbridge, loosen some ram timings, up the ram voltage (the ram has active cooling), etc etc?

I'm not totally sure and although I know its fun to figure out on my own, I need some guidance. Any advice is appreciated.:yepp:

Thanks in advance. I know this is a stupid question, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.:)

[genec57]

It's the vcore you will need to increase. You don't mention the type of cooling you are using. If you are on stock air you may already be at the effective limit. I don't think you have much headroom even on high end air cooling. On water you may well get close to 4ghz.
I have a q6700 and 3.9 is the limit for me on water cooling. YMMV.

[justin_c]

im going to reiterate some things which you probably already know, no offense intended. and, nothing is going to blow up.

read the sticky (how to OC c2d duals and quads) in the intel info section (subforum).

just a few things that you'll need:
1. preferably a clean windows xp 64 install (64bit because you have 4 gigs)
2. prime95 v25.4 (go to the mersenne.org forums, its not listed on the main download page, as its a beta).
3. speedfan (set 15C temperature offset)
4. cpuz (beta 1.40.9)

when you prime, do small ffts and make sure roundoff checking is enabled.
loosen out the ram timings and disable onboard stuff like serial controllers, irda, etc.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

im going to reiterate some things which you probably already know, no offense intended. and, nothing is going to blow up.

read the sticky (how to OC c2d duals and quads) in the intel info section (subforum).

just a few things that you'll need:
1. preferably a clean windows xp 64 install (64bit because you have 4 gigs)
2. prime95 v25.4 (go to the mersenne.org forums, its not listed on the main download page, as its a beta).
3. speedfan (set 15C temperature offset)
4. cpuz (beta 1.40.9)

when you prime, do small ffts and make sure roundoff checking is enabled.
loosen out the ram timings and disable onboard stuff like serial controllers, irda, etc.


Thanks. Trust me, I'm hard to offend, so say whatever you like.:p:

As answers to what I need....

1. I am running vista ultimate 64, so I am set there.
2. I have prime 95
3. I am also running speed fan (coretemp won't work in vista 64)
4. I have cpuz

When I run prime 95, I will do what you told me to do. I wasn't sure exactly. I was doing large ffts and my set up was stable, but i wasn't testing for more than 2 or 3 hours at a time.


I'm just more concerned about specific bios settings such as ram settings, vcore, fsb and fsb voltage etc. I understand basically what I need to do to test for stability, but I first need to be able to get windows to boot (prepare bios so I don't blue screen) properly. Thats where I am stuck. I've seen what a lot of people have posted and this is how mine is set up:

JumperFree Configuration Settings
AI Overclocking: Manual
CPU Ratio Control: Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting: 9
FSB Strap to Northbridge: 333
FSB Frequency: 400 (405 is stable, 420 is not)
PCI-E Frequency: 100
DRAM Frequency: DDR2-800
DRAM Command Rate: auto
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency: 4
RAS# to CAS# Delay: 4
RAS# Precharge: 4
RAS# Activate to Precharge: 12
TWR: auto
TRFC: auto
TWTR: auto
TRRD: auto
TRTP: auto
DRAM Static Read Control: Disabled

Transaction Booster: AUTO
Boost Level: (only displays when Transaction Booster is set to Disable or Enabled)
Clock Over-Charging Mode: AUTO

CPU Spread Spectrum: Disabled
PCIE Spread Spectrum: Disabled

CPU Voltage: Auto
CPU Voltage Reference: Auto
CPU Voltage Damper: Enabled
CPU PLL Voltage: Auto
DRAM Voltage: 2.2
FSB Termination Voltage: Auto
North Bridge Voltage: Auto
North Bridge Voltage Reference: Auto
South Bridge Voltage: Auto

As you can see, the majority is set to auto and I don't really have a clue what to set some of these things to. I've seen what others have done, and try to play around with it, but I am clearly doing something wrong.

Considering that I only have the ram timings, multiplier, FSB set manually, I'm amazed this chip can boot to windows @ 3.6ghz. I have all the other things turned off that need to be to ensure no throttling occurs.

[Bail_w]

CPU Voltage: Auto --- > NEVER LEAVE IT ON AUTO, try 1.5v, then decrease it if you find it stable.
FSB Termination Voltage: Auto --> 1.4 or 1.5v
North Bridge Voltage: Auto ---> 1.5v

[CHaynes112]

im going to reiterate some things which you probably already know, no offense intended. and, nothing is going to blow up.

read the sticky (how to OC c2d duals and quads) in the intel info section (subforum).

just a few things that you'll need:
1. preferably a clean windows xp 64 install (64bit because you have 4 gigs)
2. prime95 v25.4 (go to the mersenne.org forums, its not listed on the main download page, as its a beta).
3. speedfan (set 15C temperature offset)
4. cpuz (beta 1.40.9)

when you prime, do small ffts and make sure roundoff checking is enabled.
loosen out the ram timings and disable onboard stuff like serial controllers, irda, etc.

just a note to all, CPU-Z 1.41.0 beta is out :)

-LaTeR

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Thanks guys.

My current Cpu voltage is 1.408 reported by cpuz. Is this in the normal range for 3.6ghz?

As well, my OC set up fails about 8 minutes into prime95. Clearly I have work to do. Maybe setting the voltages in the bios myself instead of auto will help. Can't hurt. I'll try some of these things now and see how stable I am. If I am stable, then I will try to figure out how to post past 3.6ghz.

[treatmentx]

What are your temps? 1.40 seems a little weak for 3.6ghz, could bump a bit more.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Thats what auto set the voltage at for 3.6. I went in and changed it to 1.4375 or something like that and I got failures on prime 95 in 1 minute. You're right, it is weak. I want to stabalize 3.0ghz first, then go for 3.4-3.6 then try to achieve 4.0ghz.

I'm running prime 95 (the 64 bit version you guys said to get, p64v254) and so far, its stable, longer than 3.6ghz at least. I'll have to keep it running and see.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

I did the prime95 stress test for 5.5 hours (I have to to go bed soon, and I can't leave it up all night b/c the fan on high is too damn loud) and it didn't crash. Temps were around 67*C for the CPU. The cores were a bit lower.

EDIT:

I can boot and run prime95 w/ 3.7ghz, but not sure if its stable for everyday use. The temp went up to 68*C which is pushing it, I think. I the threshold is 70*C, right? Anyways, I think that Its possible to get this to maybe 3.8ghz although I am not sure about the cooling. I hope that I have my cooling set up right. I would have thought a triple rad would handle more than this (closer to 4 ghz). Maybe I just need to screw down my D-Tek fuzion a bit more? Who knows? I'll figure this out later.

[michaLcoughliN]

Good luck with 4ghz.. Not many people achieve that... Be thankful for 3.7ghz . Trust me Im 3.8ghz on my E6850 wishing i went quad.

3.7ghz is more then enough. Are you idling @ 68c ??? Because thats too high for Idle temps. keep it below 60c for 24.7 usage IMO.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

I apologize again for not being clear. I've been studying O chem and you know how that can be.

@ 3.7ghz, I'm IDLE w/ a temp of about 30*c

Right now @ 100% CPU LOAD, I'm 65*C for the cpu and each core hovers around 58*C - 60*C. This is tolerable. Mind you, I have a 300 CFM fan blowing on my triple rad which isn't the best way to remove the heat. When I get my san ace fans and have them pull air through the rad, my temps will probably drop a degree or 2. Not much, but helps buffer me a bit.

I still have my ram timings @ 4-4-4-12 and haven't raised the voltage to it either. The cpu is 1.525 v or something like that. CPUZ reports it wrong though, not sure why. It claims I'm running @ 1.175. I WISH!

I think I can get 3.8 or possibly 3.9 out of it if I loosen up the ram timings and figure out just what voltages are needed across the board.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

Another question guys...

For a Q6600, what is the rule of thumb for max voltage? Is there a basic deadline so to speak that if you break it, your CPU is dead by voltage? 1.65v +? I honestly don't know. I'm at 1.500 or so, and don't want to jump anywhere insane. I think under 1.6 won't cause death, but past that, I don't know.

Also, I'm testing 3.7ghz w/ prime 95 and my temps are much better due to using actual 120mm fans instead of a blower fan (being cheap). At this point, do I need to loosen up the ram timings to 5-5-5-15 from 4-4-4-12 and up the voltage as well (from 2.2v to 2._?) and up the voltage?

[justin_c]

i would say max out about 1.6V, that would equal something like 1.55V under load. you'll probably be reaching above 80C in temps, but thats something you should worry about after youve achived a stable clock.

if its completely stable at 3.7, then you can tighten the timings. 2.2V should be plenty for 4-4-4-12 1000.

[[XC] Synthetickiller]

When you say tighten the timings, you mean these?

TWR: auto
TRFC: auto
TWTR: auto
TRRD: auto
TRTP: auto

My temps are 61for the CPU itself & 57,57,56,55 for the cores. I only have 2 fans on my triple radiator, waiting on more + a rheostat. Anyways, my temps can handle it, i'll just not go above 1.6v, thanks.

Mine has been stable for about 1.5 hours so I'll see if It can just go the full 8 hours or so before messing with it. If thats stable, then I'll try 3.8ghz (425x9 I hope).

What is your comp running @ 24/7 right now? Just out of curiosity....