Q6600 Woes

[Chris_F]

Haven't got any help yet, I'll just copy/paste my posts from another forum.



Upgraded my cooling and trying to overclock this Q6600 (SLACR G0).

Having some problems getting past 3.2 or even getting 3.2 stable. Some odd things are that if I try and set my vcore to something like 1.45 or higher, I'll boot up Windows 7 and CPU-Z will show the correct FSB, but the voltage is back to default. Also, I was running prime95 @3.2GHz and just over 1.4v and CPU-Z kept showing the multiplier drop from 9 to 6 and occasionally back to 9. As far as I know this motherboard doesn't even support Speed Step, and if it does, it is certainly disabled. Not to mention it was under full load while it did this.

Here are the DFI bios settings.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=79330&stc=1&d=1262584409




So, yeah. IDK what to do. Running my Q6600 G0 at 3.2GHz and 1.472 volts and I still get random programs crashing. Anything above 3.2GHz is impossible to boot. Temps are 35C idle and 43-45C load. Is my processor just a bad overclocker or am I just not doing things right?

FSB is 1425MHz, ram is unlinked and running at 800MHz. I've tried raising the northbridge voltages too. No help.

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=79345&stc=1&d=1262653621




If things weren't already confusing enough, I can't make heads or tails of the FSB <-> RAM relationship.

I have DDR2-800 aka PC2-6400, which to my understanding is supposed to support up to 400(1600QP)MHz FSB. The default FSB for the Q6600 is 266(1066)MHz so to my understanding DDR2-533 would be the perfect fit for stock settings.

HOWEVER.

If I set my BIOS settings to auto I get a FSB of 266(1066)MHz and unlinked ram set to 800MHz.

If I set it as linked and a ratio of 1:1 it shows the ram as being set for 1066MHz as you can see in the image. It will not boot in this configuration.

According to this it would seem I require DDR2-1066 PC2-8500 just to run 1:1 at stock Q6600 setting. What the heck is going on here?

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=79346&stc=1&d=1262659859


OK

To sum up all my issues neatly:

1: I have PC2-6400 ram which should be good for up to 400MHz (or 1600MHz Quad Pumped) FSB at 1-to-1 ratio. And yet, for SOME reason, I cant even run 1-to-1 at 266MHz (or 1066MHz Quad Pumped). That's certainly a serious issue.

2: Can barley if even run this thing at 3.2GHz stable. Even when pushing close to 1.5 volts. And temps aren't the issue. I've got a brand new Venomous X installed and even at 1.5 volts this thing doesn't even hit 50C at load.

3: For some reason, the multiplier occasionally drops from 9x to 6x in CPU-Z. This has never happened at lower clock speeds and ONLY happens if the CPU is under 100% load, so normal SpeedStep and similar couldn't possibly be the reason.

[leo27]

Firstly the max CPU Vtt (or FSB Termination) is 1.55 which you are currently running, this is way to high for 3.2Ghz i'd suggest around 1.36-1.4 maybe lower should be all you'd need.
I would also suggest that you read through a thread on your DFI board so that you understand what the BIOS options are (i can't help with the exact thread since you haven't posted your hardware).
As a guide for 3.2Ghz the stock voltage (VID from coretemp) of your Q6600 should be adequate or slightly higher like 1.35 1.4 at max.

Here's a link to a reply i posted on a similar thread that may help you http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showpost.php?p=4183912&postcount=2 (just ignore the motherboard links)

As for the multi dropping have you disabled C1E as well???
You do have a couple of strange issues, have you run a couple of passes of memtest86+ to check if the memory isn't faulty???
If the memory isn't the cause try resetting the motherboard to defults and run it at 1:1 at stock clocks and check if it's stable. If it isn't stable at stock then it is either a mobo or CPU problem in which case i'd try the mobo with a different CPU (if possible) to eliminate one or the other.

[Chris_F]

Forgot to say that it is a DFI LANParty UT NF680I LT SLI

C1E is disabled and there are no other options that would have to do with power savings or the like.

And like I said, I can't run the ram 1:1 at default settings. According to what that bios screen is telling me I'd have to underclock the Q6600 to 1.8GHz in order to run it 1:1

I'm saying the FSB <-> MEM setting are all ****ing backwards as near as I can tell. I posted a picture of what I mean.

[leo27]

If thats the case then a Mobo RMA would be your only answer unless a bios update fixes it

[HuffPCair]

Are you using any type of software to overclock with? I know that my nvidia software would change everything back to where it was before even if I set the voltages in the BIOS. So I just uninstalled it.

[Chris_F]

I've had the parts for about 2 years now running at stock settings without problems. I have no software overclocking utilities.

[leo27]

I would say that the mobo has died but before you RMA (if you still can) i'd try either a bios update if there is one or a re-flash as it could be just the bios has screwed up and a re-flash can fix it. Just to make sure when you flash the bios set everything to defaults, then clear the CMOS then flash the bios then reset to defaults and clear CMOS then see if it is working correctly.

[Chris_F]

Ok, well the ram issue is a non issue. DFI has some weird ways of dealing with ram frequencies and it seems counterintuitive which was causing some confusion on my part. I don't think there is anything wrong with this motherboard.

I did manage to boot into windows at 3.6GHz, although my graphics drivers failed to load and I had no mouse. Also, it took almost 1.6 :eek: volts to do it.

Here are the bios settings I used. Any ideas on what I can do?

http://www.overclockers.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=79400&stc=1&d=1262747715

[noroger]

A dropping multiplier while under load sounds like a motherboard issue if you ask me. If you're having multiple issues with the motherboard, have you considered flashing it to a newer or even older BIOS revision? If you bought the motherboard from someone else, maybe it's running some f'd up beta BIOS.

I saw that there is an option "CPU Clock Ratio Unlock" and it's set to disabled. I'd definitely set it manually to 9x.

Also for the memory problem and OC in general, try running 8x multi instead of 9x.

[NeoGeo333]

Its not the cpu im sure about it, had an UT NF680I LT SLI for a while and can tell you the max i could get my q6600 was 3.0ghz. It just that the 680i has too may fsb holes and its a crappy m/b by itself. Replaced with a DFI x38 and is stable at 3.6ghz but using at 3.4 to make it easier on the q6600. My sugg is get rid of it.

[Chris_F]

I used to be able to hit 3.0GHz on 1.28v, now I can't get windows to boot ar 3GHz with even 1.38 volts. I've seriously had it with this thing. I think I'm just going to give up on this thing.

[Chris_F]

Well, even at 3GHz i get the multi dropping to 6x when running to prime95. I guess I'll be trashing this motherboard and getting an i5 or something.

:mad: :brick: :mad: :brick:

This board doesn't have an emoticon suitable for representing my rage right now.

[GasPipeJimmy]

Your problems almost sound like mine.
It just might be your motherboard and one of the electrical components on it drifting well outside of tolerance.