Biostar TForce P965 Deluxe - 530FSB 1:1 4-4-3-4

Hey all, I'm new here but not new to overclocking. (previous overclocking endeavors of mine included a duron 600 @ 1ghz, a P4 1.6A @ 2.66ghz, and a P4 2.4C at 3.2ghz). I waited awhile through a bunch of overly expensive processors that didn't overclock well enough and finally found a candidate worthy of building a bang-for-buck overclocking system in the E6300 with Tforce P965PT. I actually paid a total of $210US for the motherboard and CPU. But anyway, here's my experience:

Out of the box I was unable to break 300mhz FSB. I flashed to the rebels haven 921 mod bios and was able to squeeze an extra 72mhz out of the board, but I'm stuck at 372mhz now. The CPU is air cooled, idling at 32C and reaching the low 50's under load. A significant increase in CPU voltage didn't provide any increase in attainable clock speed, despite temps remaining comfortably low. I don't think my RAM is holding me back either. I have previously tested the ram stable at 450mhz at 4:5 (667mhz strap) at FSB360 (see screenshot) but I am currently using 1:1 (533mhz strap) at FSB372.

http://68.6.122.230:81/cpuram.jpg

I think the CPU has more to give than 7x372, after seeing other results online. My NB heatsink, however, is painfully hot to the touch. It burns me when I do a finger test (I can't get a temperature reading on screen anywhere). I am thinking I need to replace the NB cooler, but I've been out of the scene for so long, I don't know what chipset coolers are good/worth their cost. Does anyone have any good suggestions for northbridge air coolers under $25US? I'd like to at least break the elusive FSB400 barrier and run my DDR2-800 rated ram at or above SPD with 1:1 strap.

wut are your bios settings when your runnin at 372 at 1:1 and how tight are your timings.it could be just a few settinds are wrong in bios. also try the 914 rebels bios it may work better. i have a swiftech mcx-159-cu northbridge heatsink it cost $32us and its a beast very thick base over quarter inch of copper and cools great.

@ monkeytrash32: Post a screen shot of Memset3.1
I bet Trcf is around 28 instead of 42.

hi i have biostar 965pt
with Zalman 9500

I want to install THERMALTAKE EXTREME SPIRIT II for the northbridge but not sure if it fits cause zalman 9500 is big

So something weird happened.

Originally I was using the 103rh bios, and couldn't run anything but 5-5-5-12 on my ram.

Now I'm using 914rh bios and I'm running 4-4-4-10 no problem.

Weird huh? Too bad I still can't boot past 479...479 boots, 480 doesn't :\

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by akaloith

hi i have biostar 965pt
with Zalman 9500

I want to install THERMALTAKE EXTREME SPIRIT II for the northbridge but not sure if it fits cause zalman 9500 is big

---

it will fit if u turn the nb cooler the right way and it doesnt matter if they touch

DamienKC@ can u boot with the nb volt setting on 1.55 cuz my board wont and i have a good nb cooler. mine did 480 and then a crash but didnt get to test it enough. will have results soon i hope

I've noticed that when I run at FSB372 with 1:1 DRAM, as opposed to FSB360 with 4:5 DRAM, it automatically changes to more aggressive memory timings. It goes from 5-5-5-15 to 5-4-4-12 on its own when I change the strap from 4:5 to 1:1. I've also noted that my tRFC changes from 35 to 28. I don't know too much (other than the basic concepts involved) about memory timings because they didn't seem to matter so much last time I overclocked a system (about 3-4 years ago). At any rate, here are my memset/CPU-Z RAM screenshots at 7x372:

http://68.6.122.230:81/ram.jpg

I think I've decided I'm going to upgrade my NB cooler and move the stock NB cooler to SB before trying to go any higher, but any input on my RAM timings would be appreciated :)

is the Tforce and the Tforce deluxe the same ? the deluxe have some extra :banana::banana::banana::banana: right?
i found the tforce 965 for 77 bucks

It seems to me that there's no deluxe in the usa...

there is no deluxe in the u.s for sale as of yet. the deluxe has 6 sata and pt has 4, the deluxe has raid and the pt dont and i think theres a few more things but cant remember right now.

Newegg has it for $72, but open box. I just sent mines back because the motherboard pins were bent off:nono:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Scyth3

Newegg has it for $72, but open box. I just sent mines back because the motherboard pins were bent off:nono:

---

urs was openbox?

Monkeytrash, what is your MCH / NB voltage set to?

hmm, do i bite and buy one for $72.....


Are they any good with E6600s?
are they hit or miss on high fsb...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by natedog420

also try the 914 rebels bios it may work better.

---

I've tried the 921 dlx bios and the 914 dlx bios from rebels haven, and neither one yielded anything more than FSB372. I might try Biostar's new 103 bios for the 965PT today when I get home from work.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DragonOrta

Monkeytrash, what is your MCH / NB voltage set to?

---

stock. I'm hesitant to set those voltages higher because my NB heatsink is so hot already that I fear frying it. I nearly blistered my hand doing a finger test the other day. I don't have a temperature reading on it, but my NB feels hotter than my uncle's old Athlon XP 2100+ (Palomino revision A) CPU did, and that thing ran at 70C under load. To make myself feel comfortable, I'll replace the heatsink, then try overvolting.

Rebels have a 103 mod for 965PT posted here......

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JWilson

Rebels have a 103 mod for 965PT posted here......

---

Thanks a bunch for the link JWilson. I was having major problems breaking 300-310 FSB no matter what I was doing. I tried the official BIOS 103 and didn't improve very much, but the Rebel's Haven got me up to 355x8 for now on stock air cooling and stock voltage. I am looking forward to pushing it further when my aftermarket HSF comes in.

Good deal! They have a pretty decent discussion going on about trying to reach 500FSB. Several users are at 510-515..... It's here....

@Ajfina

Yea, mines was open box. Maybe thats the same one I sent back:slapass: . Cuz I saw they had more open box after my RMA was approved.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by monkeytrash32

but I'm stuck at 372mhz now. I'd like to at least break the elusive FSB400 barrier and run my DDR2-800 rated ram at or above SPD with 1:1 strap.

---

Hi, i myself built new pc with:
Biostar Tforce 965PT (bios 103bs, C2 stepping, SL9QX)
c2d e6300 SL9SA L631A364
cooled with Zalman 9500LED, changed stock NB cooling to zalman NB47J and some aluminium sinks to mosfets
ram is Elpida DDR2-1066 5-5-5-15. single 1GB stick

i had same ~360-370 limit problem, whetever i tried, even with high MCH/mem/core voltages and dividers. every way it stuck at around 366Mhz FSB. First thought was that i have crappy cpu.
But being not satisfied, i tried 400Mhz (yes, 360+ didnt boot), just for a thought and BANG: machine was up and running. same voltage, same settings (1:1). Stepped up a bit 425>450>475>500Mhz and all fine. Booted FSB500 1:1 fine (mem 5-5-5-16), tried spi (sime ~17,5 sec, i have a screen on home comp, now at work). amazing, why it freezes on 360 and runs fine on 500. next step was 517FSB, but it didn't finish boot to win.

As already 500 was achieved with monster MCH voltage (bios 1,45v but in reality around 1,64V), i stepped a bit down, put it down to 1,44V (bios 1,35v if i remember correct) and FSB 475Mhz 1:1

http://img300.imageshack.us/my.php?i...em555166la.jpg

after that tried Orthos blend for some 2 hours before getting to sleep.
as core voltage was pretty high 1,48V load, today i'll try a bit lower, maybe it'll work fine.

so, for your 370 trouble: have a heart, put some volt more and FSB 400+ (on a E6300, e6600 will be too much to ask over 400)

and as for stock NB sink. actually is not that bad, only that the thermal paste is applied too much. it's good at least to scrape off a bit or change to some better paste. but then again, even my zalman nb47j was VERY hot even to touch, so 450+ fsb needs good airflow or aftermarked NB sink to be stable in closed case.

anyone installed vista on this mobo yet?

I install for like a month or so. I'd like to ask you guys how can you set the speed for Tuniq Tower because on this motherboard the fan blow only 2000rpm, but the Zalman 9500 blow 2600rpm. On my Asus the Tuniq Tower blow at 3600rpm I can't set it running faster.

WTF, I have not passes 365MHZ, but a jump to 400 will boot and seems stable so far.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 96redformula7

WTF, I have not passes 365MHZ, but a jump to 400 will boot and seems stable so far.

---

cause there is a small gap in alot of the boards in that FSB range. the 1333 FSB gets forced once your past this hole, allowing for higher clocks. this has been shown on the forums by Tony at ocz, IRC with another board. with the ab9's though there seems to be tweaked timings for the chipset allowing it to hit in the "hole" that some mobo's have. this is more then likly why alot of ab9's seem to top out at or around 425mhz fsb. there is no option in the ab9's for a 1333fsb strap, abit was able to add one to the aw9d's. seems rather simple for them to add it in, once they do though i bet ab9's will have the same "hole". im just guesing on that part.

Well it is confirmed. I have since that last post been orthos error free :p. I am glad I don't have to order that DDR2 8000 anymore. I am fine with this clock for now @ 3.2 .