The Maximus Formula Thread - Help/OCing/Guide/Rampage conversion

[Nuckin_Futs]

should I run 1:1 at 4-4-4-12 800mhz or go to 5-5-5-15 1066mhz at 16:12

For real world performance, the 1:1 w/ @ cl4 is a bit better then cl5 at only 1066, now if @ 1200 @ cl5 as in 5-5-5-18, then you'll see big difference in acores as wel as performance. If at 400FSB airm for 1200 (3:2) or close to it. You will need 2.24v for over 1175MHz if relaxing trd to 50~55.

i was just wondering if you guys know what an instant bsod at load is indicative of. I tried to run 445x9 for 4.0ghz and no matter what voltages i try it gives an instant bsod as soon as I run prime. Any thoughts?

My 1st guess will be too much stressing on DRAM performance boosting and tigh timings. 2md is as the guys above mentioned, except if he was reffering to actual voltages, some more then needed, and a few not enough.

Try.. more vcore, few Q6600's need up to 1.58~1.6v, PLL: of at least 1.632v but up to 1.712, FSBT of 1.42v~ but as much as 1.48v (1.504v on the 8x), NB shouldnt need more then 1.504 at such a mild FSB of only 400, but6 if on a divider. SB: 1.05~1.075v, SB_1.5: 1.5~1.55v and PCIE to 110 for starters.

This is an average starting point. Just remeber to keep RAM out of it as much as possable till you know it's stable. You're just gonna end up crashing it so often and corrupt your OS install.

Just take it one step at a time. All voltages as actual reported.

[XtremeTiramisu]

Right, consecutive BSOD due to Prime/OCCT stress tests may corrupt your OS.
That's why I'm using my 2nd comp to type this msg while my primary PC is doing Prime Blend under safe mode environment.

[Nuckin_Futs]

Right, consecutive BSOD due to Prime/OCCT stress tests may corrupt your OS.
That's why I'm using my 2nd comp to type this msg while my primary PC is doing Prime Blend under safe mode environment.

This is even trickier if on RAID 0 since we have no 2nd SATA controller to boot w/ to get into Intel RAID set to service. Well more easier if only using SATA RAID 1 or RAID Ready in AHCI mode cause you do need to have it enabled but can boot to other SATA controller to add iostar driver and repair. I still use an old Promice TX2 for that and actas my eSATA when not needed. I also found that asside from SATA drivers, the chipset INF and GPU get out of wack too and is best to uninstall and reinstall them each in order of RAID, INF, and GPU. then back up reg or at least set system restore and do a few clean restarts at stable profile. Also, uppon 1st BSOD or crash of any, restart and allow to enter safe mode to make sure it can load basic drivers before loading Windos nromal mode. Not always 100% but sure limits the corruption and hard crashing, especially due to RAM tweaking more then anything else.

Hope this helps!

[Ric2L]

Try These:



Good luck,
XT

Thank You, started with your suggested settings, ran prime for 2 hrs, everything good. bumped vcore & n/b volt down two notches, so far so good, will let prime overnight, maybe lower a little more if still stable.

would be nice to get ram back to 1066 or better, with 333 strap only have option of 960 or 1280, running at 960 now, 1280 is to much for my ram I think, will have to play with it after I'm sure that I'm stable at lowest possible voltages

[Nuckin_Futs]

Calling all X2 dual GPU video card and Maxiums overclockers!

Anybody get this card working smoothly with a PCIE OC of 115~120MHz w/o any OC to GPU core? I wanna' get a new ATI and interested in the X2 but not willing to back off my OC for it so it's this or the single HD3870, of min 512 GDDR4 w/ HDMI out w/ HD audio to my external DTS reciever.

I'm only askinf because I heard a few claiming issues with the x2 on high PCIE overclocks, not sure if it was w/ the nVidia or ATI more so. Please share your results?

[cadaveca]

I run 115mhz 24/7 without issue...high chipset voltages causes video issues tho.

Ai Overclock Tuner : Manual
OC From CPU Level Up : AUTO
CPU Ratio Control : Manual
- Ratio CMOS Setting :10
FSB Frequency : 400
FSB Strap to North Bridge : 400
PCI-E Frequency: 115
DRAM Frequency: 1066
DRAM Command Rate : 2N
DRAM Timing Control: Manual
CAS# Latency : 5
RAS# to CAS# Delay : 5
RAS# Precharge : 5
RAS# ActivateTime : 15
RAS# to RAS# Delay : 3
Row Refresh Cycle Time : 55
Write Recovery Time : 8
Read to Precharge Time : 3

Read to Write Delay (S/D) : 8
Write to Read Delay (S) : 3
Write to Read Delay (D) :5
Read to Read Delay (S) : 4
Read to Read Delay (D) : 6
Write to Write Delay (S) : 4
Write to Write Delay (D) : 6
DRAM Static Read Control: enabled
Ai Clock Twister : Strong
Transaction Booster : disabled
Level: 0

CPU Voltage : 1.3
CPU PLL Voltage : 1.5
North Bridge Voltage : 1.35
DRAM Voltage : 1.96
FSB Termination Voltage : 1.2
South Bridge Voltage : 1.050
Loadline Calibration : Enabled
CPU GTL Reference : auto
North Bridge GTL Reference : auto
DDR2 Channel A REF Voltage : AUTO
DDR2 Channel B REF Voltage : AUTO
DDR2 Controller REF Voltage : auto
SB 1.5V Voltage : 1.5v





4x 1gb Micron 8FE5, BIOS 1201

[Nuckin_Futs]

For the 2x 1g kit of OCZ FLEX series, what does the FLEX II bring to the table for us overclockers over the older set? I understand the trd is spd programmed to 50 even if BIOS has no setting for it 9ie: our MF stock official BIOS). But if XLC is used with beta can they match performance.

What can the FLEX II in 2x 2g offer over the other big names in the PC2-8500 and up speds?

Who knows of the app used to flash RAM ic's to fix certain sub timings as read by BIOS in auto, ie: the more relaxed trd of 50 for BIOS that only allow 42? I saw it done on SODIMM so why not descktop?

[jVIDIA]

Anyone knows what is the maximum safe temp for the x38/x48 ?

[aussie-revhead]

Do you gain much by raising pcie freq ? I tried a couple of times but anything above 100 and I get POST hang at VGA BIOS detection , I guess my gx2 doesnt like it , but if there is a gain to be had then I will try some more incremental jumps .

[jVIDIA]

It depends .... for me with a low PL if I don't raise the PCI-e frequency my system doesn't boot at all.

[Nuckin_Futs]

Do you gain much by raising pcie freq ? I tried a couple of times but anything above 100 and I get POST hang at VGA BIOS detection , I guess my gx2 doesnt like it , but if there is a gain to be had then I will try some more incremental jumps .

YES, for my height of OC and FSB. If I dont at least up it to 110MHz while at 480~500, certain devices get buggy on me such as USB, and sometime LAN. I am not doing it for GPU purposes, just for high FSB. I can go as low as 105 at 480 but on BETA v1004, some USB ports drop outor they dont resume on time w/ others from S3/S4 (when S3 did work on other BIOS). Even LAN might not awake. I know weird.

[aussie-revhead]

Aussie-Revhead, try this:

... snip ...


I highly recommend you do the rampage mod to 0401. That is where I found the most stability.

Thanks Zucker , I tried that and its the first time I have seen it restart from bios without cold boot but it rebooted as soon as prime load set in . Its very hot too , two cores up over 70 degrees ... so I guess that needs more work. I tried again with a few different things and still reboots when load hits , so I will keep fiddling .

First post, massive Maximus/P5E to Rampage guide!

Got it bro , might give it a go shortly I reckon.

Relax that RAM and back off the performance features for now untill you know your CPU mobo combo can do 500x7. It more then likely will, but too many peepz jump right into cranking the RAM to the gills w/ little room to breath. This is number one reason for many BSOD on high FSB attemps. If anything, use RAM settings to furtther relax to keep it out of the math for now. For 500FSB I need Static Read Control Enabled, but I'd try both. Also try to up the PCE to around 110~115 and SB voltages up a tad to help keep stable Usually 1.10v & 1.6v respectively.

Yeah mate I do 95% of my benching at 1:1 , I was only testing to see if the ram was holding me back in that case. Im trying everything to get this stable at 4ghz , being a L737B it should be capable .

I just set my bios to Zuckers settings , rebooted a few times and lost the lot .... sux when you dont remember everything , lucky though I have a kvm so I can just keep flipping back and forth to copy settings ...

[aussie-revhead]

Also , I was priming last night as I wanted a good basic stable clock to run it when not benching . It holds prime stable at 8x400 with 1.3v so I tried with 1.25v as its got a low VID and should be able to go lower , but one core failed in an hour while the others were still going the next morning , what causes this ? and how do I compensate ? If only I could add juice to just one core ....



Another question , should I do the droop mod ? Many of my voltages over volt already , will this only affect vcore ?

.

[Renegade5399]

Well what you can try to do is adjust the CPU GTL to 63-67% and see if that helps.

[aussie-revhead]

I tried auto amd max but same end result . I just tried Ai clock twister set to strong and transaction booster disabled and instead of rebooting in prime the cores just failed one by one , so its an improvement though still a long way off but it wouldnt reboot with POST stuck at dram det so I lost the lot again ....

This mobo is certainly a challenge .

[aussie-revhead]

OK my Maximus Formula is now a Rampage Formula

Im using 0401 bios and am back to testing 3200 again , I might just get that stable first (with low volts).

[chawks2]

Well what you can try to do is adjust the CPU GTL to 63-67% and see if that helps.

The amount of excellent information in this thread is astounding. Looking forward to playing around with skew.

In my experience 63 is stable for 45nm. 67 is stable for 65nm. Personally, I have found raising the bandwidth of the PCIe to 101-104 has a direct effect on stability of OC, 110 refuses to work for me period (maybe my 3870??).

I shall post my settings soon for 2G TX's & 8G G.Skill. Stay tuned.

[Millyons]

Hi Guys, well just got the P5E, kinda long thread to go through so i got couple questions

1. Whats the benefit of flashing it to MF or Rampage? Is htere Bios settings or something that P5E doesnt have?
2. If i dont mod it to MF whats the best P5E bios?
3. I asked this in the modding section but noone answered, what is the finnal targer resistance needed for a quad on the vDroop mod?

thanks

[Dostoyevsky77]

1. Whats the benefit of flashing it to MF or Rampage? Is htere Bios settings or something that P5E doesnt have?
2. If i dont mod it to MF whats the best P5E bios?
3. I asked this in the modding section but noone answered, what is the finnal targer resistance needed for a quad on the vDroop mod?

1. The most important difference between the two is tRD or Performance Level. This is implicitly controlled in the MF BIOS through the transaction booster, but the RF not only gives direct control over this, but can allow phase "pull-ins", which basically allow you to run different RAM/FSB phases at the nominated performance level minus one. Using this added feature, many of us are able to run our RAM near DDR3 SPEEDS. A very in-depth article explains the brute power of this additional flexibility. It begins on this page: AnandTech Article. It is recommended reading even if you don't flash Rampage because it really goes into fabulous detail about NB, RAM, and FSB. Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask, basically.

2. There's a good thread about the P5E HERE. It has BIOS information.

3. I'm not following this question, sorry.

[zlojack]

Calling all X2 dual GPU video card and Maxiums overclockers!

Anybody get this card working smoothly with a PCIE OC of 115~120MHz w/o any OC to GPU core? I wanna' get a new ATI and interested in the X2 but not willing to back off my OC for it so it's this or the single HD3870, of min 512 GDDR4 w/ HDMI out w/ HD audio to my external DTS reciever.

I'm only askinf because I heard a few claiming issues with the x2 on high PCIE overclocks, not sure if it was w/ the nVidia or ATI more so. Please share your results?

I've had no issues at 110 on mine.

[aussie-revhead]

Thanks dostroyevsky Im going to read that article , it might help me to understand some of the multitude of bios options in my MF/RF.

[jVIDIA]

So 0308 really is better than 0401 ? Cant find a link to 0308 bios .... can someone point me to it ?

[aicjofs]

3. I asked this in the modding section but noone answered,what is the finnal targer resistance needed for a quad on the vDroop mod?

thanks

3. I'm not following this question, sorry.

I believe he is asking if you pencil mod for Vdroop, what is the measured resistance with a multimeter across the resistor....I wondered this myself when I read the first post...I find load line calibration enabled adequate myself, but when you do pencil mods it's nice to know target resistance so you don't over do it.

[zlojack]

1. The most important difference between the two is tRD or Performance Level. This is implicitly controlled in the MF BIOS through the transaction booster, but the RF not only gives direct control over this, but can allow phase "pull-ins", which basically allow you to run different RAM/FSB phases at the nominated performance level minus one. Using this added feature, many of us are able to run our RAM near DDR3 SPEEDS. A very in-depth article explains the brute power of this additional flexibility. It begins on this page: AnandTech Article. It is recommended reading even if you don't flash Rampage because it really goes into fabulous detail about NB, RAM, and FSB. Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask, basically.

2. There's a good thread about the P5E HERE. It has BIOS information.

3. I'm not following this question, sorry.

Dostoyevsky, that bandwidth is sick!

Is that on 24/7 settings?

What PL and what Pull-Ins are you using for that?

[aicjofs]

So 0308 really is better than 0401 ? Cant find a link to 0308 bios .... can someone point me to it ?

First post in this thread. Under Rampage conversion. Step 3 has all of the BIOS.

I find 0401 and 0308 equally good from overclocking standpoint. Not sure about S3 as I don't use it, but that is something some members keep looking for, no dea if 0401 did anything for it.