The Official OC (OverClocking) Thread!

Hi Theone,

heres an update of my Bios again, Ive lowered the System Memory Multiplyer to 2.0 because I heard it will run better on that rather than 2.4. Also Ive changed the case glass to the mesh as the Aurora came with both... im still getting 50c to 55c, I've been checking the temps with Easytune5 and also in the bios when I reboot. Note Ive also changed the Robust Graphics Booster to TURBO now.

I'm off to do a few checks, MS Flight Sim X, Medieval II Total War...


ADVANCED BIOS FEATURES
------------------------------------------

Limit CPUID Max to 3 [Disabled]
CPU Enhanced Halt (C1E) [Disabled]
CPU Thermal Monitor 2 (TM2) [Enabled]
CPU EIST Function [Disabled]
Virtualization Technology [Disabled]
Init Display First [PCI]

MB INTELLIGENT TWEAKER (M.I.T.)
----------------------------------------------------

Robust Graphics Booster [Turbo]
CPU Clock Ratio [10x]
CPU Host Clock Control [Enabled]
CPU Host Frequency (Mhz) [333] .............Was [266]
PCI Express Frequency (Mhz) [100] .............Was [Auto]
C.I.A.2 [Disabled]
System Memory Multiplyer (SPD) [2.00] ............Was [Auto]
Memory Frequency........................................800....................640
High Speed DRAM DLL Settings [Option 1]
DRAM Timing Selectable (SPD) [Auto]
x CAS Latency.................................................5........................Auto
x DRAM RAS# to CAS# Delay....................5........................Auto
x DRAM RAS# Precharge ............................5........................Auto
xPrecharge Delay (tRAS) ............................18........................Auto
xACT To ACT Delay (tRRD)........................3........................Auto
xRANK Write to Delay..................................3........................Auto
xWrite To Precharge Delay...........................6........................Auto
xRefresh To ACT Delay...............................28........................0
xRead To Precharge Delay............................3........................Auto

Memory Performance Enhance [Normal]

******* SYSTEM VOLTAGE OPTIMIZED ********
xDDR2 Overvoltage Control [Normal]
xPCI-E Overvoltage Control [Normal]
xFSB Overvoltage Control [Normal]
x(G)MCH Overvoltage Control [Normal]
xCPU Voltage Control [Normal]
xNormal CPU Vcore 1.32500v

PC HEALTH
-----------------
Vcore Ok
DDR18v Ok
+3.3v Ok
+12v Ok
Current System Temperature 49c
Current CPU Temperature 50-55c
Current CPU Fan Speed 3189rpm
Current System Fan Speed 0rpm
Current Power Fan Speed 937
Smart Fan Control Method [Auto]
Smart Fan Control Mode [Auto]

 

sheeny33,

Intel supplies them with 3 stripes of thermal compound. You need to take it off, clean it real good with alcohol, both the cooler base and the top of the CPU. You don't need to open it, just clean the top. I put an + about 3/4" long (up and down and side to side) in the middle of the CPU and install it. Worked fine on every C2D I've done so far. Everybody has their own way and this works fine for me! Arctic Silver 5 or Ceramique will work just fine! If you use Ceramique, put it in the microwave for a couple of seconds so it flows easier!

EDIT:
Go back and try a higher multiplier for the memory! It ran fine at 800MHz before and it should now. You take a real performance hit running the memory at that speed. I know, I did the same thing. It also hurts your video performance!

Best Regards,
theone :>)

 

That's what I was guessing but like I said, it is reading backwords on an !975x Abit AW9D mobo and also on th eP35 based IP35 I mentioned. What explains this? That was the main question. I am using Everest Ultimate v4.00.1033.
Ya, I didn't really like having to up that vcore so high either, but it is never reading more then 1.488v under load in Everest. Also, it is stable to what I put it through. I dont have any synthetic benchmarks to run, but rather real world apps that I actual load and use as regular. Now I have in the past ran overnight test only to find it passes with colors there, can even game nicely, but under CAD or AutoGK (vob to tight 60% Xvid it can fail or even just crash at times. So I dont really call that stable just cause a benchmark said it was.
I do find it to use less volt at 3.6G like 1.38v (big drop from only 3.8G)

What is your experiences with TM modes and on what mobos (in regards to what I posted)?

 

Ok just checked out the said games, nothings crashing and no graphics glitches, so where now, should I try and pump it up more?, if so will I need to raise the Volts? (which ones?), also should I try and get better overclocking on the memory I have?, how do I go about overclocking the memory anyway?. Lots of questions I know but I'm thirsty for knowledge! and this subject of overclocking has really intrested me beyond belief!.

Also one other question Theone, what does the Robust Graphics Booster do anyway?, I have a 8800GTX, shouldnt I overclock that when I've finished overclocking the CPU & Memory?

 

"Go back and try a higher multiplier for the memory! It ran fine at 800MHz before and it should now. You take a real performance hit running the memory at that speed."

Ok Im putting the Memory Frequesncy back to 800 then.

What else can I change?. If the system cant boot to windows do I need to put more volts into the CPU?, if so which setting do I put the volts into?

Thankyou all for your help by the way!

 

sheeny33,

I wouldn't push the CPU until you can re-do the thermal paste or compound with something good! I would raise the memory multi to get the memory as close to 800 MHz as you can. I wouldn't even worry at this point about overclocking the memory. It runs well at 800MHz so until you get better memory, I would not try and overclock it! If it was better memory I would say OK and suggest a higher multi to get it past 800 MHz. Raise the memory multi like I said and live with it for a few days. Run some Sandra benchmarks on it and post them. That will tell you a lot and put a little stress on the computer components at the same time. You would be surprised at how often a computer will seem to run perfectly and then crash during the CPU math test or the memory bandwidth test.

As far as the video card goes, that's about the very last thing I would mess with at this time. It's usually the last thing I do as it doesn't affect the stability of the computer, only the stability of the video card itself. For now I would leave it as is. Best thing you can do right now is use it (after you raise the memory speed to around 800MHz), play some games and use your software. It's plemty fast enough to do anything with as it is. Certainly much faster than what you had before. Just keep an eye on the temps until you are able to re-do the thermal paste!

Clock On,
theone :>}

 

I bow to your greatness - Theone rules! lol

On a serious note, I've learned alot, Im going to change the CPU Cooler for a start, Maybe go for the Freezer Pro, make sure its all pasted up good, then buy some new memory which isnt so p*ss poor.

Thanks again Theone and everyone else whos been kind enought to posting me help!.

Best Wishes,

Sam - Sheeny33

 

Don't raise the Vcore yet. That will really bring up your temps. Like Russ said up the multiplier and you might even be able to get away with upping the FSB some more but order the Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro(22 bucks with shipping) so you can really overclock.

 

NuckNFuts,

I'm not sure what you mean by "backwards"!

Go here, to get the free version of Sandra: http://www.sisoftware.co.uk/?dir=dload&location=sware_dl_3264
The informatiom you get from it will be useful in understanding what's going on. Every crash is not always a stability issue. I run AutoCad 2004 and do some serious work with it. It took about a week and several phone calls to AutoCad to get it right. Works fine now at the same settings it was crashing at before.

Believe it or not, at 3.6 the computer is probibly faster than it was at 3.8! The problem you encounter with such high voltage is bleeding. Think of it as a fire hose! If you up the pressure (in this case voltage) it reaches a point where leakage occurs. Too much leakage and poof! Good bye CPU without ever overheating! Same effect as a meltdown but with a different cause! When I get an E6750 to replace the E4300, I'm shooting for a nice stable 3.6GHz. Since heat isn't an issue with this chip, I know that the chip's limit is right at that point! After seeing other people try to go beyond 3.6 and fail, I'll be real happy with 3.6!

As far as the TM goes, I have TM2 (Thermal management) enabled and C1E. I've never been close to the CPU's throttling temperature limit so I don't worry about it at all. I idle at 2.1GHz and the transition to 3.2 is almost instantanious. These are the only thermal management on my MB. I also make sure speedstep is turned off, as it does slow down the computer as it's progressively stepped by the demand where with C1E the switch from Idle to full speed happens in milliseconds!

I've built 4 E4300s so far on 1 Asus P5N-E, 2 DS3s and 1 Biostar. All except the Asus were no problem to get to 3.2GHz. The Asus would do 3.0! With all the problems I had with the P5N-E, I wouldn't take one if they were giving them away! It took 3 boards before I got one that worked, and it still has a couple of issues concerning which memory slots you can use. I've lived with my DS3 for over 6 months now and I'm more than pleased with the results!

Best Regards,
theone :>}

 

sheeny33,

Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it! I'm really just an old fart with way too much time on my hands. I don't like being retired, but health issues have made full time employment impossible for me!

The Arctic Freezer Pro comes with a thermal pad and whatever it is they use, I can tell you from experience, is just as good as using Arctic Silver 5. I've tested both and found no meaningful difference!

As far as the memory goes, I wasn't meaning to insult what you have but memory is very cheap right now and you can do so much better for the money you spend. Better memory will improve your memory performance, widen the memory bandwidth and make everything run better, faster and more stable.

Best Regards,
Russ
:>)

 

There are some VERY good deals on Crucial and Corsair memory these days. The Crucials, I know from experience, tend to be GREAT overclockers.

 

Theone,
My wife calls me and old fart for spending so much time on the PC but hell! at least she can keep an eye on me!lol. Having read a few new reviews on the kingston ram I agree with you, its not up to much, gskill sounds better for me I recon, and no offence taken!. You've helped me understand alot. I'll be asking more questions so you may get sick of me!lol

Stay Well,

Sam - Sheeny

 

sheeny,

I think the thing that ticked me off the most was calling them and then they wouldn't give me the suggested memory timings, just the Cas Latency! The G.Skill I like for several reasons. It's voltage requirements are lower than a lot of other brands and I didn't have any of the boot up horrors that some people went through trying to get their machine to boot up enough to get into the setup to set the voltage. I've already had it overclocked to 966MHz with no problems so I know it overclocks well and it has extremely good memory chips on them. They also physically match each pair in a Dual Channel set. I had called GigaByte after I ordered my MB and it was what they recommended. I ran it by some folks I know that have way more knowlege than me and they all told me to go for it! I'm happy with the whole rig!

Best Regards,
Russ :>)

 

Hi Guys,
I thought I'd post a screenshot of my C2D 6850 @3.6 Ghz. The voltage was set in bios to 1.44375 which gave it a current value of 1.4 volts.

I've had it at 3.8 Ghz stable but the cpu voltage had to be above 1.5 volts for that. I think 3.6 is a reasonable overclock for this CPU.



It does show that the core temperatures are lower than the CPU temperature. I noticed the 6750 does this as well. I saw this when I first installed this one at stock settings as well as the 6750.

I think that it's just the Everest software misinterpeting/miscaluculating the hex numbers generated by the processor. Especially when it reads well below ambient temps at idle with stock settings. The CPU temperature sensor seems more accurate.

I leave TM1, TM2 and C1E enabled.

 

Fasfrank,

Very nice overclock! Congrats!!

One of the things I noticed when it comes to stability is that it can pass all the benchmarks and load tests without a problem, and appear to be stable, yet set it up for "Folding at Home" and you more than likely would get errors. I had my E4300 as high as 3.392GHz seemingly completely stable, yet when I let it fold overnight, it won't complete the projects properly. Like you, I can raise the voltage to eliminate that problem but I don't want to go over 1.4v! I've found this to be true with my old P4 Prescott 3.0/800 at 3.86, My old D-940 at 3.94 as well as my current machine. I had no idea there was a problem until the moderator of the Folding Forum let me know that it wasn't completing any of the work projects. When I checked the log, sure enough, I wasn't completing any of them. It never gave a error message or any outward indication of a problem!

I think this is a function of certain bios revisions. I upgraded my DS3's bios from F10 to F11 and my CPU temp went up to where there was about 3C difference between the core temps and the CPU temp. The core temps remained the same but the CPU temp seemingly went up causing my HSF to run faster and make more noise. I switched back to the F10 bios and my core temps remained exactly the same, but the CPU temp went back down!

Checking the CPU temp with an industrial Thermal Probe, right at the base of the CPU cooler confirmed that the lower CPU temp was correct. The Thermal Probe readings were 1 to 2C lower than what Everest was reporting, which would be just about right. I've never had any overheating problems, either way!

Again, congratulations on a very fine overclock!

Best Regards,
theone :>}

 

That's very good of an overclock! I think to really know if it's stable you need to run Prime95 and another stress tester. At least that's what the Read me says, or you could run folding at home as Russ does.

 

TO: theonejrs

"backwords" I mean reversed of as before. If on one ASUS P5KC @ 400x8, the CPU temp was 11c & core 1/2 temps were 25c/23c. Whereas on the Abit IP35-E @ same 400x8, the CPU temp will be 27c & cores 1/2 as 19c/17c. Both set as 8x (TM + C1E on) but in destop idle to 6x but only the Abit allowed fix set of TM2 to reduced the vcore to 1.19v (1.31v 8x) and the ASUS kept vcore as 1.32v idle and dropped to 1.24v loaded @ 8x.

I never said it came close to any kind of throttling, just multiplyer and vcore reduction (only on my Abit mobos) as usual for TM2. What mobo are you reffering to that allows you to manually set TM2 w/ C1E? Noe of my ASUS allow this, only an "AUTO" setting and mobo ends up setting to TM1 (as I get no stepdown core at idle only muli). I'd like to try a P35 based Gigabyte if they can offer the kind of BIOS OC options and allow me to utilize TM2 at nominal OC's.

In my testing w/ these E6750's @ 400x8, it is almost like stock stability (even loads S2K3 Ent as such) These are basically what the stock 1600FSB cores will fill like an dno such reason we cant' use TM2 + C1E. I even had EIST enabled at this 400x8 in vcore auto and did fine just to note. Is proving perfect for install to micro ATX with older ThermalRight XP-120.

Otherwise, a great OC'r for the price, but I do feel a slight edge on my older E6600 eve on the !975x ASUS, so can only do a tad better on a P35 set. It at 3.6 was a snap minus the max FSB to to only 495 on this mobo (ASUS P5WDG2-WS Pro).

Keep On Clockin'

 

NuckNFuts,

My GigaByte GA-965P-DS3 v1.33 does! I'm not even sure what it does. I thought it was for engaging throttling in case the CPU gets too hot! None of these manuals are very clear about it. I have both it and C1E turned on!

C1E changes the multi to 6 which slows the cPU to 2.1GHz!

Clock On,
theone :>}

 

It does reduce the vcore as well w/ ratio, or just the CPU ratio? Does your BIOS let you choose TM2 v/s TM1 in conjunction w/ C1E, or just TM auto (mobo select, BIOS reads CPU to select best mode)

As I recall when it worked as described on most Abit mobos I used, "C" state & "P" (EIST Intel branded) state worked together. .
"TM" is on die controlled & is what will control throttling. "TM1" changes the clock duty cycle to lower down the CPU power consumption. Users will feel choppiness in their applications when TM1 is applied. due to over heat/load "TM2" changes the clock speed and core voltage to reduce the CPU power consumption. All cores will activate TM2 simultaneously as there is no per-core support. Users will not feel the choppiness as the transition between P-states are very smooth. TM2 is only supported by the CPU. The CPU method is of corse better for OC'n cause it is faster to switch opposed to the ICH method where OC bottleknecks can cause a delay or even lock up.
In "P" state (EIST) enabled, When the thermal condition is very bad, TM1 is activated on top of TM2 to aggressively reduce the CPU power consumption. AMD fixes "P" state & "C" together (branded as "Cool And Quiet" and that is why you cant use it beyond a certain OC. When Intel says EIST is disabled but C1E is enabled, this means the processor will not change its clock speed and voltage when it is executing instructions, no matter whether it is a 10% load or a 100% load. It will change its frequency and voltage only when it starts sleeping (C1, C2 and etc.).
"C1" State (Halt) is what 's supposed to This will stop the instruction pipeline within the CPU from executing any instructions. Wake-up time is ultra fast (only about 10 nano seconds). The CPU is able to save up to 70% of its maximum power consumption. All modern processors must support this power state. Since C1 mode doesn't lower CPU ratio, we now have "C1E" (C1 Enhanced State) to allow the C1 state to associate with the P-state ratio/voltage table. When C1E is enabled. So the Core 2's (both cores) like P4 6xx's % D's can both run at the low under light load.
I believe new mobile CPU's will implament a new "C" state where FSB will be reduced to further save power. It will be interesting to see what OC'n these will be like when it hits the desktop market.

Keep On Clockin'!

 

It reduces the Vcore as well.