The Official OC (OverClocking) Thread!

The HX 750W may or may not also be quieter than the TX too, I've no idea, I've not tested it.

 

LOL Agreed.

Hmm haven't used a TX series but my trusty old 550VX has been going for almost 3 years and it certainly is quiet like the HX.

 

Red_Mah: look back a few post, I posted some working profile settings for a i7 930 @ 4.0 and 4.2GHz but for starters you need a little more vcore, try up to 1.29 @ 4.0 & oor 1.33 for 4.2GHz. I would try to keep QPI/VTT to under 1.4 for now. mine loves 1.35 (BIOS) 1.33. effective. Dont forget the ICH/IOH voltages, see my BIOS setting few pages back.Or PM me for a detailed sample.

QPI link Data Rate (freqency) can best be left to the lower of the available option such as 7218 if DDR set to 1600 at BCLK 200. Auto generally works fine for this but there is never anything wrong with locking it in manual to get used to manual settings.

As for the QPI volts, the more you craank up closer to and above DDR1600 you will need more QPI volts such as 1.3~1.35+ but since the MCH is on die, use w/ care and try to keep around 1.4v or less. I can't speak for the guys who do go well over.

UCLK Frequency should be no less then double your effective DDR rate. Ie: 3204MHz if DDR set as 1600MHz. I like to add an extra 0.3 to 0.4 over for smoothness so I use 3809MHz @ DDR1600 but depends on Mobo and other voltages and most importantly, the CPU (since MCH is internal it is limited to batch quality).

Edited Oops, I misread & quoted D-840 specs, you meant D-940
Everything is same below for D-840 but you have no multi unlock here so are stuck w/ the 16x but they run cooler and can go a lil higher on air. Of you are lucky to get the (C1) stepping even better, less vcore at higher clock to 4.2GHz. I ran one as 266x16 in 1:2 DDR1066 3-3-3-8 (4.26GHz). I'd say 4.10GHz is a sweet spot once you dial in the mobo settings it likes.

prescott Dual D840:These could be good OC's (BO was good) to 4.2GHz on air (good strong air) but really depends on Mobo and chipset. I had the worst of luck on few nVidia for Intel Editions at lower 14x multi to at or above rated clock w/o some added vcore. But as soon as I moved to my ASUS P5WDG2-WS Pro !975X it went smoothly. I strongly suggest a big tower cooler to and you will more then likely get 4.0GHz daily w/ minimal vcore increase on the 16x. These did well on P35/P55, X38/X48 as well. I had no personal experiences w/ it on !965 but i'm sure they did equally well or pretty close.

Clockin' It Forward

 

Hey NuckNFuts i am a OC noob and i may get annoying lol but i dnt know what you were talking about, i have some specs for you here
I have B1 Stepping (dont know what that it)
in bios i have these options
CPU Frequency normally at 200 but profile overclock at 20%
DRam Frequency 667 or 800MHz

1.8V Dual Over Voltage
VTT_CPU Over Voltage
1.25V Over Voltage
1.5 Over Voltage

motherboard is an ASUS P5KPL-AM IN/GB
Northbridge chipset is Intel Bearlake G31
I have 2 A-data Premier 1024 MB DDR2-800 sticks of ram
CPU idle is around 42C
Stress test with Everest raised it to 51C monitoring with Speed Fan

Hope you can help me
Thanks

 

Thanks Nick; forgot about your early post, I'll go back and take a look tomorrow. Also I'll post details about what I'm at now if I can't get it working. First thought is jumping from 1.267v vcore to 1.29v seems like an awfully large increase just to gain 700Mhz (and something I'd like to avoid).

 

Jeff: I see a lot of people moan actually that the 550VX is nowhere near as quiet as the 450VX. The 550 is also a CWT not a Seasonic, the red shroud on the inductors being a big giveaway
AISmoked: P31 boards are exceptionally weak for voltage regulation and hardware in general. I would advise you not to overclock a Pentium D very far on one or you risk burning out the board.
Maw: Using an i7 has you lost for what Vcore really means! Even in the Core 2 Days you'd have to go from 1.25V to 1.4V plus to get 30% overclocks on most steppings. Here you're pushing 40% with almost no Vcore increase at all. Don't be scared!

 

Yes I am aware of this but under idle conditions both are inaudible over the rest of the system. Considering that particular PC is idle nearly 24/7, this means very little noise anyway. I believe in Corsair as well so I can't imagine the CWT units have unreasonable quality.

I agree. A P31 may be fine for OCing the low wattage budget C2Ds, but they also use half the wattage of the Pentium D. The Pentium D is also famous as one of the hottest running CPUs ever so be mindful of your temps.

 

CWT make good units, they just aren't typically as quiet or efficient as the Seasonics, is all.

 

Nick, What PLL did you list in your previous post, QPI or CPU? Based off the voltage I think it's the CPU but I wanted to be sure before messing with it.

Below is what I'm at now and what I was trying for. No reasonable voltage increases seem to be working so let me know what you think before I raise them closer to the limit.

Stable:

BCLK Frequency [196]
CPU Multiplier [20]
DRAM Frequency [1568]
UCLK Frequency [3136]
QPI Frequency [7056]
DRAM Timing Configuration
1st Timings [6-8-6-20]
2nd & 3rd Timings AUTO
Load-Line Calibration [DISABLED]
Intel Turbo Mode [DISABLED]
Voltages
Vcore [1.267]
QPI [1.1]
IOH core [1.1]
ICH core [1.1]
DRAM Bus [1.64]
DRAM Ref [AUTO]

Unstable:
BCLK Frequency [200]
CPU Multiplier [20]
DRAM Frequency [1600]
UCLK Frequency [3200]
QPI Frequency [7200]
DRAM Timing Configuration
1st Timings [6-8-6-20]
2nd & 3rd Timings AUTO
Load-Line Calibration [DISABLED]
Intel Turbo Mode [DISABLED]
Voltages
Vcore [1.281]
QPI [1.215]
IOH core [1.4]
ICH core [1.4]
DRAM Bus [1.64]
DRAM Ref [AUTO]

TIA,

redmaw

 

Hey yeah i know they run hotter than others but as far as i know it can handle a bit more...was just wondering if anybody knew a safe worthy OC, Thanks

 

AIS,
I agree with Sam here, the P31 boards are very weak in voltage regulation. I don't think you could gain enough performance to really matter without risking the MB. If you come across a decent P35 board in your travels, and it's cheap, I would think about it. I would wait on a better MB to try overclocking it!

Russ

 

Yeah it's a good motherboard but just isn't made for OCing a high wattage chip. Small voltage increases might be fine but for OCing a Pentium D you really need a more robust board.

 

To clarify, P31 boards aren't bad overclockers by themselves. However, they can only really overclock low wattage CPUs, 65W and 50W chips like Core 2 Duos, because that's all their voltage regulation can handle. Heavy CPUs like 95W Core 2 Quads or worse, 120-130W Pentium Ds are a bit too much and are likely to cause problems.

 

These arn't as bad as most made them out to be. Trust, I the 840 was worst and I got it up there too. You just need to keep it cool & they can do this on a quality 550~600W PSU.

I would say a goal of 4GHz at DDR1000 in !1:2 is not to far fetched if you can keer her cool. Here I will sugest a good budget cooler in very close performance to the classic "cooling on air" ThermalRight Ultra 120. Look into the Thermolab Baram Universal CPU Cooler at just under $40.00 US. This is a large tower cooler capable of using 2 fas in a push/pull. But at 4GHz you will be just fine w/ 1 fan. The mobo here is barely only needing to do 250FSB and barely any overcolts to chipset and RAM. RAM dividers is where the G31 will likely be picky so try to keep in a 1:1 or 1:2. The B1 is the CPU stepping, labeled on the actual CPU & box as sSpec Code SL94Q. Thes refer to various features either added, locked out, or just revised for performances. In this case, the C1 was a revised version to offer C1E and ran cooler at les volteages so meant better for overclocking. (B1) was ok but just needed a bit more to keep up at a same 4GHz per say. As for the motherboard, If it didnt offer any power mosfet (the power chips around the CPU area) then add some. I like the Enzotech BMR-C1 Forged Copper BGA Heatsinks - 8 Pack you can cut to fit as needed w/ hack saw or most fit as is.

On most the boards I see we are only getting CPU PLL options. I have only known DFI to offer mores advanced setting for NB chipset PLL as well as dual PLL. So for my ASUS X58 it is CPU PLL and I use up to 1.88v at 4.305GHz but can be stable at 1.86v at 4.2GHz. Dont be too worried bout the vcore on this 930. These models already outsine the old 920 in terms of voltages. In fact to speak for, my i7 930 can run its 4.305GHz at 1.36v, the same vcore my i7 920 needed to hit stable 4.2GHz, or my 930 could do at 4.2GHz what my 90 needed at 4.0GHz so you can get an idea of the scaling. Keep in mind I have a better of the i7 920 batches cause most needed what my 930 4.3 used just hit 3.8, so it is luck of the draw. 2nd, you will need more QPI volts for near DDR1600., at least 1.30 min and up to 1.35 if aiming for BCLK of 200, which in turn you need to look at NB/SB if you hae a nice PCI-E card and drop in sound as well as utilising a few USB divices. Up the PCI-E frequency if uSB stuff fails to detect all the time or drops out sometimes. Mine likes PCI-E Freq to 110MHz. It wont hurt to just start at 1.33 vcore and back down as it will allow. just mind you temps. Look at the cooler I mentioned above unless you have a better one already. These 930's are a "shoe in" for daily 4GHz, we just need to time the mobo in.

Hope this helps

 

Hey ok thanks guys i will probaby wait till i get more upgrades cecause i dont understand all the 1.1,1.2 ratios thanks alot guys

David

 

The ratios refer to how many times RAM clock speeds runs to each CPU FSB clock speed. So if to get stock of DDR800 (400mHz x2 base RAM clock) at stock CPU FSB of 200FBS (quad pumped to system FSB of 800 in HTT mode) means Your CPU FSB is at 200MHz (800MHz system HTT) and RAM is active at DDR800. So in turn, we use ratios to refer to thish. Some older BIOS used RAM multipliers such as "X" times the CPU FSB. It equalds the same but means you gotta do the math on the side as you adjust because thos old BIOS did not tell you the reported or soon to be active DDR speed. 1:1 just means the RAM and CPU are in full sink CPU FSB: 200MHz (800 HTT), DRAM: 200MHz (DDR400). For testing 1:1 is most stable. So you know for sure the RAM OC is not a big part of the overall system OC yet till you stable out the CPU OC.

 

Well I couldn't get stable at 200x20, and now it's not stable at 196x20 anymore either. I got fantastic results out of and seemed to be stable at:

BCLK Frequency [200]
CPU Multiplier [20]
DRAM Frequency [1600]
UCLK Frequency [3200]
QPI Frequency [7200]
DRAM Timing Configuration
1st Timings [9-9-9-24]
2nd & 3rd Timings AUTO
Voltages
Vcore [1.3]
CPU PLL [1.86]
QPI [1.31]
IOH core [1.14]
ICH core [1.14]
DRAM Bus [1.64]
DRAM Ref [AUTO]

but after trying to OC a bit more it's not even seemingly stable at:

BCLK Frequency [200]
CPU Multiplier [20]
DRAM Frequency [1600]
UCLK Frequency [3200]
QPI Frequency [7200]
DRAM Timing Configuration
1st Timings [9-9-9-24]
2nd & 3rd Timings AUTO
Voltages
Vcore [1.312]
CPU PLL [1.88]
QPI [1.33]
IOH core [1.18]
ICH core [1.18]
DRAM Bus [1.64]
DRAM Ref [AUTO]

 

Are those voltages you state as is set in BIOS or as reported by Everest or a like accurate app? ASUS is known for overvolting a tad on certain items such as QPI, vcore, DRAM for example. If this is the case, you want to aim for reported working voltages especially for the vcore and QPI. Also, for the IOH core/ICH core @[1.8], is this the settings for core voltages or the PCI-E 1.5v lanes? the PCI-E 1.5v lanes dont need much at 200 BCLK but the NB/SB cores will need a tad but not more then 1.4 in most cases. I only needed 1.2v on mine but I realize they are different. Also I noticed you had Loadline Cal off. Enable this or you will need to set in BIOS a tad more vcore to make up for the vdroop under loading. QPI on mine is a bit off so I have to set in BIOS at 1.35000v to get 1.310v for DDR1600. my vcore only needs to be set to 1.33xxx to use 1.323 idle or 1.334 loaded.

Just in case I didnt mention earlier, those timings were for my RAM, everybodys will be different there and in fact you should always leave set loose and either at 1:1 or 1:2 for now just to make sure you CPU and mobo like the CPU sidie of the OC, and for sure the same must be said of the GPU, no OC here yet till done testing or you only asking for mishaps and wont know from which part yet. Also as discribed in my earlier post, make sure to Disable any speed spectrum setting and for now NO EIST, Intel SpeedStep. If to really make surte Disable all under CPU config except what you need, usually I only leave HTT, all cores, ect. this can be turned on later.

 

My mistake, meant to put 1.14v and 1.18v respectively; was worried I actually used 1.8v for a minute lol. For the record I've got nothing else OC'd and I put my ram timings at 9-9-9-24 to be safe (from the looks of it you have the discontinued mushkin set, or are just really lucky). By using this configuration (below) it seems to be stable again, hopefully there's some room to drop some voltages as it's running a bit toasty right now.

BCLK Frequency [196]
CPU Multiplier [20]
DRAM Frequency [1568]
DRAM Timing Configuration
1st Timings [6-8-6-24]
2nd & 3rd Timings AUTO
Voltages
Vcore [1.3]
CPU PLL [1.86]
QPI [1.31]
IOH core [1.14]
ICH core [1.14]
DRAM Bus [1.64]

I'd like to push it a bit more but right now it can't handle any more heat and will be lowered soon anyway to keep temps in check as summer approaches. I think my MB temp will be vastly improved with a smaller cpu cooler so I'm currently planning a WC loop for the cpu. If it gets down (late June/early July) I should have ample room to OC depending on how much noise I can tolerate.
Thanks for the help Nick, it seems I will have to a bit longer before getting past the 4Ghz mark though.

 

I would just grab a $40 CPU cooler and a $12. 12v blower style fan like this I used for benchtesting.

I got this at Weird Stuff for $4.00 here in Sunnyvale Ca. but you can grab one on Ebay. See this link:
ja, I use the mushkins now, I love them. The ones in the pic are the old style 6-76-18 but I recently got the newer version with heatpipe integrated heatink on my other Rampage II Extreme. The one in pic it the Micro ATX X58 Gene model and it does get a tad warm too. These fans can do over 5k RPM but you will only need bout 2500 to be good w/ room to cool for benchmarking and so on.