Confused

Hey guys,

I'm a little bit confused... I tested my memory at 300MHz 2.5-4-4-6 timings, with 40 passes, no errors, of test #5, and #8... The processor was running at 2.7GHz at the time... BUT, whenever I try to boot into windows, it hangs up at POST (right before "Verifying DMI Pool Data"), and won't let me set the FSB anything higher than 290MHz... I've tried fooling around with the voltages, but no luck.

Right now I'm stuck with 2.61GHz (290x9) 1.79v and my memory running at 2.5-4-4-6-2T @ 2.8v(which is I have no clue why, but that's the tightest timings I could squeeze out of it, if i set it to 1T - I get a buncha errors in memtest). It won't let me set the multiplier 10x to nothing higher than 260MHz FSB...

WHY?!?!?!?!?!

Temperature problem maybe? Right now it idles at 38C... A little bit high, but that's with the stock fan/heatsink...

Somebody please help...

First of all, thats alot of voltage you're feeding that winny! Is that what cpu-z reports? 2T setting on your ram needs to go. Your ram performance is taking a hit. Pushing that winny to 2.7 ghz is also asking alot of your proc. That is most likely your culprit for not getting into windows or getting a higher o/c. To see your limitations of your RAM, you need to keep your processor close to stock speeds/voltage. I highly doubt your limiting factor is memory related. If I'm totally off base, let me know. I think it'd be helpful to share what your highest stable o/c has been in the past, your HTT setting, and what stability tests you've performed on your previous o/c's.

tresmonos said:

First of all, thats alot of voltage you're feeding that winny! Is that what cpu-z reports?

Click to expand...

That's what BIOS reports... and that's pretty much right... If I set anything less than that voltage it becomes unstable, and hangs up whenever I go to click my username at the logon screen.

tresmonos said:

2T setting on your ram needs to go. Your ram performance is taking a hit.

Click to expand...

I really can't do anything about that... It's not stable at 1T even at as low as 220MHz

tresmonos said:

Pushing that winny to 2.7 ghz is also asking alot of your proc. That is most likely your culprit for not getting into windows or getting a higher o/c.

Click to expand...

Well... I don't know, I mean, I saw people with same proc as me and they're getting 2.8-3GHz... Kind of disappointing...

tresmonos said:

To see your limitations of your RAM, you need to keep your processor close to stock speeds/voltage.

Click to expand...

Could you go into this a little bit? How am I supposed to raise my FSB that way? Or am I not understanding this correct?

tresmonos said:

I highly doubt your limiting factor is memory related. If I'm totally off base, let me know.

Click to expand...

I really wouldn't know, I mean this memory's done some wierd things in the 3 weeks I've been trying to overclock this baby, but I really wouldn't know... I'm almost positive it might be a cooling problem... That's why I ordered the heatsink for the proc.

tresmonos said:

I think it'd be helpful to share what your highest stable o/c has been in the past, your HTT setting, and what stability tests you've performed on your previous o/c's.

Click to expand...

This computer is my first ever overclocking journey... HTT is set at 3x... Ran Sandra, 20 hours of Prime95, SuperPi, Memtest (windows and bootdisk versions)

A couple of things:

1. First of all, Memtest stable does NOT mean it is Windows stable. Memtest should be used only as a rigid guide to help you in your overclocking adventures. Often times, however, you might have to lower your settings to boot and/or bench into Windows stable.

2. From the looks of it, it appears as if you might have approached the limit of your processor. I'm sure that you've seen a couple of higher results, but most of these were probably with a Venice/San Diego (newer) core. Simply put, 2.6 Ghz is an extremely good clock for a Winchester and is nothing to scoff at. Furthermore, 1.79v is an awful lot of voltage to put into that processor. I'd stick with 1.6 ~ 1.65 and below on aircooling.

deception``

To see how well your RAM can clock, bump down your multiplier to 9x's. That'll alieviate some pressure off your cpu. That way you can bump up the clock speed of your memory and get an idea of the maximum stable clock for your ram. Also, try doing the complete opposite: set your memory divider (max mem clock) to a lower value. This will allow you to push your cpu to a higher o/c without you taxing your ram.