E6550 on Asus P5K E WiFi AP

[woz101]

Ok, I am a n00b with overclocking, so this is a post asking for help.

I currently have a setup of E6550 on Asus P5K E WiFi AP with 2 GB of OCZ DDR 800 RAM. I have OCed the CPU from the stock speed of 2.33(7x333) to 2.8(7x400).

My question is: is it possible to go higher than this? Do I need DDR 1066 or maybe OC the DDR 800 RAM?

I have read online that people have OCed the E6550 to 7x415 or 7x450. I don’t know how they have done it! With DDR 1066? Or maybe having OCed their DDR 800 RAM?

Would like to have the biggest bang for the buck, but, of course, safe OC at the same time as well!

Thanks in advance for your help!

[MIAHALLEN]

My question is: is it possible to go higher than this? Do I need DDR 1066 or maybe OC the DDR 800 RAM?

I have read online that people have OCed the E6550 to 7x415 or 7x450. I don’t know how they have done it! With DDR 1066? Or maybe having OCed their DDR 800 RAM.
This is correct, with a 1:1 ratio, your DDR2-800 RAM will be OCed with any FSB setting above 400MHz. The best ways to enable DDR2-800 ram to run faster is by increasing it's voltage, and by loosening the timings. Most DDR2 ram is safe to run up to about 2.2V, some will run safely with more, I'm not sure about yours.

The timings I'm referring to are the "DDR2-800 4-4-4-12" that you see listed with most RAM, loosening would be to increase the given values. For instance If your RAM's stock settings were DDR2-800 4-4-4-12 @ 2.0V, they would probably run just fine at DDR2-900 5-5-5-15 @ 2.2V. That's just an example and your results may vary. If you were successful in getting the RAM to this speed, that would put your CPU up to 450x7=3150MHz. Some of the better DDR2-800 will run up to DDR2-1000 speeds, again I'm not sure about your modules.

Getting DDR2-1066 modules would solve this dilema and allow you to set your FSB up to 533MHz without worrying about your RAM. This would allow you to achieve an OC of 7x533=3730MHz.

Good Luck!

[woz101]

Thanks for the reply!

After reading your post, I went ahead and OCed the RAM to 450 Mhz--DDR 900. And, you know what, the machine POSTed and booted up! Now it is running at 3.15 Ghz. Please see here for the verification:

http://i24.tinypic.com/25ugo6r.jpg

I set the timings at 5-5-5-15, RAM voltage at 2.2v, and CPU vcore at 1.425.

http://i21.tinypic.com/5xplyc.jpg

Now I need to do some stress test--Prime 95--as well as memtest to see if the system is stable!

Edit and Update: When I went ahead to do the memtest, it was filled with errors!!!! So I guess I will return the RAM to where I bought it and buy some DDR 1066 to safely and peacefully OC this hancho!

Thanks again for the help!

The specs for my RAM(OCZ2RPR8002GK) can be found here:
http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/memory/ocz_ddr2_pc2_6400_reaper_hpc_edition

[woz101]

I don't know what has caused the RAM to be filled with errors in Memtest!

In the BIOS, I only set the vcore at 1.425, the RAM voltage at 2.2, and the timings at 5-5-5-15.

Do I also need to change the Northridge or Southbridge voltage--and/or other settings--in order to prevent the RAM from having errors?

If I cannot find a satisfactory solution to my current DDR 800, might have to return it to where I have bought it and buy some decent DDR 1066! The latter is not that expensive. Plus, I am also investing for the future!

Thanks again for the help!

[Vento1]

That ram should run at 900mhz with no problem you could try a small increase to your NB and try 2.3 on the ram.

[woz101]

That ram should run at 900mhz with no problem you could try a small increase to your NB and try 2.3 on the ram.

Thanks for the reply!

It is appreciated!

Now I have to be honest with you: I know how to increase the RAM's voltage, but I DON'T know how to increase the voltage to the NB! I'm a n00b! In the BIOS of my particular board--Asus P5K E Wifi, there is something like "Northbridge Reference" or something to that effect. But I don't know the exact value I should choose there in order to effect a slight NB voltage increase!

Most importantly, I'd have to say, I am not motivated to give the ram another try any more, because I had just run a memtest(3.3) with the ram's stock setting 4-4-4-15 at 2T. And you know what? Memtest reports errors!!!!!!

So what do you say!?

I bought the ram at Fry's--Woodland Hills, CA. I have since come to believe that Fry's sells refurbished or RMAed stuff as though they were new! So if I had bought the ram from another source--reputable, of course, like Newegg, chances are that the ram might be able to be OCed to 900Mhz! But since it is RMAed or refurbished as sold by Fry's, it cannot!

I also bought the Asus board with the E6550 from Fry's as well. The board is an OPEN box, but there is NO labeling on the box indicating that!!! How do I know it is an open box? All the plastic bags containing the accessories have been ripped open!!! Also, there is NO driver CD in the mainboard package!!!

So that clearly tells me it is an open box!

Luckily, the board has worked OK! At least, so far! Will see how it stands out in the future tests!

About a week ago, I also bought another mobo and CPU combo from the same Fry's--Gigabyte P35C DS3R + E6750. The first board never booted up, and the second board worked for one day before the BIOS was mysteriously corrupted! After I cleared the CMOS, it refused to boot up!

Once again, if I had bought that Gigabyte board from somewhere else, chances are that the board MIGHT have worked for me!

But since I bought it from Fry's, which now I believe sells refurbished or RMAed products as though they were new, the board--two of them--never worked out for me!

Beware of Fry's! I am sorry to say!

I thank you very much for the input, and I will definitely return the ram to Fry's after the new RAM arrives!

I am currently looking at this ram to pair with my board and E6550:
http://www.mwave.com/mwave/viewspec.hmx?scriteria=BA23790

Per Crucial's Memory Configurator, the ram works with my board (Asus P5K E Wifi). If the ram indeed works with the mobo, then I might be able to OC the E6550 to 7x533! That would be 3.731 Ghz!

You think it is possible!

Thanks again for the reply!

[SH0DAN]

If you plan on feeding your ram 2.2+volts,I'd suggest adding some cooling to it.Maybe get a Antec Spotcool ?

Its gonna run damn hot with that much voltage pumping through it.

[SH0DAN]

BTW:

Screw Fry's !! Go to NCIX.com they are honest and have good pricing,not to mention great customer service !

[Vento1]

I dont know fry's so i can not comment on them but if the bags for the accessories are open and the main board disc is missing then it is a customer return. To increase the nb voltage the setting is below the reference voltage setting if i remember right.