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e6850 + Maximus Extreme (1st Time OC'er)

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KevinKool

New Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2008
First let me say HELLO!!!! Love the forums, and prey you all can help me out!

This is my dilema. I have currently built my first cpu and am a newcomer to the overclocking game, and have run into a problem in which im hoping you all can help me with.

Specs on the comp:
e6850 cpu
Asus Maximus Extreme MOBO
2 gig OCz DDR3 1600 rated clock of 7-7-7-20
Thermaltake 1k watt PS
3x Western Digital RaptureX 150 HD's
Swordm Watercooled Case (Cooling MOBO, and CPU)
2x HD 2900XT's (both with the Koolance waterblocks on them)
Thermaltake 780i cooling the GPU's.

Now after messing with it a bit I have passed the post and been able to enter windows just fine with it OC'd at 4.01 ghz, 3.93ghz, 3.86ghz, and 3.74ghz. At 3.74ghz I was able to run Prime95 for just over 4 hours before suddenly the computer would shutdown and restart. The Prime95 log would show no errors and a complete breakdown of the test (And yes error notification is enabled). Upon windows restarting I would again past the post, get no "overclock failed", and windows would simply start right up with the message "System recovered from an unexpected shutdown or whatever it is.

I currently have the FSB set at 420 to hit the 3.74, and had it as high as 440 to hit the 4.01. CPU voltage is curently set at 1.45v and the Dram settings are at 17XXXmhz .9X voltage and the clocks are at 7-7-7-15 manualy where as when set to Auto CPUZ was showing them at 9-9-9-20.

Im trying to get the comp to burnin and be stable at one of the above settings. All posted above setting CAN past the post and do run and work fine untill Prime95 gets to going. 3.74 currently can burn for just over 4 hours where as the other three (4.01, 3.93, 3.86) all suddenly shutdown and restart the comp after anywhere of running Prime95 from 15-35 minutes.

Is there anything I am overlooking ? Anything that is recommended ? I would honestly like to get it stable around the 3.9X+ mark, and am turning to you all in the hopes of getting it done =)

Any info would be more than welcome, and I thank you all for your time!!

Thanks,

Kevin
 
:welcome: to the forums!

Right,

First out, thermaltake is to be avoided in water cooling at all costs. They suck, period(usually cool worse than air). But its too late now, so don't worry.

Upon windows restarting I would again past the post, get no "overclock failed", and windows would simply start right up with the message "System recovered from an unexpected shutdown or whatever it is.

Right so this was a blue screen in windows. goto the desktop and press the Windows-key and Pause at the same time. This will bring up system properties. Goto the advanced tab, and click settins under Startup and Recovery. Uncheck Automatic Restart. Now you will actaully see the blue screens and have to hit the reset button.

So what dose the BSOD mean? means your unstable, but you seem close beacuse it lasted 4 hours. Its unusual to get a BSOD after so long, but it happens.

I currently have the FSB set at 420 to hit the 3.74, and had it as high as 440 to hit the 4.01. CPU voltage is curently set at 1.45v and the Dram settings are at 17XXXmhz .9X voltage and the clocks are at 7-7-7-15 manualy where as when set to Auto CPUZ was showing them at 9-9-9-20.

You are trying to do too much at once here. How do you know your BSOD was caused by the CPU, or the RAM, or the FSB? you don't because you have all oc'd at once. Leave the ram at or below stock for now, also use the highest multiplyer on the cpu and bump up the fsb slow. This will find you cpu max clock. Then drop the multi on you cpu to the lowest and ramp up the fsb (making sure the ram is at or below stock). that finds you max fsb. then up you ram. See how it works, if it BSODs you will know what caused it because all other components are at or below stock. Once you have all your values, then you start to combine them. You won't usually get as high clocks when everything it ramped up, but you will get close.

It sounds like you need to up the voltage on the CPU, but be careful with it, use one step at a time and test for stability. Also what are your temperatures like? you want the hottest core below 65ish at load IMO(and there is a lot of debate on max temps for core 2 duos here.

You have an unbelievable system for anyone, let alone a beginner(it must have cost you an arm and a leg!). You have have bitten off more than you can chew right now, but as with anything using the best will make it easier in the end. Also only a handful here are on DDR3 (its way too overpriced atm for most of us), so help may be limited in that reguard.

GL, and I'm sure lots more people will help you out.
 
Last edited:
Hi KK,

Post all relevant BIOS settings, CPU Temperatures idle and under load with Coretemp/Prime95. Screen shots are best ;)
 
Ok last night, I reset everything back to the default settings (Asus Bios) but I ramped the FSB up to 400 and chose to leave everything else alone.

Orthos ran last night for a total of 7 hours and 15 minutes before I chose to stop it this morning.

At these setting CPUZ read the following:

3.600mhz
multiplier x9
FSB 400
Rated FSB 1600.0

Memory settings I left untouched but set to Auto in the Asus Bios which will remain this way untill I figure out the CPU setting first =)

Temps were still low, and read as follows:

Idle: CPU 28c, Core1 32c, Core2 24c, CPU Voltage (Auto in Bios) 1.33v
Stressed: CPU 34c, Core1 39-41c, Core2 30-34c, CPU Voltage 1.33v

So for now I can run my CPU stable at the above settings and 3.60ghz with doing little to nothing in the bios.

Where should I take it to now ? Up the FSB by 5-10-15 at a time ? and let go untill it runs stable for 4 hours and if it blue screens raise the voltage a setting eah time untill it runs stable and or wont run stable ?

Please just direct me in the right direction and help me make this monster scream!

Im just happy to have a stable 3.6ghz CPU at the moment but want it to really go.
 
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