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My EP45-DS3L + E8400@4Ghz + air cooling settings

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S

Smitdogg

Registered
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Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Last Updated Sept. 4
Thanks to redduc900 and OldSkool for advice

Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3L / BIOS F8
Blue Orb II + box fan
Vista 64-bit SP1 w/most services & settings disabled
E8400 batch #Q816A146 pack date 06/04/08
EVGA 8800GT / 177.79 ForceWare
Rosewill RD600N-2DB-SL-BK 600W
4 GB RAM / DDR2 / 1066 Mhz

BIOS changes:
Robust Graphics Booster [Turbo]
@ 4 Ghz (445x9)
PCI Express Frequency 100 Mhz
RAM @ 5-5-5-15
RAM performance switch [Extreme]
MCH Freq Latch 333 Mhz
System Memory Multiplier 2.40B
Static tRead Value 9
HPET Mode [64-bit]
CPU Vcore 1.3875V
CPU Termination 1.2V
CPU PLL 1.55V
 
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Nice OC, but you should really consider dropping the CPU PLL Voltage down from it's current 1.75v to the default of 1.5-1.55v. There's no reason to run that high of a voltage, considering the FSB is only at 445 MHz on a 5:6 (333/800) strap. The max. PLL voltage considered by Intel to be safe w/ a 45nm CPU is 1.5-1.55v, especially for expectedly long-term usage. If the CPU was a 65nm, then 1.75v PLL wouldn't be as much an issue... although still considered to be dangerous.
 
Thanks for the reply. I'm running the tests on the same setup with the CPU PLL dropped to 1.55 to see if it's still stable. The thing about the CPU PLL though is that 1.55V is actually Gigabyte's minimum recommendation for being at this vCore (defaults to 1.75).

When I raise my Vcore in the BIOS even to 1.3625V, the auto setting for CPU PLL is already at 1.75V. Intel's recommendations sometimes you have to take with a grain of salt when overclocking - my E8400 box says 1.25 max voltage. But if it'll run stable at 1.55V CPU PLL then great. I'll test it and report back later if it's still stable or not.
 
I would also turn of C1E, E1ST, and Speedstep in the bios so CPU-Z reports your OC correctly and your 4.0Ghz is a 24/7 OC and not just part time ;).
 
Thanks for the reply. I haven't looked much into that because I figure my idle temps will be lower with speedstep on. I'll have to test the temps and speed differences some time.
 
wht happen?

why is cpu-z says tht my cpu e8400 multiplier x6 only?making it 2ghz only. i checked in BIOS,it is already x9.
 
efilah said:
why is cpu-z says tht my cpu e8400 multiplier x6 only?making it 2ghz only. i checked in BIOS,it is already x9.
Click to expand...

It's a cpu feature, you can turn it off if you want as other mentioned. That feature when cpu is idle lowers multi, less power consumption equals less heat and noise. It does not affect your load performance as it jumps back to highest one when cpu is under load.
 
meionm said:
It's a cpu feature, you can turn it off if you want as other mentioned. That feature when cpu is idle lowers multi, less power consumption equals less heat and noise. It does not affect your load performance as it jumps back to highest one when cpu is under load.
Click to expand...

owh yeah,no wonder.ok NOW i know lolz. thx guys.
 
@redduc900 about my CPU PLL. When I simply changed it to 1.55, most stability tests were fine but Orthos Large FFT crapped out after 1.5 hours. I raised CPU Termination from 1.32 to 1.34 and that seems to have done the trick so far. I'll update my top post tomorrow when I have all the test results.
 
Instead of raising the Termination Voltage (CPU VTT) to 1.34v, try increasing the MCH Voltage (vNB) to about 1.4-1.45v w/ 4GB of RAM. Drop the vTerm to no more than about 1.2v at an FSB of 445 MHz.
 
Is my CPU Reference value OK (safe) in these settings?:

oc23.png

I take it at least everything else is OK now. I was able to lower Vcore (no problems so far in testing). Thanks again for your help.
 
A default VTT of 1.26 equates to...

CPU Reference (CPUGTLREF1) = 0.760v
CPUReference2 (CPUGTLREF2) = 0.798v
MCHRef (MCHGTLREF)............= 0.758v

... and w/ a VTT of 1.20 / 45nm CPU, the GTLREF's can be lowered even further (even your current MCHGTLREF of .72v). Try dropping each GTLREF .02v starting w/ the above settings, then run Prime and check for stability after each change.
 
redduc900 said:
A default VTT of 1.26 equates to...

CPU Reference (CPUGTLREF1) = 0.760v
CPUReference2 (CPUGTLREF2) = 0.798v
MCHRef (MCHGTLREF)............= 0.758v

... and w/ a VTT of 1.20 / 45nm CPU, the GTLREF's can be lowered even further (even your current MCHGTLREF of .72v). Try dropping each GTLREF .02v starting w/ the above settings, then run Prime and check for stability after each change.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I only have 1 CPU Reference line in my BIOS though. Choices are .805, .785 (testing that now), .762 and .744). There is no GTLREF or CPU Reference 2 anywhere. My choices in the BIOS are pretty much what you see in that last pic I posted.

Edit: No problems so far running it at .785 but if I run it at .762, Orthos craps out after a few minutes.

Edit #2: I can't lower it to .785 either, it fails OCCT at that level. Any other ideas on improving these?:

oc23.png

Is .805 safe here?
 
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CPU and MCH Ref. Voltages = GTL Ref. Voltages, so in your case w/ only one CPU Ref. Voltage setting it must apply to both cores 1/3 and 0/2... normally there's a separate setting for both. Both settings are derived from VTT (Term. voltage), so in the case of your particular board you may need slightly more voltage than another like board. Either set to AUTO (and let the board determine the correct GTL settings), or to whatever setting passes Orthos / Prime.
 
I checked auto and it set it to .805 as well. Thanks again for your help.

Edit: my BIOS resets itself if I set MCH Core to anything past 1.3. It will run fine the first time I set it but after a couple of resets, it defaults my whole BIOS. It looks like I might have to run my vCore up to 1.3875.
 
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Hi all i have a very similar system to Smitdogg and tried using the above settings which didnt run stable for me. I'm pretty newb at this and I was wondering if anyone could advise me on which settings to tweak to get my system running stable at a reasonably increased overclock (if its even possible with my system).

I'm running:
Gigabyte GA-EP45-DS3L BIOS F7
standard Cooling
Vista 64-bit SP1
q9550
Asus 8800GT
2 x 2 gb 1066 mhz ddr2 corsair ram

Thank you for any help i can get.
 
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